Felony Firepower: St. Louis Man Loses Cool Over Missing Package, Threatens Mail Carrier
A St. Louis man’s rage over a missing package containing marijuana led him to threaten a mail carrier, a crime that earned him a 10-year prison sentence, a Grimy Times investigation has found.
Marquis Melton, 31, pleaded guilty in January to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Melton admitted that on February 27, 2023, he confronted a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier in the 4700 block of Farlin Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, demanding a package that he expected.
After being told by the carrier that he did not have that package, Melton followed the carrier back to the Post Office and again tried to locate the package. The next day, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped the vehicle Melton was riding in and found a .40-caliber pistol, which he is barred from possessing as a convicted felon.
Melton denied threatening the carrier with a firearm and claimed there was no evidence that the gun he purportedly had while interacting with the carrier was the same one police found a day later. But based on testimony and evidence presented during a sentencing hearing Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John A. Ross found that Melton did have the gun and did threaten the mail carrier.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane prosecuted the case, which is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities.
Melton’s 10-year prison sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of threatening law enforcement and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As the city of St. Louis continues to grapple with violent crime, Melton’s case serves as a warning to those who would use violence and intimidation to get what they want.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri is committed to keeping our communities safe, and this case is a testament to that commitment. The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods is a vital program that brings together law enforcement and the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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