Couple Plead Guilty To Stealing Mail, Identity Theft

STOCKTON (CBS13) -- Two people are facing decades of prison time after they were allegedly caught stealing mail and committing identification fraud, according to federal authorities.

Stockton residents Courtney L. Williams, 24, and Frank Antwoine Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty Friday to a variety of charges related to the discovery of stolen mail and identification documents in their possession several months ago according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner.

Law enforcement officers pulled over Williams and Johnson's van on June 8, 2011, after they were spotted stealing mail from neighborhood collection mailboxes and residential mailboxes.

Officers found hundreds of stolen mail items inside the van and also discovered evidence that the couple was using the mail to find residents who were vulnerable to identity theft.

Williams gave a false name when she was arrested and continued to use the fake name in federal court. When authorities discovered her real name, she had already failed to appear for a court hearing.

Johnson admitted to possessing at least five stolen identification documents and 15 stolen banking and credit card numbers. He is facing 10 years in prison for access device fraud and 15 years for possession of stolen IDs.

Williams is facing 10 years for obstruction of justice, another 15 years for failure to appear in court, and five years for possession of stolen U.S. mail. She is facing additional charges of mail theft and ID theft later this month.

They are scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2012.