Former DOJ Contractor Pleads to Mail Fraud in Theft of Cell Phones Valued at More Than $1.3 Million

WASHINGTON - Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in connection with stealing thousands of government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

King pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Judge Jia M. Cobb accepted King's plea and scheduled sentencing for May 26, 2026.

According to court documents, between approximately 2021 and 2025 King worked as an information technology contractor for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ). During that period, he defrauded DOJ out of more than $1.3 million by successfully requesting that DOJ order thousands of mobile devices that the Department did not need.

After the phones were shipped to King at DOJ, he sent them to phone reselling businesses. In total, the businesses paid him more than $1.3 million for the phones. King acknowledged that his scheme caused the Department of Justice to suffer an actual loss of more than $1.3 million because of fees that it paid AT&T for the unnecessary phone lines and phones.

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.

26cr15