Oakland County man upset over Kamala Harris ads convicted after pulling knife on postal carrier

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A 62-year-old Farmington Hills man was recently convicted after police say he pulled a knife on a mail carrier and directed slurs at her because he was upset about Kamala Harris ads in his mail.

According to court records, the victim was delivering mail to Russell Frank Valleau's home in the 21000 block of Rockwell St. near Grand River Avenue and Middlebelt Road last October when he approached her United States Postal Service vehicle.

Court records said Valleau was intoxicated and yelling racist, sexual and derogatory remarks about Harris and the mail carrier because of the political ads he had been delivered. The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said Valleau told the mail carrier that he did not want that "black b----" in his mailbox before calling the mail carrier a "black b----."

Valleau then pulled a knife out and lunged at the victim, causing her to pepper spray him, police said.

Valleau  was convicted following a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds. The jury also unanimously found that Valleau intentionally selected the
letter carrier as the object of his offense because of her actual or perceived race or color. The jury deliberated for about two hours before returning their verdict. Valleau was convicted of assaulting a federal employee but acquitted of using a dangerous weapon in the assault.

Once apprehended, Valleau continued his offensive and profane language while in the custody of the officers – this included referring to his letter carrier
as a "f**king smelly n**ger." When officers admonished him for his language, he responded: "Oh, you like n**gers."

"A letter carrier was simply trying to do her job, and this defendant physically attacked her while using racist and offensive language. This type of behavior has no place in our community and will not be tolerated," said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck.

Valleau faces up to twelve months incarceration. He is set to be sentenced May 27 at 10 a.m.