District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has filed a forfeiture complaint against two mission crew trainers that were interdicted in transit from the Test Flying Academy of South Africa to the People’s Republic of China’s People’s Liberation Army, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            The mission crew trainers (MCTs) are mobile classrooms intended to assist the Chinese military to train personnel on the use of airborne warning and control system and antisubmarine warfare aircraft.

            “This seizure demonstrates the ongoing threat that China and its enablers pose to the national security of the United States through the unlawful procurement of U.S. military technology,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners continue to be steadfast in our commitment to use every lawful tool available to keep this critical technology out of the hands of our adversaries.”

            “TFASA masquerades as a civilian flight-training academy when in fact it is a significant enabler of the Chinese air and naval forces and a pipeline for transferring NATO aviation expertise, operational knowledge, and restricted technology directly to the People’s Liberation Army,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to act decisively to preserve the U.S. military’s qualitative edge by preventing U.S. technology from falling into the hands of our adversaries.”

            “This successful interdiction highlights the critical role HSI plays in safeguarding U.S. national security and preventing sensitive technology from reaching adversarial military forces,” said Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Homeland Security Investigations New York. “By disrupting the transfer of advanced anti-submarine warfare training equipment to the Chinese military, HSI New York and our partners denied adversaries access to vital U.S. tactics and capabilities and, in turn, protected vital American interests. I commend HSI New York and our law enforcement counterparts for their steadfast commitment to countering illicit procurement networks and defending the integrity of U.S. defense technology worldwide.”

            “The Test Flying Academy of South Africa illegally exported U.S. military flight simulator technology and recruited former NATO pilots for the purpose of training China’s military, jeopardizing U.S. national security and placing the lives of American service members at risk,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The U.S. government will pursue every avenue available to defend the homeland, protect our warfighters, and hold accountable anyone who aids our adversaries.”

            “TFASA’s continued attempts to leverage our nation's military expertise and software gravely threaten United States' national security interests and the lives of American service members around the globe," said FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Vanessa Tibbits.  “May today’s disruption reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protect our country from foreign adversaries.”

            According to court documents, the MCTs and associated software were designed and manufactured, using U.S.-origin software and defense technical data, by the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA). The purpose of the MCT project – dubbed “Project Elgar” by TFASA personnel – was to train Chinese aviators in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on anti-submarine warfare techniques, expanding their capability to locate and track U.S. submarines working in the Pacific.

            The MCTs’ layout was modelled after the P-8 Poseidon, which is manufactured by Boeing and serves as the United States’ primary anti-submarine warfare maritime patrol aircraft. The MCTs were designed to run software specially designed by TFASA for Project Elgar. The software used a basic flight simulator program designed and marketed by a U.S. company, which TFASA software engineers then enhanced using technical data relating to Western anti-submarine warfare aircraft, including the P-8 Poseidon. Former NATO aviators with training in anti-submarine warfare techniques were part of TFASA’s Project Elgar team.

            This interdiction is the latest instance implicating TFASA in its role as a primary trainer of the PLA. In June 2023, the Department of Commerce added TFASA and numerous of its subsidiaries and affiliates in South Africa and elsewhere to the Entity List “for providing training to Chinese military pilots using Western and NATO sources,” which the Department of Commerce noted was “contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.”

            This interdiction of the MCTs is a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated effort to stop the PLA and its enablers from further threatening U.S. national security. The forfeiture action comes as China, Russia, and Iran began a week of joint naval exercises in South Africa’s waters on Saturday, January 10.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI and HSI New York Field Offices and the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office.

            The case is being litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven B. Wasserman and Rick Blaylock, Jr. for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

Inside of one of the containers seized by the U.S. Government.

Documented construction progress on the MCT showed the building and installation in

the shipping containers of consoles closely mimicking those found in the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.

The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

WASHINGTON – Iesha Marks, 31, of Bowie, Maryland and Daniel Bangura, 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty this week to the July 2023 shooting of 46-year-old Donald Childs, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Marks pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed on January 13, 2026, and is facing a sentence between 13 and 25 years in prison, followed by a term of supervised release. Bangura also pleaded guilty on that day to obstruction of justice and is facing a sentence between 48 months and 96 months in prison, followed by a term of supervised release. Both guilty pleas are contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson will sentence Marks on June 12, 2026, and Bangura on March 13, 2026.

            According to the government’s evidence, at 2:43 p.m. on July 30, 2023, Bangura drove Marks to the 100 block of Farragut Street, NW. As they rode through a busy intersection, Marks extended her arm out of the front passenger window and fired multiple shots directly into Farragut Street, striking and killing Mr. Childs, who was standing on the sidewalk. Bangura sped away from the scene and drove Marks to Pennsylvania in order to dispose of the murder weapon. 

            Marks was arrested in October of 2023 and has been in custody since. Bangura has been in custody since he was indicted in May of 2025.

            Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case was investigated by officers, detectives, and other personnel of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmin Emrani. 

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WASHINGTON – Rocky Lee Brown, 53, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was charged in an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court on one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Brown was wanted on an active warrant out of Maryland when he was arrested Dec. 29, 2025, by the United States Marshals Service on the 5200 block of Hayes Street, NE. An officer with the Metropolitan Police Department responded and allegedly recovered a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol from Brown’s  jacket pocket. The firearm contained nine rounds of 9mm ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.

            Brown did not have a license to carry a firearm in the District. A criminal history check showed that Brown was previously convicted in D.C. Superior Court for second-degree Murder. On May 5, 2006, Brown was sentenced to 25 years of incarceration. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss.

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An indictment is only a formal accusation by a grand jury that there is enough evidence for a serious criminal case to proceed to trial.

WASHINGTON – Quateze Moore, 46, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to the shooting death of Martinez Robinson in Northwest D.C. on August 23, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

             Moore entered a global guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter while armed. Moore also pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled substance (cocaine) with the intent to distribute it while armed, before Superior Court Associate Judge Jason Park. Judge Park ordered that Moore continue to be held without bond pending sentencing.

             A sentencing hearing is scheduled to occur before Judge Park on March 27, 2026.

             According to the government’s evidence, on August 23, 2024, Moore was at 14th and Girard Street Park when he and the victim, Martinez Robinson, encountered one another. After a short period of time, Robinson ran out of the park and the defendant followed, shooting him as he was running away. Moore’s gunfire struck Robinson three times, once in the right arm, once in the right thigh, and once in the torso, causing injuries from which Robinson died. The defendant’s dog, Ace, was also struck by his gunfire and killed. Moore confirmed that, in shooting Robinson, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense. Robinson was found in possession of a Glock 23 .40 caliber firearm with a laser, a giggle-switch and 19 live cartridges in a 22-capacity magazine, which he had not fired.

             The defendant was arrested on January 1, 2024, while seated in the front passenger seat inside a vehicle. At the time of his arrest, members of MPD recovered a firearm from under Moore’s seat. MPD also recovered a clear plastic bag from in-between the center console and Moore’s seat. The clear plastic bag contained numerous substances that, after chemical testing, yielded positive results for cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone.

             Moore has been in custody since his arrest. 

            Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Dinan.

WASHINGTON – Wayne Glymph, 59, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 13½ years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed large quantities of high-purity fentanyl, heroin, PCP and cocaine in the Washington metropolitan area and elsewhere, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Glymph pleaded guilty Sept. 15, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue, 100 grams or more of heroin, and one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the 162 month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Glymph to serve seven years of supervised release.

According to court documents, the drug trafficking organization operated from at least July 2021 and August 2022, until November 2023. Glymph participated in the distribution of 12 kilos of fentanyl including carfentanil, almost two kilograms of a fentanyl analog (p-flourofentanyl), more than 236 grams of heroin, and more than two gallons of PCP.

Co-conspirator Michael Stewart, 61, of the District, was sentenced Dec. 22, 2025, to 71 months in prison for acquiring wholesale quantities of cocaine and fentanyl which he in turn cut, repackaged, and then sold in smaller quantities to other drug traffickers for redistribution.

On July 22, 2025, Kevin Quattlebaum pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of crack cocaine base, and using, carrying, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On Oct. 21, 2025, Quattlebaum was sentenced to 142 months incarceration, five years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $35,000 in cash, a Breitling watch valued at over $15,000, a 2019 SUV, a firearm, and ammunition.

Other co-conspirators, Samuel Braxton, 57, and Michael Owens, 38, both admitted guilt on Dec. 8, 2025, in connection with their roles in the same narcotics trafficking conspiracy.

Braxton, aka “Fatso,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, pleaded guilty December 8 before Judge McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fentanyl analog, and 100 grams or more of heroin. Sentencing in this case for Braxton is scheduled for March 9, 2026. Owens, of St. Charles, Maryland, pleaded guilty on December 8 to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more fentanyl and to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Sentencing for Owens is scheduled for March 20, 2026.

Glymph, Braxton, and another co-defendant, Ronnie Rogers, coordinated the ordering, shipment, and receipt of, and payment for, the drugs with other members of the conspiracy. On April 2, 2025, Rogers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl, 100 grams or more of any analogue of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and crack cocaine base, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Rogers, whose sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2026, is facing a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years incarceration and up to life.   

Communications evidence, as well as physical seizures and recoveries of many kilos of fentanyl and heroin over the course of the investigation, indicated that Glymph and others coordinated with foreign nationals and regional co-conspirators to traffic the narcotics.

Glymph has several previous convictions for conspiracy to distribute narcotics, weapons counts, and fraud. He was previously sentenced to two 10-year terms for drug trafficking for separate convictions.

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division,  Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos, Matthew Kinskey, and William Hart, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel, for the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Trevor Jonathan Wright, 34, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 219 months in federal prison for leading a series violent armed robberies of South Asian jewelry stores that netted millions of dollars in cash and gold for his 15-member crew, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

           Wright, the D. C. rapper known as “Taliban Glizzy,” pleaded guilty Sept. 16, 2025, to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka Hobbs Act Robbery); brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and unlawful possession of a firearm.

