Florida postal worker arrested for dumping election mail and absentee ballots

A Florida postal employee faces charges for allegedly discarding election mail and absentee ballots in the woods.

A Florida man is facing federal charges after allegedly discarding over 1,000 pieces of mail, including election-related items, while working as a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) contractor.

According to an affidavit and a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on Friday, Ottis McCoy, a USPS mail carrier, is accused of abandoning mail in a wooded area along his route in Orlando. 

McCoy’s actions came to light when a suspicious coworker noticed McCoy returning early despite having left with a substantial volume of mail. A review of GPS data for McCoy's USPS vehicle revealed a detour to a forested area rather than his assigned delivery path.

Following the report, the USPS Inspection Service launched an investigation. Surveillance footage provided by a nearby resident reportedly shows McCoy’s USPS van entering the wooded area. 

Stills from the footage, part of the criminal complaint, show a man suspected to be McCoy throwing mail into trees. Additional photos included in the case display scattered mail pieces, notably a Florida absentee ballot hidden behind foliage.

McCoy is now charged with federal property misuse and mail theft, as mail tampering is a serious federal offense, especially involving election-related materials. Federal investigators are examining the scope of discarded mail to determine if additional charges are warranted. 

With a national focus on mail reliability, McCoy's case highlights the importance of protecting election materials and enforcing federal safeguards within USPS operations as judicial proceedings progress.