Federal Jury Convicts St. Francisville Man of Assault Upon a Federal Officer in Performance of Official Duty

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced the conviction of Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana. After a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles, the jury unanimously convicted Haile of assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury.

As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile's repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers.

As a result of his conviction, Haile now faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.