District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Deputy Director of USAID Contractor Sentenced to 51-Month Prison Term for Embezzling More Than $1 Million- Defendant’s Wife Also Sentenced for Her Role in the Crimes –Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Mark Adams, a former deputy director at a private contractor that did business with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), was sentenced today to 51 months in prison on a federal conspiracy charge stemming from the embezzlement of more than $1 million from a program meant to address global health problems.
Adams, 44, and his wife, Latasha Bell, 36, of Fort Washington, Md., each pled guilty in October 2012 before the Honorable Beryl A. Howell, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. As part of the pleas, they agreed to pay full restitution, and consented to an order forfeiting the amount stolen. The government has already seized about $49,000 in proceeds from the scheme. Upon completion of his prison term, Adams will be placed on three years of supervised release.
Judge Howell said that Adams’s conduct was “downright conniving” and particularly egregious given how the USAID money was supposed to be spent. She also sentenced Bell today to five years of probation, with the first six months to be served under home confinement.
The sentencings were announced by Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Michael G. Carroll, Deputy Inspector General for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
As part of the plea, Adams and Bell admitted that Adams used his position as deputy director at a private USAID contractor to submit and approve false and fraudulent invoices and thereby obtain money. Adams admitted his false invoices generated more than $1.084 million in fraudulent payments between 2006 and 2010. The bogus invoices claimed to bill for services from Bell and companies controlled by Adams’s friends, such as co-conspirator Everett Lipscomb Jr. However, the work and services claimed on the invoices were not in fact provided.
Adams and Bell received the payments either directly to Bell or indirectly, when Lipscomb and others paid Adams and Bell part of the money they received. Adams and Bell also used fraudulent invoices to pay a home renovation contractor to complete an extensive renovation of their home. In another instance, Adams and Bell received funds that they used to buy a luxury automobile.
Adams admitted that, by approving the bogus invoices, he caused the USAID contractor, and ultimately USAID, to pay these fraudulent bills out of money from USAID’s global health program. The program addresses major global issues, including HIV/AIDS.
“Unethical contractors who steal from the American taxpayer undermine faith in government and the accomplishment of important public priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “These defendants renovated their home and bought two luxury cars with dollars intended to save lives from terrible diseases. Today’s sentences should reassure taxpayers that we are doing all we can to defend government programs from theft, waste, and abuse.”
“I would like to express my appreciation for the exceptional work of our investigators and our partners at the Department of Justice involved with this case,” said Deputy Inspector General Carroll. “This sentencing sends a strong message to those who would steal taxpayer money intended to support USAID global health efforts that the USAID OIG will continue to use all necessary resources of the U.S. government to bring justice to those who would defraud the American taxpayer.”
Lipscomb, 43, of Aliso Viejo, Calif., pled guilty in March 2012 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and related forfeiture allegations. He admitted that he participated in embezzling about $386,279 as part of the scheme. In addition, he admitted that he set up a shell corporation and bank accounts to receive the fraudulent payments and sent them back to Adams. He also acknowledged creating an e-mail account under a false alias to advance the scheme. Lipscomb was sentenced in November 2012 to a 15-month prison term, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He also must join Adams and Bell in paying restitution.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen and Deputy Inspector General Carroll commended the work of the special agents from the USAID Office of Inspector General, which investigated the case. They also thanked those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Krishawn Graham and Nicole Wattelet, Forensic Accountant Crystal Boodoo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who handled forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Hooks, who prosecuted the case.
13-076Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Sentenced to Prison Term for Making A False StatementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven J. Sulinski, 54, a former background investigator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), was sentenced today to three months in prison on a charge stemming from his falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management.
Sulinski, of Colorado Springs, Colo., pled guilty in November 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of making a false statement. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras. Upon completion of the prison term, Sulinski will be placed on a year of supervised release, including six months that is to be spent on home detention.
Also, as part of the guilty plea, Sulinski agreed to pay $38,238 in restitution to the federal government.
According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Sulinski was a Special Agent assigned to the Federal Investigative Services, where his job was to conduct federal background investigations.
Between June 2011 and March 2012, in more than a dozen Reports of Investigations on background investigations, Sulinski represented that he had interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of the background investigation. In fact, he had not conducted the interviews or obtained the records of interest. His reports were utilized and relied upon by the agencies requesting the background investigations to determine whether the subjects were suitable for positions having access to classified information, for positions impacting national security, or for receiving or retaining security clearances.
Sulinski’s false representations have required Federal Investigative Services to reopen and rework numerous background investigations that were assigned to him during the time period of his falsifications, at an estimated cost of at least $38,238 to the U.S. government.
Federal Investigative Services has a robust integrity assurance program which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by the defendant was detected through the program.
This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in the last four years involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Sulinski, 13 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.
Federal Investigative Services, through its workforce of approximately 7,300 investigators, is responsible for conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contractors, on individuals either employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. Federal Investigative Services conducted more than 2.1 million investigations during the 2012 fiscal year. More than 770,000 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.
In performing background investigations, the investigators conduct interviews of individuals who have information about the person who is the subject of the review. In addition, the investigators seek out, obtain, and review documentary evidence, such as employment records, to verify and corroborate information provided by either the subject of the background investigation or by persons interviewed during the investigation. After conducting interviews and obtaining documentary evidence, the investigators prepare a Report of Investigation containing the results of the interviews and document reviews, and electronically submit the material to OPM in Washington, D.C. OPM then provides a copy of the investigative file to the requesting agency, which can use the information to determine an individual’s eligibility for employment or a security clearance.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Inspector General McFarland praised the efforts of Special Agents Wayne VanVarick and Nathaniel Smith, OPM, Office of the Inspector General, and Philip Kroop, Chief of Integrity Assurance, OPM-Federal Investigative Services. Mr. Machen and Mr. McFarland also acknowledged the work of Paralegal Specialist Shanna Hays and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Chris Dobbie and Ellen Chubin Epstein, who investigated and prosecuted this matter.
13-078District Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Robbing A Senior Citizen in Northwest Washington-With Citizens’ Help, Defendant Was Identified and Arrested Soon After the Robbery-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome Clark, 45, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a prison term of five years and two months on a charge stemming from the robbery of a senior citizen in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.
Clark pled guilty to a charge of robbery in December 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced Feb. 27, 2013 by the Honorable Robert I. Richter. Upon completion of his prison term, Clark will be placed on three years of supervised release. Also, as part of his plea agreement, Clark must pay the victim $1,000 in restitution.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 2, 2012 at about 4:30 p.m., the victim, a 70-year-old man, was exchanging information with a young man after the two had been involved in a traffic accident in the 5100 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW. Clark walked up to the two men and told them that he had seen what happened. Then, as the victim was attempting to get his insurance information for the young man, Clark snatched his wallet, which contained, in part, approximately $1,000 in cash, and ran.
