NEWARK, NJ – A local man from Essex County faces a two-year prison sentence following his engagement in a criminal endeavor that involved bribing postal employees to secure postal arrow keys, crucial for unlocking mail containers, subsequently exploiting stolen mail to deceive banks, as confirmed by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Amin C. Jones, 29, residing in Orange, New Jersey, acknowledged his guilt in front of U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton, admitting to the charges of bribing U.S. Postal Service employees and conspiring to perpetrate bank fraud. The sentence was delivered today at the federal court in Newark.
Court records and in-court admissions unveil that Jones orchestrated bribery attempts targeting mail carriers in East Orange and Newark, New Jersey. The typical offer was a cash bribe of $5,000 in return for a postal arrow key, a tool essential for accessing multiple postal service mail receptacles. The objective of acquiring these keys was to facilitate mail theft. During a span from June to July 2021, Jones, alongside an accomplice, approached various mail carriers across East Orange and Newark, extending a written proposal of $5,000 for an arrow key, mistakenly including an undercover postal inspector in their solicitation.
The fraudulent activities extended from January to July 2021, where Jones collaborated with accomplices to siphon funds from banks. The scheme involved pilfering mail to obtain checks and bank cards, which were then used to withdraw funds from bank accounts associated with the stolen items, in addition to impersonating identities to fraudulently secure funds.
Alongside the prison sentence, Judge Wigenton mandated a three-year supervised release for Jones and decreed a restitution payment of $6,361.