Orleans Parish Resident Sentenced to 144 Months for Assault on a Postal Employee and Felon in Possession of a Firearm

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JODY HARRIS ("HARRIS"), age 33, a resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced on March 10, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion to 144 months, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $200.00 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Assault of a Postal Employee, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 2114(a) and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(1), and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

On or about December 16,2024, HARRIS assaulted a United States Postal Service (USPS) employee with the intent to rob, steal mail, money and other property of the United States. In doing so, HARRIS endangered a USPS letter carrier by using a dangerous weapon, a Beretta Model APX handgun.

According to court documents, on the day of robbery, the victim was delivering mail on his route in the 8400 block of Forshey Street. HARRIS approached the victim and brandished the

Beretta firearm, after removing it from his black cross body bag. HARRIS then threatened the victim while armed with the handgun, and demanded the victim give him everything he possessed, Fearing for his life, the victim gave HARRIS the USPS vehicle keys, USPS mail scanner, and his USPS mail satchel with mail inside. HARRIS then entered the USPS vehicle and stole the USPS Arrow key, a key used by USPS employees to access blue collection boxes.

During the robbery, HARRIS stole a USPS mail scanner with GPS capabilities. The mail scanner tracked to the 8800 block of Forshey Street. As a part of the investigation NOPD discovered that HARRIS frequented a residence in the 8800 block of Forshey Street and confirmed that HARRIS recently left the residence.

Later that same day, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) got a search warrant for the Forshey Street residence and recovered postal vehicle keys, a postal Arrow Key, a Debit Card with the name "Jody F Harris," a firearm, a Beretta Model APX, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol with a loaded magazine as well as stolen mail.

After leaving the Forshey Street residence, the investigation then revealed that HARRIS drove his vehicle to a residence in the 6300 block of Baccich Street. As a result, NOPD got a search warrant for the Baccich Street residence and seized a USPS mail satchel with the Postal Carrier's initials, a black cross body bag with red trim, drugs and drug paraphernalia, 139.3 grams of marijuana, 2.1 grams of Xanax, .8 grams of Xanax, l.l grams of crack cocaine and a digital scale. HARRIS was subsequently arrested.

HARRIS previously pled guilty to a felony in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, and thus, was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit, Alexandra Giavotella of the Public Corruption Unit and Gregory M. Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit handled the prosecution.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).