Armed robbery of USPS carrier leads to man’s arrest in Arizona

A 21-year-old arrested in Arizona is facing federal charges in a case where he and another man are accused of robbing a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier at gunpoint.

Kyler Reese and Chaun Allen, both 22 and from Chicago, have been indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy, robbery of a mail carrier, and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime related to a 2022 incident, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Reese was taken into custody in Arizona the week of April 7 and appeared for a detention hearing in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. The DOJ noted that he was initially arrested in Chicago back in March.

The charges stem from an incident on Nov. 16, 2022, when Reese is accused of pointing a gun at a mail carrier, demanding the carrier’s USPS keys and mail bag. He and Allen then fled in a stolen vehicle, according to the DOJ. The firearm used in the robbery was reportedly equipped with a “switch” device, allowing it to fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull.

If convicted, Allen and Reese face seven years to life in federal prison, the DOJ said.

“U.S. Postal Service employees delivering mail to the American people must be allowed to do so safely and securely,” Morris Pasqual, an acting U.S. attorney, said in a statement. “Individuals who use violence against postal carriers to gain access to the public’s mail must be held accountable.”

Inspector-in-Charge Ruth Mendonça added in a statement: “As Postal Service employees continue to play an integral role in our communities, we are clear in our resolve to aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants.”

It is unclear what, if any, ties Reese has to Arizona or why he was in the state at the time of his arrest.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man arrested in Arizona in armed robbery of USPS carrier