SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A former Missouri postal carrier has been sentenced to three months in federal prison for pocketing money and presents from people on his mail route.
Judge Roseann Ketchmark said in sentencing 58-year-old James Chapman on Monday that, “Stealing birthday money from little kids is deplorable.”
Court records say the thefts took place between May 2016 and February 2017 while Chapman was delivering mail in Newton County.
Prosecutors say Chapman took birthday cards, Easter cards, Christmas cards, Christmas presents and more. Chapman’s attorney asked for probation, but Ketchmark said it was significant to her that the thefts weren’t a one-time thing.
Chapman apologized to his family and victims in a brief statement. He’ll start serving his sentence next month.