‘Tremendously disruptive’: Post office burglary crew targeted 5 WA counties; final defendant gets 18 months

The last of three South Sound region residents was sentenced to federal prison Monday for their involvement in a post office burglary scheme.

Federal Way resident Paula Jean Gamboa, 38, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

Tacoma native Justin Tate, a 37-year-old burglary ringleader, was sentenced to 50 months in April, and 60-year-old Gregory Foster of Port Orchard was sentenced to two years in May.

In May 2025, all three were indicted by a federal grand jury.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said that any crimes related to identity and mail theft are “tremendously disruptive to people’s lives.” Settle also spoke to the emotional harm suffered by victims.

Court records detail string of July post office burglaries

As the leader of the burglary crew, Tate targeted post offices in the Puget Sound region, with break-ins spanning Kitsap, Thurston, Pierce, King, and Island counties. The group would steal cash and other valuables from the mail they stole, according to records filed in the case.

Tate used identity and financial documents obtained from victims’ mail to commit bank fraud.

The specific burglaries include:

• Tate and Foster broke into the Olalla Post Office wearing face masks to conceal their identities on July 4, 2024.
• Tate and Foster attempted to enter the restricted area of the Littlerock Post Office, disconnecting a security camera but failing to breach a metal shutter into the restricted area on July 8, 2024.
• Tate and Gamboa entered the Fox Island Post Office and stole mail from various post office boxes on July 9, 2024.
• Foster broke a window and entered the Anderson Island Contract Post Office and stole $3,000 in stamps, $100 in cash, and roughly 100 postal money orders on July 15, 2024.
• Tate entered the Vashon Island Post Office on July 24, 2024, and stole mail from multiple post office boxes.
• Tate and Foster forced their way through the back door of the Snoqualmie Post Office and stole mail on July 27, 2024.
• Tate and Gamboa stole mail from boxes inside the Preston Post Office on July 30, 2024.
• Tate and Gamboa broke into the Clinton Post Office on Whidbey Island and stole mail from post boxes and from a mail drop box on July 31, 2024.

Stolen financial documents used for bank fraud, casino money laundering

Tate pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two counts of bank fraud. He opened a bank account in the name of one of the victims and later transferred or attempted to transfer more than $3,500 for his own use. He then attempted to deposit more than $13,000 in fraudulent checks.

Tate also made $7,200 in point-of-sale charges with a stolen debit card. Tate and Gamboa would go to local casinos after the burglaries to launder the stolen money.

Gamboa was the last co-conspirator to be sentenced because she repeatedly fled pretrial supervision and custody.

“Gamboa’s crimes were carried out with little regard not only for the United States property they destroyed, but for the victims whose privacy was violated through these illegal activities,” prosecutors wrote in asking for a 21-month sentence. “Arms full of mail representing hundreds of Washington citizens were swept up, to be opened and rifled through later, all so Gamboa and her co-conspirators could pocket their contents. Bank cards, checks, registrations, and Social Security documents were taken and used by the defendants.”

Each defendant was ordered to be on supervised release for three years following their prison term.

Tate was ordered to pay $10,785 in restitution.

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