A postal worker in Sacramento, California, has been charged with obstructing mail delivery after allegedly withholding more than 1,000 political campaign mail pieces meant for residents ahead of the state’s November 3 general election.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Antoine Rashad Polite, faces federal charges of delaying and obstructing the delivery of United States mail, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced on Monday.
Polite, who worked as a letter carrier for the US Postal Service in Sacramento County, allegedly failed to deliver hundreds of political mail items between September 23 and October 27, according to investigators.
The investigation began after postal managers reportedly discovered about 493 pieces of political campaign mail in a section reserved for bulk business mail classified as undeliverable because of incorrect addresses.
However, prosecutors said the items carried valid addresses within Polite’s assigned delivery route.
Investigators later uncovered another 527 pieces of political mail in containers designated for undeliverable mail and inside the postal vehicle assigned to the suspect.
Although the items also had valid delivery addresses, prosecutors alleged that several had their addresses deliberately crossed out or were labelled undeliverable.
The withheld materials included campaign messages concerning candidates and ballot measures scheduled to appear on California’s November 3 general election ballot.
Authorities said most of the affected mail has since been delivered to the intended recipients.
If found guilty, Polite could face a maximum sentence of six months in prison for obstructing mail delivery and up to one year for delaying or destroying mail, prosecutors said.
