Man Gets 13 Years in Post Office Standoff
A 39-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to 13 years in prison for storming into a post office with a rifle and holding several employees hostage because he was angry about a traffic accident with a postal vehicle.
Albert de Santiago of Ramona pleaded guilty to the May 28 incident at the Lakeside Post Office that ended after four hours without any shots fired or hostages injured. De Santiago’s family told the judge that the 2001 accident left De Santiago in constant pain, leading to the failure of his business.
Prosecutors had sought a 15-year sentence. De Santiago’s rifle was not loaded, but he had 200 rounds in a backpack, according to court documents.
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