Wichita postal worker charged with stealing 4,404 items

Kelly R. Cram, a 59-year-old postal worker from Wichita, faces one count of unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on Tuesday. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas announced the charges in a written release.

According to the indictment, Cram stole 4,404 pieces of mail beginning in October. Prosecutors stated that she placed the stolen items in her garage. The collection included nearly 400 political mailers exclusively for Republican candidates or Republican-affiliated political action committees.

Agents searching Cram's residence found no mailers supporting candidates from any other political party. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is currently investigating the incident.

The charges surfaced on Election Day, when Kansas voters chose between Republican Ty Masterson and Democrat Cindy Holscher for governor. The state also voted on all four of its U.S. House seats and one of its two Senate seats. Incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall faced a challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton.

The U.S. Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment regarding the specific circumstances of the theft or the status of the recovered mail.