BATMAN
09-20-2006, 10:26 AM
A former postal worker who poured urine into his co-workers' coffee must serve six months in a jail work-release program.
Thomas Shaheen, 50, of suburban Springfield Township, also must pay $1,200 to the people he used to work with to cover their cost of making a secret video of his role in tainting the office coffee.
Shaheen stood and apologized to several postal workers in Akron Municipal Court where he pleaded guilty on Monday to two misdemeanor charges of tainting food.
"I don't know what became of me," said Shaheen, a postal employee for 13 years fired from his job at a post office vehicle maintenance facility in Akron. "I hope you find it in your hearts someday to forgive me."
The tainting occurred over several months. When workers realized what was going on, they told supervisors and an investigation began. When nothing came of the probe, workers had a video camera installed in the room where staffers made coffee.
Shaheen was videotaped on two occasions in July 2005 pouring urine into a coffee pot in a break room.
He didn't offer a motive, but his lawyer, Paul Adamson, said Shaheen had been frustrated about his work.
Shaheen’s co-workers weren’t exactly celebrating the moment in their lives.
"We can't believe Thomas would even stoop to this level for his own personal revenge," said Jene Jackson, who worked with Shaheen. "He would sit in the same room with people and watch them drink his sick little brew and think nothing of it."
Thomas Shaheen, 50, of suburban Springfield Township, also must pay $1,200 to the people he used to work with to cover their cost of making a secret video of his role in tainting the office coffee.
Shaheen stood and apologized to several postal workers in Akron Municipal Court where he pleaded guilty on Monday to two misdemeanor charges of tainting food.
"I don't know what became of me," said Shaheen, a postal employee for 13 years fired from his job at a post office vehicle maintenance facility in Akron. "I hope you find it in your hearts someday to forgive me."
The tainting occurred over several months. When workers realized what was going on, they told supervisors and an investigation began. When nothing came of the probe, workers had a video camera installed in the room where staffers made coffee.
Shaheen was videotaped on two occasions in July 2005 pouring urine into a coffee pot in a break room.
He didn't offer a motive, but his lawyer, Paul Adamson, said Shaheen had been frustrated about his work.
Shaheen’s co-workers weren’t exactly celebrating the moment in their lives.
"We can't believe Thomas would even stoop to this level for his own personal revenge," said Jene Jackson, who worked with Shaheen. "He would sit in the same room with people and watch them drink his sick little brew and think nothing of it."