Union Co. Man Sentenced For Role In Scheme To Steal Mail, Commit Credit Card Fraud

VAUXHALL, NJ — A Union County man was sentenced Tuesday to time already served – 14 months in prison – for his role in a scheme to receive stolen credit cards and pandemic relief debit cards sent through the mail, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Justin Brooks, 24, of Vauxhall, previously pleaded guilty to three counts of an indictment charging him with: one count of conspiracy to commit mail theft and bank fraud, and to defraud the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Department of the Treasury; one count of receiving stolen mail; and one count of bank fraud. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

From July 2019 to Oct. 6, 2020, Books and his conspirators got stolen credit cards from the U.S. mail from a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, fraudulently activated those credit cards, and then used those credit cards to make and try to make purchases without the cardholders’ authorization, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

The victims have incurred around $70,000 in losses from fraudulent purchases made using their stolen credit cards.

Brooks also schemed to fraudulently use more than $13,000 of funds pre-loaded onto Economic Impact Payment (EIP) cards issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury and sent in the U.S. mail pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), that were also stolen from the mail, according to authorities.

The CARES Act authorized EIP payments structured as one-time refundable tax credits to certain eligible taxpayers of $1,200 for individuals, $2,400 for married couples filing jointly, and up to $500 for each qualifying child. The goal of this part of their fraud was for the conspirators to unlawfully obtain the government funds pre-loaded onto these cards.

In addition to the prison term, Brooks was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $87, 080 in restitution.

Brooks originally was charged with Jarid Brooks, 29, Kyle Williams, 37, and Kyjuan Hutchins, 23, also of Vauxhall, in October 2020. Jarid Brooks, Williams and Hutchins have all pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Jarid Brooks and Hutchins are awaiting sentencing; Williams was previously sentenced.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.