Mail theif receives rigorous sentence

Gets two months inGets two months injail $5,000 in fines The former United States postal employee who plead guilty to three charges of mail theft and three charges of delaying mail last April will be sentenced today. The sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held at the U.S. federal court in room 5C, beginning at 9 a.m. Gerald Ricca is the postal worker who is allegedly responsible for many of the University's mail thefts. He was a clerk at the 30th Street Post Office until he was arrested for removing three letters from the mail stream. Two of letters were placed there as part of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service. The letters were addressed to 3700 Spruce Street, the Quadrangle's address, and contained a total of $130. Ricca did indeed attempt to steal the letters. "The purpose of the upcoming hearing is to give the judge a chance to determine how severely [Ricca] should be punished," said United States Postal Inspector Lou Recchilongo. "The judge will listen carefully to the clerk's side and then victim's side. A proper decision will be made." Ricca was originally charged with only one count of mail theft, but additional counts were filed when Recchilongo sent additional evidence to the U.S. Attorney's Office in March. He retired late last month after working with the Postal Service for 30 years. "The fact that the investigation was so complete influenced his desire to retire," Recchilongo said. He added he is satisfied that Ricca is no longer a threat to the Postal Service and the mail, especially mail that goes to the University. Residential Services Director Nancy McCue, who has handled more than 1,400 University mail complaints since 1992, said she was also relieved that Ricca pled guilty. "It's gratifying to see the justice system at work," McCue said last April. "This solves a very large piece of the troubles we have with mail." But Recchilongo said he could not directly blame Ricca for all of the University's past mail problems. He added that University officials will be given a chance to explain the difficulties and frustration they suffered. According to the U.S. Postal Code, the maximum sentence for each count of mail theft is five years in jail, a $2,000 fine or both. Although he is uncertain what Ricca's sentence will be, Recchilongo said he most likely will not get the maximum sentence because he has no criminal record. Both Recchilongo and McCue will attend today's hearing at the courthouse.

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