March 9, 2011

A federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a two-count indictment charging Chrisoula Pipilakis, age 33, of Akron, Ohio, with embezzling mail and unauthorized opening of mail, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today.

The indictment alleges that from November 1, 2010, until on or about November 17, 2010, Chrisoula Pipilakis, then a Postal Service letter carrier a the Firestone and Five Points Post Office Stations, located in Akron, Ohio, did open and steal the contents from several letters, including gift cards and correspondence, which had come into her possession for delivery to persons residing in Akron, Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Duane J. Deskins, following an investigation by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.