Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that MARQUIS WILLIAMS, 45, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to a charge stemming from a mail theft, identity theft and bank fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, since at least 2018 through November 2019, Williams and his associate, Dara Morrison, stole mail from hundreds of residential mailboxes in Connecticut. The mail pieces contained checks, drivers licenses, passports, social security cards, banking information, and other personally identifying information from businesses and individuals throughout Connecticut, including elderly nursing home residents. Williams and Morrison used stolen identities to produce fake identification, and then used the fake identification to cash or deposit stolen checks. Williams and Morrison also used the stolen checks to create additional, forged copies of checks that they then cashed or deposited into accounts they opened using stolen identities. Morrison also used and attempted to use stolen credit cards.
More than 70 bank fraud victims have been identified during this investigation. The government contends that Williams and Morrison stole $118,452.26 through this scheme, and they attempted to steal another $58,416.
Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on September 14.
Morrison, 41, of New Haven, pleaded guilty to the same offense on May 12, 2021. She also awaits sentencing.
Williams and Morrison are detained pending sentencing.
Williams and Morrisons criminal histories include prior federal convictions for similar crimes. In 2002, Williams was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment for conspiracy, identity fraud and credit card fraud offenses.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service and the Hamden, Wallingford, Waterford, Guilford and Old Saybrook Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Oakes and Hal Chen.
Source: U.S. Secret Service