AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — A Cleveland man was sentenced to seven years and one day for pointing a gun at a mail carrier’s head and pulling them from their vehicle, then crashing that vehicle.

It happened on June 21, 2021, prosecutors said. While that U.S. Postal Service worker was delivering mail on an official route, Quentell Allen, 27, approached the carrier and pointed a pistol at the carrier’s head, demanding they get out. Allen then pulled the driver from the vehicle, got in the driver’s seat, and “purposefully drove it into another vehicle,” the release states.

“This defendant used a deadly weapon to commit a violent crime against a mail carrier simply trying to do their job,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler is quoted in a Tuesday news release. “Violent actions like this will not be tolerated in our communities, and we will continue to seek severe penalties for similar behavior.”

Allen pleaded guilty in July to counts of forcibly assaulting a United States employee and using a firearm in a crime of violence, and was sentenced Monday to a total of 84 months and one day. The .32-caliber pistol used in the crime was forfeited.

Allen was imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution Elkton in Lisbon “so that he may be as close to his family as possible.” He was also ordered to complete mental health and substance use treatment, court records show.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

“The safety and well-being of Postal Service employees has always been a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” Postal Inspector In Charge Lesley Allison is quoted in the release. “This sentencing is a perfect example of the steadfast commitment to keeping the heroes who serve our communities safe while performing their duties.”