The victim, the young man, and other witnesses, including a mail carrier who was in the area, chased the defendant. The victim fell during the chase, injuring his leg, but the young man and mail carrier continued their pursuit. As Clark kept running, he tossed the wallet. He ran inside his residence, which was nearby, and was arrested soon afterward.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed appreciation to the officers who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina, who prosecuted the matter.
13-074District Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Two Robberies, Including One of an Armored Truck-Defendant Also Attempted A Robbery of A Second Armored Truck-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Ricardo Hunter, 55, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for two armed robberies, one of a business and the other of an armored truck, as well as an attempted armed robbery of an armored truck and a related weapons offense, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Hunter, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in December 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery; one count of attempted armored car robbery while armed, and one count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Richard W. Roberts. Upon completion of his prison term, Hunter will be placed on five years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Roberts issued an order of forfeiture in the amount of $35,157 and ordered Hunter to pay the same amount in restitution for the crimes.
According to the government’s evidence, Hunter planned and carried out two brazen robberies, and attempted to conduct a third.
The first robbery took place at about 6 a.m. on Sept. 28, 2010 at the Northeast Washington office of the Old Town Trolley Tours of Washington DC/DC DUCKS. According to the government’s evidence, the manager was preparing to open the business for the day. As the manager was opening the office’s main exterior door, he was approached from behind by Hunter and another man, both of whom wore masks to cover their faces. Hunter was armed with a handgun. The manager was told to open the door, and was advised that if the alarm went off, he “was dead.” Hunter and his accomplice proceeded to rob the office of $6,833 in cash.
The second robbery occurred on the morning of Nov. 22, 2010 at a gas station in the 2800 block of Sherman Avenue NW. According to the government’s evidence, Garda Cash Logistics dispatched an armored truck to deliver and pick up U.S. currency from the gas station. Upon arriving at the station, the armed Garda guard entered the establishment, where he received three bags of money containing $28,324. When he returned to the truck, the guard was approached by Hunter and two other men. One of the men declared, “Give it up,” while he pointed a handgun at the guard’s stomach. This man then took the money bag, while Hunter stole the guard’s loaded handgun. The three robbers then fled the area with the money and the guard’s gun.
In the third incident, in the days before Feb. 12, 2011, Hunter recruited one of his earlier accomplices and another man to assist him in robbing another armored truck. On Feb. 12, 2011, at about 7 a.m., Hunter and one of these men met at Hunter’s residence. From there, Hunter gathered the firearms that were to be used in the robbery, including a 9mm Luger Hi-Point pistol, the handgun that was stolen from the Garda guard, and an AK-47 semiautomatic assault weapon.
Hunter and his accomplice then picked up the third man and they drove around until seeing the armored truck. When the armored truck stopped near an alley in Northeast Washington, D.C., Hunter and one of the accomplices, both of whom were armed with handguns, exited the car and approached it. They were then stopped by law enforcement. The third man remained in the car with the AK-47. Also recovered from the car were black ski masks, black gloves and clear plastic gloves.
At the time of these offenses, Hunter was on parole after serving more than 25 years in prison for murder and other crimes. As such, he will now have a parole hearing at which he could be sentenced to an additional period of incarceration.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave commended the work of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which investigated the case with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of Paralegal Specialist Jeannette Litz, who provided administrative support, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Andrews, who handled the initial investigation. Lastly they praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who investigated and indicted the matter, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Bowman, and Jonathan M. Malis, who assisted in the prosecution.
13-075District Man Pleads Guilty in Sexual Assault Against Woman in Southeast Washington-Defendant Told the Victim: “You Will Always Be Mine”-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 41-year-old man pled guilty today to a charge stemming from a recent sexual assault against a woman with whom he had a child, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
The defendant, of Washington, D.C., is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim and her family. He pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of attempted first-degree sexual abuse. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2013.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendant and the victim once had a romantic relationship and she is the mother of his teenage child. On or about Jan. 10, 2013, he learned that the victim was involved in a romantic relationship with another man, which upset him. That day, he spoke to the victim on the telephone, demanding sex. When she rejected his advances, he showed up at her house in Southeast Washington, sent their child to the store to buy food, and propositioned her again. When the victim rejected his advances and told him that she was seeing someone, the defendant forced her to the bed and sexually assaulted her. During the assault, the defendant told the victim, among other things, that, “you will always be mine.”
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit, who investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation to Paralegal Specialists D’Yvonne Key and Kristy Penny, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr., who investigated and prosecuted the case.
13-079District Man Found Guilty of Murder Charges in 2003 Shooting That Killed Two Men-Victims Were Brothers, Shot in Northeast Washington-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Floyd Brooks, 38, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and related weapons offenses for the slayings of two brothers in 2003, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
A jury returned the verdicts following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2013. Brooks faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison on each of the murder charges.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of Dec. 9, 2003, Brooks and Robert Williams, 29, exchanged words regarding drug sales in the Clay Terrace neighborhood of Northeast Washington. A short time later, Brooks returned and opened fire in the 5300 block of Clay Terrace NE, shooting Robert Williams and his younger brother, Raymond Williams, 22, multiple times. He then fled the scene.
Robert Williams died on the scene from his injuries, which included four gunshot wounds to the face. Raymond Williams was transported to Howard University Hospital, where he died a short time later from injuries including four gunshot wounds to the face and one wound to the neck that severed his spinal column at the base of his brain.
Brooks was arrested for the murders in 2009. At the time, he was serving a prison sentence in Maryland on gun charges.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the current and former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives who investigated the case, as well as the mobile crime scene technicians and others who worked on the matter.
U.S. Attorney Machen also extended his appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Witness Security Specialists Laverne Forrest and Tanya Via; Paralegal Specialists Fern Rhedrick, Sandra Lane and Alesha Yette; Litigation Technology Specialists Thomas Royal and Anisha Bhatia, and Intelligence Specialist Lawrence Grasso. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney VinÁt Bryant, who secured the indictment in the case and prosecuted the matter at trial.
13-077District Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder While Armed and Other Charges in Slaying in Southeast Washington-Attack Took Place on Halloween Night 2009-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darrell Lee, 24, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder while armed and related firearms charges in a killing that took place on Halloween 2009 in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for May 17, 2013.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Oct. 31, 2009, the victim, Ashton Hunter, 19, was staying with his girlfriend in an apartment building in the 300 block of 37th Street SE. That night, he went outside, expecting to meet one of his acquaintances from his home neighborhood of 7th & O Streets NW. Mr. Hunter went outside and met with Lee, had a conversation with him, and then started to walk back into the apartment building.
As Mr. Hunter approached the building entrance, Lee followed him down the sidewalk, pulled out a gun and shot him several times in the torso. Mr. Hunter died later that night from his injuries.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the detectives, officers and others who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Phaylyn Hunt and Meridith McGarrity; Information Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Joe Calvarese, Victim/Witness Specialist Debra Cannon, and Supervisory Victim/Witness Specialist Michael Hailey. Finally, he commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gallun, who obtained the indictment in the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gorman and Richard DiZinno, who investigated and prosecuted the case at trial.
