Man gets 2 years for assaulting pregnant mail carrier for pot package

A man who assaulted a pregnant U.S. postal carrier to get a package of marijuana was sentenced Wednesday to two years in federal prison.

Carrier Markena Jones was on her regular route on Rockbridge Road in Lithonia a year ago when she was accosted by Hajja Kenyatta Martin, authorities said.

Martin, 35, leaned inside the window of Jones’ postal truck and demanded a package the carrier had tried to deliver earlier on her route. But she saw the address on Martin’s license did not match the address on the package and refused.

Martin reached inside, put the truck in park and took the keys. He pinned Jones down, removed the package and fled, authorities said.

When later arrested, Martin admitted he took the package because it contained marijuana, U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said in a statement.

“In this robber’s desperate efforts to steal a package containing illegal drugs, he physically restrained and assaulted not just a postal employee but an expectant mother,” Nahmias said. “Thankfully, both mother and baby are fine.”

Martin pleaded guilty to the offenses in November.

Noah Pines, Martin’s lawyer, said his client’s remorse helped lead U.S. District Court Judge Bill Duffey to impose a sentence below the range recommended by the federal sentencing guidelines.

“Mr. Martin is very remorseful for his actions and personally apologized to Ms. Jones,” Pines said. “However, as Ms. Jones was roughly nine weeks pregnant at the time of the incident, Mr. Martin was unaware of her pregnancy.”