           In his plea agreement, Wright accepted responsibility for his roles in the June 10, 2022, armed robbery of Virani Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey for $1.2 million in gold jewelry; the Oct. 25, 2022, armed robbery of Paradise Jewelry in Paterson, New Jersey, for $1.93 million in gold jewelry; and the Dec. 6, 2022, armed robbery of Kishek Jewelers in Jacksonville, Florida, for $700,000. He also accepted responsibility for unlawful possession of a machine gun in Miami, Florida on May 27, 2021.

           “Trevor Wright and his crew terrorized victims from Northern New Jersey to South Florida. His crew left behind a wake of destruction and great financial loss for family-owned businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They smashed glass display cases and shoveled the gold into laundry bags. After one armed robbery of nearly $2 million, Wright spent proceeds to purchase a Rolex. He sure won’t need a luxury watch to measure the more than 18 years he’ll now spend in prison.”

           In addition to the 219-month prison term, Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Wright to serve four years of supervised release.

           According to court documents, during the course of 18 months, Wright and his co-conspirators schemed to rob multiple South Asian jewelry stores of heavy gold jewelry of high purity. The conspiracy began in January 2022 and continued until August 2023.

           Each robbery was coordinated in advance. The crew selected their targets after careful research. To evade law enforcement detection, some of the suspect vehicles were rented, stolen, or outfitted with stolen tags. At least one of the vehicles was carjacked by the crew at gunpoint.

           The crew cased the stores in advance. They shattered the doors and windows with sledgehammers They employed a show of force to gain compliance from their victims. At least one co-conspirator was armed with a firearm during each robbery.

           The crew fenced the stolen jewelry in Miami or melted down the gold into bars which they later sold for cash.

           On Dec. 12, 2022, Wright was arrested on an outstanding warrant issued by the Southern District of Florida as he and his entourage departed the St. Yves nightclub in a Cadillac Escalade. Police recovered, among other things, more than $17,300 in cash, which investigators linked to proceeds from the Kishek robbery.

           Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony A. Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office; FBI Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of the Newark Field Office; Director Gadyaces Serralta of the United States Marshals Service; and Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll  of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           This case was investigated by the ATF, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI’s Newark, Jacksonville, and Washington Field Offices. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi.

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Trevor Wright, aka Taliban Glizzy, in a portrait.

An AR-15 recovered on July 17, 2022, from the backseat of a rideshare vehicle in which Trevor Wright and other crew members had traveled.

Surveillance screen shot from the October 25, 2022, of a co-defendant during the armed robbery of Paradise Jewelry in Paterson, New Jersey, from which the crew netted $1.93 million in gold jewelry.

WASHINGTON – Dion Zellars, 37, a previously convicted felon from Capitol Heights, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison for illegally possessing a Glock 29 pistol only one week following his release to a halfway house, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Zellars, aka “Thomas Good,” pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The case marks his fifth firearms conviction. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Zellars to serve three years of supervised release.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, at about 4:25 p.m., four MPD officers were patrolling the 4200 block Southern Avenue SE, when they observed several individuals congregating on the sidewalk. One member of the group—later identified as Zellars—immediately attempted to hide behind a parked silver SUV, which drew the attention of the officers.

            As additional police arrived in an unmarked car, Zellars took off running down the sidewalk while clutching his waistband. Multiple officers chased Zellars. At one point, Zellars held up a black firearm with his left hand. Officers yelled at Zellars to drop the gun.

            As Zellars ran along the side of a house and into its back yard, he dropped the gun. He hopped a fence, ran down an alley, then tripped on the steps leading into another yard. Police caught and handcuffed him. Zellars initially identified himself to officers as Thomas Anthony Good, with Zellars’ same date of birth.

            Officers recovered cell phones and a Glock 29 10mm pistol with a laser attachment, with one round in the chamber, and a 15-round magazine containing 14 rounds.

            Zellars consented to the search of his phone. The phone contained text messages, photos, and videos from the same day documenting the Glock that Zellars dropped. Specifically, Zellars sent a text message to “Boo”  about 1:19 p.m., with multiple photos of the gun, asking “Yu like this joint?” In response, “Boo” warned Zellars not to touch the gun: “asking me about a gun when u just did 10 years ! u shouldn’t even be touching that.”

            Zellars had been released to a halfway house on March 12, 2025—about a week before this incident—and was on supervision for sentences for two different gun convictions.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case was investigated by Washington Field Division of the ATF and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Barclay for the District of Columbia. 

Still image from body-worn camera showing Zellars (red) fleeing police

Still images of the gun from Zellars’ phone

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WASHINGTON – Ruby Jade Corado, 56, the founder of Casa Ruby, Inc., a Washington D.C.-based non-profit that provided services to the LGBTQ+ community, was sentenced today to 33 months in prison in connection with diverting at least $150,000 in taxpayer-backed emergency Covid-relief funds to private offshore bank accounts for personal use, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Corado, aka “Vladimir Orlando Artiga Corado,” pleaded guilty July 17, 2024, to wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. In addition to the 33-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Corado to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $956,215 in restitution to the Small Business Administration.

            “Corado received more than $1.3 million from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for the non-profit Casa Ruby,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Instead of using the funds as promised, Corado stole over $950,000, transferred at least $150,000 to bank accounts in El Salvador, and hid it from the IRS.”

            According to court documents, in 2022, when financial irregularities at Casa Ruby became public, Corado sold her home in Prince Georges County, Maryland, and fled to El Salvador. FBI agents arrested Corado on March 5, 2024, at a hotel in Laurel, Maryland, when she unexpectedly returned to the United States.

            Casa Ruby had claimed to provide housing services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth including transitional housing. The organization also claimed to assist LGBTQ+ immigrants by providing social services such as case management and therapeutic mental health support for survivors of violence, and to assist with a wide array of services such as assisting with passport applications and certain visa applications. The non-profit’s website stated that Casa Ruby employed over 50 people and provided more than 30,000 social and human services to more than 6,000 people each year. Casa Ruby operated multiple shelters in Washington, D.C., that provided transitional housing.

           Casa Ruby effectively ceased operations in July 2022 when it shuttered its transitional housing, failed to pay its employees, and faced eviction from multiple properties for failure to pay rent.

            Joining in the announcement of the sentencing were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.

           This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Borchert and former U.S. Attorneys Madhu Chugh and Kathryn Rakoczy.

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WASHINGTON – Pernell Sims, 35, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to the shooting death of his prior romantic partner, Tyshida Williams, in Southwest D.C. on July 30, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           Sims entered a guilty plea to second degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on January 9, 2026.

          A sentencing hearing is scheduled to occur before Judge Edelman on March 20, 2026. Judge Edelman ordered that Sims continue to be held without bond pending sentencing.

           According to the government’s evidence, Sims and the victim Tyshida Williams were in a romantic relationship on July 30, 2023. After returning to the apartment after 7:00 a.m., the defendant became angry about Williams’ phone. Sims and Williams then went to the lobby and parking garage area of Sims’ apartment building and argued for more than an hour. While in the parking garage, the defendant threw Williams to the ground and kicked her in the chest. After returning upstairs to Sims’ apartment where his child was present, he and Williams went into the bedroom and closed the door. Sims then shot Williams in the left side of her head. Williams died from her injuries later that morning. Sims confirmed that, in shooting Williams, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense.

           The defendant was arrested in November 2023 and has been in custody ever since.

           Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Stephanie Dinan.

WASHINGTON – Christopher Southerland, 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was arrested Friday and charged in a federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court for stealing approximately 240 government cell phones, valued at over $150,000, from the U.S. House of Representatives, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            “As alleged, stealing 240 government-issued phones worth over $150,000 is a direct betrayal of the public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “That’s taxpayer money meant to serve Americans, not line someone’s pockets. Accountability matters – and no one is above the law.”

            According to the government’s evidence, from approximately April 2020 until July 2023, Southerland worked as a system administrator for the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. As a system administrator, Southerland was authorized to order cell phones for Committee staff members.

            From January 2023 through May 2023, Southerland allegedly used his position to cause 240 new government cell phones to be shipped directly to his home in Maryland. During that time, there were only approximately 80 staff members on the committee. Southerland then sold over 200 of the cell phones to a nearby pawn shop.

            As part of the scheme, Southerland allegedly directed an employee at the pawn shop only to sell the phones “in parts” in order to bypass the House’s mobile device management software, which enables the House to remotely secure and monitor its phones. The scheme was first discovered when one of the phones that Southerland stole was sold whole on eBay to an uninvolved purchaser. When the purchaser first booted up the phone, the phone displayed a phone number for the House of Representatives Technology Service Desk. The purchaser called that number, and House employees soon discovered that several phones purchased by Southerland were unaccounted for.

            This case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Green for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sabena Auyeung and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Courtney.

            An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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WASHINGTON – Santana Matthews, 20, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed for the death of 26-year-old Aaron Marckell Williams that occurred on January 7, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Matthews made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Dorsey G. Jones, on January 8, 2026, where Judge Jones found probable cause that Matthews committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Matthews be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 27, 2026.

            At approximately 3:49 p.m., a Chevrolet Malibu was operating at a high rate of speed southbound in the 1100 block of 16th Street, Northwest, when he entered the intersection with L Street against a red light. The Malibu collided with a Toyota Corolla that was traveling eastbound on L Street with a green light. The collision caused the Malibu to strike Mr. Williams walking eastbound in the crosswalk with the right-of-way, across 16th Street. Three additional vehicles stopped at the red light northbound on 16th Street were also damaged in the collision. Matthews was the operator and sole occupant of the Malibu and he attempted to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended by responding officers. DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and after all lifesaving efforts failed, Mr. Williams was pronounced dead. The suspect and two additional victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter.

            These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Jerrold Lonnell Coates, 47, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed for the vehicular death of Officer Terry Bennett on January 7, 2026 resulting from a crash on December 23, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Coates made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Philip A. Medley, on January 10, 2026, where Judge Medley found probable cause that Coates committed the offense of second-degree murder while armed and ordered that Coates be held without bond pending a preliminary hearing which is scheduled for February 2, 2026 before Judge Rainey Brandt.

            According to court documents, on December 23, 2025 at approximately 10:09 p.m., Officer Bennett was behind a vehicle that had been involved in a different traffic crash with his cruiser lights activated and road flares deployed to protect that driver from traffic on eastbound I-695 just after the merger with 3rd Street tunnel.

