Postal Worker Charged With Stealing Over $280,000

Joivian Tjuana Hayes, a 36-year-old supervisor at the Costa Mesa Post Office, has been arrested and charged with stealing over 20 checks worth more than $281,000, including one for $114,000, which she allegedly deposited into her bank accounts using forged signatures. Federal prosecutors announced that Hayes faces one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Surveillance footage reportedly shows her depositing the stolen checks at various ATMs in Fountain Valley, Compton, and Costa Mesa. Additionally, Hayes is suspected of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in currency and approximately $15,000 in gold coins from the same post office. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is conducting the investigation, which led to search warrants executed at her home and vehicle. Meanwhile, Emilio Chirico, the DeWitt Post Office station manager, has also been charged with stealing over $80,000 in stamps, utilizing his position to falsify records and misappropriate postal funds, facing similar federal charges.