10-17-2003 -- Levine, Joe Nathan/Smith, Eloise -- Guilty Pleas -- News Release

Ringleader and Former Postal Employee Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Personal Checks from Mail

NEWARK - On the second day of trial, a former postal worker and the ringleader of a crew that used private citizens' personal checks to purchase expensive electronic equipment pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge they were both facing, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

The crew of conspirators operated primarily in New Jersey and New York during the summer of 2000.

Joe Nathan Levine, 47, of Jersey City, was on trial, facing an eight-count Indictment, according to Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Devaney and Kevin Walsh. Levine pleaded guilty this morning, admitting to U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh that he purchased checks stolen from the mail by his co-defendant Eloise Smith, 48, also of Jersey City, a former postal employee.

Levine further admitted that he arranged to have fake ID's, including New Jersey driver's licenses, made in the names of the people whose checks were stolen and directed others to impersonate those people who passed the stolen personal checks at stores of Levine's choosing. Smith admitted stealing the checks from the mail at her former place of employment, the New Jersey International and Bulk Mail Center located in Jersey City, and selling them to Levine.

According to the Assistant U.S. Attorneys trying the case, the defendants conspired to steal personal checks from, and committed identity theft against, at least 31 New Jersey residents, most of whom reside in Bergen County. Most private victims of the conspiracy resided in Bogota, Bergenfield, Dumont, and River Edge, New Jersey. Based upon the information from witnesses during the first day of trial testimony, it is entirely possible that the stolen check conspiracy victimized dozens more residents in New Jersey and New York.

Levine and Smith are scheduled to be sentenced in January 2004 before Judge Cavanaugh. Under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Judge Cavanaugh will determine the actual sentence based upon a formula that takes into account the severity and characteristics of the offense and the defendants' criminal histories, if any.

Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Under the Sentencing Guidelines, defendants who are given federal custodial terms must serve nearly all that time in prison.

Christie credited the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Martin Phanco, with developing the case against the defendants.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Devaney of the Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Walsh of the Public Protection Unit, both in Newark.

-end-

Defense counsel:

For Joe Nathan Levine, John A. Young, Jr., Esq., Jersey City

For Eloise Smith, Kevin Carlucci, Esq., and Stacy Biancamano, Esq., Newark.