A Springfield man who assaulted a postal worker in the Seminole Holland neighborhood has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Courtney Ellis, 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury last year for assaulting a U.S. Postal Service worker delivering mail to his home in the 1900 block of S. Virginia Avenue in June 2025. According to court documents, Ellis struck the victim on the head with a wooden board and yelled at the worker that he didn't belong there. He continued to approach, yell at and threaten the worker, who retreated to his marked vehicle.
This was the first time the postal worker delivered mail on that particular delivery route, according to previous News-Leader reporting. The Postal Service worker, who is Black, told investigators
he believed Ellis assaulted him due to his skin color. The worker was later diagnosed with a concussion at the hospital.
Ellis was sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 19, to serve seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for assault of a federal employee carrying out their official duties. He had pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year, according to a news release by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield man sentenced for assaulting Postal Service worker
