Sentencing set for Dec. 1

From KTVZ.COM news sources

June Marie Newburn, 50, of Joseph, Ore., appeared in United States District Court in Eugene Tuesday and pled guilty to one count of theft of government property.

Newburn was a U.S. Postal Service Sales and Service Associate in Bend at the end of her 23-year career as a postal employee.

In Newburn's plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office, she admitted that between October 31, 2005 and July 1, 2007, she knowingly took from the government $156,462.59 in money orders, cash and other property for her own use.

The plea agreement acknowledges that Newburn abused a position of trust and must pay restitution as part of her sentence.

In exchange for Newburn's guilty plea, the U.S. Attorney's Office agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of the sentencing guideline range.

Stealing more than $1,000 from the United States government is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of post-prison supervised release.

"The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General considers theft by USPS employees to be a very serious crime," said John D. Masters, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, USPS OIG, Western Area Field Office.

"The overwhelming majority of Postal employees are honest, hardworking, and trustworthy individuals who would never consider engaging in this type of criminal behavior. But when a Postal employee betrays that trust, our Special Agents vigorously investigate those matters," Masters said.

"Today's guilty plea reinforces our extensive investigative efforts and the ongoing commitment of both the USPS OIG and the U.S. Attorney's Office to aggressively investigate and prosecute such behavior. The public we serve can be assured this type of behavior will never be tolerated."

Sentencing is set for December 1, before U. S. District Court Judge Michael R. Hogan. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney William E. (Bud) Fitzgerald.