Magnolia man faces federal charges for shooting mail carrier

MAGNOLIA, TX -- The 24-year-old man who allegedly shot two people in December 2019 is expected to appear in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Matthew Anthony Williams is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan today at 2 p.m.

The Houston grand jury returned the indictment Jan. 30. Williams is charged with assaulting a federal employee with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence Dec. 28, 2019.

If convicted, Williams faces up to 20 years in prison for assaulting a federal employee. He also faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life for discharging the firearm during the assault which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. He could also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Houston Police Department and sheriff’s offices in Harris and Montgomery Counties. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.