Former Postal Employee Sentenced

Montgomery, Alabama - Arthur Darby, Jr., 31 years old, of Montgomery, AL was sentenced last week for entering the Main Post Office in Montgomery with a gun and opening fire, announced George L. Beck, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. At the time of the shooting, Darby was employed with the Post Office. Senior United States District Judge W. Harold Albritton sentenced the former Postal employee to 10 years and one day in federal prison.

In June of this year, Darby pled guilty to attempted assault, discharging a firearm in furtherance of the attempted assault, and possession of a firearm in a federal facility. Court documents established that on December 1, 2011, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Darby, a part-time mail handler at the Main Post Office located at 6701 Winton Blount Blvd. in Montgomery, AL, went to work and opened fire on two postal employees. Thankfully, no one was hit from the shots fired by Darby. Law enforcement immediately responded and apprehended Darby.

“People should be safe when going to the post office,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “My office will continue to vigorously prosecute those to jeopardize the safety of those workers and patrons at the post office. I hope this sentence sends a message that this criminal behavior will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Postal Inspectors investigate a wide variety of crimes in our mission to protect the security of the U.S. Postal Service, but none of them are more important than protecting the lives of postal employees,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Robert Wemyss, of the Houston Division. “The Montgomery Police Department and a team of U.S. Postal Inspectors were on the scene quickly and decisively, helping to close the incident without loss of life. This sentencing brings further closure and sends out the message that violence affecting the security of the U.S. Postal Service can carry severe consequences for the criminal.”

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Montgomery Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan R. Redmond.

PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
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