Cleveland Man Charged in Postal Worker Robbery

AKRON, Ohio – A Cuyahoga County man has been charged by criminal complaint with robbing a United States Postal Service (USPS) carrier while on her route.

According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and affidavit, on Dec. 29, a USPS letter carrier was robbed at gunpoint while delivering mail on West Long Street in Akron. The victim reported that several individuals wearing dark clothing and masks approached her and—under the threat of violence—demanded that she give them the postal keys. The assailants then stole several items, including her USPS satchel, multiple pieces of mail, and the postal vehicle keys before fleeing in a getaway car.

Later that afternoon, the getaway car was traced by police to a location on Kinsman Road in Cleveland, where a traffic stop was attempted. The driver, later identified as Delshawn Durval Legg, 19, of Cleveland, drove away from police at a high rate of speed and then fled on foot. Legg was subsequently apprehended following the deployment of a K9 unit. A second unidentified individual who was inside the car, remains at large. Investigators later learned that the getaway car was reported stolen from the Great Lakes Honda dealership in Akron earlier that day.

If convicted, Legg faces up to 10 years in prison for robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States; and using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.

This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Cleveland Field Office with assistance from the Akron Police Department, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cleveland Division of Police.

The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Rolph for the Northern District of Ohio.

The USPIS is the federal law enforcement arm of the postal service with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts, or thefts or attempted thefts of mail carriers or mail, should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.