Postal employee sentenced for money order theft

By Derek Jordan
Wick News Service
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 5:31 PM MDT


A former employee of the Pirtleville Post Office has been sentenced to 16 months in prison followed by three years of probation for stealing money orders paid for by customers.


Anna Cecilia Miranda, 49, of Douglas, worked at the post office from March 2008 through October 2009 and served as the relief postmaster when the postmaster was on assignment. Beginning in August 2009 and through October 2009, Miranda sold money orders to customers who then placed them in envelopes to mail. However, instead of mailing the money orders, Miranda stole them and used them herself, forging customers’ signatures and taking the money, according to a release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.

Additionally, Miranda did not process payments made by customers for many of the money orders.

When customers began to hear from creditors about past due bills for mortgages, car payments and other expenses, they complained at the post office. Miranda heard many of the complaints and told customers she would look into the matter, but took no action, according to the release.

On May 14 of this year, Miranda pleaded guilty to attempting to pass a forged and altered U.S. Postal Money Order and to theft of mail matter by a postal service employee. She was sentenced on Tuesday.

In addition to prison time, she was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $25,106.57.

Copyright © 2013 Douglas Dispatch

Comments

    Sensitive wrote on Sep 19, 2012 1:46 PM:

    " People be sensitive to things like this please. You never know when you or a loved one can be in a situation that will involve others trashing you. That it's wrong it was way wrong but she had her day in court and will pay for her crime. Remember she has children who may soemday hear how bad of a person she was because "WE" the local citizens have chosen to crucify her. Who are we? Let us all look in the mirror and judge ourselves, we may find were not perfect either. For her children I hope and pray she can come out and be a btter person because of this experience. God never gives up on his children but we sure do... "

    thereisnofreelunch wrote on Sep 17, 2012 11:06 AM:

    " Luis it's people like you with your wacky justifications that make it so hard to live in a small town. STEALING is never okay. Ignoramous!!! If you don't make enough money then get another job or work as many jobs as you have to to keep up your desired lifestyle. "

    To Luis wrote on Sep 13, 2012 4:51 PM:

    " Please don't make your comments. "Mrs. Miranda" stole thousands of dolloars! Someone in my family had their car reposessed because she was stealing the money orders. This wasn't once or twice this was many times. Would you feel the same if she had done this to you? Not only that, she had the nerve of just listening to everyone's complaints and doing nothing about it. She had every intention of doing this. I also live in Pirtleville and agree 100% with "Pirtleville Resident". I used to live close to her when she lived here and she was not in need. She lived very comfortable, took trips, had a new car, had quads, ect. I think she should be ashamed of herself and not act as though she did nothing because she affected many inocent people and she knew exactly what she was doing! "

    Luis wrote on Sep 13, 2012 1:36 PM:

    " Give Mrs. Miranda a break, she probably needed the money. If the post office took better care of their peoples this wouldn't happen. "

    Monty wrote on Sep 13, 2012 10:59 AM:

    " I agree with JT & RR If we don't stop the corruption nobody else will. We are the masters of our destinity only we can choose. We can choose right or wrong, or close our eyes and let wrong take over our town. I hope it is not to late to clean up our town. "

    RR wrote on Sep 12, 2012 1:59 PM:

    " Everybody making excuses for what is wrong. Just because this happens else where does that mean it's OK to do it here? Wow what convaluded thought processes. I say we have zero tolerance on all corruption. One illegal act is one too many "

    To RR wrote on Sep 12, 2012 7:05 AM:

    " How about we give You back to Mexico! You act like these things don't happen everywhere else, well they do. They are magnified here because we are a small town. Just look at the crime everywhere else. We are small potatoes compared to others. "

    RR wrote on Sep 10, 2012 10:14 PM:

    " Give Douglas & Pirtleville back to Mexico. "

    Monty wrote on Sep 9, 2012 6:13 PM:

    " To Aquiles, Don't say the 20% are the problem because they are not. The 80% is thge problem because the tolerate the 20% so they are all equily guilty!!! "

    Aquiles wrote on Sep 8, 2012 2:45 PM:

    " Normal operating procedure!seems to me like the 20% of the Douglas population responsabel for 80% of all the problems..is alive and doing just that...creating embarassment for he rest of us. "

    Pirtleville Resident wrote on Sep 8, 2012 11:13 AM:

    " It is a shame that Anna has ended up doing such things, especially to the community in which she was raised. She affected may people. Some lost their vehicles, and others almost lost their homes. How can she have the heart to do something like this knowing she was affecting so many families? Plus, she is well known for taking about others and being a critic. Well this goes to show that you should not spit up because it might just hit you right in the face. I believe this sentance is too light for the crime she committed. Opening others' mail is a serious crime and she should have been sentanced to a longer time in prison. I feel sorry for her children, what a horrible example of a mother they have. "

    Tito wrote on Sep 7, 2012 5:21 PM:

    " What is the answer to all the corruption in douglas? "

    xxxray wrote on Sep 6, 2012 8:04 PM:

    " Oh JT, you're so cute with your generalizations. "

    JT wrote on Sep 5, 2012 7:06 PM:

    " More corrupt government employees, typical Douglas people living up to everyone's expectations. "

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