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Airport Credit Card Crew Busted at Hartsfield-Jackson
ATLANTA – Quentin Pickett and Cornelius Henderson are facing the music after being arraigned on federal charges of wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. The pair, along with three alleged co-conspirators, are accused of a systematic scheme to pilfer credit cards directly from the baggage loading areas of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and a private mail sorting facility, then turning those stolen cards into cold, hard cash all over metro Atlanta.
U.S. Attorney John Horn didn’t mince words: “Identity theft is a serious crime and the stakes only become higher when thieves organize themselves to execute larger-scale, systemic frauds.” According to court documents, the operation ran from December 2015 to April 2017, preying on new credit cards sent through the U.S. Postal Service to unsuspecting Americans.
The scheme wasn’t just about snatching mail. Investigators say Quentin Pickett, 24, of Jonesboro, Georgia, and Cornelius Henderson, 23, of Riverdale, Georgia, exploited their access – Henderson through his airport employment – to target mail containing the valuable cards. Once in hand, the stolen credit cards were allegedly used for cash advances at ATMs and to purchase high-dollar electronics. David M. McGinnis, Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, emphasized the seriousness of the breach, stating inspectors are “committed to protecting the sanctity of the US Postal Service.”
But Pickett and Henderson didn’t work alone. The May 23, 2017, indictment also names Brandon Foster, 24, of Stockbridge, Georgia, a bank teller allegedly used his position to facilitate cash advances on the stolen cards. LaSuhn Turner, 25, also of Stockbridge, is accused of hitting ATMs with the fraudulent cards, while Treyevon Herring, 22, of Forest Park, Georgia, allegedly stole the cards from the private mail sorting facility where he worked. Kenneth Cronin, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Atlanta Field Office, warned that his agency “will continue to arrest criminals who use their trustworthy positions to violate unsuspecting victims.”
Both Pickett and Henderson were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. It’s crucial to remember that an indictment represents charges, not convictions. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This investigation was a joint effort by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Samir Kaushal leading the prosecution.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it unfolds. For further information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at (404) 581-6016 or visit http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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