Louisville man facing federal charges after absentee ballots found in dumpster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville man is charged with "willfully obstructing the passage of mail" after more than 100 absentee ballots were discovered in a dumpster in Jeffersontown, according to U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.

DeShawn Bojgere, 30, has been charged with the delay or destruction of mail, a federal crime.

On Oct. 15, the United States Postal Service was notified that a contractor found undelivered mail in a dumpster on Galene Drive near Tully Elementary in Jeffersontown. Agents recovered the mail that included 111 absentee ballots, 69 pieces of "flat rate mail," 320 "second class pieces of mail" and two national election campaign flyers from a political party in Florida, according to a news release.

Bojgere, who is no longer employed by USPS, admitted to USPS special agents that he discarded the mail, according to Coleman.

All the ballots and political flyers were returned to the USPS and delivered to customers.

“Especially in these times, Americans depend on the reliability and integrity of those that deliver the U.S. Mail. Conduct by Postal employees that violates that duty will result in swift federal prosecution," Coleman said in a statement.

Special Agent Scott Balfour from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General previously said they have no reason to believe Bojgere has done this before.

"I will point out that the vast majority of the Postal Service's 630,000 employees are hard-working, trustworthy individuals who work around the clock to deliver the nation's mail, and incidents of this nature are exceedingly rare when put into that context," Balfour said.

Bojgere faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if he is convicted of the charge. USPS and the Inspector General continues to investigate the case.