A former Connecticut postal employee has pleaded guilty to fraud and mail theft after depositing $156,000 in fraudulent checks, federal officials said.
Kierra Blount, 35, formerly of Stamford and currently residing in Plymouth, North Carolina, pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Sarala Nagala in Hartford to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison, and one count of unlawful possession of stolen mail, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
Court records show that Blount, while employed by the U.S. Postal Service in Stamford, reportedly stole mail and obtained stolen mail for the purpose of obtaining checks that were payable to other individuals. In November 2021, Blount reportedly opened a bank account using the name and social security number of an individual without their knowledge.
According to court records, Blount and others reportedly changed the payee names on stolen checks to the name of the identity theft victim, forged the victim’s signature on the back of the checks and deposited them into the bank account Blount opened.
From November 2021 until the account was closed in April 2022, Blount and others reportedly deposited $156,000 in fraudulent checks into the account. Some check deposits were reversed by the bank, and Blount and others reportedly used approximately $81,000 for their own purposes, court records show.
On June 20, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Blount’s Stamford residence and seized a significant amount of stolen mail and other items related to this scheme, including debit cards in the names of other individuals, checks totaling more than $285,000 and sheets of paper containing personal information of other individuals, including names, dates of birth, addresses, email addresses and security question answers, according to court records.
Subsequent analysis of cell phones seized from Blount on that date revealed images of stolen checks, personal identifying information for more than 50 individuals, and communications using the Telegram app with unknown individuals involved in the scheme.
Blount was indicted on March 26, 2024. She was arrested on June 17, 2024. She is currently released on a $75,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 9.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force, which includes personnel from the Stamford, Milford, Westport, Fairfield, West Haven, West Hartford and Bridgeport Police Departments.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
Originally Published: August 30, 2025 at 10:47 AM EDT
