NORFOLK, Va. — The search continues for a convicted mail thief who's now accused of threatening a witness in his case.
The News 3 investigative team has been following this case and looking into the issue of mail theft and fraud in our region.
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A new arrest warrant has been issued for Keith Williams.
He admitted to his role in a mail theft scheme and was sentenced in federal court to two years in prison on March 11.
The judge allowed him to remain on bond until May 2, which is when he is required to turn himself in.
But new court documents state that soon after the sentencing, Williams is accused of posting videos of himself to Instagram, referring to himself as a Blood and threatening a witness in case, as well as making threats against the federal courthouse in Norfolk.
Records outline how he is also accused of posting a recorded conversation with his attorney that outlined actions of the witness in the case.
The two-year sentence stemmed from a case that spanned across Hampton Roads.
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Postal offices and blue boxes were targeted between October 2022 and July 2023 and hit over 50 times by the use of a stolen arrow key, according to federal prosecutors.
Thefts were reported at the Great Bridge Post Office, the Indian River Post Office and Chesapeake’s Main Post Office on South Battlefield Boulevard during that time frame.
Authorities put a GPS tracker inside of a package and placed it in a blue box in July, and the next day, they tracked it to a dumpster close to Northampton Blvd. in Norfolk.
Law enforcement says they saw Keith Williams on surveillance video. They tracked the rental car he was driving to a hotel in Norfolk, not far from the dumpster where the package and GPS tracker were.
It states authorities executed a search warrant in the hotel and says they found 61 stolen checks and one W-2 form with a total of 39 different victims' information. They stated the checks totaled more than $169,000. They also found an arrow key that had been reported lost by a postal employee.
Williams eventually pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen mail and was given 24 months in prison.
Through a Freedom of Investigation Act, the U.S. Postal Service reported that in 2022 and the first half of 2023 alone, nationwide, 810 postal carriers have been robbed, including 20 here in Virginia. They said across the country, there have been over 88,000 reports of mail theft.
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The Postmaster called for increased prosecution and strong sentences for those who commit postal crimes. As for the postal service, they say they continue to increase and enhance security and upgrade electronic locks to replace arrow keys among the changes.
Here is a link with the latest information about their efforts to combat the issues.
Williams' attorney said no comment about the latest developments and previously said no comment regarding his sentence.
