Florida man sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for assaulting Muslim mail carrier and forcibly removing her hijab

A man from South Florida has been given a sentence of three years and one month in federal prison for assaulting a Muslim U.S. Postal Service worker and attempting to remove her hijab. Kenneth Pinkney, aged 47 and residing in Fort Lauderdale, was handed his sentence at a Miami federal court as per court documents. In April, he had confessed to assaulting a federal employee with a hate crime enhancement.

In a statement, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis emphasized the severity of hate crimes and their impact on diverse communities, highlighting the importance of ensuring individuals are not targeted due to their religious beliefs. According to court records, the postal worker informed investigators that Pinkney had been observed behaving aggressively towards her while she was delivering mail on October 9, 2023, just days after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

During a subsequent encounter later that month on her postal route, Pinkney allegedly made threats towards the mail carrier, calling her a terrorist. He then physically assaulted her inside her postal truck and attempted to remove her hijab, a garment worn by some Muslim women in public settings. Despite sustaining scratches on her face during the attack, the woman managed to push Pinkney away, resulting in him fleeing the scene. He was apprehended by authorities at a later time.