'Operation Santa Claus' Shut Down Due to Sex Offender

Operation Santa Claus, a program initiated and offered by the United States Postal Service, was shut down for three full days and was just reopened with new rules.

The program was set up to assist needy children at Christmas time. Children would write letters to Santa and citizens could pick up letters at a local post office, buying gifts on the wish lists and delivering them in person to the children and their families.

Unfortunately in Maryland, a volunteer who picked up one of the letters was recognized as being a registered sex offender. Carl Ranger pled guilty to one of 18 counts of child abuse in December, 2000. The USPS intervened; it intercepted the letter before the man could answer it and shut down the program for three days while it made changes to the program.

When the program restarted, the child's family name had been blacked out as well as the family's address. Now, instead of the volunteers delivering the gifts themselves, they wrap the gifts, fill out forms and give them to the post office to be delivered.

Next year, volunteers will pick the gifts and pay the postage, but a computer will match the letters with the addresses and the post office will continue to deliver the presents. The USPS believes these changes will still allow for the spirit of giving at Christmastime, and also help keep the children safe.