Marion Co. postal worker admits to stealing mail, money, investigators say

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A Marion County postal worker is facing federal charges after investigators said she admitted to opening mail and stealing money from envelopes.

Channel 9's Kenneth Craig learned that authorities were alerted after someone saw mail piling up at Christine Rovelto's home.

Federal investigators said the mail carrier was hoarding people's mail at her home for nearly a year instead of delivering it.

They said mail was piling up on her outside porch so high that strangers could see it from the distant roadway. That's what prompted one of them to contact authorities.

Craig went to Rovelto's home on Tuesday, but the man who answered the door told Channel 9 that Rovelto didn't want to talk.

When investigators interviewed Rovelto, she told them that she started bringing the items to her home beginning in May because of the volume of the mail on her route. She said there was just too much for her to deliver.

Investigators said Rovelto told them that she knew it was wrong but admitted to opening some of it and even stealing money.

A search of Rovelto's home revealed mail in a burn pile, mail outside on the ground and dozens of mail trays and tubs all over the property, authorities said.

If you believe you are missing mail, you contact the USPS at 800-ASK-USPS (8777).

WFTV