By: Richard L. Smith
Two men from Essex County have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service employee, along with a series of related federal offenses, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.
Dyshawn Williams, 28, and Karieem Stamps, 26, both of Newark, entered guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in connection with the November 2023 crime that targeted a postal worker in the city.
Williams admitted to conspiring to obstruct commerce through robbery and assaulting a federal employee.
Stamps pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
Federal court records and statements revealed that in November 2023, Williams and two accomplices carried out a gunpoint robbery against a postal employee in Newark.
The suspects made off with the victim’s cell phone, keys, wallet, and financial cards.
The crime disrupted the victim’s mail route, interfering with interstate commerce.
Shortly afterward, Stamps and another individual used one of the stolen debit cards to make purchases. The transactions were processed through servers located outside of New Jersey, adding a federal wire fraud component to the case.
Authorities also revealed that on August 1, 2024, Stamps was found in possession of a Glock 29 Gen5 handgun equipped with an extended magazine and loaded with 26 rounds.
Stamps had previously been convicted of a felony in 2020, making his firearm possession unlawful under federal law.
Williams faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the two charges against him.
Stamps could receive up to 20 years for wire fraud, a mandatory two-year term for identity theft, and a maximum of 15 years for unlawful firearm possession, in addition to fines totaling up to $1.5 million.
The case underscores growing federal efforts to crack down on crimes against postal employees and the use of stolen personal information in financial fraud schemes.