Cocaine found in postman's pickup

DALLAS - Authorities discovered cocaine and duffel bags of opened mail inside the pickup truck of a postal worker who was stopped for speeding.

Salvador Gonzalez, 33, of Dallas, faces charges of possession of a controlled substance. Authorities said he may face federal charges for the unopened mail pending an investigation by the Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

A deputy constable stopped Gonzalez on Wednesday morning in Dallas' Oak Cliff neighborhood and saw the items stuffed in duffel bags and scattered inside the vehicle.

"He had tons of mail, like old Christmas cards, all kinds of mail he had opened up," said Dallas police Chief Deputy John L. Garrett with the Precinct 1 constable's office. "He had eight or nine credit cards in his possession with different names on them. We assume he had taken them out of the mail."

Garrett said deputies found some mail addressed to a local elected official, but he declined to give the person's identity.