13-080Six Members of “Show Out” Crew Plead Guilty to Charges in Series of Assaults-Group Targeted Victims in Chinatown and Other Areas-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Six men, all from Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from various gang-related crimes, including beatings, attempted robberies, and obstructing justice, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The defendants admitted actively participating in a crew called “Show Out” that committed crimes in the Chinatown, U Street and Adams Morgan areas. Since at least Jan. 1, 2012, the crew’s members canvassed the areas looking for targets of opportunity and teamed up to assault their victims, rob them of items of value, or both. The crew was also accused of engaging in “flash mob” style robberies at drug stores, convenience stores, and gas stations, in which multiple members flooded in to the business at the same time, overwhelming and intimidating the staff, and stealing items.
The guilty pleas took place in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2013. All six defendants remain in custody pending sentencing.
Those pleading guilty included Bernard Trowell, also known as “McLovin,”19, described in an indictment as “the self-styled president” of the group, and two others who allegedly had senior positions, identified as Deandre M. Williams, 19, and Quayshawn L. Leggett, 20. Also pleading guilty were James D. Matheny, 19; Ricardo J. Williams, 20, and Travis L. Morris, 20.
Trowell pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy, aggravated assault, and committing a crime while affiliated with a criminal street gang. He faces a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison for the crimes. Deandre Williams pled guilty to one count each of aggravated assault, assault with significant bodily injury, obstructing justice, and committing a crime while affiliated with a criminal street gang. He faces a statutory maximum of 48 years in prison. Leggett pled guilty to one count each of aggravated assault, attempted robbery, and committing a crime while affiliated with a criminal street gang. He faces a statutory maximum of 18 years in prison.
Matheny pled guilty to one count each of aggravated assault, obstructing justice, threats to do bodily harm, and committing a crime while affiliated with a criminal street gang. He faces a statutory maximum of 45 ½ years in prison. Ricardo Williams pled guilty to one count each of aggravated assault, attempted robbery, and committing a crime while affiliated with a criminal street gang. He faces a statutory maximum of 18 years in prison. Morris pled guilty to one count each of aggravated assault and committing a crime while affiliated with a criminal street gang. He faces a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison.
Two other defendants in the case earlier pled guilty to charges, and a third adult member of the crew is being sought. The investigation into other members of the crew is ongoing.
“Today’s guilty pleas by six members of the Show Out Crew should serve as a warning to young people tempted by the lure of gang life,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “This violent group took pleasure in targeting innocent victims for beatings and robberies. As a result of the decision to participate in this crew violence, each of these criminals – none older than twenty – will now spend many years behind bars. This prosecution demonstrates our clear resolve to crush the gangs that terrorize our city.”
“The gratuitous, unprovoked robberies and assaults perpetrated by this gang were motivated primarily by the gang’s desire to establish credibility and notoriety, which was promoted by the gang through social media,” said Chief Lanier. “They preyed upon individuals whom they perceived to be vulnerable. I applaud the officers and detectives from the First District, the members of the Intelligence Division and our partners at the US Attorney’s Office for getting these thugs off our streets.”
As part of their plea agreements, the defendants admitted participating in various crimes, including these incidents:
-June 5, 2012: Beating in the 600 block of H Street NW
All six defendants admitted taking part in the beating of a man near a bus stop in the 600 block of H Street NW. As the victim approached the bus stop, at about 3:20 a.m., he was surrounded and assaulted. Deandre Williams and a juvenile member of Show Out knocked the man to the ground, and then multiple members punched, kicked and stomped him. Deandre Williams and others stole items from the victim while he was on the ground, including his cellphone and bank card. The victim was knocked unconscious for several minutes. He eventually found a police officer and received medical attention. He was treated later for a concussion, broken nose, and bruises to the head, face and torso.
--June 5, 2012: Beating near 2d and K Streets NW
Crew members targeted a second victim at about 3:45 a.m. The victim was walking to work near 2d and K Streets NW when Deandre Williams approached him and struck him repeatedly about the face and head with his fists. The victim received medical treatment on the scene and later was given stitches to close a bleeding laceration to the side of his face. Deandre Williams pled guilty to assault with significant bodily injury for his role in this attack.
-June 7, 2012: “Flash Mob” near North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue
Ricardo Williams and several others approached a gas station and convenience store at about 4:20 a.m., in the area of North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue. After the station attendant opened the locked door, Williams and the others overwhelmed and intimidated him. They grabbed food or beverage items and fled without paying. Ricardo Williams pled guilty to attempted robbery for his participation in this attack.
-June 19, 2012: Obstruction of Justice
During the evening hours, Deandre Williams and others approached a former associate at a bus stop in Chinatown and threatened him that he would be harmed if he talked to police. Deandre Williams pled guilty to obstruction of justice for this incident.
-June 21, 2012: Attack at Metro Center
Leggett and others were on the lower platform at the Metro Center Metro station when they confronted a man at about 5:20 a.m. Leggett demanded money and threatened the victim. The victim did not give him any money, and one of the individuals punched him in the face, knocking him down. Leggett pled guilty to attempted robbery for his role in this attack.
-July 31-Aug. 1, 2012: Threats to Do Bodily Harm, Obstruction of Justice
Matheny posted audio recordings to his Facebook page, in which he is rapping. In three of them, he accused a Show Out member of “snitching.” The songs carried a threat that this member would be shot “on sight.” Matheny pled guilty to threats to do bodily harm and obstruction of justice for these threats.
In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier commended the work of the officers, detectives and crime scene technicians who worked on the case for the MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Metro Transit Police Department, which assisted in the investigation. Additionally, they thanked local businesses for their assistance in the investigation, including Transwestern, a property management company, and employees of Securitas, a private security firm. Finally, they praised the work of those who are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Bednar and Clare Pozos, who are prosecuting the matter.
13-070District Man Found Guilty of Murder in 2011 Slaying in Northeast WashingtonDefendant Came to Ex-Girlfriend’s House with Gun, Killed Her Brother and Shot at Her FatherRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brandon Andrews, 31, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of second-degree murder while armed and other charges in the killing of a man in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Andrews was convicted by a jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s brother, Leonard Bigelow, 43. The jury also found him guilty of a charge of assault with a deadly weapon for shooting at Mr. Bigelow’s father; threats to injure, for threatening his ex-girlfriend, and related weapons offenses. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing for April 26, 2013.
According to the government’s evidence, Andrews and Mr. Bigelow’s sister dated for approximately 10 months. However, on Aug. 22, 2011, she ended the relationship after Andrews threatened her while they were driving through the District of Columbia.
After the break-up, Andrews repeatedly tried to call and sent text messages to his ex-girlfriend, but she did not respond. Many of the defendant’s text messages included profanity, threats and demands that she answer him. Andrews also went by the Bigelow family home repeatedly, though he was uninvited and unwelcome.
