Lowell Mail Carrier Gets Home Detention, Supervised Release for Bribery, Cocaine Distribution

A postal worker in Lowell, Massachusetts, was sentenced Wednesday for trying to bribe a supervisor as part of a cocaine distribution scheme.

John Noviello, 61, of Nashua, New Hampshire, received a one-day prison sentence with nine months of home detention and three years of supervised release, federal prosecutors said.

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The office of U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said Noviello pleaded guilty in November to charges of bribery of a public official and cocaine distribution. His sentence was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley.

Noviello was working as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service last February when he approached a supervisor looking for help to divert packages suspected of containing cocaine. Prosecutors said he offered to pay that supervisor $1,750 per kilogram of cocaine.

Two days later, Noviello allegedly left $850 in cash in the supervisor's car as a bribe to get them to participate.

The supervisor reported Noviello and helped investigators by doing a controlled buy from Noviello, who sold the supervisor four grams of cocaine for $200, prosecutors said.