Former Oakdale postal worker stole gift cards and lottery tickets from mail, DA says

A former postal worker has been indicted on felony charges for allegedly stealing gift cards, lottery tickets and an array of other items from mail at the Oakdale Post Office, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced Wednesday.

Jovanni Jamison-Lewis, 36, of Mastic Beach, allegedly stole items from envelopes while she worked as a clerk at the post office in November 2025. Tierney said investigators have identified seven victims.

The indictment alleges Jamison-Lewis took two sealed envelopes from an outgoing mail bin on Nov. 19, 2025. One contained a greeting card and a $175 T.J. Maxx gift card. The other contained a greeting card and three New York State Lottery scratch-off tickets, prosecutors said.

Jamison-Lewis allegedly opened the envelopes, removed the gift card and lottery tickets, and returned the empty greeting cards and envelopes to the outgoing mail stream.

The following day, surveillance video showed her using the stolen T.J. Maxx gift card at a Port Jefferson Station store, where she purchased clothing, jewelry, a handbag and reusable shopping bags, prosecutors said.

Suffolk DA investigators and agents from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General arrested Jamison-Lewis on Nov. 24. The investigators found four pieces of stolen mail in her pocketbook and recovered the items purchased with the gift card, Tierney said.

Search warrants of her home and car turned up 20 additional pieces of stolen mail containing gift cards valued at about $800, the DA said.

Jamison-Lewis resigned from the Postal Service on Dec. 1.

She was arraigned Wednesday before Acting Supreme Court Justice Bryan Browns on nine counts each of fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, as well as petit larceny and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

She was released without having to post bail and is due back in court Sept. 16. Tierney noted that the charges are not eligible for bail consideration under existing state law.

“The integrity of our mail system is fundamental to the trust and security of every resident in this community,” Tierney said, thanking the USPS Office of Inspector General for its assistance in the case.

_{Top: Photo by Sam LaRussa.}