A Belton, Missouri man has been sentenced in federal court for his involvement in the theft of United States Treasury checks. Julian King, 32, received a six-month prison sentence from Chief U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips after pleading guilty to the theft of government funds related to stolen Treasury checks.
Court documents state that King and his co-defendants were involved in cashing a $72,236 Treasury check on August 9, 2023. The check was altered to list Sierra McCall as the payee. McCall deposited the modified check into her bank account and later obtained two cashier’s checks for $36,000 each, which she provided to King and Jalen Koonce. At the time, Koonce worked at a U.S. Postal Service sorting facility where government checks are processed.
On September 6, 2023, King and Koonce attempted to deposit another stolen and altered Treasury check worth $30,264.56. The bank held this check and it did not clear.
United States Attorney R. Matthew Price commented on the sentencing: “My office has a very low threshold whenever a government employee is involved in criminal conduct and violates the public trust,” said Price. “In those cases, we will hold not only those individuals accountable, but also those who help them during the commission of a crime.”
Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General stated: “This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” Bishop said. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
Both Koonce and McCall have pleaded guilty in connection with these crimes and are awaiting sentencing scheduled for 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker prosecuted this case following an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigation and TIGTA.
