Memphis Man Indicted for Armed Robbery of Two United States Postal Letter Carriers

Memphis, TN –A federal grand jury has indicted a Memphis man for robbing two United States Letter Carriers at gunpoint. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictment today.

According to the federal complaint, on November 21, 2016, at approximately 12:35 p.m., the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) was notified of an armed robbery in the area of 890 Baltic Street. Jamal Cherry, 20, approached U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier Shalottie Reynolds with a semi-automatic handgun as she placed the mail satchel in her postal truck. Cherry asked the victim for cash or checks from the vehicle, and he then took an unknown number of soft envelope packages.

After canvassing the area, USPIS Inspectors located a nearby home surveillance video camera capturing the defendant fleeing the scene in a blue 2005 Toyota Matrix.

The investigation led law enforcement to Cherry’s residence at 4528 Sugar Creek Road in Memphis where Cherry was located. After Cherry left the residence, he was taken into custody. Law enforcement observed a red Toyota Matrix in the drive-way. Pursuant to a search warrant, law enforcement inspected the car and observed blue paint on the door frame, indicating the car had been repainted.

According to the indictment, the defendant has also been charged with committing another armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Letter Carrier, on December 2, 2016. After waiving his Miranda rights, Cherry admitted to the robbery of the U.S. Postal Letter Carriers on November 21, 2016 and December 2, 2016. He admitted to possessing a handgun during the robberies, taking packages from both robberies and having the Toyota Matrix painted red.

Cherry has been charged in counts one and three of the indictment with robbery of a postal employee. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison, $250,000 fine and three year’s supervised release on each count. For counts two and four of the indictment, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment for use of a firearm during and in relation to the robberies.

The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques Young is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.