Joseph Axzavis Stewart Sr, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, MD 2017

Joseph Axzavis Stewart, Sr., 58, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, admitted in federal court to slashing a man with a knife during a violent confrontation at a construction site near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. On February 14, 2017, Stewart pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, capping a case steeped in personal betrayal and workplace tension.

The attack unfolded on July 31, 2016, at approximately 9:00 p.m., when Stewart approached a truck where the victim sat in the passenger seat. The man was a friend of someone Stewart had briefly dated. Without warning, Stewart attacked, stabbing the victim in the arm and back. Blood soaked the interior of the vehicle as coworkers rushed to intervene, forcing Stewart to flee in a gray truck he used for work.

Emergency crews transported the victim to a nearby hospital, where doctors discovered permanent nerve damage—resulting in the loss of feeling in his right arm. Multiple surgeries followed, each one a grim reminder of the brutality of the assault. The U.S. Park Police, leading the investigation, executed a search warrant and recovered the knife from Stewart’s abandoned gray truck, linking him directly to the attack.

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Stewart will pay full restitution to the victim, covering medical costs and other damages. Prosecutors did not disclose the exact dollar amount, but confirmed it reflects the totality of the victim’s losses—physical, emotional, and financial.

Stewart and federal prosecutors have agreed on a sentencing range of eight to 12 years in prison, pending approval by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm. Sentencing is scheduled for July 5, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. If the court accepts the agreement, Stewart will face a federal prison term that mirrors the severity of his crime.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the U.S. Park Police for their swift and thorough investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hollis R. Weisman and Thomas M. Sullivan are prosecuting the case, building on evidence that left Stewart with no choice but to admit guilt. In a statement, Rosenstein emphasized that violence fueled by personal disputes has no place in the workplace—or anywhere on federal land.