Former Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to Issuing Money Orders Without Receiving Full Payment

Published 6:18 am Friday, October 29, 2021

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHANNEL SMITH, age 41, of Orleans Parish, Louisiana, pled guilty to issuing money orders without receiving full payment in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 500.

According to court documents, beginning in May 2019 and continuing until August 2019, SMITH, being an employee of the United States Postal Service, for the purpose of fraudulently enabling herself to obtain and receive, directly and indirectly, a sum of money from the United States, issued eight (8) postal money orders with face amounts of $150.00, $110.71, $100.00, $125.00, $80.00, $140.00, $100.00, and $150.00 without having previously received the full amount payable to the United States for these money orders.

SMITH faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee based on the charge outlined in the bill of information. United States District Judge Africk set sentencing for February 16, 2022 at 2pm.

This case was investigated by special agents from the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”).  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachal Cassagne.