            Suddenly, a Silver 2007 Volvo XC90 was driven at a high rate of speed through the otherwise slowed traffic, swerved over, and struck Officer Bennett while he was standing outside of his marked cruiser.  Officer Bennett was thrown into the air by the impact and suffered blunt force trauma injuries as a result of the collision.  He was taken to Washington Hospital Center, where doctors advised he had sustained a traumatic brain injury and a possible spinal injury. On January 7, 2026, after all life-saving efforts were made, Officer Bennett was pronounced dead.

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter.

            These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Floyd Clark, 22, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in federal prison in connection with his illegal possession of a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol that had been outfitted with a “switch” so it could fire as a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Clark pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to an Information charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to the 48-month prison sentence, Judge Kelly ordered Clark to serve three years of supervised release.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Field Division and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, at 3:23 p.m., MPD officers responded to the 300 block of 50 Street NE, in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood for a report of 14 rounds of automatic gunfire. At the scene, officers recovered 14 shell casings. Police did not find any shooting victims. Surveillance video footage revealed that two shooters had fired from a black Infiniti Q50 sedan bearing a Maryland license plate. Immediately after the firing of the 14 rounds, the Infiniti fled the scene.

            On March 8, 2025, about 6:10 p.m. police were patrolling near the intersection of 60th Street and Eads Street, NE, when they spotted an Infiniti Q50 matching the description of the vehicle used in the previous week’s shooting. Officers followed the car.

            Clark, who was driving the Infiniti, stopped the vehicle. Then Clark and an unidentified passenger jumped out of the car and ran away from the police officers. Police arrest Clark after a brief foot chase and then recovered a loaded Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun from the car. The firearm was outfitted with a machine gun conversion device. Investigators linked the Glock to the March 1 discharge of 14 rounds in Lincoln Heights.  

            Clark previously pled guilty in April 2023 of attempted carrying a pistol without a license and of carrying a pistol without a license in October 2023 in D.C. Superior Court.

            This case was investigated by the MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov.

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WASHINGTON – An Indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, with an array of offenses in the ambush-style shooting near the White House on November 26 that killed National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            The Indictment adds two new counts of assault with intent to kill for additional victims, R.R. and E.S., two National Guard majors who subdued Lakanwal at the scene.

            In addition, the Indictment charges Lakanwal with first degree murder while armed (premeditated), assault with intent to kill while armed, transportation of a firearm & ammunition in interstate commerce with the intent to commit a felony;  and four counts of possession of a firearm during crime of violence or dangerous offense.

            “We are vigorously pursuing the prosecution of Lakanwal,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Nothing is off the table, and we will continue to weigh additional charges.”

            According to court documents, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from his home in Washington state to the District of Columbia. On the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, November 26, at about 2:13 p.m., Lakanwal opened fire without provocation at 17th and I Streets, NW, near the Farragut West Metro Station, shooting Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head. Two nearby majors in the National Guard responded immediately and subdued the suspect.

            At the scene, investigators recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle, Washington, in 2023.

            Ms. Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving, November 27. National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured in the ambush.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Linwood Barnhill, 59, a registered sex offender residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 years in prison in connection with recruiting minor girls to engage in commercial sex, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Barnhill, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer, pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2025, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to sex trafficking of a minor, In addition to the 27-year prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Barnhill to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to pay restitution of $10,000.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division.

           “This former officer trafficked children on the streets of D.C. and at a strip club in Maryland. Then, after serving a seven-year sentence in prison, he resumed sex trafficking teen girls,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Barnhill now has 27 years to think over what he did, and we won’t have to worry about his sex trafficking again.”

           "While serving as a police officer over a decade ago, Barnhill preyed on underage girls. He took explicit photos of them and even forced one victim to work as a prostitute," said the FBI’s Davis. "Upon his release from prison, he resumed trafficking minors for sex. He also forced his victims to find other vulnerable girls for him to exploit. As today's sentencing demonstrates, the FBI will use every tool at our disposal to put habitual child predators in prison where they belong."

           According to court documents, between April 2024 and April 2025, Barnhill recruited girls under the age of 18 to engage in commercial sex acts. Barnhill collected over $10,000 in profits from one of the minor girls whom he exploited in commercial sex. Barnhill also used his victims to find additional minor girls to victimize, by forcing them to work in commercial sex.

           In April 2024, Barnhill recruited a girl to work for him knowing that she was 15-years old and had run away from home. Barnhill had the girl audition for him using the stripper pole he had installed in his basement. He told her she could make money dancing at a strip club in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and would earn additional cash by having sex with men in private VIP rooms at the club. Barnhill transported her to the strip club and back multiple times a week.

           In the fall of 2024, Barnhill paid another 15-year-old girl to recruit other minor girls – all under the age of 18 -- to work for him as commercial sex workers. The girl invited the other minors to her house, where Barnhill would pick them up and drive them to a street in the District known for its commercial sex activity. Barnhill’s iCloud account included text messages with at least 10 other identified minor girls discussing working at “the club” and “VIP rooms.”

           Barnhill, a former officer in the Seventh District, previously was sentenced in October 2014 to seven years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of pandering a minor and possession of child pornography in connection with recruiting two children to work in commercial sex for him. By 2024, Barnhill resumed sex trafficking teenage girls under the moniker "Nico."

           This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.

           This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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WASHINGTON – Bruce R. Hart, 31, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 34 months in federal prison for his unlawful possession of a loaded pistol and a 28-round capacity magazine while he was on supervised release for a Maryland robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Hart pleaded guilty Sept. 26, 2025, before Judge Amy Berman Jackson to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and to endangerment with a firearm in a public place. In addition to the 34-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Hart to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, on Oct. 26, 2024, about 9:45 p.m., Hart was with two other men on the 1800 block of Wiltberger St., NW, when he fired one round from a handgun into the air. The incident was captured on surveillance camera. The men then ran north on Wiltberger St.

            A police officer later spotted Hart on the 1900 block of 7th Street about one block away from the shooting. At 10:43 p.m., the officer attempted to stop Hart. Hart fled, running through traffic across Florida Avenue. Officers apprehended Hart after a brief pursuit on Bohrer Street NW, and recovered a loaded firearm equipped with a large capacity magazine tucked into the waistband of his pants.

            Hart has a prior felony conviction for robbery in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for which he was sentenced on Nov. 29, 2023, to 10 years imprisonment, with nine years and six months suspended, and a three-year term of supervised probation.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Green and Brendan M. Horan. -  24cr528

Surveillance image showing a muzzle flash as Hart discharged a firearm on the 1800 block of Wiltberger Street NW

The firearm, magazine, and ammunition recovered from Hart’s waistband following his arrest.

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WASHINGTON – Anthony Niwatilagu Long, 45, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing 44-year-old D.C. resident Melvin Saunders in the early morning of December 19, 2025, in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

          Long was arrested yesterday at the D.C. Superior Court after the completion of a preliminary hearing for an assault with a deadly weapon-gun case where he was charged with both pistol whipping and stabbing another victim, Donald Cook, on January 3, 2026. 

          Long will made his initial appearance today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Magistrate Judge Dorsey G. Jones, II found probable cause for second-degree murder while armed and held the defendant pending a preliminary hearing on January 20, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Rainey Brandt in Courtroom 201.

          According to the affidavit in support of Long’s arrest, Saunders, and several other people were present in an apartment at the North Capitol Commons, John and Jill Ker Conway residence in the 1000 block of North Capitol Street, NE, when Long claimed to be a member of the “Crips” and accused the victim of being a member of the “Bloods” before shooting Saunders, execution style in his left temple. Long left the scene on foot and discarded some of his clothing to alter his appearance and evade detection by law enforcement.

          This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marybeth Manfreda.

           Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Dwayne Taylor, 49,  a convicted murderer residing in the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to one year and one day in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded revolver he carried into a government building that had been designated as a gun-free zone, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Taylor pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2025, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Taylor to serve three years of supervised release.

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

According to court documents, on June 30, 2025, shortly after 9 a.m. an MPD officer responded to the Minnesota-Benning Government Center on the 4000 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. The officer approached a security official who pointed to Taylor and identified him as a man who had a gun in his bag.

The officer asked Taylor, “What’s going on?” Taylor replied, “My weapon in my backpack.” The officer asked Taylor if he had a permit, Taylor stated, “No it’s at home, I don’t got none of my stuff with me . . . I forgot when I was rushing out the door this morning. I forgot. I just put it in my bag and ran out the door.”  The officer asked Taylor if he was licensed to carry. Taylor responded, “No, I’m not licensed to carry.” The officer then placed Taylor in handcuffs and called for more officers.

Officers recovered a Hopkins & Allen 36 .38 Special Revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition from Taylor’s backpack.

As a previously convicted felon, Taylor was prohibited from possessing a firearm. In 1995, Taylor was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of second degree murder while armed; armed robbery; and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in the 1994 execution-style killing of cab driver Keith Moore. Taylor was sentenced to 15-years-to-life in prison and served 27 years.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the ATF Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss for the District of Columbia.

An X-ray image of Taylor’s backpack as it passed through the X-Ray machine at the Minnesota-Benning Government Center. The revolver is circled in yellow.

In this photo, an officer pulls a revolver from Taylor’s backpack.

WASHINGTON – Saul Castillo-Crespo, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegal re-entry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Castillo-Crespo, aka “David Crespo,” was previously convicted in August 2017 in D.C. Superior Court and sentenced to five years in prison in connection with the kidnapping and sexual abuse of an intoxicated stranger in Northwest Washington.

In January 2023, Castillo-Crespo was deported to Mexico. He illegally re-entered the country in March 2025, proceeded to violate the law by failing to register as a sex offender, and was arrested in June by local law enforcement.

Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled sentencing for March 13, 2026.

“This individual sexually assaulted a victim and got deported a few years ago, just to sneak back into the U.S. illegally,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “I will not allow this brazen defiance of our immigration laws to continue, especially from criminals who commit the most heinous illegal acts.”

According to the court documents, ICE learned that Castillo-Crespo had been arrested by MPD officers on June 27, 2025, and had been charged with unlawful entry and destroying property. On arrest, the defendant identified himself using the alias “David Crespo.”

