ALBUQUERQUE – Phillip Duran, 33, of Las Vegas, N.M., pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to an opening and destruction of mail misdemeanor charge. After entering his guilty plea, Duran was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay an $800 fine.
Duran was charged in a misdemeanor information on March 16, 2016, with unlawfully opening mail not directed to him while employed as a U.S. Postal Service officer. According to the information, Duran committed the crime between Nov. 19, 2015 and Jan. 7, 2016, in San Miguel County, N.M.
During yesterday’s hearing, Duran pled guilty to the information and admitted that from Nov. 19, 2015 through Jan. 7, 2016, he intentionally opened other people’s mail when he was not supposed to do so.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva M. Fontanez.