A Florida man was sentenced to three years in federal prison on Friday after entering a guilty plea to an attack on a Muslim U.S. Postal Service carrier motivated by hate.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida released a statement on behalf of Kenneth Pinkney, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, stating that he was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
According to a statement released by the attorney’s office, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis stated that “nobody should live in fear of being targeted because of their religious beliefs.” It is the right of every individual, including federal employees, to perform their jobs in a safe manner.
A request for comment on Friday night was not immediately answered by Pinkney’s attorney. The victim’s identity remained unknown.
Prosecutors said that on October 9, 2023, two days after Hamas fighters invaded Israel, a day that would ignite conflict and revive religious and ethnic tensions around the world, Pinkney acted aggressively against the mail carrier in Broward County.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Pinkney, prosecutors and investigators stated that the carrier—who was only described as a 47-year-old Muslim woman—took notice.
According to the complaint, Pinkney approached the uniformed lady on October 24 about 2.5 hours into her delivery day while riding a bicycle. He then made a hand motion that appeared to be pointing a pistol at her. The woman was in the vicinity of her USPS delivery van at the time.
The lawsuit, supported by an affidavit from an FBI special agent, claimed that the woman initially believed the man needed something and asked if she could help.
The lawsuit said that the man continuously halted and told her to leave the nation before tapping the back of her head with two fingers in a gun-like gesture. The defendant allegedly urged the carrier, “Go back to your country,” as stated in the statement released by the U.S. attorney on Friday.
According to the U.S. attorney’s office, she entered the truck where Pinkney grabbed her neck and, following a struggle, removed her headscarf.
Prosecutors claim that once the woman managed to exit the car, the fight went on. Pinkney is accused of hitting the woman many times before she seized his shirt and tore off a section that, according to the prosecution, went with the defendant’s attire.
The criminal complaint states that after the defendant and the woman were able to get some distance, the woman informed him she was going to dial 911, and he confirmed this as well. The document states that he fled before the authorities arrived, even though he waited for them to arrive for a few minutes.
The petition stated that his call aided in his capture by the authorities.
Prosecutors claimed Pinkney shouted anti-Muslim remarks, spat on the girl, and referred to her as a “terrorist” throughout the assault. According to the lawsuit, the woman received treatment for discomfort and scrapes on her face.
Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami field office stated in a statement, “The FBI will not back down from its unflinching efforts to safeguard people who are targeted because of their race, color, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, or status as a disabled person.” “We’ll keep prosecuting individuals who conduct hate crimes.