Boston - One Dorchester man was arrested this morning and another remains a fugitive in connection with the attempted robbery, assault and kidnapping of a U.S. Postal letter carrier that took place just before Christmas. The federal criminal complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in Boston yesterday and was unsealed today.
Maurice Williams Miner-Gittens, 23, and, 21, were charged with conspiracy to rob, attempted robbery and kidnapping of a federal employee.
The government is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Keyon Taylor. Anyone with information regarding Taylor’s whereabouts should contact the U.S. Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455 (option 2). Taylor may be armed and should be considered dangerous; no one should attempt to apprehend him.
Gittens and Taylor were charged in connection with the Dec. 20, 2013 attempted robbery, shooting and kidnapping of a U.S. Postal letter carrier in Dorchester. While the letter carrier was delivering holiday packages, Taylor allegedly jumped into the postal truck and put a pistol to the letter carrier’s head. A scuffle ensued and the letter carrier was shot in the wrist and was subsequently beaten with the pistol and kicked, told to take off his postal uniform and lie face down.
It is alleged that Taylor took the letter carrier’s keys and started to drive the postal truck away. According to the affidavit, the letter carrier, who was bleeding extensively and who feared for his life, escaped by jumping out of the back door of the truck and running away. Taylor drove the truck a short distance further before abandoning it and fleeing on foot, leaving a trail of boot prints in the snow and his blood on a chain link fence from a cut or puncture wound on his hand. The trail of boot prints led through several back yards to a trash or recycling bin, which also had his blood on the handle.
The letter carrier's uniform, cell phone and personal keys were found in the bin.
Gittens, meanwhile, was the renter and driver of a U-Haul van that was used during the attempted robbery, which had the letter carrier’s blood on the outside.
The charges were made after an extensive investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Boston Police Department. The Boston Police Department’s crime laboratory also provided exceptional assistance in analyzing forensic evidence within a very short time period.
The defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the kidnapping charges; five years on the conspiracy charges; and 25 years on the robbery of federal property.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Kevin Niland, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Thomas E. Kanwit of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
