Former postal worker accused of intercepting drugs and delivering them to traffickers in New Jersey

SEATTLE - A former United States Postal Service worker from Union, New Jersey, is facing a long time behind bars. Emerson Pavilus, 49, was convicted on Aug. 15 on all three counts of an indictment charging him with receiving bribes as a public official, conspiring to defraud the United States, and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

According to a news release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey on Aug. 20, Pavilus had been working with the U.S. Postal Service for 15 years before he was indicted in May 2021 and a jury convicted him of all three charges earlier this month.

He is now facing 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.

According to documents filed in the case, Pavilus was a mail carrier at the post office in Flanders, New Jersey. From at least 2015 to 2020, he received cash payments in exchange for helping individuals intercept packages containing illegal narcotics and other illicit materials.

He then intercepted those packages from the mail stream and personally delivered them to his conspirators in exchange for bribe payments at places other than the addresses listed on the packages.

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 attorney, Paul Cordon, told McClatchy News that his client was "deeply saddened and surprised by the jury's decision and intends on appealing the verdict to clear his name."

In one of the instances back in 2019, a package containing cocaine was shipped from Puerto Rico to an address in Flanders. He is accused of delivering it to an accused trafficker in the post office parking lot and receiving cash in return. Officials said Pavilus also delivered packages containing marijuana.

"Pavilus abused his government position in a conspiracy to facilitate the delivery of parcels laden with dangerous narcotics to drug traffickers," said acting HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker.

Walker said that the investigation was a joint operation with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General. The verdict was delivered by a jury following a trial overseen by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Stephanos Bibas, who was presiding in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Pavilus's sentencing date has yet to be determined.