New Haven Man Gets Prison In Mail, ID Theft, Bank Fraud Scheme: Feds

NEW HAVEN, CT — Marquis Williams, 46, of New Haven, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 78 months in federal prison for operating a mail theft, identity theft, and bank fraud scheme, US Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery said.

According to Avery, court documents and statements made in court, from at least 2018 through November 2019, Williams and his then-girlfriend, Dara Morrison, stole mail from hundreds of residential mailboxes in Connecticut. The mail pieces contained checks, driver’s licenses, passports, social security cards, banking information, and other personally identifying information from businesses and individuals throughout Connecticut, including elderly nursing home residents, Avery said. Williams and Morrison used stolen identities to produce fake identification, and then used the fake identification to cash or deposit stolen checks and, used the stolen checks to create additional, forged copies of checks that they then cashed or deposited into accounts they opened using stolen identities, according to Avery.

Williams was arrested Nov. 14, 2019. Avery said investigators searched his home and vehicles and found "numerous drivers’ licenses and identification cards with photographs of Williams or Morrison, but with different names and addresses; multiple passports, social security cards, drivers’ licenses, and other documents in the names of victims; approximately 50 debit and credit cards in the names of victims; notebooks containing handwritten identifying information of victims; approximately 130 checks, some showing signs of alteration, written from and to potential victims; items used to alter checks and make false identifications; and trash bags filled with stolen mail."

More than 70 bank fraud victims were identified during the investigation, she said.

Williams was ordered to pay $116,152.26 in restitution to his victims.

On May 19, 2022, Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Morrison pleaded guilty to the same offense. On April 18, 2023, after Morrison had been detained for approximately 37 months, she was sentenced her to time served.

Williams’ and Morrison’s 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 was 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 was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Oakes and Hal Chen.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorneys for the Judicial Districts of New Haven, Fairfield, Middlesex, Ansonia/Milford, New London, Norwich, and Stamford/Norwalk for their cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

Individuals who believe they are a victim of mail theft may file a complaint by calling 888-USPS-OIG or by visiting https://www.uspsoig.gov/form/file-online-complaint.