East Lansing Man Sentenced 15 Months for USPS Assault Over Fentanyl Package

Benjamin Gregory Shirley, 41, of East Lansing, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for assaulting a U.S. Postal Service clerk while attempting to retrieve a package containing fentanyl. The package, shipped from Tennessee, was mistakenly addressed to a different P.O. Box than the one Shirley had opened, leading to a confrontation at the post office where Shirley climbed over the counter and wrestled with the clerk. After the assault, authorities executed a search warrant on the package and discovered fentanyl concealed inside a teddy bear. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey emphasized the commitment to prosecuting assaults on federal workers and combating fentanyl trafficking through the mail, highlighting the need for postal employees to work without fear of violence. Sean F. McStravick, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Detroit Division, noted Shirley’s lengthy criminal history and stressed the seriousness of the offense, affirming the agency’s dedication to protecting postal employees and the public. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vito S. Solitro.