Mailman From Union Convicted For Delivering Drugs Along Route: Feds

UNION, NJ — A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier from Union has been convicted of bribery, fraud, and conspiracy charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Tuesday.

Emerson Pavilus, 49, was convicted on Aug. 15, on all three counts of an indictment charging him with receiving bribes as a public official, conspiring to defraud the United States, and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The jury returned the verdict following a trial before Judge Stephanos Bibas.

Pavilus had served as a mail carrier at the Flanders post office.

From at least 2015 to 2020, Pavilus took cash payments in exchange for helping people intercept packages containing illegal narcotics and other illicit materials, according to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial.

"Pavilus provided his conspirators with addresses for vacant houses along his mail route to which they could ship illegal packages. Pavilus then intercepted those packages from the mail stream and personally delivered them to his conspirators in exchange for bribe payments at places other than the addresses listed on the packages," according to authorities.

Pavilus faces a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain from the offense, or three times the monetary equivalent of the bribe amount, whichever is greatest for the bribery charge.

He also faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain from the offense, whichever is greater on the conspiracy to defraud the United States charge.

The narcotics offense carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

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