Lee pleads guilty to mail theft

COEUR d’ALENE — Delbert William Lee Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft of mail matter, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

At the plea hearing, the 48-year-old Worley resident admitted to stealing mail from a post office box located in Worley. The victim shared a post office box with Lee’s co-conspirator, Twilla Marie St. Pierre, 39, of Worley. The mail stolen by Lee and St. Pierre contained checks belonging to the victim.

The theft of mail matter charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

Sentencing is set for March 8, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene. St. Pierre pleaded guilty on Oct. 18 to theft or receipt of stolen mail matter, and she is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2017.

The case was investigated by Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the FBI.