South Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty To Assaulting A Postal Worker

 MACON, Ga. – A Charleston, South Carolina, woman is facing a maximum eight years in prison for attacking a postal worker, said Peter D. Leary, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.

Kelly Lynne McCormick, 33, of Charleston, formerly of Bonaire, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count assault on a federal employee before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III. McCormick faces a maximum eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 6.

On April 23, 2019, a female United States Postal Service (USPS) employee was on duty delivering mail at the Exxon convenience store at 4290 Dellwood Avenue in Macon. After parking her USPS vehicle in front of the store and delivering mail to the store clerk, the USPS employee received consent from the clerk to use the store’s bathroom. The USPS employee was given the key to the bathroom and went inside. A clearly intoxicated female, later identified as McCormick, was pacing back and forth outside the bathroom occupied by the USPS employee.

As the USPS employee exited the bathroom and attempted to shut the bathroom door and lock it, McCormick tried to force her way into the bathroom without having first gained consent from the store clerk. The USPS employee attempted to shut the door and eventually had to push McCormick back away from her once McCormick became angry and screamed in the USPS employee’s face. The two women grappled briefly before they pushed one another away and disengaged. The USPS employee then went about her business as McCormick stormed out of the store. As the USPS employee walked to her vehicle, McCormick began yelling at her. McCormick then charged at the USPS employee and struck her in the head with a closed fist and briefly grappled with her until several bystanders were able to separate the two women. The entire incident was recorded on the convenience store’s surveillance camera system.

“Attacks on federal postal employees will not be tolerated. Those who harm a postal worker will face prosecution and the possibility of federal prison, without parole,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leary. “I want to thank the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its work investigating this case.”

“U.S. Postal Inspectors are committed to the safety of our Postal employees and will vigorously investigate all acts of violence against our employees and USPS infrastructure,” said USPS Miami Division Inspector In Charge, Tony Gomez.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ouzts is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Officer (Contractor), U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.