MASSILLON, Ohio (WJW) – A high-ranking local postal manager walked out of federal court on Tuesday after getting punished for stealing mail, and he found the FOX 8 I-Team waiting for him.

Bruce Murdock, Jr. must do six months in prison. U.S. District Judge John Adams also ordered him to pay a $20,000 fine, and he’ll have to pay back victims $8,346.96.

It’s some justice for people who put their trust in the U.S. Mail.

Murdock earned a six-figure salary managing multiple post offices. He worked out of the Massillon Post Office.

Back in April, the I-Team uncovered the investigation. The US Attorney’s Office in Cleveland said in court documents that Murdock’s “pattern of theft was astonishing.” 

Investigators say they “watched him methodically go through bins of mail” and “pull various envelopes and packages… and set them aside.” 

Investigators also say, “He would then bring those mail parcels into his office.”

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General built the case with video captured on surveillance cameras.

As Murdock left court, we asked,  “What do you say to the public about stealing the mail?” and, “What made you do it?”

He didn’t respond.

The sentencing took place in federal court in Akron, so we could not take a camera inside. But, the I-Team sat in on sentencing up on the fifth floor.

The judge said what happened in this case makes all hard-working postal employees look bad. e said he can’t help but wonder how much more mail was stolen, but not caught by investigators.

This comes as the I-Team has reported for months on thieves stealing mail on the streets out of collection boxes, forging checks and ripping off innocent people.

We’ve seen a few other lower-level postal employees charged with stealing mail, but never a manager until now.

The attorney for Murdock also left court without speaking to the I-Team.

Murdock will report to prison later.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office issued a statement, saying, due to Murdock’s position and ability to steal mail before it got into the postal service system, “authorities were unable to determine a total loss amount, nor a total number of victims impacted during their investigation.”