The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Monroe County man pleaded guilty Thursday in United States District Court in Scranton, before Senior U.S. District Judge Edwin M. Kosik, to the charge of theft of mail.

According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, Jacob Tanner, 29, of East Stroudsburg, admitted to stealing mail in the Stroudsburg area in 2014.The thefts were discovered after a number of Stroudsburg residents complained about missing, torn or discarded mail. Tanner was observed on surveillance video removing mail from a mailbox outside a residence in Stroudsburg. Postal authorities later apprehended Tanner in possession of stolen mail in December 2014.The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of Postal Inspection Services, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O'Hara.Anyone who believes they may be a victim or have further information should contact Postal Inspector David Heinke, United States Postal Service, at 877-876-2455The maximum penalty under federal law is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.