Legal Definitions - mail cover

A mail cover is a specific investigative tool used by government law enforcement agencies in the United States. It involves the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) systematically recording and providing certain external information from mail to or from a particular individual or address.

Crucially, a mail cover does not involve opening, delaying, or reading the contents of any mail. Instead, the USPS collects details visible on the outside of envelopes and packages, such as:

• The sender's name and address
• The recipient's name and address
• The postmark (showing the date and location of mailing)
• Any class of mail markings or special endorsements

This external information is then shared with a government agency, typically to assist in criminal investigations, such as locating a fugitive, identifying co-conspirators, or gathering evidence necessary to solve a crime.

Examples of Mail Cover in Action:

• Locating a Fugitive: Imagine a person, Mr. Alex Stone, is a primary suspect in a serious financial fraud case and has disappeared. Law enforcement believes he might be receiving mail at a remote cabin owned by a distant relative. To avoid alerting Mr. Stone, the FBI could request a mail cover on that cabin's address.

  How it illustrates the term: The USPS would then record details like the sender's address and postmark from any mail arriving at that cabin. If mail from a known associate or a specific bank starts appearing, this external information could provide critical leads to the FBI about Mr. Stone's whereabouts or his ongoing activities, all without ever opening the mail.

• Investigating a Drug Trafficking Ring: Federal agents are investigating a suspected large-scale drug distribution network. They have identified a key individual, Ms. Brenda Chen, who they believe is coordinating shipments of illicit substances and payments through various postal services.

  How it illustrates the term: A mail cover could be placed on Ms. Chen's known residential and business addresses. The USPS would record external details of all incoming and outgoing mail, such as return addresses, postmarks, and package types. This data could reveal patterns of communication with other suspected members of the network, identify suppliers or distributors, or provide leads on locations involved in the drug operation, based solely on the visible information on the mail.

• Uncovering a Terrorist Plot: A national security agency suspects a small group of individuals is planning an act of domestic terrorism and is using a series of rented private mailboxes to communicate and receive materials, attempting to avoid digital surveillance.

  How it illustrates the term: The agency could request mail covers on these specific private mailboxes. The USPS would then provide information about the senders of mail to these boxes (e.g., from specific suppliers of suspicious materials) and any return addresses on outgoing mail. This external data could help investigators map out the network, identify other addresses or individuals involved, and gather evidence to disrupt the plot, without ever inspecting the contents of the mail.