24 more charges added to mail carrier who allegedly stole credit cards from her route and made fraudulent purchases

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Samantha Zany-Ezandra Johnson, 34, has been charged with 23 additional felonies and an additional misdemeanor on top of the two felonies and one misdemeanor she was originally charged with.

Johnson was originally arrested on July 18, along with her girlfriend Alexcia Higgs. No additional charges have been leveled against Higgs at this time, although she is listed as a co-defendant for some of the charges below.

According to the affidavit, the first victim reported that a credit card expected in April of 2022 never arrived and that they were notified by their financial institution that about $3,000 in fraudulent purchases were made at Neiman Marcus and Lacoste in Orlando. The items were reportedly found at Johnson’s home, and the victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

On June 13, a second victim reported never receiving an expected credit card and that they had been notified about $289.53 in fraudulent purchases with the card, including an ATM withdrawal and purchases at a liquor store and fast food restaurant. Surveillance video reportedly showed Higgs using the stolen credit card at the locations, and receipts from those purchases were reportedly found at Johnson’s home. The victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

On June 14, a third victim reported over $3,000 in fraudulent purchases from a missing credit card, including a charge at a Gainesville Walmart and additional purchases in Miami, where Higgs lives. Detectives obtained a subpoena for the phone number used to activate the card, and calls between that phone and Johnson’s phone were allegedly shown in the response. The victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

On June 16, a fourth victim reported over $2,000 in purchases from a missing credit card. That victim’s mail was reportedly found in Johnson’s home, along with a receipt for one of the fraudulent purchases. The victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

In July, Synchrony representatives reported eight accounts associated with Johnson’s phone number, and a second phone number was reportedly identified as also accessing the accounts. Those include the following victims.

The fifth victim said he never received an expected credit card and canceled it before any theft occurred. Detectives reported that Johnson’s phone number was used to activate the card. The victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

The sixth victim was alerted to the fraudulent use of a card that was never received, and again, detectives reported that Johnson’s phone number was used to activate the card. The victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route. The dollar amount of thefts associated with this card is currently unknown.

The seventh victim reported about $3,000 in fraudulent purchases on a credit card that was never received. The phone number that was used to activate the card reportedly had both incoming and outgoing calls with Johnson’s phone. The victim’s address was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

The eighth victim noticed fraudulent activity on their account and requested a new card, but after 10 days, this victim contacted the financial institution and was reportedly told that their account was blocked after someone tried to use the unactivated card at Sam’s Club in Ocala. This victim lives in Newberry, but the card was mailed to her work address, which was on Johnson’s mail carrier route.

The ninth victim noticed damage to the mailboxes in their complex and suspected that their mail had been stolen. That victim’s credit card was reportedly found in a trash can in Johnson’s house. The amount of fraudulent purchases on that card is currently unknown.

The search of Johnson’s home also reportedly produced a universal USPS mailbox key that allowed access to almost all mailboxes in Gainesville.

The affidavit notes that “there are still a large number of cases in which [Johnson] will be charged.”

Bail was set at $5,000 per charge, and Johnson is now being held on a combined $128,000 bond. Higgs was released on $25,000 bail on July 21.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.