ROCKVILLE, MD — Postal Inspectors are searching for a suspect who assaulted a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier with a knife in Damascus Wednesday, March 15.

The suspect was armed with a knife and assaulted a letter carrier following a dispute while she was delivering mail on her assigned route in the 9400 block of Holsey Road, Postal Inspectors announced. The letter carrier was not injured during the incident, but her coat was torn, Postal Inspectors said.

Assault of a Postal Service employee is punishable by a prison term of up to 20 years. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of this suspect. Postal Inspectors describe the suspect as a white male, about 28 or 29 years old and standing at 5-foot-7 with an average build. He was wearing a black puffy coat, thick black eyeglasses and a black knit hat.