The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mark Kerpovich, age 29, of Shavertown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on December 6, 2019, before U.S. District Court Senior Judge A. Richard Caputo to theft of mail.According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Kerpovich admitted to stealing mail between October 2017 and October 2018. The thefts were discovered after postal customers in Hanover Township, Luzerne County, complained about mail that was not received and/or mail that was received with contents missing. Some of the missing contents included cash, gift cards, and lottery tickets.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
Judge Caputo ordered that a presentence investigation take place. Sentencing is scheduled for May 1, 2020.
The maximum penalty for the charge under federal law is up to five years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.