On Aug. 23, 2011, for example, Mr. Bigelow was with his sister at their home when Andrews came by. Andrews and Mr. Bigelow argued when Mr. Bigelow informed Andrews that he was unwelcome and that his sister did not want to talk to him. Andrews’s ex-girlfriend became so concerned about his behavior that she sought a protective order from the Court the following day to keep Andrews away from her and her family.
On Aug. 25, Andrews demanded his clothing via text messages. The following day, the ex-girlfriend dropped off the clothes on a street corner near a homeless center in the 400 block of Second Street NW, where Andrews stood and resided. She did not give them to Andrews directly because she feared him. Later that day, Andrews sent text messages claiming that the clothes were taken by others before he could retrieve them. He also used profanity and threatened her property and her safety.
On the evening of Aug. 26, Andrews called and texted his ex-girlfriend multiple times, but she did not respond. Then, Andrews called her home. Mr. Bigelow answered the phone and told Andrews that his sister did not want to see him or speak to him. Andrews declared that he was coming to the home at approximately 10 p.m. Mr. Bigelow said that he would be there.
Andrews arrived about 10:45 p.m. with a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his pocket. He emerged from an alley and into the 1300 block of Emerald Street NE, and walked toward the house. Mr. Bigelow, his sister, and his father saw Andrews coming. Mr. Bigelow went onto the front porch with his father, while his sister called 911. Andrews stopped in front of the house and, without a word, shot at Mr. Bigelow and his father twice. He struck Mr. Bigelow with a bullet in the chest. Andrews then walked back the way he came. Mr. Bigelow collapsed and died that night from the gunshot wound.
On Aug. 27, 2011, law enforcement located Andrews at the corner of Fifth and F Streets NW. When he was arrested, he told the police that he had a gun in his pocket. The police found in his pocket the loaded.25 caliber semi-automatic pistol used to kill Mr. Bigelow.
At trial, Andrews claimed self-defense and alleged, among other claims, that at the time of the shooting Mr. Bigelow charged at him with some type of weapon in his hand. The government strongly disputed Andrews’ claim. According to the government’s evidence, Mr. Bigelow did not have a weapon and did not approach Andrews.
In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives and officers of the Criminal Investigations Division and the First District of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Fugitive Task Force. He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Snyder, who secured the indictment in the case, Criminal Investigator John Marsh, Victim Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Victim Witness Specialist Katina Adams-Washington, Leif Hickling of the Litigation Technology Unit, and Paralegal Specialist Marian Russell. Finally, he praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana L. Fulton who tried the case.
13-069United States Joins Lawsuit Alleging Lance Armstrong and OthersCaused the Submission of False Claims to the U.S. Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that the government has joined a civil lawsuit alleging that Lance Armstrong, Johan Bruyneel and Tailwind Sports LLC and Tailwind Sports Corporation (Tailwind) submitted or caused the submission of false claims to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in connection with its sponsorship of a professional bicycle racing team by regularly employing banned substances and methods to enhance their performance, in violation of the USPS sponsorship agreements.
From 1996 through 2004, the USPS sponsored a professional cycling team owned by Tailwind and its predecessors. Lance Armstrong was the lead rider on the team, and between 1999 and 2004, he won six consecutive Tour de France titles as a member of the USPS-sponsored team. Johan Bruyneel was the directeur sportif, or manager, of the cycling team.
The sponsorship agreements gave the USPS certain promotional rights, including the right to prominent placement of the USPS logo on the cycling team’s uniform. Each of the agreements required the team to follow the rules of cycling’s governing bodies, which prohibited the use of certain performance enhancing substances and methods. Between 2001 and 2004 alone, the Postal Service paid $31 million in sponsorship fees.
The lawsuit joined today by the government alleges that riders on the USPS-sponsored team, including Armstrong, knowingly caused the USPS agreements to be violated by regularly employing banned substances and methods to enhance their performance. The lawsuit further alleges that Bruyneel knew that team members were using performance enhancing substances and facilitated the practice.
The government today notified the court that it is joining this lawsuit against Armstrong, Bruyneel and Tailwind, and will file its formal complaint within 60 days.
“The Postal Service contract with Tailwind required the team to enter cycling races, wear the Postal Service logo, and follow the rules banning performance enhancing substances – rules that Lance Armstrong has now admitted he violated,” said Stuart F. Delery, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “Today’s action demonstrates the Department of Justice’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding federal funds and making sure that contractors live up to their promises.”
“Lance Armstrong and his cycling team took more than $30 million from the U.S. Postal Service based on their contractual promise to play fair and abide by the rules – including the rules against doping,” said Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “The Postal Service has now seen its sponsorship unfairly associated with what has been described as ‘the most sophisticated, professionalized, and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.’ This lawsuit is designed to help the Postal Service recoup the tens of millions of dollars it paid out to the Tailwind cycling team based on years of broken promises. In today’s economic climate, the U.S. Postal Service is simply not in a position to allow Lance Armstrong or any of the other defendants to walk away with the tens of millions of dollars they illegitimately procured.”
“The Postal Service conducts business with many different contractors and subcontractors, with a large majority of them providing a much needed service and fulfilling their contractual duties. It is critical that public confidence in contractor performance remains high. When that public trust is compromised, as occurred in this case, the Office of Inspector General will fully investigate,” said David C. Williams, Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service, and Office of Inspector General.
“The Postal Service strongly supports intervention by the Department of Justice in this matter and a vigorous pursuit of this case,” said Postal Service General Counsel and Executive Vice President Mary Anne Gibbons. “The defendants agreed to play by the rules and not use performance enhancing drugs. We now know that the defendants failed to live up to their agreement, and instead knowingly engaged in a pattern of activity that violated the rules of professional cycling and, therefore, violated the terms of their contracts with the Postal Service. For that reason, the Postal Service fully agrees with the decision by the Department of Justice to seek appropriate damages under the False Claims Act.”
For many years, including during the USPS sponsorships, Armstrong and others repeatedly denied that the team used performance enhancing substances or methods. Yet on Oct. 10, 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) issued a report concluding that Armstrong used banned performance enhancing substances starting in at least 1998 and continuing throughout his professional career, and that he pressured and helped his teammates to engage in similar conduct. Accordingly, USADA disqualified all of his competitive results since Aug. 1, 1998, including his seven Tour de France victories, and banned him from sport for life pursuant to the World Anti-Doping Code.
In a recently-televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, Armstrong contradicted his earlier denials and admitted that he used banned substances and methods throughout his career, starting in the mid-1990s. In particular, he admitted having engaged in banned practices during each of his seven Tour de France victories, including the six he won as a USPS rider. Armstrong explained that he avoided detection by anti-doping authorities by carefully timing his use of banned drugs so that they would leave his system prior to his undergoing cycling’s required periodic drug testing.
