OAKLAND – Kevin Allan Fowler was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for the armed robbery of a United States Postal Service letter carrier, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division Acting Inspector-In-Charge Kevin Rho. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr.
Fowler, 31, a resident of the East Bay, was charged by federal information on April 13, 2022, with the armed robbery of a mail carrier that occurred on Merritt Avenue in Oakland on December 2, 2021. The charge alleged that Fowler used a pistol in the robbery.
On June 15, 2022, Fowler entered a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to the armed robbery. In his plea agreement, Fowler admitted that on December 2, 2021, he walked past a letter carrier while she was approaching a building to deliver mail. He then returned and approached the letter carrier. Fowler demanded that she turn over her keys. When she refused, Fowler admits he took out and brandished a handgun. The letter carrier then handed over her vehicle keys and two USPS keys. Fowler fled.
The government described in its sentencing memo that Fowler’s vehicle was identified through surveillance footage and stopped days later by Oakland Police Department officers. When arrested, Fowler had a loaded P80 9mm magazine and a counterfeit USPS mail key. The keys stolen from the victim letter carrier were not recovered, but the victim was able to identify Fowler has the perpetrator of the robbery.
In addition to the 51 month sentence, United States District Judge Gilliam ordered Fowler to serve a five year period under supervision when he leaves prison and to pay restitution to the victim. Fowler was in custody at his sentencing hearing and begins serving his prison sentence immediately.
Evan Mateer is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Christine Tian and Soana Katoa. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USPIS and Oakland Police Department.