Post office hostage-taker sentenced to 40 years

ROANOKE, Va. – A man who took three people hostage at a Virginia post office has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.

Warren Aubra Taylor of Bristol, Tenn., was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

The 54-year-old Taylor pleaded guilty in May to three counts of kidnapping and two weapons counts. Taylor admitted holding a U.S. Postal Service supervisor and two customers hostage for nine hours at the Wytheville post office on Dec. 23, 2009.

Prosecutors said Taylor took the hostages to show his displeasure with the federal government.

Taylor surrendered without incident and nobody was injured.