CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a former postal worker who stole cash and gift cards from mail in the Poplar Bluff, Missouri area to probation and ordered her to pay restitution.
Brittney D. Bulliner, 29, was caught in a sting stealing Walmart gift cards and a gift card for Kohl’s and admitted stealing and rifling through 17 greeting cards two days before she was confronted.
The investigation began after postal customers in the Poplar Bluff area began complaining in April 2022 about mail that was missing contents. On Aug. 18, 2022, Bulliner was identified as a possible suspect. She was a sales and service distribution clerk at the time.
On Aug. 20, 2022, an agent of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General placed a blue envelope containing a greeting card and two $25 Walmart gift cards into mail which was to be worked by Bulliner. The cards, along with a third gift card, were used by Bulliner on Aug. 23, 2022 to buy two bicycles at Walmart.
On Sept. 15, 2022, the agent placed a blue greeting card containing a Kohl’s gift card with no value into mail at the Broseley, Missouri Post Office. Agents confronted Bulliner after she opened the card, and she admitted stealing it. She also admitted stealing and opening 17 greeting cards before taping them shut and returning them. Agents found those cards in the Post Office the day they confronted Bulliner. The investigation identified at least 45 Postal Service customers who were missing mail taken by Bulliner.
Bulliner, who lives near Poplar Bluff, was indicted by a federal grand jury in October on two counts of theft of mail. She pleaded guilty to both charges in February.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hahn prosecuted the case.