Long Island postal carrier charged with stealing credit cards
GARDEN CITY, Long Island (WABC) -- Trusted as a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Garden City, Long Island, 28-year-old Naquan Wilson now faces identity theft, forgery and stolen property charges.
Diane Peress, Chief of the Economic Crimes Bureau in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office says Wilson is accused of "stealing actual credit cards which are in envelopes for the letter carriers to deliver. Stealing them out of the mail. Taking them out of the envelopes and activating them."
Investigators say they know of at least 30 cards. Wilson is then accused of using the cards to purchase high end items. "Such as designer shoes, Christian Louboutin. Handbags. Gucci handbags. We have recovered some of that from a home in New Jersey," says Lauren Littman, a senior assistant district attorney.
Prosecutors say Wilson would purchase goods at the Short Hills Mall in New Jersey, at Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom. "He would have a whole bunch of his credit cards in his sock and he would pull them out of his sock. They knew him as "sock guy". He would say let's try this card. Let's try that card," revealed Peress.
He allegedly was also selling the merchandise for cash with his girlfriend, 33-year old Shantavia Davis, identified by prosecutors as an NYPD school safety officer.
"She received cards from him. She was also purchasing goods and then selling and giving it to him to sell. And she was receiving some of the profit," says Littman. Wilson also faces various identity theft and forgery charges.
Postal customers in Garden City are quite surprised. "It's unfortunate," said one customer. Another said "It's really unfortunate. You should expect more from the Federal Government and the U.S. Post Office."
In a statement the Postal Service said, "This type of alleged behavior within the Postal Service is not tolerated and the overwhelming majority of Postal Service employees are honest, hardworking, and trustworthy individuals who would never consider engaging in any type of criminal behavior."
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