Atlanta man sentenced to 10 years for Buckhead mail carrier robbery
Atlanta police are investigating a shootout between a bystander and an armed robber who tried to rob a postal worker at a condo complex along Pharr Road in Buckhead on Aug. 1, 2024. (FOX 5)
ATLANTA - An Atlanta man will spend more than a decade in federal prison after threatening a medical clinic and robbing a mail carrier at gunpoint in Buckhead.
What we know:
Maximo Fitzhugh, 25, was sentenced Friday to serve 10 years and six months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. On April 9, 2024, Fitzhugh called a women's clinic in Atlanta and told employees to evacuate because he planned to "shoot the whole place up."
About four months later, on Aug. 1, 2024, Fitzhugh robbed a mail carrier near the Buckhead Village shopping center. During the robbery, he pointed a handgun at the carrier and threatened to kill her. A person passing by saw the robbery, pulled out a gun, and fired at Fitzhugh. The 25-year-old hid behind a car, fired his gun into the air, and ran away.
History of the violent crimes
The backstory:
Fitzhugh was taken into custody by the FBI on Aug. 19, 2024. He later pleaded guilty on Oct. 25, 2025, to one count of communicating interstate threats and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the man "brazenly robbed a mail carrier and instigated a lunch-hour shootout in one of Atlanta’s most active business districts."
What they're saying:
Federal officials emphasized that threatening mass violence and engaging in public shootouts puts entire communities at risk. Rodney M. Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service stated that ensuring the safety of employees is a top priority, as they continue to investigate robberies involving postal workers.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg and the FBI, who explained the details of the sentencing and the investigation, as well as the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.