NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

OCTOBER 20, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KC MOTHER, SON INDICTED FOR ASSAULTING

FEDERAL POSTAL INSPECTOR

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., mother and son were indicted by a federal grand jury today for assaulting a federal postal inspector.

Christopher Sims, 19, and his mother Denise Sims, 48, were charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Christopher Sims and Denise Sims on Sept. 25, 2009.

Today’s indictment alleges that Christopher Sims and Denise Sims, aiding and abetting each other, assaulted an agent with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service while she was investigating the interference of mail delivery at their residence on Sept. 24, 2009.

According to an affidavit that was filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the postal inspector was responding to a letter carrier’s report of a threatening dog at the residence. After numerous incidents, a letter was hand delivered to notify the Sims of their need to restrain their dog or mail delivery would be discontinued. When they refused to discuss the matter and Christopher Sims cursed at a customer service manager, the affidavit says, the manager returned to their house the next day with a supervisor, a postal inspector and a USPIS analyst.

When the postal inspector identified herself, the affidavit says, Denise Sims pushed her and a struggle ensued. Christopher Sims allegedly came out of the house, grabbed the postal inspector around the throat and began choking her. Christopher Sims and Denise Sims were restrained by the customer service manager and the USPIS analyst. According to the affidavit, Christopher Sims attempted to command the dog to attack them and threatened to shoot and kill them.

The postal inspector was taken to the hospital for examination and released.

Whitworth cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Barnes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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