Postman accused of stealing pills from mail gets probation

BURLINGTON, Vt. – A former U.S. postal worker accused of stealing prescription drugs from packages has been sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to perform community service work.

Federal prosecutors say 62-year-old Robert Mackenzie, of Fletcher, Vermont, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Burlington on Wednesday. He had pleaded guilty to one count of possession of oxycodone.

Court records say while he was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a rural carrier associate, he stole oxycodone for personal use from parcels that he was supposed to deliver.

Mackenzie was fired from his job.

He was ordered Wednesday to perform 40 hours of community service during his probation.

His public defender did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.