Postal clerk sentenced to probation for embezzling

OKLAHOMA CITY – James Bryan Barnes, 53, of Norman, has been sentenced to a 24-month term of probation for embezzling postal funds and making false postal record entries, announced United States Attorney Timothy J. Downing.  As a condition of his probation, Barnes will be required to serve 72 days in prison.

According to a second superseding indictment, Barnes was the lead Sales and Service Associate at the Midwest City Branch Post Office when he conducted a scheme to steal postal funds by taking cash for stamps without properly accounting for the sales.  He was charged with one count of embezzlement of postal funds in excess of $1,000, one count of theft of government money in excess of $1,000, and four counts of making false entries in the U.S. Postal Service’s records.

On July 11, 2019, a jury convicted Barnes on those six counts.  The jury heard that Barnes made false record entries into his cash register at least 178 times from October 2015 through June 2018 and took almost $3,000 belonging to the Postal Service.

On March 5, 2020, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Barnes to 24 months of probation.  As a condition of probation, Barnes is required to serve 72 days of incarceration on weekends.  Barnes must also pay restitution of $2,950.67 to the United States Postal Service.

These charges are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service—Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William E. Farrior and Nick M. Coffey.