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If you live in Roanoke or Roanoke County, it's possible that your missing mail could have been among thousands of pieces of undelivered mail found Friday in the Roanoke home of a temporary postal carrier.

The case began Thursday, when a concerned citizen who discovered more than 500 pieces of undelivered mail tipped off law enforcement officials, according to U.S. Postal Inspector Brett Brumbaugh. He would not elaborate on where the mail was found or on who the intended recipients were.

The investigation led federal authorities on Friday to search the Roanoke home of a postal worker, according to Brumbaugh.

"We moved swift and fast," he said.

The carrier delivered mail in Roanoke and Roanoke County, Brumbaugh said. He would not be more specific about the carrier's actual route or divulge his name. He was fired within 24 hours of the search, Brumbaugh said.

The carrier, who had worked for the U.S. Postal Service on a temporary basis since July, has not been charged in the case, according to Brumbaugh. But he anticipated the former carrier could face federal charges of stealing mail.

During the search, law enforcement officials recovered thousands of pieces of mail from the man's home and garage, Brumbaugh said. Some of the mail had been opened, according to Brumbaugh. They found all classes of mail, Brumbaugh said. That could include everything from credit card applications to packages to bills.

All U.S. postal workers - full time and temporary - go through an extensive background check, according to Tim Parsons, communications specialist for the Appalachian District of the U.S. Postal Service.

That includes local and state police background checks; employment history checks; screening of medical, driving and military records; drug testing; and vetting by the FBI, Parsons said.

Parsons declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing investigation.

Brumbaugh said the postal service plans to try to deliver the mail to the intended recipients as soon as possible, or return it to the sender.

He anticipated that the case would be referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The penalties could be as high as a five-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000 for each piece of stolen mail, Brumbaugh said.