The lawsuit joined by the United States was filed by Floyd Landis, a former rider and teammate of Armstrong on the USPS sponsored team from 2002 through 2004. The lawsuit was filed under the False Claims Act, which imposes liability on those who submit false claims for government funds, and provides for the recovery of three times the government’s damages, plus civil penalties. The False Claims Act contains a qui tam or whistleblower provision, which permits private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The False Claims Act permits the government to investigate the allegations and intervene, or decline to intervene in the whistleblower’s lawsuit. While the government notified the court that it was joining the lawsuit’s allegations as to Armstrong, Bruyneel, and Tailwind, it advised the court that it was not intervening in the case as to several other defendants named in the complaint.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Delery and U.S. Attorney Machen commended the coordinated effort of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the USPS Office of Inspector General and Office of General Counsel, in their investigation of this matter.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is captioned United States ex rel. Landis v. Tailwind Sports Corporation, et al. The claims made in the complaint are only allegations and do not constitute a determination of liability. Trial Attorney Robert Chandler of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darrell Valdez and Mercedeh Momeni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are representing the government.
13-066Three Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for 2011 Murder in Southeast WashingtonDefendants Lured Victim to Scene, Stabbed, and Robbed Him; Attack Captured on Victim’s 911 CallRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Wayne Jackson, 23, of Capitol Heights, Md., Harold Proctor, 20, of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Christopher Williams, 21, of Landover, Md., were sentenced today to prison terms of 24 years, 19 years, and 22 years, respectively, for the 2011 slaying of a man in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.
The defendants pled guilty in November 2012, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed and related charges. Proctor and Williams also pled guilty to obstructing justice for their role in attempting to interfere in the murder investigation. They were sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Upon completion of their prison terms, the defendants will be placed on five years of supervised release.
At the sentencings today, Judge Beck noted the viciousness of the murder, and expressed sympathy for the victim’s family.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 17, 2011, the defendants and a co-conspirator, who previously pled guilty in this case, devised a plan to rob and assault the victim, Kevin Blackwell, Jr., 20. Proctor drove Williams, Jackson, and the co-conspirator to the 900 block of Burns Street SE, and the co-conspirator lured the victim outside. Armed with a knife and brass knuckles, Williams and Jackson got out of the car and waited to ambush Mr. Blackwell. Proctor and the co-conspirator kept the car idling nearby.
At about 10:30 p.m., when Mr. Blackwell came into sight, Williams and Jackson chased him down the street. Mr. Blackwell tripped and fell to the ground, and Williams and Jackson attacked him with the knife and brass knuckles. Proctor drove the car to the location where the victim fell, got out of the car, and joined in the attack. Jackson stabbed the victim in the chest. During the attack, Mr. Blackwell was able to call 911 on his cell phone and the robbery and murder were captured on the 911 call.
The defendants took Mr. Blackwell’s cell phone and North Face jacket and fled the area. Proctor drove the defendants and the co-conspirator away from the scene and back into Maryland. The next day, the victim’s cell phone and North Face jacket were discovered in Proctor’s bedroom.
During the investigation into the murder, both Proctor and Williams contacted the co-conspirator and asked the co-conspirator to mislead law enforcement by blaming the other for the murder. Williams also threatened the co-conspirator if the co-conspirator “snitched.”
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers, and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Ethel Gregory, Marian Russell, and Sandra Lane; Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman; Victim/Witness Advocate Tamara Ince, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Gripkey and Kimberley Nielsen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
13-065Former Head of Youth-Oriented Non-Profit Pleads Guilty to Tax Charge Involving $110,000 Grant That Funded an Inaugural BallPlea Is Part of the Investigation That Led to Conviction of Former District of Columbia Council Member Harry L. Thomas, Jr.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Millicent D. West, the former director and chief executive officer of a non-profit organization that promotes youth opportunities, pled guilty today to a criminal tax charge for her role in channeling $110,000 in youth grant funds used to pay for an inaugural ball.
The guilty plea, which took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
West, 43, pled guilty to a charge of attempting to interfere with the administration of the Internal Revenue Service laws. The Honorable John D. Bates scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2013. The charge carries a maximum statutory sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the likely range is six months to 12 months of incarceration and a fine of $2,000 to $20,000.
West is the fifth person to plead guilty to charges in an ongoing investigation into activities involving former District of Columbia Council Member Harry L. Thomas, Jr. Thomas pled guilty last year to charges stemming from a scheme in which he used more than $350,000 in taxpayers’ money that was earmarked for the arts, youth recreation, and summer programs for his own personal benefit, including to pay for vehicles, clothing and trips. He resigned as a condition of his plea agreement and is now serving a 38-month prison sentence.
The others who have pled guilty include James Garvin and Marshall D. Banks, leaders of one of the non-profits used in the scheme. Both men, from the Langston in the 21st Century Foundation, pled guilty to misprision of a felony, a charge holding them accountable for failing to report and concealing the misappropriation of $392,000 in government grants. Additionally, Danita C. Doleman, the president of Youth Technology Institute, pled guilty to filing a false return in connection with her assistance in funneling public money to pay for the 51st State Inaugural Ball. Garvin, Banks and Doleman are awaiting sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, West’s conduct covered up the actual beneficiaries of the youth grant funds and later led to the filing of false and misleading tax forms.
“Millicent West was by all accounts a dedicated public servant who was truly committed to the mission of serving young people in the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Unfortunately, as we have seen too many times, she agreed to break the law to appease a crooked public official who was intent on carrying out a criminal scheme. As a result, she allowed more than $100,000 intended to keep D.C. kids off drugs to be used to throw a party for adults. This prosecution underscores the importance of standing up to corruption rather than becoming complicit in it. We hope that this guilty plea allows Ms. West to put this mistake behind her and return to doing good works. We also hope that it reminds other public servants and government employees not to jeopardize their careers by facilitating politicians’ wrongdoing.”
“By concealing and failing to report the illegal use of public funds, Ms. West allowed money to be diverted away from programs that supported the youth of our city,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Her guilty plea today demonstrates that those who commit corruption, as well as those who allow it, will be held accountable for their actions.”
“Federal grant funds entrusted to a non-profit and subsequently diverted to an ineligible entity is fraudulent,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly. “Ms. West’s attempts to defraud the government, interfere with the administration of Internal Revenue laws and disguise the true nature of funds earmarked for a tax exempt entity failed. Today’s plea confirms the commitment of IRS-Criminal Investigation, along with its law enforcement partners, to the American public that we are poised and prepared to investigate any financial scheme to defraud the American taxpayer.”
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, from in or about July 2008 to in or about October 2009, West was the director and chief executive officer of a non-profit public-private partnership that provided resources and developed programs to benefit children and youth in the District of Columbia. The partnership was primarily funded by the District of Columbia government through funds designated by the Mayor and Council for particular youth-related purposes. The partnership provided grants to organizations for programs tailored for children and youth.
Thomas, who took office in January 2007 as the Ward 5 representative, served during his first term as Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation and Planning, which involved oversight responsibility for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. In that role, he worked with the non-profit public-private partnership. Also, an individual identified as “Staff Member 1” worked on the Thomas’s staff and served as Director of the Committee.
