Sampson County Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Postal Worker

NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced DAVID CHRISTOPHER STUART, 33, of Clinton to 130 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.

STUART was named in an Indictment filed on November 7, 2018, charging him with assault on a person in custody of mail matter, money or other property of the United States while using a dangerous weapon.  On June 4, 2019, STUART pled guilty to that charge. 

According to the investigation, on June 6, 2018, a United States Postal Service employee, was working alone in the Turkey, North Carolina, Post Office when a male wearing a mask, STUART, jumped over the counter, and demanded money. The postal worker opened the drawer and handed STUART the money from the tray.  STUART then followed the victim to the safe in the back of the Post Office, where he ordered her to open the additional drawers. When no other funds were located, STUART took the postal worker’s cellular phone and told her to stand in the corner as he fled out from the Post Office.

The postal worker went to the Post Office lobby after STUART fled the Post Office, observed STUART fleeing the scene and then called 911 from the office phone. STUART was subsequently arrested on June 7, 2018. The United States Postal Inspection Service along with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office subsequently interviewed STUART and after waiving his Miranda rights, he admitted that he had robbed the Post Office in Turkey.

The United States Postal Inspection Service along with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Daniel William Smith represented the government.