HARTFORD, CT — A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stealing checks from the mail and bank fraud.
Kierra Blount, 35, of Plymouth, North Carolina, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala and ordered to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term.
Blount, who was formerly employed by the U.S. Postal Service in Stamford, stole mail and obtained stolen mail to access checks payable to other individuals, according to court documents.
In November 2021, Blount opened a bank account using the name and Social Security number of an identity theft victim without that person’s knowledge.
Blount and others fraudulently changed payee names on stolen checks to match the identity theft victim’s name, forged the victim’s signature and deposited the checks into the fraudulent account.
From November 2021 until the account closed in April 2022, approximately $156,000 in fraudulent checks were deposited into the account.
Blount and others used approximately $81,000 for their own purposes after some check deposits were reversed by the bank.
On June 20, 2023, investigators executed a court-authorized search of Blount’s Stamford residence and seized stolen mail, debit cards in other individuals’ names, checks totaling more than $285,000 and sheets containing personal information of other individuals.
Cell phones seized from Blount contained images of stolen checks, personal identifying information for more than 50 individuals and communications using the Telegram app with unknown individuals involved in the scheme.
Blount was charged by indictment on March 26, 2024, and arrested on June 17, 2024.
She pleaded guilty to bank fraud and unlawful possession of stolen mail on Aug. 29.
Blount is released on a $75,000 bond and is required to report to prison on April 8.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force investigated the case with assistance from police departments in Stamford, Milford, Westport, Fairfield, West Haven, West Hartford and Bridgeport.
