Postal supervisor arrested for allegedly stealing checks from the mail

COSTA MESA, Calif. - A US Postal service supervisor was arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars in checks from the mail and depositing them into her bank account.

According to the Department of Justice, Joivian Tjuana Hayes, 36, of Compton, was arrested Thursday morning on a federal criminal complaint alleging she stole more than 20 checks from the mail.

Hayes, who is a supervisor at the Costa Mesa Post Office, was charged with one count of bank fraud.

According to the affidavit, since July 2024, Hayes deposited more than 20 checks that had been stolen from the mail at the Costa Mesa Post Office into her bank accounts at various banks. 

The checks had forged signatures of the payees, including one check for more than $114,000. 

Officials say Hayes allegedly stole more than $281,000.

According to the affidavit, Hayes is also suspected of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in currency and gold coins from mail that had been processed through the Costa Mesa Post Office.

If convicted, Hayes would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.