Postmaster Godinez Under Investigation

U.S. postal inspectors are investigating a series of complaints and allegations against Santa Ana Postmaster Hector Godinez, a supervisor in the U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed Thursday.

Len Ellis, assistant inspector in charge of audit and internal crimes for the Los Angeles division of the Postal Inspection Service, said the investigation began about two weeks ago in response to several complaints from postal workers.

Ellis confirmed that inspectors are looking into allegations against Godinez that include mismanagement of funds relating to a Postal Service contract with a Costa Mesa medical-referral company.

“We are looking at all the allegations,” Ellis said. “We are trying to determine what, if any, of these things are true.” Ellis emphasized that the inquiry is in its preliminary stages and is very wide-ranging.

‘High-Priority’ Inquiry

“This is a high-priority investigation, given Godinez’s position and high profile,” Ellis said.

Godinez supervises the U.S. Postal Service district that includes all of Orange and part of Los Angeles counties. A former board chairman of the defunct Banco del Pueblo in Santa Ana, Godinez ran unsuccessfully for Orange County supervisor in 1980. Last year, he unsuccessfully sought the city manager’s job in Santa Ana.

Ellis said that he and another inspector interviewed Godinez, a 40-year postal veteran, July 23 at Godinez’s office in the General Mail Facility on Sunflower Avenue in Santa Ana. Ellis said several boxes of files were removed and are being reviewed by postal inspectors.

“I’m a big boy,” Godinez said in an interview Thursday. “When anybody comes out to find dirt on me, I can defend myself. . . . I’m not guilty of anything.”

Part of the investigation centers on a Postal Service contract with America Transwest Corp., which refers postal workers injured on the job to certain physicians for treatment, Ellis said. America Transwest also screens bills from the treating physicians before they are paid by the Postal Service, according to Russell Borwick, the firm’s president.

Ellis said investigators are looking into the circumstances under which that contract was awarded and whether Godinez is in any way connected with America Transwest. He said the inspectors also are reviewing allegations of improprieties in the management of money paid to the company and to doctors under that contract.

Godinez denied Thursday that he influenced or personally approved the awarding of the contract to America Transwest in any way. He also denied any role in the operation of America Transwest and said he believes that the investigation is a result of complaints from doctors who allege that they were not paid enough.

Ellis said that if the inspectors’ audit of records shows any improprieties involving the America Transwest contract or other activities, the information could be used for two purposes.

If any postal employee has personally profited from the contract, he or she might face criminal charges, Ellis said. If there is no crime, but the investigation reveals poor judgment or mismanagement on the part of Godinez or others, a report would be filed with the regional postmaster in San Bruno, he added.

Involved in Creation

Borwick said that Godinez has no connection with the firm but acknowledged that Godinez was involved indirectly in its creation.

According to Borwick, two of Godinez’s assistants asked him to put together a firm to review and monitor payments to doctors treating postal workers injured on the job in an effort to help curb Postal Service medical expenses. Godinez acknowledged Thursday that the assistants had acted with his support.

Godinez and Borwick said the America Transwest contract was approved by regional postal officials in San Bruno before it was signed Sept. 22, 1986.

“He (Godinez) gets nothing out of this,” Borwick said.

Borwick did concede that $15,000 in Postal Service money that was supposed to go to America Transwest for payment to doctors is missing. He said he has filed a crime report with the Costa Mesa Police Department. Borwick said Godinez is not involved in any way with the missing money.

Another aspect of the postal inspectors’ investigation deals with Godinez’s 10 years on the board of directors of the Santa Ana-based Western Medical Center, according to Ellis and other sources.

Postal workers have told investigators that Godinez referred large numbers of on-the-job injuries to Western Medical Center, and Ellis confirmed Thursday that inspectors are reviewing conflict-of-interest allegations stemming from those statements. He declined to elaborate.

Godinez Supported

Western Medical Center President Wayne Schroeder denied that Godinez had steered any postal workers to his firm’s medical facilities in Anaheim and Santa Ana after on-the-job injuries.

“We don’t have any contracts with the Postal Service,” Schroeder said. “They (postal workers) come in here just like anybody else. . . . He (Godinez) serves here without any remuneration. . . . This is a nonprofit community hospital.”

Richard Cantu, president of the 2,200-member American Postal Workers Local in Santa Ana, said he was unaware of the investigation but knew that many of his fellow workers have been referred to Western Medical Center.

“They (Western Medical) seem to get most of the worker’s compensation cases,” Cantu said.

Godinez acknowledged Thursday that he has referred cases to Western Medical Center, but added: “We refer lots of cases all over.”