Former Belcamp Postal Worker Sentenced to Two Years for Stealing Money Order, Setting Fire to Postmaster’s Office

From the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland:

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Dana Lind Nixon, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing a postal money order purchased by a customer. Nixon also set fire to the Postmaster’s office in an attempt to cover up the theft. Judge Quarles ordered Nixon to pay restitution of $4,006.29.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Postal Inspector in Charge Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division; and Maryland State Fire Marshal William E. Barnard.

According to Nixon’s guilty plea, she was an employee of the United States Postal Service working as a Sales and Distribution Associate at the Belcamp, Maryland Post Office. Nixon admits that early on the morning of May 15, 2012, she set fire to the Postmaster’s office in an attempt to conceal her theft of a $1,000 postal money order. The fire was quelled, although damage was estimated at approximately $5,000. The Fire Marshal determined that the fire was intentionally set and identified seven different ignition points and other indicators of arson.

In the course of investigating the arson, Postal Inspectors interviewed the Belcamp Postmaster and learned that on May 14, 2012, the Postmaster left paperwork on her desk documenting a complaint from a customer who purchased a $1,000 postal money order on May 8, 2012. The customer alleged that, upon returning home, she realized that the postal clerk, later determined to be Nixon, failed to provide her with the purchased $1,000 postal money order. Further investigation revealed that shortly after the customer purchased the money order from Nixon, Nixon cashed the money order at her own bank in her own name.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ATF, and Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office for their work in the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General,. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Rachel M. Yasser, who prosecuted the case.