PAYSON, Utah, Sept. 22 (Our Utah Times) — Damon Matai Seei, a former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier from Payson, Utah, was indicted in federal court after prosecutors alleged that he discarded mail, including about 300 mail-in ballots intended for Eagle Mountain voters.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah said a federal grand jury indicted Seei, 34, on one count of unlawful secretion, destruction and delay of mail. The charge is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. An indictment is an accusation, and it does not establish guilt.
What prosecutors allege
According to the indictment summarized by the Justice Department, Seei was assigned to deliver mail to at least 300 Eagle Mountain residents on June 3, 2026. The mail included advertisements and ballots sent to registered voters for Utah’s June 23 primary election.
Prosecutors allege that Seei separated some of the mail from the rest of his delivery and placed it in a dumpster at a church parking lot rather than delivering it. The Justice Department said the discarded mail included approximately 300 ballots.
The records described by the Justice Department do not establish whether any affected voters later cast ballots or received replacement ballots. They also do not state that the ballots changed the outcome of the primary election.
The charge’s language — “secretion, destruction and delay” of mail — refers to allegedly keeping mail from its intended delivery, destroying it or delaying it. The specific charge is based on federal law, and prosecutors still must prove the allegations in court.
What happened in court
The grand jury returned the indictment Sept. 16, 2026, and the case was unsealed Sept. 22. The Justice Department said Seei was arrested and arraigned that day at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
His next court appearance was scheduled for Nov. 30, 2026. The Justice Department did not identify a defense attorney in its announcement.
Seei is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
How the case was investigated
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd C. Bouton is prosecuting it, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The Justice Department’s announcement did not provide a motive. Information summarized in other accounts about Seei’s alleged statements to investigators has not been established in court and does not change the status of the charge as an allegation.
