NEWARK, NJ — A U.S. Postal Service employee has been arrested for stealing mail, including stealing credit cards and stimulus checks from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced Dec. 2.
Parrish Brookins, 29, of East Orange, is charged by complaint with one count of mail theft by a USPS officer or employee. He appeared Dec. 2 via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica Stein Allen in Newark federal court and was released on $50,000 bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, from January 2021 to July 2021, certain credit cards addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses on postal routes in Verona and Montclair were stolen on or about the same dates that Brookins was delivering mail on those routes. According to the complaint, these credit cards subsequently were activated by Brookins and others and used to make and attempt to make fraudulent purchases in New Jersey and elsewhere. From at least March 2021 to September 2021, Brookins also allegedly stole stimulus checks issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury likewise addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses on postal routes in Verona covered by Brookins, who then provided these checks to others for fraudulent purposes.
The mail theft charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.
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