Owner facing 30 years behind bars for pointing gun at mailman who sprayed charging dog

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Justice will be served for a Milwaukee mail carrier who was threatened on the job. The USPS employee was delivering mail on Milwaukee's northwest side when a dog charged at him and the dog's owner took out his gun. 

The dog owner 39-year-old David Polnitz is facing up to 30 years behind bars after he pulled a gun on the mail carrier. Polnitz is convicted of second degree recklessly endangering safety and robbery with use of force. He will be sentenced in a couple weeks. 

In June 2017, the Department of Justice said a pit bull off its leash charged at the mailman on the street. Fearing for his safety, the postal worker sprayed the pit bull with USPS issued dog spray. But then, the Polnitz pointed a gun at the mailman. A neighbor tells CBS 58 News he didn't see the gun but heard Polnitz yelling. 

"Hey, man you sprayed my dog," the neighbor recalled. "I could see his hand gestures." 

U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger said they're taking this case very seriously. 

"A letter carrier who is serving our community, is walking our neighborhoods should not have to fear gun violence,"  Krueger said. "We'll prosecute aggressively anyone who threatens any federal employee especially our mailmen and women." 

Krueger said they're concerned about the overall level of gun violence in Milwaukee, which is why they've increased the number of prosecutors working on gun crimes and are strengthening communication between the District Attorney's Office and Milwaukee Police Department. 

"People deserve to live in safe neighborhoods so we've been putting a lot of efforts in prosecuting so that our neighborhoods are safe," Krueger said.

As far as this case, Krueger hopes the message is clear. 

"You will be prosecuted if you threaten any sort of harm to a federal employee," Krueger said. "This was a mailman trying to do his job so we think a significant term of incarceration is what he deserves."