On July 16, 2025, law enforcement fingerprinted “David Crespo.” The FBI identified him as Castillo-Crespo. ICE determined that the fingerprints matched those of a known and previously deported alien.

Castillo-Crespo previously was found guilty and sentenced for a sex crime in the District. On May 7, 2017, Castillo-Crespo encountered his victim in the early morning hours on a sidewalk near Lafayette Square in downtown Washington. The woman was extremely intoxicated, unable to walk, and told Castillo-Crespo that she wanted to go to her home. Castillo-Crespo hailed a passing taxi and took her to his apartment building in the 1700 block of Seventh Street NW. Once inside, the victim refused to enter Castillo-Crespo’s fourth-floor apartment and repeated that she wanted to go home. Castillo-Crespo carried her to a staircase where he sexually assaulted her. His conduct inside the building was captured on building surveillance cameras.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Satter.

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WASHINGTON – Kevin Brent Buchanan, 64, of Tooele, Utah, was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to six months in prison in connection with threatening violence against the employees of a D.C.-based Palestinian rights organization, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Buchanan pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025, to a one-count information charging him with transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure the person of another. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Buchanan to serve three years of supervised release with mandatory participation in a mental health program.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.

            According to court documents, between Oct. 31, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, Buchanan used his cell phone to call and leave five voice mail messages for members of the organization. In his November 2 message, Buchanan stated in part: “Your families are going to be followed and watched;” “You don’t even belong in America;” “I hope every Muslim in the United States [expletive] croaks;” and “You are all going to [expletive] die, you pieces of [expletive] traitors.”

            Buchanan admitted that he intentionally targeted the organization because its staff and members are Palestinian, and because the organization advocates on behalf of Palestinians.

            The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

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WASHINGTON – Maurice Felder, 54, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 54 months in prison for charges related to stabbing a man who was visiting D.C. on November 10, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           Felder was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on October 15th, on one count each of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a prohibited weapon. On January 6, 2026, the Honorable Todd Edelman sentenced Felder to a combined total of 54 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

           According to the government’s evidence, at about 1:00 a.m., on November 10, 2024, as the victim and his friends were walking near the intersection of 7th Street N.W. and T Street N.W. , while visiting Washington, D.C. for a weekend from Pennsylvania, Felder followed the group down the sidewalk and began arguing with them. The victim got in between Felder and other members of his friend group, telling the defendant to leave. The defendant then asked the victim, “do you want to die,” pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in his chest, leaving him with a stab wound two centimeters from his heart, which required urgent medical care.

           Felder was arrested the same day, within a block from the location of incident, and has been in custody since his arrest.

           Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valerie Tsesarenko and Randle Wilson, who prosecuted the case. 

WASHINGTON – Kahlil G. Felder, 41, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 157 months in prison for operating a fentanyl distribution network based in the Washington Highlands neighborhood in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Felder, aka “Kahlil Hewitt,” pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In his plea, Felder acknowledged that he distributed at least 1.2 kilos, but less than 4 kilos, of fentanyl.

            In addition to the 157-month prison term, Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Felder to serve five years of supervised release.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were HSI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of Homeland Security Investigations - Washington Field Office, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

"This was a high-volume dealer responsible for distributing a significant amount of poison from his base in Southeast Washington,’ said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When he was arrested, agents discovered three kilos of fentanyl inside one suitcase at his apartment – enough to potentially amount to millions of lethal doses. Even 157 months is not enough to pay for the hurt and damage he caused to this city when he was dealing during the height of the opioid epidemic.” 

           Felder’s arrest came after a yearlong multiagency investigation that identified him as a leader of a narcotics distribution network operating at Oxon Run Park, located at 1200 Mississippi Avenue SE, and the 100 block of Yuma Street SE, both in the Washington Highlands neighborhood. Both areas – including one within 1,000 feet of the Paramount Child Development Prep School -- functioned as an open-air drug market with narcotics dealers serving walk-up clients.

            According to court documents, Felder sold fentanyl in “purple lady bags” branded with a female figure and the words “Heavy D,” which he also supplied to others for redistribution. The financial investigation identified over $1 million in suspected cash drug proceeds deposited by Felder between January 2021 and his arrest in December 2023.

            During a search of Felder’s residence on Dec. 13, 2023, law enforcement recovered two loaded semiautomatic pistols and more than three kilograms of suspected fentanyl, including fentanyl pre-packaged in thousands of baggies or “zips.” Investigators also found tools and materials for packaging fentanyl, including a scale, test kits, gloves, a respirator, a sifter, and a money counter.

            This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, and MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division.

            It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro gave remarks at a press conference on the success of President Trump’s federal surge to bringdown crime rates in the District.

            In her remarks, U.S. Attorney Pirro reflected on the remarkable progress her office made towards fighting crime in the nation’s capital. She thanked President Donald J. Trump for his unwavering commitment to law and order by implementing a surge in federal law enforcement resources, which bolstered our teams with additional agents, advanced tools and a no-nonsense mandate, and helped to create a renewed focus to crack down on violent offenders, dismantle criminal networks and restore safety to our streets. 

            “When President Trump assigned me to this Office in May of last year, we knew there was a lot of work to do in fighting crime here in D.C., said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The crime rate here is one of the worst in the country and we needed to work swiftly and aggressively to turn things around for the better. Because of the President’s push and my Office’s intentional efforts, we have now seen a huge downturn in the crime statistics in just a short period of time. There is a lot of work to do but we are up to the task and making tremendous progress.”

           She re-iterated her Office’s tough stance on crime by highlighting key successes in 2025 resulting from President Trump’s Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative. In 2025, there were 8,406 arrests and 856 illegal guns taken off the streets. As a result of the surge starting in August, homicides are down 60%, robberies are down 49%, carjackings are down 68% and overall crime is down 32% compared to the same time in 2024.

            Going forward, U.S. Attorney Pirro explained that the safety of the residents of D.C. remains her office’s top priority, and they are taking major steps to combat crime. 

WASHINGTON – Jaelen Jordan, 20, and Warren Montgomery, 21, both of Washington, D.C., and Bryon Gillum, 20, Isaiah Flowers, 20, Jahkai Goff, 21, Taj Giles, 20, and Irshaad Ellis-Bey, 20, all of Prince George’s County, MD, were found guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges pertaining to three armed carjackings on February 27, 2023, April 27, 2023, and May 16, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            The jury deliberated for approximately four days before finding the defendants guilty of multiple charges including armed carjacking. 

            “Stop lusting over other people’s cars and keep your hands to yourself unless you want to spend the next 15 years eating cold sandwiches in a correctional facility with likeminded lusters,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Specifically, the jury found Goff guilty of armed carjacking, armed robbery, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for his role in the February 27, 2023, armed carjacking.

            The jury found Flowers guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, trafficking in stolen property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, receiving stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robbery, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, for his role in the February 27, 2023, and May 16, 2023, armed carjackings.

            The jury found Ellis-Bey guilty of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, armed carjacking, armed robbery, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for his role in the February 27, 2023, armed carjacking.

            The jury found Montgomery guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, trafficking in stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his role in the April 27, 2023, and May 16, 2023, armed carjackings.

            The jury found Giles guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, trafficking in stolen property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, receiving stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his role in the February 27, 2023, and April 27, 2023, armed carjackings.

            The jury found Jordan guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, trafficking in stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robberies, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and three counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for his role in the February 27, 2023, April 27, 2023, and May 16, 2023, armed carjackings.

            The jury found Gillum guilty of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, trafficking in stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robberies, and two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for his role in the February 27, 2023, and April 27, 2023, armed carjackings.

            The jury also found that the May 16, 2023, carjacking was committed against a senior citizen.

            According to the government’s evidence, on February 27, 2023, Goff, Flowers, Ellis-Bey, Giles, and Gillum carjacked the victim at gunpoint in the Dupont Circle area. The defendants used a Dodge Charger, carjacked in Maryland the day before, to commit this carjacking. After the carjacking, the victim’s vehicle, a 2013 Porsche Cayenne was brought to an apartment building parking garage in the 1300 block of Florida Avenue NE. Jordan subsequently sold the victim’s Porsche from that parking garage on March 1, 2023.

            On April 27, 2023, Montgomery, Giles, Jordan, and Gillum carjacked another victim at gunpoint at the intersection of 8th and K Street NE. After the carjacking, the victim’s vehicle, a BMW X6, was brought back to the same apartment building parking garage in the 1300 block of Florida Avenue NE. Jordan subsequently sold the victim’s BMW to undercover police officers on April 27, 2023.

            Finally, on May 16, 2023, Flowers, Montgomery, and Jordan carjacked a senior citizen at gunpoint in his driveway in the 600 block of Butternut Street NW. After the carjacking, the victim’s vehicle, a Porsche Cayenne GTS, was brought back to the same apartment building parking garage in the 1300 block of Florida Avenue NE. Jordan subsequently offered to sell the victim’s Porsche to undercover police officers on May 17, 2023.

            Jordan was arrested on May 17, 2023, and the remaining defendants were arrested between October and December of 2023 as law enforcement identified them.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department. She also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Evans and Emily Clarke who investigated and prosecuted the case.

            WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has reached civil settlement agreements with four different non-profit organizations to resolve allegations that the organizations violated the False Claims Act when they applied for and received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).

            Our Office has entered into settlement agreements with the following organizations to resolve allegations that they falsely certified eligibility for PPP loans.

            League of United Latin American Citizens (the “LULAC”) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that bills itself as the largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States. In 2020, LULAC applied for and received a first draw PPP loan in the amount of $122,644 and later sought and received forgiveness of that loan. In 2021, LULAC applied for and received a second draw PPP loan in the amount of $41,710 and later sought and received forgiveness of that loan as well. LULAC has agreed to pay $312,272.60 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining two PPP loans for which it was not eligible.

            National Bureau of Asian Research (the “Bureau”) is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that described its mission as a “research institution” that “helps decision-makers better understand Asia and craft concrete, actionable policy” and referred to itself as “the nation’s Asia policy think tank.” In early 2021, the Bureau applied for a “second draw” PPP loan in the amount of $411,111 and subsequently applied for and received complete forgiveness of that loan. After an analysis of the Bureau’s ability to pay pursuant to a settlement, the Bureau agreed to pay $475,000, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible.

