Richmond Heights man sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving four pounds of methamphetamine and Postal Service letter carrier sentenced to eight years in prison for diverting and delivering packages of drugs

5/9/2018 A Richmond Heights man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving more than four pounds of methamphetamine from California, and a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for diverting packages of drugs and delivering them to him.

Devon Williams, 24, of Richmond Heights, was sentenced to 180 months in prison. Marquacia Deshawn Morris, 27, of Woodmere, was sentenced to 97 months in prison. Kevin Williams, 24, of Richmond Heights and Devon Williams’ twin brother, was sentenced to 72 months in prison.

Devon Williams and Morris previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of methamphetamine. Kevin Williams pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.

A package containing more than a kilogram of methamphetamine was mailed from California to Beachwood on Sept. 7, 2017. Four days later, Morris, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, accepted the package and began her daily assigned mail route, according to court documents.

She traveled to Beachwood on Sept. 11, where she met Devon Williams. He accepted the package and transported it to 440 Richmond Park East in Richmond Heights, according to court documents.

Investigators believe the methamphetamine was supplied by a Mexican drug cartel. Morris abused her position with the Postal Service to divert and deliver approximately 15 packages for the drug traffickers, according to court documents and statements.

“We increasingly see drug traffickers attempting to utilize whatever transportation method they can to get their drugs into the country, including the mail and private carriers,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “The Postal Service’s investigators and all in law enforcement are working to stop the flow of drugs before they reach our streets.”

U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely, Eastern Area Field Office, said: “Postal employees are paid to deliver mail, not drugs. The vast majority of the Postal Service’s 600,000 employees are hard-working, trustworthy individuals. Unfortunately, a few of them decide to engage in criminal conduct, as in this case. When postal employees decide to risk their job, benefits, retirement, and freedom to get involved with drug trafficking, Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General will work with Postal Inspectors and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to put them all in federal prison. To report criminal activity or serious misconduct by postal employees, contact USPS OIG special agents at www.uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Willoughby Hills Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.