FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Lauren Horwood
February 10, 2012	PHONE: (916) 554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae	usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov
Docket #: Cr. No. 11-254-GEB

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that United States District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. sentenced Courtney L. Williams, 28, of Stockton, to two years and three months in prison for obstruction of justice, failure to appear, and possession of stolen U.S. Mail. He also sentenced Alicia Grim, 40, of Stockton, to three years and one month in prison for possession of stolen U.S. Mail, credit card fraud, and unauthorized possession of identification documents.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Stockton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

A third defendant in the case, Frank A. Johnson, 33, of Stockton, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen U.S. Mail, credit card fraud, and unauthorized possession of identification documents. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2012.

According to court documents, Williams, Grim, and Johnson were observed using a van with a side sliding door to drive alongside neighborhood collection mailboxes and residential mailboxes to steal mail. Law enforcement uncovered hundreds of items of stolen U.S. Mail and evidence that the defendants were cataloging the mail, profiling postal customers for identity theft, and rifling the contents of mail for financial and identity documents for later fraudulent use. When arrested, Williams gave a false name and continued to use the false personage through proceedings in federal court. Because Williams’ true identity and her criminal history was not known, the magistrate court allowed her to be released on her own recognizance. Williams absconded from supervised pretrial release and failed to appear for her arraignment on June 23, 2011. She was eventually arrested on August 22, 2011 in Stockton and has been in custody since.

Johnson is facing up to five years in prison for the possession of stolen U.S. Mail offense, up to 10 years in prison for access device fraud, and up to 15 years in prison for unauthorized possession of identification documents. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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