Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A 23-year-old Springfield man has been sentenced to 1.5 years in federal prison for assaulting a U.S. Postal Service employee. The sentence for Larry French Jr. was handed down on Tuesday.

French punched a postal carrier in the face in May 2024. The altercation began when the postal worker attempted to intervene as French was reportedly battering his sister on a public street in Springfield.

Court records indicate that when the worker yelled that police would be called, French approached the postal vehicle and punched the carrier through an open window. The victim sustained injuries that will require corrective surgery, according to court documents.

French pleaded guilty to the charges in September of last year. He has been in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest.