BOSTON – The former Postmaster of the U.S. Postal Service Post Offices in Blackstone and Jefferson, Mass., pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to stealing approximately $31,000 from the U.S. Postal Service.

Carlitos Molina, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of misappropriating postal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy H. Hillman scheduled sentencing for July 20, 2017.

While he served as Postmaster, Molina stole 65 Postal money orders and used them to obtain cash for personal use, to pay for personal services and to pay personal debts. Specifically, Molina used stolen money orders to pay his home mortgage, water, cable, and electricity bills, back taxes, a collections agency to which he owed money, and for car repairs. In total, Molina embezzled approximately $31,000. In addition, when confronted by Postal management, Molina lied and stated that he had used certain money orders to pay for repairs to the post office facility.

The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Eileen Neff, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.