Teen charged with robbing Chicago letter carrier at gunpoint

CHICAGO - An 18-year-old man suspected of robbing a Chicago letter carrier at gunpoint last month has been charged as a juvenile.

The teen, who was a minor at the time of the incident, has been charged as a juvenile with one count of armed robbery by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, according to a statement from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

On Jan. 8, a USPS letter carrier was in the 7900 block of South Essex Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood when they were allegedly robbed at gunpoint by the teen, who fled on foot afterward.

The teen was taken into custody on Feb. 1 following a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Chicago police, the statement said.

"The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees," said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Anyone with information about robberies of postal carriers is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. Say ‘Law Enforcement’ and reference case number: 4216284-ROBB, 4218294-ROBB, or 4225529-ROBB.