HOUSTON - A 40-year-old man has been arrested following the filing of a criminal complaint alleging he robbed a post office and brandished a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Joe Robert Martinez, of Houston, was taken into custody Friday and is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson at 10:00 a.m. today.
Martinez is charged with robbing the post office in Garden Oaks, located at 3816 North Shepherd in Houston on Jan. 28, 2016. The criminal complaint alleges he entered the post office and inquired about tracking a package. He then exited the building, but soon returned with a gun and allegedly demanded the clerk open the cash drawer and give him money. He ordered her to her knees, then he left with the currency, according to the allegations.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison for the robbery in addition to mandatory minimum of seven years for the firearms charge.
The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in cooperation with the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Porto and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
