Jovanni Jamison-Lewis, of Mastic Beach, charged with stealing gift cards from mail
An Oakdale-based postal worker is facing charges for allegedly stealing gift cards out of the mail in November after a "covert" investigation caught the alleged crime on camera, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Friday.
Jovanni Jamison-Lewis, 35, of Mastic Beach, was arrested on Nov. 24. She had worked for roughly a year as a sales service distribution agent at the Oakdale Post Office, where Tierney said she engaged in "systematic theft of mail," specifically parcels containing gift cards.
"Jamison-Lewis allegedly identified pieces of mail likely to contain gift cards or other items of value and then either opened them at the post office and removed the gift cards, or stole the entire piece of mail and opened it later at a separate location," Tierney said at a news conference Friday.
Jamison-Lewis used the stolen gift cards to buy things like "handbags, appliances and jewelry" at TJ Maxx, according to Tierney, who said he did not have a figure for the total value of the items stolen.
The district attorney’s office launched the two-month investigation after receiving a tip from the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General that the suspect had used a stolen gift card at TJ Maxx.
Investigators installed hidden cameras to record Jamison-Lewis committing the alleged crimes at the Oakdale Post Office, which Tierney played for reporters on Friday. Tierney also showed surveillance camera footage of the suspect allegedly using the stolen gift cards at TJ Maxx.
Jamison-Lewis was caught after an undercover police officer purchased a gift card from her at the post office and attempted to mail the gift, officials said. The suspect stole the card and used it to purchase items at TJ Maxx the next day, Tierney said.
"Our office employed search warrants, undercover police officers and covert surveillance cameras to quickly resolve these charges," Tierney said.
Police found two pieces of mail in Jamison-Lewis’ pants and four in her pocketbook when they took her into custody outside the Oakdale post office last month, officials said. Officers later found 19 additional pieces of stolen mail when searching the suspect’s home, according to authorities.
"There definitely was a brazenness to it," Tierney said of the crimes. "In this jurisdiction ... if you are going to engage in this kind of conduct, we’re going to notice it and we’re going to do something about it."
Jamison-Lewis resigned from the post office Dec. 1, according to Tierney.
She could not be reached for comment. A man listed in court records as her attorney also could not be reached for comment.
Jamison-Lewis is charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, official misconduct and petit larceny. She was arraigned Friday morning and released without bail, according to Tierney.
The district attorney told reporters the investigation is ongoing and said, "We anticipate additional charges" will be filed.
"The vast majority of our public servants are hardworking and dedicated. There are, however, just a few bad actors," Tierney said Friday. "It’s a shame because it’s those few bad actors that impute the reputation and integrity of all our other hardworking and dedicated public servants."
Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
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