A former postal worker in Louisville is facing federal charges after allegedly throwing away more than 100 ballots, according to the Justice Department.

DeShawn Bojgere has been charged with delay or destruction of mail, which carries a sentence of up to five years as well as a fine of as much as $250,000.

“Especially in these times, Americans depend on the reliability and integrity of those that deliver the U.S. Mail,” U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman said in a statement Monday. “Conduct by Postal employees that violates that duty will result in swift federal prosecution.”

Bojgere, who is no longer employed by the U.S. Postal Service, admitted to throwing away the mail, the Justice Department said.

The U.S. Postal Service said earlier in October that more than 100 ballots were found in a dumpster which was believed to have been discarded between Oct. 5 and Oct. 15., but investigators determined quickly that the mail all came from the same delivery route and was all from the same scheduled delivery day.

The recovered mail, which included hundreds of pieces of non-election mail, was copied as evidence before it was reintroduced into the postal system.

Several similar incidents have been reported in other states in the last several weeks. A New Jersey postal worker is facing similar federal charges, though he has denied being politically motivated. Two letter carriers in suburban Pittsburgh have also been charged with delay or destruction of mail by a postal employee after allegedly throwing out mail which included ballots.

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