Braintree Man Charged with Theft of Mail, Credit Card Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

Editor's note: The following is from a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyone a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Gerald K. Acholonu, 31 was charged in a criminal complaint with theft of mail, credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz announced today.

The complaint alleges that between Aug. 2010 and May 2011, credit cards issued by Discover Financial Services destined for the Northeast had been stolen at some point between being mailed out of Utah and their expected processing at U.S. Posal Service  mail-processing facilities in the Northeast.

According to the complaint, Acholonu worked at a company that sorted U.S. mail by zip code between the mail's unloading at Logan Airport and its transportation around New England by the Postal Service.

In late April 2011, Acholonu was spotted allegedly leaving his employer's restroom with a tray of U.S. mail.

According to the complaint, investigators then searched the trash at his residence and found stolen Discover credit cards, along with other evidence that Acholonu was allegedly using or planning to use the Discover customers' identities by setting up telephone accounts in their names.

Investigators also obtained surveillance photographs from ATMs indicating that Acholonu allegedly had used some of the cards to withdraw money.

If convicted on these charges, Acholonu faces up to 22 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, restitution and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is the highest.