Hoxie mail carrier indicted on federal theft charges

A Hoxie mail carrier was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday, accused of stealing mail, officials said.

James N. Stephenson, 25, has been charged with one count of theft by a postal employee, one count of unlawful possession of 15 or more stolen gift cards and debit cards, and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said in a statement.

The crimes are alleged to have occurred from August through January in Sheridan County. Stephenson is accused of stealing cards from the mail while he worked for the post office in Hoxie.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on the theft charge, 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on possession of the stolen cards, and a mandatory two years on the identity theft charge.

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Hoxie mail carrier indicted on federal theft charges."