Brooklyn Man Charged with Gunpoint Robbery of Postal Worker

 

Defendant Engaged in Robbery, Mail Theft and Identity Theft Schemes 

A ten-count indictment was unsealed charging the defendant Alfonso Forney with robbery of a postal worker, a related firearms offense, mail theft related offenses, wire fraud, bank fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.  The defendant’s initial appearance is before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS) announced the charges.

“The safety of our mail carriers is essential to assuring the unobstructed flow of goods, checks and information through the United States Postal Service,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace.  “The defendant’s pattern of violent behavior endeavored to turn this vital system into his own personal pipeline for theft and fraud.”

USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said, “Our highest priority as postal inspectors is the safety of our employees, especially our letter carriers who are out on the streets every day delivering for the American public. They deserve to be protected from violent criminals who prey on these hardworking public servants that serve our communities. Today’s arrest of this alleged armed robber and mail thief is proof of this fact: postal inspectors working alongside our law enforcement partners in the NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, will relentlessly pursue violent criminals wherever they lurk. No matter how long it takes, no matter where they hide, we will find them and bring them to justice for their alleged crimes.”     

As alleged in the indictment and other court papers, the defendant engaged in both a robbery and mail theft scheme as well as an identity theft scheme. 

With respect to the robbery and mail theft scheme, between January 2023 and December 2023, the defendant and others committed gunpoint robberies of United States Postal Service mail carriers to obtain arrow keys, which are universal keys that allow mail carriers to access various postal boxes within a certain geographic area.  The defendant and others used the keys to steal mail, including checks from the mail, which were subsequently deposited into the defendant’s bank accounts or otherwise cashed.  

With respect to the identity theft scheme, between January 2024 and March 2024, the defendant misrepresented himself as another individual (the “Victim”) to fraudulently gain access to the Victim’s bank accounts.  He did so by changing the address on the Victim’s driver’s license to his own address, and then ordering a duplicate of that driver’s license to his residence.  After gaining access to the Victim’s bank accounts, the defendant withdrew at least $245,000 and deposited a portion of the funds into his own bank accounts.  The defendant also used the Victim’s identity to obtain an automobile loan for approximately $25,000, which the defendant used to purchase a vehicle in the Victim’s name.

The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, the defendant faces up to 39 years’ imprisonment.