Contract mail carrier arrested on check charges

Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen announced the arrest of a Southport woman yesterday on charges of Forgery and Grand Theft.

In February 2010, two reports were received by the Bay County Sheriff's Office in reference to the theft of State of Florida checks from the US mail. Both of the checks were later cashed at a local convenience store and false information was provided by the person cashing the checks.

Working with the United States Postal Inspector, and the United States Postal Service's Office of the Inspector General, investigators were able to develop Jamie Black, a contract mail carrier working in the Bayou George area, as a suspect. Black was the carrier on a route where numerous complaints of missing and opened mail had been received.

Black was taken into custody yesterday afternoon, and during questioning, admitted to taking mail from various customers in the Bayou George area. Black also admitted to stealing, and cashing both of the state checks reported stolen to the Sheriff's Office.

Jamie Diane Black, DOB 08-11-81, of 1402 2nd St., Southport, was subsequently charged with two counts of Grand Theft, and two counts of Uttering A Forged Instrument in reference to the checks.

As a result of the above investigation, information was developed on a second carrier, Kimberly Mutter, in reference to the theft of mail. Mutter is also a contract carrier, who delivers express mail out of the Bay County Processing and Distribution Center.

During interviews conducted with Mutter, she also confessed to stealing mail from her route. The investigation into this matter continues, and more charges are expected.