A Bronx man remains behind bars after allegedly robbing a FedEx deliveryman on a Maspeth street last week, prosecutors said.
Law enforcement sources stated that Joel Mena, 33, and an unidentified suspect pulled off the caper at 8:05 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the corner of Maurice Avenue and 55th Drive, near a FedEx shipping center.
According to the criminal complaint provided by the Queens District Attorney’s office, the male FedEx driver was operating a company van that was struck from behind at the intersection. When the driver got out, police said, he became embroiled with the unidentified robber.
Police said that Mena then allegedly came on the scene, brandishing a knife, and removed the FedEx driver’s iPhone. Mena proceeded to push the victim to the ground and began punching him.
Law enforcement sources said that Mena allegedly told the unidentified suspect to “take the truck.” The unknown perpetrator then got into the FedEx van and took off; the van was recovered the following day at an undisclosed location, sources familiar with the investigation said.
A police officer pulled up to the location and saw Mena attacking the FedEx driver, the criminal complaint noted. The cop stopped the assault and found in Mena’s possession the victim’s iPhone and a box cutter.
Paramedics brought the victim to a local hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening.
Mena was taken into custody and charged with first- and second-degree robbery, third- and fourth-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of a weapon. At his Nov. 21 arraignment, he was ordered held on $75,000 bail and to return to court on Dec. 5.
The unidentified suspect remains at large, and the investigation is ongoing.
