Ex-US postman indicted for dumping 300 Utah ballots in church dumpster
Synopsis
A former Utah letter carrier allegedly threw away hundreds of mail-in primary ballots — stuffing them into a church dumpster instead of delivering them. Federal prosecutors say the act denied at least 300 Eagle Mountain residents their constitutional right to vote, and law enforcement has drawn a firm line: ballot integrity is not a partisan issue.
Key Takeaways
Damon Matai Seei , 34 , of Payson, Utah , was indicted by a federal grand jury on 16 September and arrested shortly after.
He allegedly discarded mail including approximately 300 mail-in ballots for a 23 June primary election into a church dumpster on 3 June .
Seei faces federal charges of unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail; his next court date is 30 November .
The Justice Department did not confirm whether the ballots were recovered in time, nor did it allege any partisan motive.
The case was jointly investigated by the US Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations .
A former US Postal Service letter carrier has been federally indicted after allegedly discarding mail that included approximately 300 mail-in ballots meant for voters in a Utah primary election, the US Department of Justice confirmed on 23 September 2026. The case has drawn sharp statements from federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies, who called the alleged act a direct assault on election integrity.
Who Was Charged and What He Is Accused Of
Damon Matai Seei, 34, of Payson, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on 16 September. The indictment was unsealed after Seei was arrested and appeared for arraignment at the Orrin G. Hatch US Courthouse. He faces federal charges of unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail. His next scheduled court appearance is 30 November.
According to court documents cited by prosecutors, Seei was working as a letter carrier on 3 June and was entrusted with delivering mail to at least 300 residents of Eagle Mountain, Utah. That mail included advertisements and hundreds of mail-in ballots for a 23 June primary election. Prosecutors allege he placed some of that mail into a dumpster in the parking lot of a church rather than delivering it.
What Authorities Said
The Justice Department stressed that the indictment contains allegations only and that Seei is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter issued a firm statement. 'When American voters lawfully cast their vote, they should feel confident that it is counted,' he said. 'Allegedly throwing away hundreds of ballots is a serious federal crime that undermines the integrity of our elections. Ballot integrity is not a partisan issue,' McCotter added.
US Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah said the alleged conduct denied citizens the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to vote. 'When the defendant allegedly threw away the mail he was entrusted to deliver, he also threw away the chance for those citizens to exercise their right to vote,' Holyoak said.
Key Gaps in the Public Record
Notably, the Justice Department did not state in its announcement whether the discarded ballots were recovered in time for the affected voters to participate in the primary. It also did not allege that Seei acted with any intent to favour a particular candidate or political party — a significant distinction that separates this case from deliberate electoral interference.
The Broader Law Enforcement Response
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confirmed it worked alongside the Justice Department on the investigation. HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon said the agency would conduct 'evidence-based and impartial investigations' into offences involving unlawful voting, fraudulent voter registration, identity fraud, and document fraud. 'Every eligible voter deserves confidence that our elections are lawful, secure, and fair,' Condon said.
US Postal Service Assistant Inspector General of Investigation Robert Kwalwasser said postal employees must maintain high standards of integrity and that 'those who destroy mail intended for recipients will be held accountable for their criminal actions.' The investigation was conducted jointly by the US Postal Service Office of Inspector General and HSI. Assistant US Attorney Todd C. Bouton for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
With Seei's next hearing set for 30 November, the case will test how federal courts weigh alleged mail destruction against the broader constitutional guarantee of voting rights.
Point of View
Which expanded dramatically post-2020 and remains a flashpoint in US election law debates. The Justice Department's careful framing ('ballot integrity is not a partisan issue') signals an effort to insulate the prosecution from political weaponisation, but that framing will be tested the moment defence counsel or commentators assign one. The unanswered question — whether those 300 votes were ever counted — is the most consequential detail not yet on the public record, and its absence from the indictment announcement is a conspicuous gap that will dog this case through trial.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Damon Matai Seei allegedly do?
Damon Matai Seei, a former US Postal Service letter carrier, allegedly discarded mail — including approximately 300 mail-in ballots for a Utah primary election — into a dumpster at a church parking lot on 3 June instead of delivering it to residents of Eagle Mountain, Utah.
What charges does Seei face?
Seei faces federal charges of unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on 16 September, and his next court appearance is scheduled for 30 November.
Were the 300 discarded ballots recovered in time for the primary?
The Justice Department did not disclose in its public announcement whether the ballots were recovered before the 23 June primary election deadline, leaving it unclear whether the affected voters were ultimately able to participate.
Did Seei allegedly act to help or hurt a specific candidate?
No. The Justice Department's indictment does not allege that Seei acted with any intent to favour a particular candidate or political party. The alleged motive, if any, has not been publicly stated.
Which agencies investigated the case?
The investigation was conducted jointly by the US Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant US Attorney Todd C. Bouton for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
