An Arapahoe County man, Marquis Taylor, age 29, has been sentenced to just under four years in federal prison following his guilty plea to charges related to a violent robbery targeting a postal carrier. Back in September 2023, Taylor, along with other culprits, assaulted a mail carrier during her lunch break in an attempt to aggressively obtain a master mailbox key, according to a report by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado.
The assailants' aim to steal the key was thwarted, but they did manage to make off with various mail items, packages, and a postal scanner. Although the carrier incurred minor injuries, the psychological impact of such an ordeal may well be lasting. Notably, a co-defendant, Dravell Ross, has already been serving a four-year sentence for involvement in the same crime.
In a clear message to would-be attackers targeting federal employees, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, United States Attorney Peter McNeilly stated, "Attacking a postal carrier to steal mail is a federal crime that threatens both public safety and the integrity of our mail system." McNeilly vowed that aggressive prosecution would continue for those assaulting federal workers. Echoing this sentiment, Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service emphasized the seriousness with which they approach these crimes, asserting, "Today's sentencing is a message to those who contemplate perpetrating senseless and traumatizing acts of violence against U.S. Postal Service employees."
Taylor was sentenced on Thursday by United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez.