Thomas was closely involved in the planning of the 51st State Inaugural Ball, held on Jan. 20, 2009 in the Wilson Building. It was a formal, black-tie event open to members of the public who had purchased tickets. But ticket sales and other contributions did not generate nearly enough money to cover costs of the event.
Several days after the event, West was contacted for the first time about the 51st State Inaugural Ball and told that organizers had not collected enough funds to pay for it. According to West, Thomas told her that youth had been able to attend the event to honor the historic inauguration of President Obama. West believed that the event served the partnership’s target population.
On Jan. 29, 2009, “Staff Member 1” submitted budget paperwork to the public-private partnership seeking a grant of $110,000 for a political organization that would fund a “youth/young adult inauguration celebration.” “Staff Member 1” also identified a potential funding source: the Drug Prevention/Children at Risk Fund, a separate fund established to raise money for programs that prevented drug and alcohol consumption and supported youth who had direct or indirect contact with drugs. The D.C. Council agreed in 2008 to transfer the administration of this fund to the public-private partnership, but had not yet done so.
West told “Staff Member 1” that the public-private partnership would move to fund the grant request for the Inaugural Ball once it got the money from the drug prevention fund. The plan hit an obstacle, however, when an employee of the public-private partnership expressed concern about the legality of granting money to a political organization.
Thomas subsequently directed “Staff Member 1” to change the grant recipient to the Youth Technology Institute, another non-profit, and new paperwork was submitted. On Feb. 5, 2009, West directed that the check be issued, with the money coming from the drug prevention fund.
In truth, after the grant was issued, the Youth Technology Institute immediately forwarded nearly the entire amount to the political organization, which paid expenses from the 51st State Inaugural Ball. West learned that this took place at a later date.
At all times, West viewed the ball as an event that was organized and sponsored by Council member Thomas. She failed to consider which individuals or organizations were responsible for the ball’s debts. Additionally, she caused the records maintained by the public-private partnership to inaccurately and falsely show that the $110,000 grant was given to an organization that was a tax-exempt entity. This resulted in a failure to report to the IRS that the ultimate beneficiaries of the grant funds included ineligible recipients.
West resigned from the partnership in October 2009 to become the District of Columbia’s director of homeland security and emergency management. The following year, the public-private partnership filed its tax forms with the Internal Revenue Service, listing the $110,000 grant as going to Youth Tech for “funding to provide programming for children and youth,” instead of providing the accurate accounting.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Special Agent in Charge Kelly praised the work of the investigators from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS-CI who worked on the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Matthew Kutz, Mark Crawford and Melissa Matthews; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Diane Hayes, Shanna Hays, Lenisse Edloe and Monica Johnson; Legal Assistant Krishawn Graham, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Fitzpatrick. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan W. Haray, David Johnson, and James E. Smith, who are prosecuting the matter.
13-063Former Bank Teller Pleads Guilty in Scheme That Used Stolen Identifying Information to Seek More Than $20 Million in Fraudulent Tax Refunds-Identities Stolen from Nursing Home Patients, Others-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Aisha Mayo, 24, a former bank teller from Greenbelt, Md., pled guilty today to a federal conspiracy charge stemming from her role in an identity theft and tax fraud scheme involving the filing of returns seeking more than $20 million in fraudulent refunds.
The plea, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, comes one week after another defendant, Kevin Brown, 42, of Capitol Heights, Md., pled guilty to federal charges stemming from his role as a key organizer and leader of the scheme. The case represents one of the largest prosecutions to date involving the use of stolen identifying information.
Today’s guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Gary R. Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Treasury; and David Beach, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service.
Mayo pled guilty before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Alan Kay to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims. She will be sentenced at a later date by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and other penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Mayo most likely faces 24 to 30 months in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
According to evidence presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, Mayo was among participants in a massive identity theft and false tax refund scheme involving an extensive network of more than 100 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance. It also involves bank tellers and postal carriers. From 2006 to date, they allegedly caused the filing of at least 7,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $20 million in refunds. The case remains under investigation.
According to the government’s evidence in this case, the refunds were sought in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated prisoners. At one nursing home alone, at least 14 identities were stolen, including five from people who were deceased at the time tax returns were filed in their names. Some people sold their identifying information. Some victims unwittingly turned over their identifying information after being told that they were due an income tax refund or were entitled to some “Obama Stimulus Money.”
The government’s evidence showed that participants in the schemes had various roles: some stole the identifying information; some permitted their personal identifying information to be used; some created and mailed the fraudulent federal tax returns; some permitted their addresses to be used for receipt of the refund checks. Some helped cash the checks; some provided bank accounts for negotiation of checks, and some forged endorsements of identity theft victims on the refund checks.
The false returns typically claimed that the “taxpayer” operated a sole proprietorship, such as a barber, claimed phony dependents, and then reported income that was sufficient to generate tax refunds based on the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable federal income tax credit for working families with low to moderate incomes.
Mayo was employed as a bank teller in Largo, Md. According to the government’s evidence, from on or about Oct. 4, 2011, until on or about April 3, 2012, she received roughly 62 U.S. Treasury checks from another participant in the conspiracy, totaling approximately $226,558; these were fraudulent income tax refunds generated through the scheme.
Mayo deposited these checks into 59 different bank accounts at her bank, without the account holders’ knowledge. When the checks cleared, she obtained the proceeds, kept about $200 to $300 per check, and gave the balance of the funds to the other person in the scheme.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Special Agent in Charge Kelly, Inspector in Charge Barksdale, Inspector General Thorson, and Special Agent in Charge Beach commended those who investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, who is prosecuting the case.
13-064District Man Sentenced to Six Months in Jail for Brutal Abuse of Kittens-Defendant Pled Guilty to Animal Cruelty Charges -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Eric Gaskin, 39, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 360 days in jail, with all but 180 days suspended, on two counts of animal cruelty stemming from the abuse of two kittens, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.
Gaskin pled guilty to the charges in November 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Following the 180 days of jail time, Gaskin will be placed on three years of probation. Judge Broderick ordered that, during that time, Gaskin must undergo mental health treatment, take parenting classes, not have any pets, and perform 40 hours of community service.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 4, 2012, Gaskin purchased two kittens at a corner store and brought them to his sister’s house, where he was staying at the time. Within the next day or two, the defendant, who is not a veterinarian or otherwise trained in animal medical care, attempted to de-claw the kittens or possibly even to amputate their toes using some sort of clippers and without any anesthesia.
Following this brutal home amputation, the kittens sat for days, unable to walk, as the open wounds in their paws festered and caked over with kitty litter and fecal matter. Gaskin’s sister noticed how injured the kittens were and brought them to the attention of the Washington Humane Society. However, the injuries were so severe that the kittens had to be euthanized.
In a report summarizing various medical examinations of the kittens, Dr. Matthew Braun, a veterinarian, wrote: “The degree of amputation (complete or partial) of the distal phalanges is more strongly suggestive of an intent to amputate the digit rather than clip the claws.”
