Florida man gets over 3 years in prison for attacking a Muslim mail carrier and grabbing her hijab

MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida man was sentenced Friday to three years and one month in federal prison for attacking a Muslim U.S. Postal Service worker and trying to pull off her hijab.

Kenneth Pinkney, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, was sentenced in Miami federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in April to assault on a federal employee with a hate crime enhancement.

“Hate crimes represent vicious attacks on the very fabric of our diverse communities,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Davis said in a statement. “No one should live in fear of being targeted because of their religious beliefs.”

According to court documents, the mail carrier told investigators that she first noticed Pinkney watching her in an aggressive manner while she was delivering mail on Oct. 9, 2023, two days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

Later that month, the woman was on her postal route when Pinkney began making threats and calling her a terrorist, prosecutors said. Pinkney then attacked the mail carrier in her postal truck and started pulling at her hijab, a head covering worn in public by some Muslim women. She eventually managed to rip Pinkney’s shirt and separate herself from her attacker, officials said. Pinkney fled the scene and was later arrested.

The woman sustained scratches on her face, authorities said.