District Man Sentenced To Nearly 13 Years In Prison For Stabbing And Assaulting VictimsDefendant Stabbed One Victim In Dark Alley, Later Lunged At Officer With Knife

     WASHINGTON - Nathaniel Cousart, 53, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison on charges stemming from a stabbing and assault in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

     Cousart was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 10, 2014, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon.  He was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2015 by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick.  Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 13, 2013, at about 7:30 p.m., Cousart followed a man he knew into a dark alley off the 1500 block of North Capitol Street NW and stabbed him four times in the back, neck and shoulder area while demanding the victim’s property.  The stabbing caused extreme pain, and lasting damage to the victim’s nerves and shoulders.  The victim escaped and ran away while the defendant pursued him. 

     The victim eventually collapsed on the steps of an apartment building, where Special Police Officers working at the building came to assist.  One officer called out to Cousart, who turned to flee.  The officer gave chase, and Cousart turned and went towards the officer with his knife drawn.  When the officer drew his service weapon, Cousart fled again, this time ditching the knife into a sewer drain.  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded, and with the help of the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority, recovered the knife and other evidence.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Todd McClelland and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Petkun and Nihar Mohanty.  Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marston, of the Felony Major Crimes Trial Section, who prosecuted the matter.