INDIANAPOLIS — A former post office supervisor gasped and fought back tears as he learned he will spend 40 months in prison for stealing hundreds of checks that Indianapolis businesses mailed through a northwest Indianapolis post office.
James Lancaster, 42, and his attorney asked a federal judge for mercy Wednesday morning when Lancaster appeared in U.S. Federal Court for his sentencing hearing. But Judge Tanya Walton Pratt told the defendant his actions warranted a significant sentence, including time behind bars.
“The defendant really has no excuse for his actions,” the judge said after announcing the sentence. “Mr. Lancaster was in a position of trust at a busy post office (but showed) nothing other than greed and disregard of the victims.”
Walton Pratt said she wanted to ensure local businesses saw justice after they were “seriously impacted” by Lancaster’s actions, which also eroded trust in the U.S. Postal Service.