NJ Postal Worker Admits to $170K Mail Theft

Joseph Fenuto, a 51-year-old postal employee, pleads guilty to stealing cash parcels from Gloucester Premium Outlets.

In a startling admission, Joseph Fenuto, a 51-year-old postal worker from Blackwood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to stealing over $170,000 in cash from mail parcels. This announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.

CAMDEN, NJ - In a recent federal court session in Camden, New Jersey, Joseph Fenuto faced U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn and admitted to a significant breach of trust. Charged with mail theft, Fenuto confessed to misappropriating cash meant for safe delivery.

Fenuto, during his tenure from November 2021 to August 2022, was responsible for a postal route encompassing the Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood. His duties included handling parcels from various retail establishments, many containing cash proceeds from sales. However, Fenuto diverted over 50 parcels, siphoning off $171,110 intended for a bank in Ohio.

This act of mail theft holds severe legal consequences, including a potential five-year prison sentence and a fine up to $250,000. The sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger highlighted the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General, led by Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office investigators, under Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney. The Gloucester Township Police Department, under Chief David J. Harkins, also received acknowledgment for their support.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

This case underscores the importance of integrity within postal services, a vital community trust. The Gloucester County residents and retail establishments affected by this breach are now reassured by the diligence of law enforcement in upholding this trust.