A former U.S. Postal Service employee has admitted to breaking into post offices and stealing mail in a case federal prosecutors say spanned multiple incidents in New Jersey.
Zyeama Johnson, 31, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty July 28 to six counts of burglary of a post office in federal court in Newark, according to the Department of Justice.
Prosecutors allege Johnson carried out a series of break-ins at two Jersey City post offices between January and February 2023 while she was employed by the Postal Service.
The case comes as federal authorities continue to crack down on mail theft and fraud schemes that can expose victims to identity theft and financial crimes.
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What is Zyeama Johnson accused of?
According to the DOJ, Johnson entered post offices after business hours to steal mail and other items.
In one incident on Jan. 10, 2023, prosecutors say Johnson broke into a Jersey City post office and stole two USPS mail bins and a parcel bin.
Court records state Johnson's alleged actions were captured on surveillance footage.
How was Johnson identified?
Federal court documents say law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance at one of the post office locations on Feb. 7, 2023, when a burglary alarm was triggered.
Authorities say they observed Johnson leaving the building and that she ignored verbal commands from officers.
According to court records, Johnson initially denied her identity and told officers she was at the post office to pick up a tax document. Investigators later learned she did not have permission to be there, and a post office manager told authorities such a document would not have been at that facility.
What did investigators find?
Court records show investigators searched Johnson's vehicle on Feb. 24, 2023, and discovered 38 debit and credit cards belonging to about 36 different people.
Authorities also examined Johnson's cellphone and allegedly found messages showing attempts to sell credit cards for between $50 and $300 each, along with efforts to sell a bank statement.
One message reportedly included a video displaying approximately 29 credit or debit cards bearing the names of 29 different individuals.
What sentence could she face?
Johnson faces up to five years in prison on each burglary count, according to the DOJ. She also faces a potential fine of up to $250,000, or twice the financial gain or loss resulting from the offenses.
A sentencing date has not yet been announced.
USA TODAY has contacted Johnson's attorney for comment.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-USPS worker admits breaking into post offices and stealing mail
