Postal worker intercepted drugs in mail and gave them to accused trafficker, feds say

A former postal carrier is accused of accepting bribes to intercept drugs in the mail and deliver them to accused traffickers in New Jersey.

Emerson Pavilus, 49, was convicted of charges of receiving bribes as a public official, conspiring to defraud the United States and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey said in an Aug. 20 news release.

“Mr. Pavilus is a 15 year postal employee with a spotless employment record,” his attorney, Paul Condon, told McClatchy News in an email. “He is deeply saddened and surprised by the jury’s decision and intends on appealing the verdict to clear his name.”

Federal investigators said they began looking into a drug trafficking organization in north New Jersey and learned a postal worker was helping them receive shipments in exchange for payment, according to a criminal complaint.

Pavilus, who worked out of the post office in Flanders, gave the accused ring leader the addresses of vacant properties on his mail route where traffickers could ship packages, federal officials said.

The postal carrier would then intercept those packages, remove them from the mail stream and deliver them to at least two accused co-conspirators at other locations, according to court documents.

For instance, in October 2019, a package containing cocaine was shipped from Puerto Rico to an address in Flanders, officials said in an indictment. Pavilus is accused of delivering it to an accused trafficker in the post office parking lot and receiving cash in return.

Federal officials said Pavilus delivered other packages containing marijuana.

Pavilus was indicted in May 2021, and a jury convicted him of all three charges Aug. 15, officials said.

He faces up to 15 years in prison for the bribery charge and five years in prison each for the conspiracy and drug offenses, according to federal officials.

Flanders is about a 40-mile drive northwest from Newark.

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