Michigan man sentenced for assaulting postal carrier over Kamala Harris flyer
A Michigan man accused of assaulting a woman postal carrier over a flyer featuring former Vice President Kamala Harris has been sentenced to 12 months in jail.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Russell Valleau, 62, of Farmington Hills, was convicted in February 2025 after investigators say he yelled derogatory, racist, and sexual remarks about Harris and the postal carrier, who was Black.
Federal officials say that in September 2024, Valleau approached the carrier on his bike and was upset about receiving the particular mail. He told the woman that he did not want that "Black b****" in his mailbox and lunged at her with a knife, according to a criminal complaint.
The carrier used pepper spray on Valleau to stop the attack. Farmington Hills police located Valleau, who appeared intoxicated, and arrested him in a neighbor's yard. A knife was not recovered at the time of his arrest.