Louisville Brothers Charged in Postal Carrier Shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A brazen attack on a United States Postal Carrier has landed two Louisville brothers and a female accomplice in federal custody, facing a litany of charges that stretch from attempted murder to large-scale drug trafficking. The case, stemming from a February 10, 2016 shooting, has finally culminated in a Superseding Indictment unsealed this week, revealing the full scope of the alleged criminal enterprise.

Marcus Bennett, 40, was arrested Wednesday, April 19, 2017, and appeared before Magistrate Judge Dave Whalin, facing four of seven charges detailed in the Superseding Indictment. His brother, Eric Bennett, 38, was initially arrested on February 27, 2017, and now faces an expanded list of accusations. Both men remain in federal custody, with Marcus Bennett’s detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 3:00 pm. Juliyah Young, also of Louisville, is named in the indictment alongside the Bennetts.

The charges center around the shooting of United States Postal Carrier Da’Ron Lester. According to court documents, Eric Bennett faces the most severe penalties, including conspiracy to murder and attempted murder of a federal employee, forcible assault of a federal employee, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. Adding to the gravity of the situation, he is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime – a charge that carries a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Beyond the violent attack on Lester, the Superseding Indictment alleges a conspiracy to distribute heroin and marijuana spanning from June 2015 to April 2017 within Jefferson County. All three defendants – Marcus Bennett, Eric Bennett, and Juliyah Young – are accused of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of both drugs. If convicted on these drug charges, each could face a minimum of 10 years and potentially life in prison, alongside significant fines and a five-year term of supervised release.

Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Davis and Marisa Ford are prosecuting the case, with the investigation spearheaded by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The Bennetts, if convicted of conspiracy to murder a federal employee, could receive a sentence of any number of years, potentially including life. Each count of attempted murder and forcible assault carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Eric Bennett’s additional firearms charges add another 10 years for discharging a firearm and up to 10 years for being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon.

It’s crucial to remember that the charges outlined in the Grand Jury Indictment represent accusations only. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, the evidence presented thus far paints a disturbing picture of violence and drug trafficking that brought the full force of federal law enforcement down on this Louisville trio. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it unfolds.