Philly man charged with kidnapping, robbery of 2 postal workers

Amid already stressful circumstances brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, staffing shortages, and package pileups, two Philadelphia mail carriers were robbed and one briefly kidnapped while making deliveries in separate incidents earlier this year, authorities have alleged.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams has announced the arrest of James Chandler, 54, of Philadelphia, on two counts of robbery of a United States Postal Service employee and one count of kidnapping. Chandler, who appeared in federal court in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, is in custody pending trial and faces a possible maximum life sentence, according to Williams, the region’s top federal prosecutor.

She issued a statement vowing swift prosecution of anyone “targeting and violently assaulting” postal workers, a federal crime.

“Mail carriers provide an essential service to nearly every citizen, oftentimes going above and beyond to execute their duties in challenging circumstances,” Williams said. “If you choose to kidnap or rob a mail carrier, I guarantee you will feel the full force of the federal government come down on you in the form of intense investigation and aggressive prosecution.”

The indictment alleges that on Jan. 11 and Feb. 4, Chandler, using a replica handgun, approached mail carriers in the process of making deliveries in West Philadelphia, forced them into their trucks, and stole packages. In the Feb. 4 episode, Chandler also forced the postal worker to drive him for several blocks before he ran off, according to the indictment.

Damon Wood, a postal inspector in charge of the Philadelphia division, said Chandler had ransacked the mail trucks, looking for items he thought he could sell while “the carriers went about their job, delivering the many items that residents of the city depend upon, including medications, bills, benefits, and all the other items that help folks manage through this cold snowy winter and the pandemic.”

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Postal inspectors were able to identify and arrest Chandler by working with detectives from the Philadelphia Police Department, said Wood, who, like Williams, issued a stern warning to those considering assaulting mail carriers.

“The United States Postal Inspection Service has many priorities, but it should surprise no one that pursuing those who rob or assault Postal Service employees are at the top of the list,” he said.