N.C. Postmaster Indicted

Postmaster David Willis Charged in Two Federal Counts and Taken into Custody CHARLOTTE, NC - David Willis, Postmaster for the U.S. Postal Service at Cornelius, North Carolina, has been indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Asheville, NC, on two counts alleging solicitation to commit a crime of violence and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. The indictment was formally filed with the court on December 3, 2007. Willis was initially charged in a federal criminal complaint filed under seal on November 29, 2007, and was arrested on December 3, 2007. Willis had an initial appearance hearing before a Federal Magistrate Judge on December 3, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing, which is currently set for Thursday, December 6 at 10:15 a.m. [This] announcement is made by United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert, who was joined by Nathan T. Gray, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina and Keith Fixel, Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division of U.S. Postal Inspection Service. According to official court documents, Willis is employed as a Postmaster for the U.S. Postal Service, and is assigned to the U.S. Post Office, Cornelius, North Carolina. It is alleged in court documents that in October 2007, Willis stated he was having problems with his divorce and that he would lose half of his retirement benefits to his ex-wife, also employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a letter carrier. It is further alleged that Willis solicited the assistance of a friend to hire someone to murder his ex-wife so that Willis would receive his full retirement benefits. According to the indictment, in October 2007 David Willis is alleged to have solicited and otherwise endeavored to persuade another person to use a facility of interstate commerce with intent that a murder be committed. Also according to the indictment, in October 2007, David Willis is alleged to have used, and alleged to have caused another to use, a facility of interstate commerce communications by telephone and cellular telephoneswith intent that murder be committed as consideration for the receipt of or for a promise or agreement to pay anything of pecuniary value, that is, United States currency. The investigation, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, commenced in October 2007. If convicted, David Willis faces maximum statutory penalties, as follows: Count One - Solicitation to commit a crime of violence: 20 years/$250,000 fine Count Two - Use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire: As charged in the indictment, 10 years/$250,000 fine However, it is important to note that any sentence received upon conviction will be influenced by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which the Court consults in order to determine each defendants actual sentence. Sentences are based upon a formula that takes into account the severity and characteristics of the offense and each defendants criminal history, if any. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. In the American justice system, a person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty in a court of law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Odulio of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte, will handle the prosecution for the government.