A Florida man, Ottis McCoy, was arrested for discarding over 1,000 pieces of mail, including a ballot, while working as a contract U.S. postal worker in Orlando. Federal authorities charged him with stealing mail, a criminal offense that carries a potential fine of up to $250,000 and up to five years in prison. Charles Johnsten, an inspector with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), witnessed McCoy on surveillance video tossing mail into a wooded lot, prompting an investigation. Another postal worker became suspicious when McCoy returned from his route earlier than expected after loading up a van with a large amount of mail, leading to the discovery of the discarded mail in a nearby neighborhood.
Footage from a camera installed on a cul-de-sac home captured McCoy discarding the mail in a wooded area near his delivery route, revealing over 1,000 pieces of mail, including more than 400 pieces of political mail and a ballot among them. The USPIS inspectors collected the mail and recorded the discovery in an affidavit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. It remains uncertain whether McCoy has legal representation at the time of publication. This incident comes after another postal worker in Tennessee faced charges earlier in the year for throwing away mail after a TikTok video went viral. While there is no evidence to suggest that these actions were politically motivated, concerns about the security of election mail have increased leading up to the presidential election.
Former President Donald Trump’s false claims about mail-in voting fraud have contributed to heightened concerns about the integrity of election mail. Despite encouraging his supporters to vote early by any method, Trump falsely alleged that mail-in voting is prone to fraud during the 2020 election. In light of these concerns, the FBI is investigating a fake video shared on social media that purportedly showed a person tearing up mail-in votes for Trump in Pennsylvania. The FBI, along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, discovered that Russian actors were responsible for creating and amplifying the video as part of an effort to undermine trust in the election integrity and divide Americans.
The investigation into the fake video underscores the potential for foreign actors to manipulate social media to influence public opinion and interfere with the electoral process. With the presidential election fast approaching, it is crucial to remain vigilant against disinformation campaigns aimed at sowing distrust and division among voters. Given the ongoing threat of foreign interference, law enforcement agencies are working diligently to identify and counteract attempts to undermine the integrity of the election through deceptive tactics. The incident involving Ottis McCoy serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding the postal system and ensuring the secure delivery of election mail to protect the democratic process.
