COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man was arrested and indicted on federal charges related to armed robberies of several United States postal carriers over a year ago.
Nineteen-year-old Anthony “AJ” Williams was taken into custody in Pittsburgh on Monday. He is charged with conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, aggravated robbery of property of the United States and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the indictment, in November and December 2022, Williams reportedly robbed two postal carriers of their service keys. He allegedly brandished a Glock 19 firearm at the first carrier and punched another carrier in the face.
The indictment goes on to say that Williams allegedly conspired with at least four other people to rob postal service employees of their service keys to USPS blue boxes and steal checks and money orders from them.
On Nov. 9, 2022, Williams allegedly committed an armed robbery against a postal carrier on Michigan Avenue and received $2,000 from co-conspirators for stealing the service key.
On Christmas Eve that year, the indictment says Williams punched a Canal Winchester postal worker who was working on Kodiak Drive and threatened to kill him if he did not turn over his service key.
Williams is expected to make his initial appearance in a Pittsburgh court on Tuesday.
Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by at least seven years and up to life in prison. Aggravated robbery of government property has a potential penalty of up to 25 years in prison. Conspiring to commit an offense against the United States is punishable by up to five years in prison.
