In a brazen series of crimes, William Wilkins and Michael Fairnot-Woods terrorized US Postal Service letter carriers in Decatur and Lithonia, Georgia, stealing packages containing marijuana and financial documents.
The duo’s reign of terror began on August 18, 2012, when they approached a letter carrier in Decatur and demanded she hand over a package containing marijuana shipped illegally by a rival drug dealer. The package was stolen at gunpoint.
Over the next several months, Wilkins and Fairnot-Woods struck again, targeting letter carriers in Decatur and Lithonia. On November 20, 2012, they stole several packages and a tray of mail from a postal vehicle, including blank checks that were later altered and deposited fraudulently by a co-conspirator.
On January 24, 2013, the duo attempted to steal another package containing marijuana, but were foiled when they were stopped by police after a tip was received about 30 minutes later.
Wilkins, 28, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed postal robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute it. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison on March 24, 2015, to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,895.37.
Fairnot-Woods, 27, of Decatur, Georgia, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed postal robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being an accessory after the fact. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the DeKalb County Police Department worked together to bring the duo to justice, praising the bravery of the postal workers who were targeted in these crimes.
Related Federal Cases
- Eric Colbert, Armed Bank Robbery, Georgia 2011 · Georgia
- Nyneson S. Jeudy, Armed Robbery, Georgia 2013 · Georgia
- Recco Roger Collins, Armed Bank Robbery, Georgia 2014 · Georgia
- Shaquandra Woods, Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Georgia 2023 · Georgia
- Javon Glen Britton, Hobbs Act Robbery, Georgia 2014 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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