October 11, 2012

Maine woman gets 30 days for embezzling from post office

Jill E. Hansen, 45, is also ordered repay $6,500 she says she used to help her household budget and pay for gas.

By Betty Adams badams@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

An Oakland woman who admitted embezzling $6,500 in postal service money said she did so to help her family budget and pay for gas.

That's what Jill E. Hansen, 45, told federal investigators looking into the theft of the money from the U.S. Post Office in Augusta, where Hansen was a part-time employee.

Hansen was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bangor to 30 days in prison followed by three years of supervised release. She was also fined $500 and ordered to pay restitution of $6,500.

She had pleaded guilty to theft of postal money May 21 in the same court.

Hansen worked for the post office as a part-time, flexible postal clerk, selling postal items to customers.

Postal inspectors uncovered stamp shortages and video footage of the thefts, which occurred between March 2010 and April 2011, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.

"The defendant entered no sale transactions, voided sales of purchases made by customers and incorrectly reported sales in order to steal postal funds," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Moore. "The video footage also would show Ms. Hansen removing postal funds from her cash drawer and placing the money under her shirt."

Hansen admitted the thefts when confronted April 27, the documents say, and she wrote, "I did what I did so I could give my paycheck to our household budget, and (so) I could have money for gas."

She is free on bail until she reports to federal marshals on Dec. 7 to begin her sentence.

Hansen is awaiting sentencing in state court after pleading guilty June 4 to a separate charge of operating under the influence. A sentencing in that case is set for Oct. 30.

Her attorney, Charles T. Ferris, was in court Wednesday and did not return a call seeking comment.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

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