Man charged with defrauding the USPS to tune of $650,000 appears in court

A North Carolina man charged with bilking United States Postal Service locations out of $650,000 worth of stamps and other merchandise went before a judge in Charlotte for the first time Wednesday, according to WSOC-TV in Charlotte.

Jimmy Lee Williams, 47, faces 29 charges stemming from a check fraud scheme he operated with the assistance of 16 accomplices, and faces a maxiumum sentence of 100 years behind bars. 

"The Judge read the charges against Williams and there was a brief delay as Williams repeated, 'I don't understand (any) of these charges,'" the WSOC report reads.

The Charlotte Observer described Williams' alleged actions when he was first charged: 

"The indictment says Williams gave counterfeit checks and fake IDs to 16 accomplices to buy postage stamps, gift cards and other merchandise from post offices in the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. His accomplices gave the stamps they bought to Williams, who sold them to an Internet company in California and a North Carolina pawn shop, typically for 50 to 70 percent of the face value, prosecutors said."

Felony charges have been filed against Williams include conspiracy, making counterfeit securities, and theft of government property. 

He will return to court on Monday, according to WSOC.