During Wednesday's plea hearing, defense attorney Janette DeBoissiere told the judge that Grace was desperate for money because she was about to lose her home. DeBoissiere argued that the brazenness of the crime illustrated such desperation, adding that the scheme "wasn't clever."
Grace also addressed the judge, asking her to consider her financial situation when she committed the crimes and the fact that she had no previous convictions.
But Marshall suggested that other factors should be considered in determining Grace's sentence. The prosecutor told the judge that Dorsey had been undergoing rehabilitation after surgery and had to reduce her sessions from twice a week to once a week because she could not afford to pay for them after her money was stolen. Marshall also noted the other items found at the time of Grace's arrest imply that she had planned to continue the scheme.
When Grace was arrested in February, law enforcement officials found seven pieces of mail belonging to other people, prosecutors said. Three of those envelopes were addressed to Taylor. Two of the envelopes contained personal identification numbers to financial accounts, and one had new credit cards.
In the purse, officials also found a Maryland identification card with Grace's photo and the name Theresum Arthur, who Grace said was her cousin. There was also a Social Security card and Visa check card in Arthur's name, prosecutors said.
The United States Postal Service encourages customers to report when they think their mail is missing and takes all cases seriously, said Rhonda Holmes, assistant special agent in charge for the Office of the Inspector, the Postal Service office that handles internal fraud investigations.
"We promote integrity in the Postal Service and take these acts very seriously," Holmes said. "The majority of postal employees are honest and works very hard to deliver the mail. Unfortunately, there are a few people who abuse the public trust that is placed in them."
Taylor, who attended the hearing with his wife, pleaded with the judge to put Grace in prison for fear that she would do the same thing to someone else.
"Just look at us," Taylor said, as he shook his head and pointed to his weeping wife.
