Credit cards stolen from the mail were used to buy at least tens of thousands of dollars in goods, according to a federal indictment naming a postal employee and two other defendants. Prosecutors allege that customers’ personal information was used to activate the cards before unauthorized purchases were made.
Germaine Byrd, 32, and Zakeylia Ward, 33, were booked into the Broward County jail on November 12, 2026, according to Local 10’s November 13 report. A third defendant, Stevens Felix, 37, had been arrested in Houston in October.
The indictment identifies Byrd as an employee of the U.S. Postal Service’s North Metro Processing and Delivery Center in Atlanta. It describes separate alleged conspiracies pairing him with Felix and with Ward.
The 32-count indictment was filed October 7 in the Northern District of Georgia. Its charges include bank fraud, wire fraud, related conspiracies and aggravated identity theft.
Customers’ Personal Information Was Used to Activate Stolen Cards
The complete 15-page indictment alleges that the defendants obtained Synchrony Bank credit cards stolen from the mail. They also obtained customers’ names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, which prosecutors say were used to activate the cards online and by telephone.
The filing describes purchases at retail stores and online, with goods ordered over the internet shipped to the defendants’ residences. It alleges that Byrd and Felix exchanged identifying information belonging to some of the legitimate cardholders.
The wire-fraud conspiracy involving Byrd and Felix allegedly ran from at least February 11 through at least March 16, 2025. A separate wire-fraud conspiracy involving Byrd and Ward allegedly ran from at least February 13 through at least August 11 that year.
Nine Purchase Counts Describe Transactions From $119.63 to $765.74
The indictment’s nine bank-fraud counts identify individual purchases ranging from $119.63 to $765.74. Those charged transactions are part of the broader allegations that stolen cards were used to buy at least tens of thousands of dollars in goods.
Prosecutors allege Felix activated one customer’s card on March 15, 2025, and made a purchase of approximately $765.74 that day. The following day, he allegedly activated a different customer’s card and used it for a purchase of approximately $741.99.
The filing also alleges that Ward activated another stolen card on August 11 and made a purchase of approximately $740.94 that day. The cardholders are identified by initials in the indictment.
The Indictment Assigns Different Counts to Each Defendant
The Georgia prosecution is case 1:26-cr-00474. Across its 32 numbered counts, Byrd is named in 25, Felix in 17 and Ward in 18; several counts name more than one defendant.
Each defendant faces three aggravated identity theft counts involving the alleged misuse of other people’s identifying information during the fraud offenses. The indictment separately charges card activations as wire fraud and purchases as bank fraud.
Ward alone faces the final count, alleging that she possessed a firearm on October 10, 2025, despite a prior felony conviction. That count names two AR-style pistols and cites earlier convictions for conspiracy to commit access-device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Florida Bookings Followed Felix’s Arrest in Houston
Local 10 reported that Byrd and Ward remained in Broward County’s Main Jail on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service as of November 13, awaiting transfer to Georgia. The station reported that Felix appeared in federal court in Atlanta on November 5 after his October arrest.
The indictment was also entered November 13 in Ward’s separate Southern District of Florida proceeding, case 0:26-mj-06665-DSW. All three defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Report Missing Cards and Check for Unauthorized Purchases
If an expected credit card does not arrive, the U.S. Postal Service recommends contacting the sender promptly. Contact the issuer through its official website or your existing account, report the missing card and review recent transactions. Suspected mail theft can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service online or at 1-877-876-2455.
The Federal Trade Commission advises reporting unauthorized charges immediately, following up in writing and keeping copies of your correspondence. For a stolen credit card, federal law generally limits liability for unauthorized use before reporting to $50; unauthorized charges made after reporting are not your responsibility.
Continue checking statements for unfamiliar purchases and review your credit reports for accounts you did not open. If your personal information has been misused, IdentityTheft.gov provides reporting tools and a recovery plan.
