CLEVELAND — A Cleveland man has been sentenced to seven years and one day in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier with a firearm and crashing the carrier’s vehicle.
The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi.
Per court documents, the incident occurred on June 21, 2021, when 27-year-old Quentell Allen approached a USPS employee, who was delivering mail on an official route, brandished a pistol at the carrier’s head and demanded that the carrier exit the vehicle. Allen proceeded to physically remove the carrier from the vehicle before entering the driver’s seat and purposefully driving it into another vehicle.
This past July, Allen pleaded guilty to one count of forcibly assaulting an officer/employee of the United States and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“This defendant used a deadly weapon to commit a violent crime against a mail carrier simply trying to do their job,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler said in a statement. “Violent actions like this will not be tolerated in our communities, and we will continue to seek severe penalties for similar behavior.”
Added Postal Inspector In Charge Lesley Allison: “The safety and well-being of Postal Service employees has always been a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This sentencing is a perfect example of the steadfast commitment to keeping the heroes who serve our communities safe while performing their duties.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly L. Galvin and Margaret A. Kane.