Trio sentenced in massive WA post office burglary ring
TACOMA, Wash. - Three people have been sentenced in a South Sound post office burglary ring that preyed on customers across five western Washington counties.
The ring leader, 37-year-old Justin Tate of Tacoma, was sentenced in April to 50 months in prison and ordered to pay $10,785 in restitution. Co-defendant Gregory Foster, 60, of Port Orchard, was sentenced in May to two years in prison, and Paula Jean Gamboa, 38, of Federal Way, received an 18-month sentence.
Timeline:
The crew targeted post offices across Kitsap, Thurston, Pierce, King and Island counties throughout July 2024:
- July 4, 2024: Tate and Foster wore face masks to break into the Olalla Post Office.
- July 8, 2024: Tate and Foster disconnected a security camera at the Littlerock Post Office but failed to breach a metal shutter into the restricted area.
- July 9, 2024: Tate and Gamboa stole mail from various post office boxes at the Fox Island Post Office.
- July 15, 2024: Foster broke a window to enter the Anderson Island Contract Post Office and stole $3,000 in stamps, $100 in cash and roughly 100 postal money orders.
- July 24, 2024: Tate stole mail from multiple post office boxes at the Vashon Island Post Office.
- July 27, 2024: Tate and Foster forced their way through the back door of the Snoqualmie Post Office to steal mail.
- July 30, 2024: Tate and Gamboa stole mail from boxes inside the Preston Post Office.
- July 31, 2024: Tate and Gamboa broke into the Clinton Post Office on Whidbey Island, stealing mail from post boxes and a drop box.
Prosecutors say Tate opened a bank account in the name of one of the victims and tried to transfer more than $3,500 to himself. He also attempted to deposit more than $13,000 in fraudulent checks and ran up $7,200 in charges with a stolen debit card. Tate and Gamboa would then launder the stolen funds at area casinos.
Tate pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two counts of bank fraud. Gamboa and Foster's exact charges were not specified.
What they're saying:
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle noted that crimes involving mail and identity theft are "tremendously disruptive to people’s lives," leaving the victims with deep, emotional harm.
"Gamboa’s crimes were carried out with little regard not only for the United States property they destroyed, but for the victims whose privacy was violated through these illegal activities. Arms full of mail representing hundreds of Washington citizens were swept up, to be opened and rifled through later – all so Gamboa and her co-conspirators could pocket their contents. Bank cards, checks, registrations, social security documents were taken and used by the defendants," prosecutors stated during Gamboa's sentencing.
What's next:
All three defendants will serve their respective prison terms followed by three years of court-ordered supervised release.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the United States Attorney's Office — Western District of Washington.