A Placer County man pleaded guilty Sept. 5 to being a felon in possession of ammunition, possessing 17 unauthorized access devices, and destruction of U.S. Post Office letter boxes.

According to court documents, the United States Postal Inspection Service received several reports of letter box tampering and destruction in Colfax, Auburn, and Foresthill.

An investigation led to Richard Lee Gray, 56, of Foresthill. On April 2, a search warrant was executed at his residence where officers found stolen mail in the house and in his car, and also found burglary tools and pry bars. They also found 21 rounds of 20-gauge Winchester ammunition, one round of 20 gauge Remington ammunition, and two rounds of 410-gauge Remington ammunition.

In May 2001, Gray had been convicted in Southern California of possession of stolen U.S. Mail.

Gray is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 21. He faces up to 10 years in prison for the felon in possession of ammunition charge, 15 years in prison for the access device fraud, and three years in prison for destruction of U.S. mail letter boxes.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report