Former Dale County postal worker pleads guilty to package theft

A former U.S. Postal Service employee recently pleaded guilty to the theft of a package containing prescription medication.

Samuel Jeffrey Covington, 33, of Ozark Street, Newton, pleaded guilty last week to the federal charge of theft of mail by officer or employee. According to federal court records, Covington pleaded guilty to the theft of a package which happened on Sept. 10, 2008, in Ozark. Records showed the package was addressed to a postal customer on Don Circle in Ozark.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kent Brunson said the federal case showed Covington took the package with prescription medication inside for “personal use.”

“He figured out what was in it, or suspected what was in it, and removed it because that’s what he suspected to be in the package,” Brunson said.

Covington pleaded guilty on Feb. 13. He will be sentenced on July 1 in front of a federal judge.

Aylia McKee, who has represented Covington from the Federal Defender’s Office, said the charge carries a possible punishment of no more than five years in prison.

Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams said Covington pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance in connection to the offense at the post office. Adams said as part of the plea agreement, Covington was allowed to enter Dale County’s pretrial diversion program.