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Residents Blame Post Office For Jail Time, Late Fees

Posted: 6:10 pm MDT March 19, 2008Updated: 8:34 pm MDT March 21, 2008

Like many of her neighbors, Northeast El Paso resident Delila Gaitan said her local post office has treated her like junk mail. She said for the past three years, several bills and letters have not made their way to her -- including an order to appear in court for a traffic ticket. So when she didn't respond, a warrant was issued for her arrest.

"I didn't have the money to pay, so I had to turn myself in to jail. I just got out of jail this morning," Gaitan said.

And she's not the only one upset by the problem of missing mail. Single mom of four Shandi Briones said the same post office failed to deliver her electric bill -- something she didn't realize until after her power got shut off.

"Now I have to pay my deposit for my electric bill of $150, in order to keep my services on within 10 days, because the post office did not give me my bills," Briones said.

KFOX contacted every post office official it could Friday, but none of them returned the calls. In the past, officials have told us the number of mail problems is relatively small.

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