            National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (“NCPERS”) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit trade association working on behalf of public sector retirement systems. In 2020, NCPERS applied for and received a first draw PPP loan in the amount of $143,412 and later sought and received forgiveness of that loan. In 2021, NCPERS applied for and received a second draw PPP loan in the amount of $118,052 and later sought and received forgiveness of that loan as well. NCPERS has agreed to pay $457,562 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining two PPP loans for which it was not eligible.

            Prosperity Now is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that describes its mission as seeking “policy change at all levels of Government” and engages in public policy research, advocacy, and lobbying. In early 2021, Prosperity Now applied for a “second draw” PPP loan in the amount of $1,532,800 and subsequently applied for and received complete forgiveness of that loan. After an analysis of Prosperity Now’s ability to pay pursuant to a settlement, Prosperity Now agreed to pay $2,081,523.15, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible.

            The forgoing organizations were allegedly not eligible for the identified PPP loans based on the statutes and regulations governing the loan program. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES Act”) was created to provide emergency financial support to Americans suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the PPP, the CARES Act authorized billions of dollars in potentially forgivable loans to small businesses and other entities struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the pandemic, but the Act also contained important limitations on loan eligibility. For example, the CARES Act permitted certain nonprofit organizations to obtain PPP loans, but organizations organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code were never eligible for such loans. Similarly, Congress prohibited from “second draw” PPP loans those entities primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including those entities organized for research or for engaging in public policy advocacy or political strategy or publicly referring to themselves as “think tanks.” The non-profit organizations that entered settlement agreements with our Office were alleged to have falsely certified their eligibility for the PPP loans.

            The civil settlements resulted from investigations by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy C. Hurley. The United States Attorney further wishes to commend attorneys Caitlin J. Kelly and Kandace Zelaya of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the General Counsel for their assistance in the investigations.  

            Tips and complaint regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

            The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

WASHINGTON – James Outland, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced   today to 16 years in prison for gunning down a crowd of people in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Outland pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree while armed in April 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Danya Dayson ordered Outland to serve the prison term on January 6, 2026. Co-defendant Bobby Gupton was previously sentenced to 15 years in prison for the same incident.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 28, 2023, in the vicinity of 748 19th Street NE, Washington D.C., co-defendants Bobby Gupton and James Outland, along with two other individuals, ran, in unison, towards a crowd located at a nearby intersection and each began discharging their firearms into the crowd. After discharging their respective firearms, all shooters fled the scene together. An innocent bystander, Ms. Tavonayna Glenn, sustained one gunshot wound to the chest, causing her death. Outland was arrested almost one year after the homicide and was in possession of a rifle-like firearm with 47 rounds of ammunition at the time of his arrest.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alyssa Schroeder, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen.

            Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Daniel Seidel who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Brian J. Cole, Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was charged in a federal indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in the planting of two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on January 5, 2021, at the headquarters of both the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee in Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            The federal indictment, which supersedes a prior federal indictment returned during the holidays by a D.C. Superior Court grand jury, charges Cole with interstate transportation of explosives and with malicious attempt to use explosives.

            Joining in the announcement were U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            “Given that Cole crossed state lines and targeted the political leadership of both parties for which there is an inherent crime of federal jurisdiction, handling this in federal court is most proper,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The FBI and my office worked around the clock to ensure that this defendant is charged with the right crimes for his dangerous acts.”

            On January 6, 2021, law enforcement discovered the IEDs near the DNC and RNC headquarters in Washington, D.C., both in close proximity to the U.S. Capitol. The same day Congress convened to certify the results of the 2020 election, and U.S. lawmakers were assembled nearby to carry out that constitutional duty.

            Neither device detonated, and the U.S. Capitol Police were able to carry out a “render safe procedure” on the IEDs without incident. 

           According to a complaint filed on Dec. 3, 2025, Cole purchased multiple components consistent with those used to manufacture the two IEDs during 2019 and 2020, at several retailers in northern Virginia.

            At approximately 1 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, multiple law enforcement agencies received reports of a suspected IEDs near the headquarters of the RNC in Washington, D.C. About 1:15 p.m. the same day, a second suspected IED was reported just a few blocks away near the headquarters of the DNC.

            Video surveillance determined that the same individual placed the devices on the evening of January 5, 2021. The suspect had been wearing dark pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, and a facemask that obscured the person’s face. The video showed the individual adjusting eyeglasses and carrying a backpack.

            On January 5, 2021, about 7:10 p.m., Cole’s Nissan Sentra was observed driving past a License Plate Reader at the South Capitol Street exit from I-395 South, which is less than one-half mile from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed on foot near North Carolina and New Jersey Avenues, SE.

            Cell phone records further show that Cole’s cell phone communicated with cell towers in the area of the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021, between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. The FBI’s Cellular Analysis and Survey Team determined that the location of Cole’s cell phone during this period corresponded with the path of the suspect identified by the FBI through analysis of video from that day.

            This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Keyonte Johnson, 16, of Washington, D.C., was arrested yesterday and charged as an adult with premeditated first-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing 20-year-old D.C. resident Roy Bennett, Jr., on the evening of December 5, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Johnson made his initial court appearance in the District of Columbia before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond, who found probable cause that Johnson committed the offense of premeditated first-degree murder while armed and ordered that Johnson be held without bond pending trial.

            “This is yet another example of the out-of-control underage crime plaguing the district” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “President Trump is right – it is time to put an end to this predictable violence and time to lower the age of accountability so that I can start prosecuting these young criminals before they commit murder.”

            According to court documents, on December 5, 2025, Johnson, the victim, and several other people were present in an apartment near Union Market in Northeast D.C. that was being used as a recording studio. As the victim was standing at the microphone, Johnson, who was seated behind him on a sofa, began shooting Bennett, striking him seven times, including twice in the back of the head and twice in the chest.  As Johnson fled the scene, he threatened to kill a potential witness if they said anything about the murder.

            During the execution of a Maryland search warrant where Johnson was arrested, investigators recovered five magazines, one fully loaded, a box of 10mm ammunition, several iron rifle sights, rifle ammunition, an empty red dot sight box and various clothing items consistent with what was worn by Johnson during the murder.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.

            Johnson will next appear on January 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 203 before Judge Michael Ryan for a preliminary hearing.

            These charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who resided in Bellingham, Washington, was charged today in a complaint in U.S. District Court with federal counts in connection with the ambush-style shooting on November 26 that killed National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            “The transfer of this case from Superior Court to District Court ensures that we can undertake the serious, deliberate, and weighty analysis required to determine if the death penalty is appropriate here,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was killed and her parents are now forced to endure the holiday season without their daughter. Andrew Wolfe, by the grace of God, survived but has a long road ahead in his recovery.”

            Lakanwal was charged today with transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with the intent to commit an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, and with transporting a stolen firearm in interstate commerce.

            Lakanwal remains charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of the D.C. Code.

            According to court documents, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia, while in possession of a stolen firearm. On Wednesday, November 26, at about 2:13 p.m., Lakanwal opened fire without provocation at 17th and I Streets, NW, near the Farragut West Metro Station, shooting Beckstrom and Wolfe in the head. Two Majors in the National Guard who were nearby subdued the suspect.

            At the scene, investigators recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle, Washington, in 2023. 

           Ms. Beckstrom, 20, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving, November 27. National Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically injured in the ambush.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia

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WASHINGTON – Levancie Carr, 43, a three-time convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to eight years in prison in connection with his role in a large open-air narcotics market that operated in the Trinidad neighborhood of the city, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Carr, aka “Locs,” pleaded guilty on Sept. 11, 2025, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to a two-count Information charging him with distribution of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the eight-year prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Carr to serve five years of supervised release.

            Carr is the last of eight defendants to be sentenced in the prosecution of the Trinidad drug market.

            According to court documents, in June 2023, federal and local law enforcement agencies launched an investigation into drug sales in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington. Surveillance cameras captured images of men on the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE, conducting hand-to-hand transactions of suspected narcotics on an almost daily basis. Members of the group routinely discouraged others from the block by approaching vehicles that came into the area and asking the occupants why they were there.

            From June 2023 through March 2024, law enforcement made 42 controlled purchases of narcotics totaling more than 600 grams of fentanyl and 150 grams of crack cocaine.

            Carr conducted 18 of the sales which include 15 grams of cocaine base, 28 grams of fentanyl, and 18 grams of fentanyl analogue. On May 27, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at Carr’s apartment, and recovered 375 grams of cocaine, five firearms, and $115,621 in cash.

During the course of the conspiracy, the Trinidad organization sold approximately 468 kilos of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base.

            The Trinidad trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Daniel Seidel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  24cr246

NAME

AGE

AKA

CHARGES

Davon Cunningham

36

Tank,

Kevin

Levancie Carr

43

Locs

Roosevelt Richardson

48

Rose

Dandre Goodwine

30

Dreads

Jalonie Hooper

26

JR

Jvares Amaray Wright

49

Jay

Edward Frizell Williams,Jr.

53

Pooh

Arnez Mack

22

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WASHINGTON – Maurice Corbin, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 22 years in prison for shooting Daquan Garner on North Capitol Street in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Corbin pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed in October 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Corbin on December 19, 2025.

            According to the government’s evidence, Corbin approached the unsuspecting victim on April 30, 2024 in the vicinity of 1501 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC, while the victim was seated in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle. Corbin discharged his firearm at the trapped victim multiple times through the front passenger window, causing the victim to sustain multiple gunshots wounds which ultimately caused his death.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alyssa Schroeder, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen.

            Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shauna Payyappilly who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Saki Frost, 19, and Azhari Graves, 19, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to multiple counts in relation to a shooting that occurred on May 3, 2024, near Dunbar High School that injured one student. The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Frost and Graves each pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a pistol without a license.  Frost, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting, was prosecuted as an adult under Title 16.  As part of their sentences, both defendants will be required to register as gun offenders. Both defendants are set to be sentenced on March 20, 2026, before the Honorable J. Michael Ryan.

