A mail carrier pleaded no contest Wednesday to dozens of felony charges accusing her of stealing credit cards, gift cards, checks and other mail from customers on her route and spending thousands of dollars fraudulently on alcohol, fireworks and fast food.
She was not immediately sentenced. The judge set another court date for Nov. 29.
Gainesville police initially arrested Samantha Zany-Ezandra Johnson, 35, of Newberry, in June 2022. A Gainesville man reported that he never received in the mail a Wells Fargo credit card he said he ordered, but it was used at least four times, including twice in Orlando and twice locally.
Police reviewed surveillance video at a local Walmart where, they said, Johnson bought $418 worth of fireworks and earlier bought $439 worth of booze from a Sam’s Wholesale Club. Police said Wells Fargo confirmed that Johnson had activated the credit card from her own phone number.
In another case, a Gainesville woman said her bank notified her about $3,000 worth of fraudulent charges on a stolen credit card from purchases in Orlando, including a Neiman Marcus store. Others reported stolen cards were used to buy items at liquor stores and fast food restaurants and to withdraw cash at ATMs – including one man whose card was used to withdraw $6,000 at the Hard Rock Casino in South Florida.
After police arrested Johnson, they found large volumes of mail and credit cards belonging to people along her Postal Service route. They found $10,657 in cash at her home, according to court records..
During her interview with police and a federal agent with the Postal Service, Johnson acknowledged she took her customers’ credit cards but “only took cards a few times, not too many,” according to court records. She “did not think it was a big deal, and did not think it would be noticed.”
Gainesville police Cpl. Amy Owns said in court records that Johnson “has been using her position as a USPS carrier to illegally divert mail and benefit from the fraudulent use of the stolen credit cards.”
Police have also charged Johnson’s girlfriend, identified as Alexcia Rosa Monee Higgs, 27, who remains in the county jail on dozens of theft and fraud charges. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was re-arrested Saturday on related charges and has a court hearing scheduled Nov. 28.
___
This is a breaking news story. Check back for further developments. Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.