A Kankakee man is charged with armed robbery of a United States Postal Service letter carrier in Harvey last week and another is charged with firing shots near the scene, the U.S. attorney’s office said Monday.
Prosecutors said Ahmel Holmes, 18, of Kankakee, allegedly robbed a female postal carrier while she was on duty delivering mail on East 158th Street near Union Avenue just before 10 a.m. Jan. 8. Holmes allegedly approached the carrier with a gun equipped with a drum magazine and demanded her belongings, prosecutors said.
Holmes then allegedly searched the letter carrier’s pockets before entering the postal vehicle and taking a tub containing mail, prosecutors said.
Harvey police said last week three people were taken into custody, but one was later released.
Shortly after the robbery, postal inspectors in the area spotted the three people near an alley. When the inspectors approached, one of the men, later identified as 19-year-old Jesus Santillan of Harvey, allegedly pointed a handgun at them and fired several shots, prosecutors said.