The two men and a woman who allegedly shot a mail carrier in Spring Branch as part of a poorly thought out scheme to steal mail as part of an identity theft effort have been indicted on charges that could keep them in federal prison beyond 2040, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Bradley Ahern, 22, Sara Richford, 26, and Pipe Lee, 40, are named in different counts of the indictment, with Ahearn and Richardson facing the most serious charges of aiding and abetting the assault of a federal officer, as well as carjacking, and possession of stolen mail.
Federal prosecutors say Ahern shot the Mail carrier in Spring Branch as an attempt to steal mail to steal identities from income tax information.The mail carrier was shot because she didn't fork over her cell phone to Ahern quickly enough because he was clipped to her shirt and the clip jammed as she tried to remove it.
Ahern said he didn't want the woman to call for help after she had been robbed.
Ahern also stole the pickup the woman was using to deliver mail, and a 'large quantity of mail' which was in the truck.
The three are also charged with twice shooting at law enforcement officers who attempted to apprehend the three.
They were finally arrested at a south side motel after a ride share driver they had hired to take them there after they abandoned their car in a parking garage at North Star Mall saw a gun and heard them talking about crime and notified police.