FORMER ELEROY POSTAL EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH MISAPPROPRIATING POSTAL FUNDS AND CONVERTING MONEY ORDERS

April 20, 2010

ROCKFORD – PATRICK J. FITZGERALD, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, together with L. SCOTT CASPALL, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Great Lakes Field Office of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, today made the following announcement:

A federal grand jury in Rockford today indicted TRICIA D. GOLDSMITH, 39, of Pearl City, Illinois, on one count of misappropriating postal funds and seventeen counts of fraudulently converting money orders from the United States Post Office. The indictment alleges that between June 26, 2008 and March 26, 2009, Goldsmith, a former Postal Service employee in Eleroy, Illinois, converted approximately $3,831.47 in money orders, and cash and stamps having a value of approximately $1,345.13.

Goldsmith is scheduled to be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney in Rockford on Monday, April 26, 2010, at 11:15 a.m.

If convicted, Goldsmith faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment for the misappropriation of postal funds, as well as up to 5 years of imprisonment for each charge of fraudulently converting money orders. In addition, each charge carries a fine of up to $250,000, and 2 to 3 years of supervised release, as well as any restitution ordered by the court. The actual sentence would be determined by the United States District Court, guided by the federal Sentencing Guidelines.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant United States Attorney BRENDAN A. MAHER. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.