Dr. Braun further stated that, this would have been an extremely painful experience for the kittens, and they would have struggled to get away. Indeed, as the kittens struggled against the defendant’s grip, most of the bones in each foot and leg were crushed, causing excruciating pain and profuse bleeding.
Dr. Megan McAndrew, Medical Director of the Washington Humane Society, added that “these kittens literally had their toes cut off without any sort of pain control.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Washington Humane Society and its law enforcement officer who investigated the case. He also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Lallas, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
13-067District Man Sentenced to Five-Year Prison Term for Two Bank Robberies in 2008-Crimes Committed Within One Week-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tony Wilkerson, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a five-year prison term for carrying out two bank robberies within one week, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
Wilkerson earlier pled guilty to two counts of bank robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, Wilkerson will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also will be required to pay a total of $10,380 in restitution.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 17, 2008, at approximately 10:40 a.m., Wilkerson entered an M&T Bank in the 6400 block of Georgia Avenue NW. Wilkerson was wearing a grey sweatshirt with stripes, and a blue baseball cap. While inside the bank, he walked to the teller's counter and presented a note demanding money.
The teller complied and provided him with $5,000. Wilkerson took the cash and fled the bank, but he left the demand note behind. The bank's security guard, who had been patrolling the area around the bank at the time of the robbery, soon learned what had happened and began following Wilkerson. The guard lost sight of Wilkerson but found in a nearby yard a grey sweatshirt with stripes and a blue baseball hat consistent with the clothing that the robber wore.
These items were collected by law enforcement and sent to the FBI for analysis. Tests identified DNA found on the clothing as belonging to Wilkerson. His DNA was in the criminal justice system because of a prior conviction. The FBI also matched Wilkerson’s fingerprints to the demand note and a toy recovered with the robbery clothing.
The government’s evidence also showed that, on Nov. 24, 2008, Wilkerson robbed a SunTrust branch in the 6400 block of Georgia Avenue NW. Shortly after 10 a.m. that day, he passed a demand note to the teller that stated, “this is a robbery give me $8,000.” Wilkerson leaned forward, placing his palm on the counter of the teller station. The teller opened her drawer and gave Wilkerson bills totaling $5,380.
Wilkerson took the money and began to leave. However, he realized he had forgotten his demand note, and so he returned to the window, grabbed the note, and fled. Law enforcement recovered a palm print from the counter that Wilkerson touched and later submitted it to the FBI for analysis. The FBI Laboratory was tasked with comparing Tony Wilkerson's fingerprints, on file with the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identifications System (IAFIS), with the latent palm print obtained from the bank counter. Upon completion of the comparison, the FBI Laboratory advised that Tony Wilkerson’s palm print was a match.
The investigation showed that the two bank robberies were carried out in a similar manner. The witnesses at the M&T Bank were shown a surveillance photograph of the person who robbed the SunTrust Bank, and they identified him as the robber as well.
Wilkerson was arrested in North Carolina in May 2012.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier commended the exceptional investigative work of the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force. They also commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Lewis and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittan Heller, who prosecuted the matter.
13-068District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder and Other Charges in Two Slayings and Related Violence-Opened Fire in Two Attacks in Northwest Washington in 2011-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Irvin Johnson, 26, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of killing two men and wounding another, and shooting at a fourth man, in a pair of shootings that took place within weeks in 2011, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Johnson was found guilty of a total of 15 charges following a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. They include two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and numerous related firearms offenses. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2013. Johnson could face more than 100 years in prison for the various offenses.
According to the government’s evidence, the violence stemmed from a longstanding dispute between Johnson and the victims, stemming from a robbery that Johnson had committed against one of their friends in 2008. During the evening hours of June 21, 2011, Johnson and an associate entered the 1500 block of Spring Place NW and shot at a man. No one was injured during the shooting, but a number of cars and buildings in the block were damaged.
Nearly three weeks later, in the early morning hours of July 9, 2011, in the 1400 block of Parkwood Place NW, Johnson ambushed and executed by shooting in the head Jimmie Simmons, 32, and Dominique Barbour, 31. The defendant also shot Anthony Thomas, then 21, in the head and chest. Miraculously, Mr. Thomas survived. Sadly, after a year of struggling from the injuries inflicted by the defendant, Mr. Thomas took his own life.
Immediately after the shooting, Johnson went on the run. He hid at friends’ homes in Washington, D.C., and eventually fled to a relative’s house in Lusby, Md., where he was apprehended by the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force on Sept. 9, 2011.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Machen praised the outstanding investigative work of the Metropolitan Police Department; the U.S. Marshals Service, including the Superior Court Warrant Squad; the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force; the Maryland State Police; the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. He also thanked Dr. Carolyn Revercomb formerly of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia, as well as the Court Supervision and Offender Services Agency. U.S. Attorney Machen acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Alesha Matthews, Meridith McGarrity, Sandra Lane, Sharon Newman, and Fern Rhedrick; Intelligence Analysts Lawrence Grasso and Sharon Johnson; Criminal Investigators Tommy Miller and Durand Odom; Witness Security Specialists David Foster, La June Thames, and Debra Cannon; Litigation Services Specialists Joshua Ellen, William Henderson and Paul Howell, and Victim Advocates Marcey Rinker and Christina Principe for their support.
Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin O. Lyons, who investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lyons and Glenn L. Kirschner, who tried the case.
13-062Former Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud Campaign of More Than $750,000He and His Wife Used Campaign Funds for Wide Range of Personal Expenses; Sandra Stevens Jackson Pleads Guilty to Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Former Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., 47, pled guilty today to conspiring to defraud his re-election campaigns of about $750,000 in funds that were used to pay for a range of personal items and expenses, including jewelry, fur capes and parkas, high-end electronics, celebrity memorabilia, furniture, kitchen appliances, and a home renovation project.
Jackson, who has residences in Chicago and Washington, D.C., also admitted taking steps to conceal seven years of illegal activities, including the filing of false and misleading reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jackson’s wife, Sandra Stevens Jackson, 49, a former Chicago alderman, pled guilty in a separate proceeding to filing false tax returns for her role in the scheme.
The guilty pleas, which took place this morning in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, were announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Richard Weber, Chief of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Jesse Jackson, Jr. pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and false statements. The Honorable Robert L. Wilkins scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2013. The charge carries up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and other penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the applicable range for the offense is 46 to 57 months in prison and a fine between $10,000 and $100,000.
As part of the plea agreement, Jesse Jackson, Jr. will be required to pay any restitution ordered by the Court and forfeit about $750,000 in proceeds and property from the scheme. Among other items, he must forfeit a mink cashmere cape; a mink reversible parka; a guitar signed by pop legend Michael Jackson; and various memorabilia associated with historic figures and various celebrities.
Sandra Stevens Jackson is to be sentenced July 1, 2013, also by Judge Wilkins. The tax charge carries up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and other penalties. According to the government’s calculations, which may be disputed at sentencing, the applicable range for this offense under federal sentencing guidelines is 18 to 24 months in prison and a fine between $4,000 and $40,000.
