Decatur Mail Carrier Robbers Get Express Delivery to Prison

Sign up for the Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch newsletter!

---

Two Decatur men who were responsible for a crime spree targeting postal carriers will have to file change of address forms for federal prison after they pleaded guilty and were sentenced this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday.

William Wilkins and Michael Fairnot-Woods committed four armed robberies against postal employees between August 2012 and January 2013 in the Decatur area. During the robberies, the pair stole marijuana sent by rival drug dealers, blank checks, and more, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office.

During the first robbery on Aug. 18, the men pointed an assault rifle at a female postal employee and stole a package containing marijuana shipped by a rival dealer. The two stuck again on Nov. 20, with Wilkins pointing a gun at a different postal employee and Fairnot-Woods driving the getaway vehicle; this time, the men made off with blank checks, which were later altered and deposited fraudulently by a third man, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

More Decatur and Avondale Estates Crime News From Patch:

• FBI Investigating Incidents at DeKalb Jail
• Police Detective Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme
• DeKalb DA Seeking Death Penalty For MARTA Stop Murder

According to the DA’s Office, the pair tried to hold up a postal carrier in Lithonia on Nov. 23, but the man stood his ground and Wilkins and Fairnot-Woods left empty handed. The fourth and final robbery occurred in Decatur on Jan. 24, 2013, when Wilkins pointed a gun at a different mail carrier and forced him to open the back of his truck.

Wilkins retreived a package of marijuana from the truck and escaped with Fairnot-Wood, but DeKalb County police were tipped off and pulled them over a short time later. Police discovered the stolen marijuana, the weapon Wilkins used to rob the postal employee, and other incriminating evidence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Wilkins, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed postal robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it. Wilkins was sentenced to 18 years in prison on March 24, 2015, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,895.37, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Fairnot-Woods, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed postal robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it, and one count of illegally possessing a firearm after receiving a felony conviction. Fairnot-Woods was sentenced to 15 years in prison onMarch 27, 2015, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,895.37, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The man who fraudulently cashed the blank checks was given three years probation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“Postal workers perform an important public service and should not have their lives jeopardized simply for doing their jobs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn in a statement. “The fact that they were targeted in broad daylight while delivering mail in quiet residential neighborhoods is one more indication of the disregard those in the illegal drug trade have for other people’s lives.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is pleased with today’s sentence. A large part of the Postal Inspection Service mission is assuring the safety of postal employees and we want them to have confidence that they can focus on their duties. These types of crimes against postal employees are rare, but when they do occur, they become top priority for us.” said Tom Noyes, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division’s Atlanta Field Office in a statement.