            According to the government’s evidence, on May 3, 2024, at approximately 9:53 a.m., Graves and Frost opened fire on a sedan that was driving down Kirby Street NW, near Dunbar High School. A witness to the shooting reported hearing machine gun fire. Surveillance video captures Frost and Graves running down an alleyway holding firearms prior to the shooting.  Surveillance video also captures the shooting, in which an individual appearing to be Frost, fires a gun toward the sedan.  Surveillance footage also captures Graves after the shooting holding a firearm with the slide locked to the rear of the weapon, indicating that the weapon had been fired. Graves and Frost then fled the area in a vehicle. Later that day, MPD officers located the vehicle used by the defendants and arrested Graves and Frost. Investigators recovered a total of 29 shell casings from the scene of the shooting and numerous fragments from the exterior of Dunbar High School, as well as from classrooms inside the school. Investigators also observed at least six bullet strikes to the N Street side of Dunbar. During the shooting, one Dunbar student suffered a graze wound to the head from the gunfire.  

           Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kraig Ahalt and Courtney Scholz.

WASHINGTON – Carlton Simon, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to the shooting death of 17-year-old Angel Dominguez in Northwest D.C. this Spring, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Simon entered a guilty plea to second degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on December 17, 2025. Simon confirmed that, in shooting the decedent, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense. Judge Edelman ordered that Simon continue to be held without bond pending sentencing.

            A sentencing hearing is scheduled to occur before Judge Edelman on February 20, 2026.

            According to court documents, Simon, a classmate of the victim Angel Dominguez, approached Dominguez on Florida Avenue with a loaded firearm in tow. As the victim walked away from him, Simon pointed a gun at Dominguez’s back, before restraining him and ultimately shooting him in the chest. Dominguez died as a result of his injuries shortly thereafter.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.

WASHINGTON –  Damion Alexander Peddie, a Jamaican citizen who previously was convicted of multiple drug trafficking offenses and has been removed from the United States on at least four prior occasions, pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in connection with possessing a cache of weapons and narcotics and for illegally re-entering the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Peddie, 54, pleaded guilty before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to a three-count information charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, to alien in possession of a firearm, and to unlawful re-entry of a previously removed alien. Judge Kelly scheduled sentencing for March 20, 2026.

            Peddie faces a statutory maximum of 15 years imprisonment for each of his firearms offenses, and a statutory maximum of 20 years imprisonment for his unlawful re-entry offense.

            “This guy is the worst of the worst,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He’s a repeat offender, a convicted cocaine trafficker, an illegal alien after being deported four times, who had an arsenal of firearms and possessed fentanyl and crack cocaine in distribution quantities at his house in Northwest Washington. I’m going to make certain that this time he’s going to be sent away for a long, long time.”

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division.

            According to court documents, in the Summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE. Law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker with a stash house in the 2900 block of Knox Place. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, investigating agents determined that Peddie was conspiring with members of the drug trafficking operation (DTO) in the redistribution of fentanyl, amongst other narcotics.

            On August 26, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at a home on the 400 block of Taylor Street NW as part of a coordinated arrest and search warrant operation in connection with the Knox Place DTO investigation. After entering the building, the agents encountered Peddie walking down the stairs from the second floor.

            In Peddie’s bedroom, agents found a “ghost gun,” that is, a privately manufactured black 9mm Polymer 80 pistol (PMF) with no serial number, and a .22 caliber handgun. Agents also recovered approximately seven pounds of marijuana, along with distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, all of which Peddie possessed with the intent to distribute.

            In the first floor of the home, agents found an H&R 32 S&W revolver, an AR-style ghost-gun, six ammunition magazines, various rounds of ammunition, and a High Point 9mm carbine rifle.

            This criminal case is Peddie’s fifth conviction in United States District Court for unlawful re-entry of a previously removed alien. Peddie has been convicted of the same offense on four prior occasions: in the District of Maryland in January 1996, as well as the District of Columbia in May 2004, October 2010, and October 2013.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the DEA Washington and Greenbelt Divisions and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, John Parron, and John Crabb of the Violence Reduction and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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WASHINGTON – Adam Ahmed, 38, of Chantilly, Virginia, was sentenced today to six years in prison for kidnapping his former girlfriend related to an incident that began in Manassas, Virginia on May 10, 2024, and ended in Northeast Washington, D.C., on May 11, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

              Ahmed was convicted by a jury on June 12, 2025, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, Ahmed was also sentenced to 42 months for strangulation, 28 months on each of two counts of felony threats, and 180 days for assault, all to run concurrently.

             According to the government’s evidence, on May 9, 2024, Ahmed was arrested in Virginia on multiple warrants for protective order violations and assault charges against his former girlfriend. The next day, on May 10, 2024, the victim got into Ahmed’s car outside her home in Manassas, Virginia, believing that they would sit in her building parking lot and talk about their relationship. Instead, the defendant took off, driving erratically. Ahmed told the victim that they were both “going to die tonight,” and that if she was going to charge him with abduction, he was going to do it. The defendant drove onto I-66 and took the victim into the District, where he repeatedly assaulted her and threatened to kill her.

             After several hours of terrorizing the victim, Ahmed told her that he was going to drive her somewhere no one would find her. When he stopped the car, he climbed over her and strangled her with both hands until she could not breathe. While strangling her, he bit her, putting his whole mouth over hers. He started driving again, eventually stopping at a Shell gas station on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue in Northeast. At one point, Ahmed walked away from the car, and the victim tried to escape; however, Ahmed picked her up and forced her back into the car. A passerby on the street saw the defendant hitting the victim and turned into the gas station parking lot, rescuing the victim and calling 911.

             During the course of trial two expert witnesses spoke about the unique dangers inherit in strangulation, and violence in intimate partner violence relationships, respectively. Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of intimate partner violence, as a major strangulation study in San Diego found surviving domestic violence “victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section has charged well over 100 acts of felony strangulation since the D.C. Council created it as a criminal offense under D.C. Code 22-404.04, which went into effect in July of 2023.

             Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

             In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of the officers and detectives at the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scannell;  Victim Witness Service Coordinators Katina Adams-Washington and Tonya Jones; Supervisor Leif Hickling of the Trial Graphics Unit; Paralegal Specialists Cynthia Muhammad and Veronica Yale; Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Han and Dan Lenerz; Victim/Witness Advocate ShaDonna Brooks-Ferere; Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Swanson, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trisha Jhunjhnuwala.

WASHINGTON – Terrell Edmondson, 19, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison in connection with an October 2024 armed carjacking in Northeast Washington that was documented by multiple surveillance cameras and by evidence that Edmondson posted to his own Instagram account, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Edmondson pleaded guilty on August 13 before Judge Beryl A. Howell to a count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 84-month prison sentence, Judge Howell ordered Edmondson to serve five years of supervised release.

            Joining in the announcement was Chief Michael Sullivan of the U.S. Capitol Police.

            According to court records, on Oct. 4, 2024, about 2:15 a.m., MPD officers responded to a report of an armed carjacking on the 5700 block of Eads Street NE. The victim was at a gas station when a blue Mercedes pulled up next to him. Two masked and armed gunman, one of whom was identified as Edmondson, got out of the Mercedes and demanded the victim’s 2006 Infiniti M35X. One of the gunmen pointed a firearm at the victim’s face. The two gunmen fled with the Infiniti. At about 3:05 a.m. Edmondson posted a video to his Instagram account of the carjacked Infiniti and the Mercedes.

            Later that same day, MPD notified U.S. Capitol Police that the carjacked Infiniti was driving recklessly through heavy traffic near Capitol grounds. U.S. Capitol Police spotted and pursued the Infiniti before it crashed into another vehicle. Edmondson then fled from the Infiniti toward the recreation fields northeast of RFK stadium where he was detained.  24cr486

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand for the District of Columbia. 

Surveillance photo taken at the gas station during the carjacking of the Infiniti.

Surveillance photo of Terrell Edmondson as he exits the back seat of a blue Mercedes at the gas station where the carjacking took place. 

The wreckage of the carjacking Infiniti in a photo taken later the on the day of the carjacking.

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WASHINGTON – A 31-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to strangling his 26-year-old romantic partner and mother of his child, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of strangulation. According to the government’s evidence, on Thanksgiving Day (November 28, 2025), the defendant assaulted his romantic partner by placing her in a chokehold while she was holding their 1-year-old child. The assault caused the victim to urinate on herself and lose consciousness. The defendant was arrested the same day and has been in custody ever since. A Superior Court judge released the defendant today over the government’s objection pending sentencing, which is set for February 20, 2026.

           Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

           The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia B. Hinerfeld and Michael Weinberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Albert Anthony Rios, 32, of the District of Columbia and California, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 135 months in federal prison for trafficking large amounts of fentanyl that he had shipped to him from California, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Rios, who was responsible for 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl and more than a kilogram of cocaine, pleaded guilty on September 3 before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to the 135-month prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Rios to serve five years of supervised release.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.

            According to court documents, on Dec. 13, 2022, two packages were shipped from a FedEx facility located in Monterrey Park, California and addressed to “Martes Benito,” on Congress Street, SE. FedEx deemed the packages as suspicious. The DEA recovered about 700 grams of fentanyl pills and 200 grams of cocaine from one of the packages. On Dec. 17, 2022, the second package was intercepted. Law enforcement obtained a state court warrant for the package, which was found to contain a kilogram of fentanyl pills.

            Through subpoenas to airlines, recovery of surveillance footage, and other evidence, agents identified two persons who regularly flew to Los Angeles and then returned within a few days to the Washington D.C. area. The same individuals routinely shipped packages from FedEx and UPS facilities in Monterrey Park, California to the Washington, D.C. area. Agents recovered several of these packages and all were found to contain fentanyl pills. Agents recovered additional narcotics, firearms, and large amounts cash in search warrants conducted at the residences of these individuals.

            FBI agents continued to investigate to determine the identity of the California supplier. They learned that, in July of 2023, in a separate and independent investigation, DEA agents arranged to purchase a large amount of fentanyl and cocaine from Albert Rios.

            In a search of Rios’ residence, those agents recovered a kilo of cocaine, a kilo of fentanyl, 15,000 fentanyl pills, and about $23,000 in cash.

