Columbia, SC—–United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced the indictment of five additional United States Postal Service employees. Mr. Nettles added that these indictments follow five indictments from the Florence area and are part of an ongoing sweep targeting fraud by Postal workers in claiming unemployment benefits.

Lisa Hawkins, age 46, of Eutawville, South Carolina, was charged in a 2-count Indictment with theft from the United States government, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and false statement on an application for unemployment insurance benefits, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1919. The maximum penalty Lisa Hawkins could receive is 10 years imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson, of the Columbia office for prosecution.

Felecia Mack, age 35, of Bowman, South Carolina, was charged in a 2-count Indictment with theft from the United States government, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and false statement on an application for unemployment insurance benefits, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1919. The maximum penalty Felecia Mack could receive is 10 years imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson, of the Columbia office for prosecution.

Emma Talford, age 42, of Blackstock, South Carolina, was charged in a 2-count Indictment with theft from the United States government, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and false statement on an application for unemployment insurance benefits, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1919. The maximum penalty Emma Talford could receive is 10 years imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson, of the Columbia office for prosecution.

Eulinda Willis, age 39, of Bowman, South Carolina, was charged in a 2-count Indictment with theft from the United States government, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and false statement on an application for unemployment insurance benefits, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1919. The maximum penalty Eulinda Willis could receive is 10 years imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson, of the Columbia office for prosecution.

Kimberly Watkins, age 40, of Vance, South Carolina, was charged in 2-count Indictment with theft from the United States government, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and false statement on an application for unemployment insurance benefits, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1919. The maximum penalty Kimberly Watkins could receive is 10 years imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson, of the Columbia office for prosecution.

“These indictments represent a collaborative effort between the South Carolina Employment Securities Commission, the Department of Labor Inspector General, and the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General (OIG),” according to Joanne Yarbrough, Special Agent in Charge of the OIG’s regional office. “The Postal Service prides itself in its dedicated and professional employees and their ability to provide the service our customers have come to expect. The employees identified today are a very small percentage of the thousands of South Carolina postal workers entrusted with processing and delivering the public’s letters and parcels every day.”

Mr. Nettles stated that the charges in these Indictments are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

source: United States Attorney’s Office, District of South Carolina

Related link:

Five South Carolina Postal Workers Indicted For Unemployment Fraud