U.S. Department
of Justice
US v. Janea Reaves, Jermaine Reaves and DeJon Fox
Former Postal Worker Among Trio Charged with Stealing $255k in Prepaid Debit Cards
Investigators need help contacting victims
INDIANAPOLIS— A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging three individuals in a significant mail theft and fraud scheme targeting at least 3,000 victims.
Former United States Postal Service employee Janea Reaves, 38, has been charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and illegal transactions with an access device. Her co-defendants, Jermaine Reaves, 22, and Dejon Fox, 39, have also been charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, as well as two counts of mail theft.
According to the indictment, between May 2023 and March 2025, the trio conspired to use and possess unauthorized access devices and to engage in transactions using unauthorized access devices. The indictment alleges that the defendants stole mail containing prepaid debit cards issued to real individuals. Using her position at the USPS Indianapolis Processing and Distribution Center, Janea Reaves identified and stole mail containing the prepaid debit cards. Jermaine Reaves and Dejon Fox, who were not USPS employees, also entered the facility and stole the mail.
The defendants activated the stolen cards and used them to pay for phone bills, DoorDash orders, and other personal expenses. The total loss is alleged to be at least approximately $255,851.
While investigators believe all victims have been identified, efforts to locate them have been unsuccessful. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office via email at USAINS-Reaves@usdoj.gov or online here.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this case. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who is prosecuting this case.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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You can read the indictment here.
Pursuant to the Crime Victims' Rights Act, found at Title 18 U.S.C. § 3771, victims have the following rights:
(1) The right to be reasonably protected from the accused; (2) The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public court proceeding, or any parole proceeding, involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused; (3) The right not to be excluded from any such public court proceeding, unless the court, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that proceeding; (4) The right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding in the district court involving release, plea, sentencing, or any parole proceeding; (5) The reasonable right to confer with the attorney for the Government in the case; (6) The right to full and timely restitution as provided in law; (7) The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay; (8) The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victim's dignity and privacy; (9) The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement; and (10) The right to be informed of the rights under this section and the services described in section 503(c) of the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. § 20141 (c)) and provided contact information for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman of the Department of Justice.
We will make our best efforts to ensure you are provided the rights to which you are entitled by law. Please understand that these rights apply only to victims of the counts charged in federal court. If you have any questions about what this means for you, please contact our office. Separately, victims of all crimes under federal investigation are entitled to services under the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act (VRRA), including notification of court events.
It is important to keep in mind that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Additionally, please be aware that many criminal cases are resolved by a plea agreement between the prosecutor's office and the defendant. You should also know that it is not unusual for a defendant to seek to negotiate a plea agreement shortly before a trial is scheduled to begin. If the court schedules a plea hearing in this case, we will make our best efforts to notify you as soon as practicable.
As mentioned above, you have the right to confer with the attorney for the government. If you would like to speak with the prosecutor to inform the prosecutor of your views regarding potential plea agreements or discuss any other aspect of the case, please contact our office via email at USAINS-Reaves@usdoj.gov. While our office cannot act as your attorney or provide you with legal advice, you can seek the advice of an attorney with respect to the rights described above or other related legal matters.
If you believe that a Department of Justice employee has not provided you with your rights under the Crime Victims' Rights Act, you may file a complaint with the Department of Justice Victims' Rights Ombudsman (or "Ombuds"). For more information, go to www.justice.gov/usao/office-victims-rights-ombuds. If you have questions about filing a complaint, you may contact the Ombudsman by phone at 1-877-574-9302 or by email at USAEO.VictimOmbudsman@usdoj.gov.
If you have questions about the progress of your case, the rights you are entitled to, or how you can assert your rights during court proceedings, please contact our office via email at USAINS-Reaves@usdoj.gov .