            FBI agents linked Rios’ phone number to the individuals who had repeatedly mailed narcotics to the D.C. area. On Feb. 7, 2024, agents executed another search warrant at Rios’ California residence. They recovered additional narcotics, including approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills and an ounce of cocaine. Further, in a search of his cell phones, FBI agents found photos of large quantities of fentanyl pills and determined that Rios’ relevant conduct in this case included, at a minimum, 8.425 kilograms of fentanyl and 1.028 kilograms of cocaine.

            This case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Virginia State Police, Montgomery County Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service

            It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty.

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WASHINGTON – Seth Jason, 64, of Edgewater, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to making anonymous, telephonic threats against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene between October 2023 and January 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and United States Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan.

            Jason pleaded guilty to one count of Interstate Communications with a Threat to Kidnap or Injure and one count of Anonymous Telecommunications Harassment. 

            U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan set a sentencing date for June 18, 2026.

            “Seth Jason repeatedly threatened to assault and kill Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and did so from inside Voice of America where he was employed. No one should have to live their life in fear wondering if those threats are about to be fulfilled,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message—my office will not take these threats lightly—think twice because we will find you and we will convict you.”

            According to court documents, Jason made eight calls between Oct. 11, 2023, and Jan. 21, 2025, to the congressional offices of a member of the House of Representatives. In those calls, Jason repeatedly threatened the Representative, the Representative’s family, and the Representative’s staff. 

            The threats escalated over time, culminating with two threats coinciding with the Presidential Inauguration. Specifically, on Jan. 8, 2025, just 12 days before the Inauguration, Jason left a voicemail with the Representative’s office stating that the Representative would not “see the inaugural,” and that the Representative, the Representative’s staff, and the Representative’s family would be dead. Then, on Jan. 21, 2025, Jason left another threatening voicemail with the Representative’s congressional office, stating the Representative and the Representative’s staff “were as good as dead,” and to “make your last will ready, because we are coming after you, and the only thing you’re going to hear is bang…I’m yearning to hear you cry for your last breath.”

            The investigation revealed that Jason, a former Voice of America employee, placed each of the eight calls while he was working inside of the VOA headquarters, which is in the District of Columbia.

            Jason faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on the charge of Interstate Communications with a Threat to Kidnap or Injure and two years in prison on the charge of Anonymous Telecommunications Harassment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police and Department of State Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan Horan and Travis Wolf.

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WASHINGTON – Vincent Larry Phillips, Sr., 60, and Vincent Michael Phillips, Jr., 36, a father and son who operated a tax return preparation business in the District of Columbia, were charged in an 24-count indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in connection with an alleged yearslong scheme that defrauded the Internal Revenue Service, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            The indictment charges one count of conspiracy, 14 counts of aiding in the preparation of false returns, four counts of false statements, and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

            Phillips Sr. surrendered today to federal authorities. Phillips Jr. was arrested this morning in the District.

            Since 1995, Vincent Larry Phillips Sr. has owned and operated Tax Express LLC on the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Phillips Jr. occasionally worked for his father’s business, which was alternatively named Nubian Tax Service, Nubian Tax Express, Nubian Tax Express 1, Express Tax, and Express Tax.

            “Phillips Sr. has done this before, he pleaded guilty to a similar offense in 2010,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Rest assured after this he will not do it again. My office and President Trump are intent on cutting fraud, waste, and abuse and will prosecute those offenses wherever we find it.”

            According to the indictment, father and son each prepared false and fraudulent tax returns that in various ways either improperly inflated the client’s claimed refund or resulted in the client claiming a refund when they should have owed taxes. The Phillips allegedly often did this without the knowledge of their clients and allegedly would skim part of the refund for their personal use.

            In March 2022, IRS Special Agents conducted an undercover operation at Tax Express. Father and son allegedly prepared separate false returns for the undercover agents. Each preparer allegedly claimed expenses for a fictional “geothermal heat pump” that reduced the tax burden. The agents had not reported the purchase of a heat pump. A correctly prepared return would have showed that the undercover agents were either getting a small refund or owed a small tax. Instead, the documents that the Phillips submitted to the IRS claimed a more substantial refund. The Phillips did not tell the undercover agents that they had added heat pump expenses to their tax returns.

            Among other allegations included in the indictment, the elder Phillips allegedly used the identity of a female associate to disguise the fact that the returns were prepared and electronically filed by a business he operated. The IRS had previously expelled Phillips from the IRS’s e-file program and revoked his business’s EFINs as a consequence of his criminal conviction in 2010 for tax crimes.

            This case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Department of Justice Criminal Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Ranney and Criminal Division Trial Attorney Emerson Gordon-Marvin.

            An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announced today that it reached a civil settlement agreement with FedSys, Inc. to resolve the Government’s lawsuit alleging the subcontractor committed fraud in its recruitment and training of linguists to translate languages native to Afghanistan. Pursuant to the settlement, FedSys agreed to forfeit $3,469,882.50 to the United States.

            In September 2007, Mission Essential Personnel, LLC was awarded a prime contract by the United States Army for translation and linguistic services to support military operations in Afghanistan. In December 2008, Mission Essential subcontracted with FedSys to recruit and train linguists in support of the prime contract. On Aug. 23, 2024, the United States filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia claiming that actions of FedSys, its chief executive officer, and its director of recruiting under the FedSys subcontract violated the False Claims Act (United States v. FedSys, Inc., et al., Civ. A. No. 24-2450).

            Specifically, the Government alleged that FedSys personnel created fictitious linguist candidates that did not meet the minimum language proficiency standards in Dari, Pashto, or English, and then engaged a third party to impersonate the candidate during the initial translation proficiency testing. The alleged goal of the scheme was to create candidates who would pass the initial proficiency test so that FedSys managers and recruiters could collect recruitment fees and bonuses through the subcontract. In all, fourteen FedSys recruiters, forty-three candidates, and two FedSys managing officials were identified as part of the fraudulent scheme. Five individuals later pled guilty to their roles in the conspiracy.

            “Properly trained linguists in a combat zone are vital to military operations, significantly reducing risks and safeguarding the lives of our Soldiers,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith Kelly, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fraud Field Office. “This settlement underscores the importance of businesses contracted by the U.S. Army honoring their commitments; no amount of money can ever justify putting a Soldier's life at risk.”

            “The professionals of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, along with our partner agencies, are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of U.S. defense procurement processes,” said Stanley A. Newell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Transnational Operations Field Office for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “Those who enrich themselves through fraud and deception at the expense of American taxpayers will be vigorously investigated and brought to justice.”

            The Government’s lawsuit further alleged that internal warnings of improper recruiting activity were effectively ignored by FedSys senior management until Mission Essential raised questions about the number of candidates who failed subsequent proficiency testing even though those candidates were presented as having passed the initial proficiency testing.

            The subcontract between Mission Essential and FedSys was terminated during the summer of 2012 and funds being processed by Mission Essential under the subcontract to pay FedSys were withheld. Pursuant to the settlement, those funds held by Mission Essential are forfeited by FedSys and will be paid to the United States.

            The civil settlement was completed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Tepe, based on the efforts of former AUSA Darrell Valdez and Auditor Timothy C. Hurley. The United States Attorney further wishes to commend the special agents of Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Army Criminal Investigation Division for their important assistance.

            The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

WASHINGTON – Stevenson Allen, 21, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 100 months in federal prison for distributing, soliciting, and receiving numerous images of young children being sexually abused, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Allen pleaded guilty on Sept. 17, 2025, to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the 100-month prison term, Judge Trevor N. McFadden also ordered Allen to serve 10 years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $31,500 to the victims.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Allen, aka “prettyboi,” came to the attention of the FBI on July 17, 2024, after he messaged another user on a messaging platform, who stated he was the father of a young child. Allen encouraged the other user to abuse their minor child.

            Between July 17, 2024, and Aug. 5, 2024, Allen repeatedly asked the other user to provide images of the purported daughter being sexually abused. Allen also sent the other user multiple images depicting the rape of infants and toddlers.

            On Sept. 12, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Allen’s residence in Southeast Washington D.C.  During the search, officers recovered Allen’s iPhone. On the iPhone were 17 chat strings with different users that revealed that Allen exchanged more than 300 explicit images, including child sexual abuse materials, and depictions of child erotica, adult pornography, and bestiality between December 2023 and August 2024.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca G. Ross prosecuted this case for the District of Columbia.

            The case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.            

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WASHINGTON – Michael Manley, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to shooting his girlfriend in April, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           Manley pleaded guilty on December 16, to one count each of assault with intent to kill while armed, unlawful discharge of a firearm and destruction of property. The guilty plea is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing and calls for a range of 90-120 months in prison. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for February 27, 2026. 

           According to the government’s evidence, Manley and the 32-year-old victim were in a romantic relationship for several months. On April 22, 2025, the victim was sitting in her car in front of her residence when the defendant approached her vehicle and shot at her through the driver’s side window. This was not the only time that Manley was violent towards her. On other occasions, he destroyed her property, shot at her apartment building, and repeatedly returned to her residence in violation of a court-issued stay away. 

           Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

           It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Lieberman and Olivia Hinerfeld.

WASHINGTON – Cahlyl Rollins, 25, of the District of Columbia. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison for his role in a spree of four bombings in which he detonated explosive devices during the early morning hours outside four separate businesses in Maryland and the District causing thousands of dollars in damage, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Rollins and his co-defendant W Garrett Bragg, 36, pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2024, to four counts of malicious use of explosive materials. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Rollins to serve three years of supervised release. Bragg was sentenced on May 20, 2025, to 84 months in federal prison. 

           Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           According to court documents, at each of the four locations Rollins was the trigger man. He carried the explosive to the detonation site, lit the device, and then planted it. Bragg and Rollins appeared to be beta-testing a method for robbing ATMs and other stores. Surveillance video, license-plate readers, and cell site location data reflect that Bragg and Rollins traveled between the four locations in a metallic Acura sedan with Maryland license plates.

           On July 2, 2023, Bragg and Rollins targeted an ATM at 3:53 a.m. at the Bank of America on the 5400 block of Silver Hill Road in District Heights, Maryland. The blast destroyed the vestibule and the structure surrounding the teller machine. About a half-hour later, the men struck again, and detonated an explosive device at the Truist Bank branch on the 2300 block of Washington Place NE. The blast destroyed the vestibule, the structure around multiple teller machines, and caused a total of $35,933 in damages. 

