FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment yesterday against James Gonzales-Gay, 35, of Sanger, charging him with assault with the intent to rob and steal mail matter, theft of government property, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 2017, a mail carrier delivering mail in the area of Maple and Huntington, in Fresno, felt someone jump onto his mail delivery truck. Gonzales-Gay allegedly pulled the driver from the truck and began driving it. After driving a short distance, Gonzales-Gay was stopped by Fresno Police Department officers. They found parts of a Taurus handgun on Gonzales-Gay’s person and near the truck. Gonzales-Gay is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Gonzales-Gay faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
