A mail carrier working for the U.S. Postal Service has been sentenced today following her confession to pilfering mail from her delivery route, with a particular focus on cash and gift cards belonging to over 90 individuals, as disclosed by U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.

The Sentence

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris passed a sentence of two years of probation and mandated restitution amounting to $1,847 for Katie Elizabeth Bowlds, aged 39, hailing from Helena.

Bowlds had previously pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail in April.

"I trust that the restitution issued today will, in some way, compensate for the occasions and moments Bowlds deprived people of, including children, by absconding with their mail and rifling through greeting cards for cash and gift cards," expressed U.S. Attorney Laslovich.

Bowlds' actions, he contended, undermined this trust, and he voiced satisfaction in her being held accountable for her criminal activities.

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More Details

According to court documents presented by the government, in 2022, Bowlds was employed as a contracted delivery services carrier by the U.S. Postal Service, managing a rural route in Helena.

During the spring of that year, she systematically purloined numerous greeting cards from her postal route, specifically targeting those containing cash and gift cards.

Many of these greeting cards held modest sums of money and were intended for birthdays, anniversaries, and various other celebratory occasions.

Regrettably, the cards never reached their intended recipients due to Bowlds' unlawful actions, affecting more than 90 victims in the process.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley was responsible for prosecuting the case, while the U.S. Postal Inspection Service spearheaded the investigation.