           The spree of bombings continued six minutes later when they exploded another device at the Nike Store on the 700 block of H Street, NE. The bomb destroyed the Nike Store’s front vestibule and caused more than $10,300 in damage. At 4:44 a.m., the conspirators set off a device at the Safeway supermarket on the 300 block of N. 40th St. NE, as employees inside the store cleaned and prepared for the store to open. The blast destroyed parts of the entry way and caused $9,900 in damage.

           The Acura sedan used in the bombing bore Maryland license plate 17971CK. That license plate was provided by the state of Maryland to a private company that is authorized to sell titling papers and license plates but has never been registered to a vehicle. Despite concerted law enforcement efforts to locate the vehicle, it has not been seen since the morning of July 2, 2023. Since the offense, this license plate has been placed on other cars, including a gray Dodge Durango that was used to rob an ATM from a 7-Eleven in Crofton, Maryland.

           On Sept. 29, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence on the 1600 block of U Street, SE. Officers recovered a firearm on the porch, an extended magazine in the home, a bag of key fobs, a device that can be used to copy fobs to steal vehicles, and a backpack of burglary tools including headlamps, handheld radios, and hand tools. 

           Officers found a vehicle outside registered to Rollins. The vehicle was fitted with a device that could extend a cover over the license plate to obscure it with the touch of a button. While Rollins waited outside during the search warrant, an officer offered to provide him with shoes. Rollins indicated that he had a bunch of shoes in the living room. Among the shoes in the living room was a pair of black Crocs consistent with those Rollins had been videotaped wearing during the bombings.

           Officers searched a storage unit which Rollins had accessed before and after the bombings. Inside the unit, officers recovered 38 license plates, thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition (weighing more than 200 pounds), and additional burglary tools. Of the 38 license plates, many had been involved in other crimes in the area.

           Robbins was arrested Oct. 30, 2023, in Washington D.C. U.S. Marshals arrested Bragg on Jan. 1, 2024, in Washington D.C.

           This case was investigated by the ATF, the FBI, and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Tepfer and Alexander Schneider for the District of Columbia.

On July 2, 2023, Bragg and Rollins targeted an ATM at 3:53 a.m. at the Bank of America in District Heights. The blast destroyed the vestibule and the structure around the teller machine.

At the Truist Bank branch on the 2300 block of Washington Place NE, the blast destroyed the vestibule, the structure around multiple teller machines, and caused a total $35,933 in damages.

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WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today obtained an order unsealing its seizure warrant for the M/T Skipper (IMO #9304667), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and FBI Director Kash Patel.

            The seizure warrant was signed by a magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on November 26, 2025. On December 10, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded and seized the crude oil tanker as it traveled on the high seas after departing Venezuela.

            The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) previously identified the M/T Skipper, which was formerly called the Adisa, as being used in an oil shipping network supporting Hizballah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), both U.S. Department of State-designated foreign terrorist organizations. The IRGC uses proceeds from the distribution of petroleum to fund its terrorist networks.

            “As the premiere United States Attorney’s office leading efforts to intercept ghost vessels as well as sanctioned products, we remain committed to legally supporting President Trump’s efforts to make the world a safer place,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in DC has demonstrated exceptional perseverance, and a unique ability to navigate the challenges inherent in this type of enforcement action unmatched anywhere in the country.”

            “The FBI's Counterintelligence Division and our partners will continue to enforce U.S. sanctions and cut off our adversaries from financial markets and critical technology,” said FBI Director Patel. “The seizure of this vessel highlights our successful efforts to impose costs on the governments of Venezuela and Iran. Sanctions enforcement requires a whole-of-government approach and the FBI is proud to be part of the team.”

            The seizure warrant was authorized pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981, 982, 2332b(g)(5), and 2339B(a)(1), which authorizes the seizure of “[a]ll assets, foreign or domestic ... of any individual, entity, or organization engaged in planning or perpetrating any Federal crime of terrorism (as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2332b(g)(5)) against the United States, citizens or residents of the United States, or their property, and all assets, foreign or domestic, affording any person a source of influence over any such entity or organization.”

            The seizure of the M/T Skipper was effectuated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation following the boarding by the U.S. Coast Guard.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia along with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division and Criminal Division.

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WASHINGTON – Richard Dyson, 58, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Donnella Bryan, 62, whose body was found in a Hechinger Mall dumpster in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Dyson pleaded guilty in Superior Court in October 2025 to one count of second-degree murder.  

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2025, at the Press House Apartments in Northeast, Dyson murdered Bryan by striking her in the head and suffocating her with a sock.  Dyson then purchased a large container from Home Depot, and with the help of an accomplice, disposed of Bryan’s body into a dumpster.  Bryan’s body was discovered on April 19, 2025, one day before Easter Sunday. Law enforcement arrested Dyson on June 11, 2025. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez. 

            Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Cocuzza, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – John Aaron Gass, 35, a high school history teacher at the District of Columbia International School, was charged by complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court with production of child pornography and with enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           FBI agents arrested Gass yesterday at his home in Maryland.

           According to the charging documents, Gass allegedly sexually abused a minor child beginning in the Spring of 2025. He allegedly recorded that abuse. On multiple occasions Gass climbed through the child’s bedroom window at night to sexually abuse her. 

           On Nov. 21, 2025, the FBI received information from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) alleging that Gass met with a minor child on multiple occasions to sexually abuse her and, on at least two occasions, used the victim’s phone to record explicit videos of himself and the child. 

            This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

            This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen for the District of Columbia.

            Anyone with further information may contact 1-800-CALL-FBI.

            This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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WASHINGTON – Trevon Palmer, 30, a key member of the violent D.C. drug trafficking crew known as “21st and Vietnam,” was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 192 months in prison for his role in running an open-air drug market in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Palmer pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and to aggravated assault while armed. In addition to the 192-month prison term, Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Palmer to serve five years of supervised release.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to court documents, the 21st & Vietnam crew centered their open-air drug market near the interesection of 21st Street and Maryland Avenue, NE, and used an apartment building on the 1900 block of I Street as their base of operations. The crew distributed significant quantities of narcotics, including crack cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, phencyclidine (PCP), and n-n-dimethylpentylone (boot).

            Palmer was one of the most prolific sellers of narcotics. Between late November 2023 and March 2024, Palmer made 12 sales – totalling about 300 grams of fentanyl – to undercover agents. Palmer also sold crack cocaine and methamphetamine.

            On April 19, 2024, Palmer and co-defendant Briyon Shuford sought to target members of a rival crew. As they drove in a stolen car midday along the 1200 block of Mt. Olivet Road, NE, they shot and injured four people near a convenience store. Shuford was sentenced to 161 months for drug conspiracy and the drive-by shooting.

            This investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Violent Crime Investigations Team of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross-Border Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the District of Columbia National Guard Counter Drug Program, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel of the Violent Crime Reduction and Narcotics Trafficking Section.

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WASHINGTON – Jaswan Dayquon Thomas, 28, a four-time convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to a total of 108 months in prison for illegally possessing a Glock 19 9mm handgun outfitted with a laser attachment while he was still on supervised release for two prior firearms convictions, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Thomas pleaded guilty May 27 before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 108-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Thomas to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, on Sept. 9, 2024, Thomas had two outstanding warrants. Deputy United States Marshals (DUSMs) were canvassing near the 1300 block of Morris Road Southeast. The deputy marshals spotted a black 2005 Mercedes Benz C230 sedan known to be the same year, make, model, and color of the vehicle Thomas had operated during a traffic stop six months earlier.

            Thomas exited a nearby building, approached the Mercedes, and got into the driver’s seat. The deputy marshals approached. Thomas obeyed their commands to exit the vehicle with his hands up. The DUSMs placed Thomas under arrest and searched him. From Thomas’s front right jacket pocket, they recovered a clear plastic baggie with suspected marijuana.

            A DUSM looked into the open driver’s side door of the Mercedes and immediately saw a Glock 19 9mm handgun outfitted with a laser attachment in the open glove box. The gun, which was loaded with one round in the chamber, was equipped with an extended magazine that contained 38 rounds of ammunition.

            Thomas has four prior convictions in the District of Columbia. On March 28, 2015, Thomas pleaded guilty to theft – first degree in D.C. Superior Court, and was sentenced to 12 months in jail, suspended. On Jan. 12, 2018, Thomas pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in Superior Court and was sentenced to 10 months in jail. On Jan. 18, 2018, Mr. Thomas pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction) in Superior Court and was  sentenced to 18 months. On Feb. 21, 2020, Thomas pleaded guilty in District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release. Thomas was on supervised release for two of those convictions when he was arrested in the Mercedes in 2024.

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan. 

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WASHINGTON – Jariatu Jalloh, 39, of Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of first-degree fraud and two counts of first-degree theft related to fraudulent billing submitted to the District’s Medicaid program. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

            According to the government’s evidence, Jalloh was employed as a community support worker (CSW) by a District Mental Health Rehabilitation Service (MHRS). MHRS provides for diagnostic and assessment services, counseling, medication, intensive day treatment, and crisis or emergency services. A CSW provides community support services by helping consumers learn and improve basic life skills, such as managing their medication, increasing social skills, and learning how to apply for housing or a job. CSWs are responsible for helping eligible patients improve life skills, such as medication management and social skills.

           Jalloh admitted that between August 2021 and continuing through July 2023, while employed by the District MHRS provider, she engaged in a scheme to defraud the District’s Medicaid program by submitting encounter notes for community support services she did not provide and overbilling for services she allegedly provided to District Medicaid beneficiaries.

           Evidence shows that several of the Medicaid recipients who were assigned to Jalloh reported that they never received services from Jalloh, while others said their contact lasted only a few minutes. Despite this, Jalloh repeatedly submitted documentation claiming she rendered an hour or more of services – even in cases where she had no interaction with the Medicaid recipients. Through this scheme, Jalloh caused the District government and its Medicaid program to pay over $234,500 for fraudulent CSW claims.

           The Honorable Carmen McLean accepted the plea, and scheduled sentencing for March 13, 2026.

           This case was investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Emmanuela Charles, on detail from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.

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