Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Kasandra Perez was arrested for grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a forged instrument and other crimes for allegedly cashing United States Treasury checks intended for others while working as a clerk at the South Ozone Park post office. Perez is alleged to have cashed 20 stolen checks in March and April totaling more than $56,000 and received $50,330 in kickbacks. The stolen checks were primarily tax refunds and Social Security and Veterans Administration benefit payments.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this former U.S. Postal Service clerk worked with accomplices to steal and cash more than $56,000 worth of checks that were primarily tax refunds, Social Security payments and veterans’ benefit payments. As part of the scheme, Kasandra Perez cashed the checks brought to her window by accomplices and then paid herself with money orders purchased with the stolen funds. I thank our partners at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and USPS Office of Inspector General for their work on this case. The investigation is ongoing.”

USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the New York Division said: “This arrest disrupted a fraud scheme that diverted thousands of dollars in stolen checks and victimized honest hard-working individuals. The defendant in this case took advantage of her position, as a USPS employee, for their own financial gain. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to working with our partners to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail and hold those who exploit it accountable. This investigation validates the commitment of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to protect the U.S. Postal Service while ensuring and securing the public trust in the mail.”

Matthew M. Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General said: “Postal Service employees are entrusted with protecting the mail and serving the public with integrity. When that trust is violated, we will work with our law enforcement partners to pursue accountability. We thank the Queens County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their continued partnership in this investigation.”

Perez, 31, of Brooklyn, was arraigned Thursday night on a 104-count criminal complaint charging her with one count of grand larceny in the second degree, one count of criminal possession of stolen property in the second degree, 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first degree, 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, nine counts of grand larceny in the third degree, nine counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, 11 counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree, 11 counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, 16 counts of identity theft in the first degree, four counts of identity theft in the second degree and two counts of scheme to defraud in the first degree.

Queens Criminal Court Judge Sharifa Nasser-Cuellar ordered Perez to return to court September 24. She faces a potential maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison, if convicted.

Perez and a codefendant, Davaun High, were previously charged with similar crimes committed on three different dates: two counts of grand larceny in the third degree, two counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, four counts of forgery in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, four counts of identity theft in the first degree, two counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree and two counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the USPS Office of Inspector General began an investigation into Perez in July 2025. The DA’s office joined the investigation in December 2025.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, Perez worked as a clerk at the South Ozone Park post office where between March 12, 2026, and April 28, 2026, she cashed 20 stolen U.S. Treasury checks totaling $56,821.71. The checks were intended for recipients living in New York and other states including Pennsylvania, Florida, Washington and Hawaii.

On March 12, Perez allegedly processed transactions for an unapprehended individual who purchased five money orders, subsequently made out to Perez, totaling $4,260. She then cashed three allegedly stolen U.S. Treasury checks totaling approximately $4,700. The checks were Social Security and VA payments. The money orders were allegedly payment to Perez for cashing the stolen and forged Treasury checks.

On March 23, the defendant is alleged to have processed transactions by an unapprehended individual involving the purchase of eight money orders, subsequently made out to Perez, totaling $6,950. She then cashed three treasury checks, all tax refunds, totaling approximately $7,600. One of the checks was intended for a New York man who told investigators that he never received it and that the defendant did not have permission or authority to possess and cash the check and further that any signature in the endorsement of the check was not authorized and was forged.

A similar pattern continued on 10 more dates where Perez issued money orders to an unapprehended male who came to her window to cash thousands of dollars in treasury checks. Most of the checks were tax refunds.

In total, Perez allegedly received approximately $50,330 in payments.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Assistant District Attorney Allison Wright, Supervisor in the District Attorney’s Housing, Worker and Consumer Protection Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys William Jorgenson, Bureau Chief, and Christina Hanophy, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division Joseph T. Conley III.