Feds: Chicago men face 15 years to life for robbing mail carrier at gunpoint

CHICAGO - Two Chicago men have been federally indicted for allegedly robbing a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier at gunpoint in 2022.

What we know:

The indictment names Kyler Reese, 21, and Chaun Allen, 22, as the suspects in the Nov. 16, 2022 robbery.

(From left) Kyler Reese (previous mugshot from July 2024) and Chaun Allen.  (IDOC/Chicago police)

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Reese and Allen arrived at the scene in a stolen vehicle they had taken the day before.

Reese then allegedly got out of the car, pointed a gun at the mail carrier, and demanded the worker’s USPS keys and mail bag before the duo drove away in the stolen car.

The gun Reese carried was equipped with a "switch" device—an illegal modification that allows a semi-automatic handgun to fire like a machine gun, the indictment says.

Reese and Allen are charged with conspiracy, robbery of a mail carrier, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life.

What they're saying:

"U.S. Postal Service employees delivering mail to the American people must be allowed to do so safely and securely," said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual. "Individuals who use violence against postal carriers to gain access to the public's mail must be held accountable."

Inspector-in-Charge Ruth Mendonça added, "As Postal Service employees continue to play an integral role in our communities, we are clear in our resolve to aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants."

What's next:

Reese was recently arrested in Arizona and is scheduled for a detention hearing there on April 7.

Allen was arrested last month in Chicago and remains in federal custody pending trial.