MIAMI – On May 29, Charlie Holley, 43, of Florida City, Florida, was sentenced to 192 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz II, after having been convicted by a federal jury of forcibly assaulting a federal employee, brandishing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to evidence introduced at trial, in June 2021, the victim, a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), was delivering the mail on her usual route in Florida City when she arrived at Holley’s townhouse to deliver a package addressed to a name used by Holley. The victim got out of the mail truck and heard Holley speaking to her from a second-story window. The victim told Holley that she had a package for him. In response, Holley demanded that the victim open the package. The victim advised Holley that she was not permitted to open the package, which Holley responded to by shouting, “Do you think I’m f—– playing with you?,” and then lifting a 45 caliber, semi-automatic rifle and pointing it at the victim. The victim fled to her postal truck and heard a bullet hit her truck as she drove away.
In response to her 911 call, officers responded to Holley’s residence, where he barricaded himself inside. After a near two-hour standoff, Holley surrendered. The black rifle was found in a bedroom with several magazines loaded with ammunition, and a bullet fragment was recovered from above the gas tank of the postal truck.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, Director Stephanie V. Daniels of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), and Chief Pedro W. Taylor of the Florida City Police Department made the announcement.
USPIS, FBI Miami, ATF, MDPD and the Florida City Police Department investigated the case. Miami-Dade Schools Police Department and Homestead Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Maultasch and Zachary A. Keller prosecuted it.
Anyone with information about a crime having been committed against a postal employee, to include an assault, robbery or attempted robbery is encouraged to call 877-876-2455 or submit a tip to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report. The Postal Inspection Service is authorized to issue monetary rewards for the forcible assault, robbery or attempted robbery of any custodian of any mail, money, or other property of the United States under the control and jurisdiction of the Postal Service.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-20373.