Manhattan Post Office Sexual Assault Case Involving Drunken Female Colleague: Three Defendants, Including Chinese-Americans, Implicated

On Wednesday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced that three postal workers in Manhattan have been charged with forcibly dragging a female coworker who was drunk and unconscious into a postal truck in June last year, with one of them allegedly attempting to sexually assault her. The accused include a Chinese-American individual. The case has been officially indicted by the prosecution, and all three defendants deny the charges.

According to the indictment, 38-year-old Daniel Jean, 38-year-old Kirt Alcala, and 40-year-old Edward Chou are accused of forcibly taking the victim away from a post-work gathering at a post office in East Village on June 8, 2023, and moving her to the back of a parked postal truck outside the loading dock. In addition to the kidnapping charge, Jean also faces charges of attempted rape and sexual abuse.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stated in a press release, “The charges in this case are extremely serious. The three defendants took advantage of the victim’s incapacitation to drag her into the truck, with one of them attempting to sexually assault her. We will conduct a thorough investigation and prosecution of sexual violence cases, as well as provide comprehensive support resources for survivors.”

According to the prosecution and court documents, on the evening of the incident, the victim had attended a coworker’s birthday gathering at the post office. During the gathering, she began to feel physically abnormal, lost control of her limbs, eventually lost consciousness, and had no memory of the events that transpired in the following hours.

Video surveillance footage shows the victim visibly weak, unable to hold her head upright, being assisted in walking by the three defendants. The footage also captures Jean slapping and touching her buttocks while she was unresponsive. The video then documents Jean and Alcala dragging her towards the truck, despite her attempt to resist by holding onto the railing, she was eventually lifted into the truck.

According to the prosecution, witnesses heard the victim crying for help and called the police. Upon arrival, authorities found Alcala and Chou inside the driver’s seat of the truck, refusing to cooperate and denying the presence of anyone else in the vehicle. However, law enforcement officers soon heard banging and calls for help from inside the truck compartment, and shortly after, Jean emerged from the back of the truck with his zipper undone. The victim was found lying in the rear of the truck, partially undressed, disoriented, and unable to walk.

The victim regained consciousness in the ambulance, and two days later sought medical attention for discomfort in her lower body. Forensic examination results revealed male DNA on her underwear, which was confirmed to belong to Jean.

All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during their court appearance on Wednesday.

According to the indictment, the charges against each defendant are as follows:

Daniel Jean: First-degree attempted rape, first-degree sexual abuse, attempted first-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching, second-degree kidnapping, and second-degree kidnapping with a sexual motive.

Kirt Alcala and Edward Chou: Second-degree kidnapping and second-degree kidnapping with a sexual motive.