A former Tampa Bay area postal employee faces up to 15 years in federal prison for stealing more than $2 million in Social Security checks.

  • U.S. Attorney's Office says St. Pete postal worker stole checks
  • Stacy Mitchell reportedly took more than 3,000 Social Security checks
  • He was a mail handler in St. Petersburg for 15 years

A U.S. Attorney's Office news release says jurors found 48-year-old Stacy Darnell Mitchell guilty Wednesday of theft of government property and theft of mail. His sentencing date hasn't been set.

Mitchell was a mail handler for more than 15 years at the processing and distribution center in St. Petersburg. Authorities say Mitchell stole more than 3,000 Social Security benefit checks from the facility from January to October 2012. The checks were sold and cashed at various convenience stores and check cashing businesses.

Four of Mitchell's accomplices have been convicted of federal charges related to the same theft scheme.