Jesse Jackson, Jr. was elected to Congress in 1995 and served until November 2012 as the representative for the 2nd Congressional District of Illinois. According to the government’s evidence, Jackson and his wife carried out the fraud scheme from in or about August 2005 until in or about April 2012. Rather than using funds donated to the Campaign as they were intended to be used – to pay for legitimate expenses associated with Jackson’s re-election – the Jacksons used a substantial portion of the contributed funds for personal expenditures.
According to the government’s evidence, Jesse Jackson, Jr. made direct expenditures from the Campaign’s accounts for personal expenses, totaling approximately $57,792. In addition, he and his wife used credit cards issued to the Campaign to make purchases for personal expenses, totaling approximately $582,773. Finally, Jackson provided his wife and a congressional staffer, known in court documents as “Person A,” approximately $112,150 solely for the purpose of engaging in transactions that benefited the Jacksons.
“Today’s guilty plea is nothing short of tragic,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Jesse Jackson, Jr. entered public life with unlimited potential, but squandered his bright future by engaging in a self-destructive course of conduct that was staggering in both degree and scope. For seven years, Mr. Jackson betrayed the very people he inspired by stealing their campaign donations to finance his extravagant lifestyle. His fall from grace will hopefully chasten other leaders who are tempted to sacrifice their ideals and integrity to line their own pockets.”
"Today, Mr. Jackson admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud his constituents by using money donated to his re-election campaign for his own personal use,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave of the FBI. “But Mr. Jackson’s scheme did not stop there, as he then knowingly withheld information about his campaign finances from the FEC and IRS. This investigation and these guilty pleas demonstrate that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue all allegations of public corruption and prove that no one in this country is above the law, to include those who make our laws.”
“Public officials hold positions of trust. While the vast majority of public officials are hard-working and dedicated, fraud and corruption at any level of public service breaches this trust,” said IRS-CI Chief Weber. “IRS-CI stands committed to investigating those officials, regardless of political status, who ignore their pledge to the American public and, instead, take a path of greed and corruption. Mr. Jackson disregarded his pledge to America by using campaign funds for his own personal expenses. Then, he attempted to conceal his spending by filing false and misleading reports with the FEC and the House of Representatives. Mrs. Jackson also took steps to conceal the income by willfully underreporting their income on their joint U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns for a six-year period. This case should serve as a strong warning to those who might consider similar behavior. No one is above the law and everyone is accountable for their misdeeds.”
Framework of the Scheme:
According to the government’s evidence, Sandra Stevens Jackson had a series of roles in Jackson’s re-election campaigns, including treasurer, from about January 2005 to about November 2006; consultant, from at least 2008 to about November 2012, and campaign manager, starting in 2011.
“Person A” also served different roles over the years, including: assistant treasurer for the campaign, from about January 2005 through about November 2006; treasurer, from about January 2007 through about June 2008, and staff member for Jackson’s Washington, D.C. congressional office, starting in or around June 2008.
According to the government’s evidence, money was channeled from the Campaign to the Jacksons in the following ways:
DIRECT EXPENDITURES: Jackson made $57,792 in direct expenditures from the Campaign’s bank account from January 2006 through July 2011. In July 2007, for example, he withdrew $43,350 in Campaign funds to purchase an official check made payable to a jeweler for a men’s gold-plated Rolex watch. In addition, he used $14,442 in Campaign funds to pay down balances on person credit cards maintained by the Jacksons.
CREDIT CARD EXPENDITURES: The Campaign maintained a credit card account, “Jackson for Congress,” from at least August 2005 through August 2012. Individual credit card members on this account included Jackson and his wife. During this period, the Jacksons used the credit cards to purchase merchandise and services that were personal in nature, including high-end electronic items; a washer, a dryer, a range and refrigerator; collector’s items; clothing, food and supplies; movie tickets; health club dues; personal travel, including a holistic retreat, and personal dining expenses.
All told, Campaign funds were used to pay $582,773 of these purchases. During the conspiracy, the Jacksons made approximately 3,100 purchases that were personal in nature. A large number of these personal expenditures fit into these categories:
- Restaurants, nightclubs, and lounges, approximately $60,857.
- Airfare, approximately $31,700.
- Sports clubs and lounges, including gym membership, approximately $31,700.
- Tobacco shops, approximately $17,163.
- Alcohol, approximately $5,814.
- Dry cleaning, approximately $14,513.
- Grocery stores, approximately $8,046.
- Drug stores, approximately $6,095.
OTHER EXPENDITURES: In March 2006, Jackson directed that a $36,000 check from the Campaign be issued to his wife’s business for billboard expenses. Sandra Stevens Jackson transferred this money from the business account to a personal account. Jackson and his wife, who controlled the personal account, used nearly all of the money that purportedly was for billboard expenses to pay down personal debts.
Jackson paid “Person A” with funds from the campaign account so that “Person A” could pay expenses on behalf of Sandra Stevens Jackson, or, in some instances, give cash to Jackson. The Campaign issued about $76,150 in checks to “Person A” from about October 2008 until about March 2012, even though “Person A” actually was entitled to only $11,409 for his work. “Person A” then expended nearly all of the remaining $64,741 for the personal benefit of Jackson and his wife. Examples of this scheme include:
- “Person A” used checks from the Campaign to provide Jackson with $15,700, which Jackson deposited into personal accounts he maintained for his own use.
- “Person A” used checks from the Campaign to pay down the credit card balance of Jackson and his wife by $4,800.
- “Person A” used checks from the Campaign to pay for $26,347 worth of work performed on the Jacksons’ home.
GIFTS AND LOANS: At Jackson’s direction, two companies made payments on the balance of a personal credit card of Jackson and his wife. The owner of an Illinois consulting firm issued a check in 2009 for $3,500 from a business account to pay down the balance of a personal credit card. The owner of an Alabama-based family issued a check for $25,000 from a corporate account in 2011, also to pay down a personal credit card balance.
Filing of False and Misleading Reports:
According to the government’s evidence, the Jacksons took steps from 2005 until 2012 to ensure that materially false and misleading reports were filed with government entities. These reports were filed with the FEC and the House of Representatives. These actions were critical to carrying out the conspiracy because they enabled the conduct to continue without question for a lengthy period of time and without the questions from regulators and the public that likely would have ensued had truthful, accurate reports been filed.
Campaigns are required to periodically file reports with the FEC reflecting contributions and expenditures during the reporting period. Campaigns are responsible for reviewing credit card statements and itemizing expenditures exceeding $200. They also are to itemize in cases in which a particular vendor receives more than $200 during the election cycle.
Jackson and his wife, on numerous occasions, directed “Person A” not to itemize the personal expenditures made on the Campaign credit cards. Additionally, they knowingly and intentionally provided “Person A” with false justifications for the expenditures, causing “Person A,” in turn to prepare false reports for submission to the FEC.
For example, in May 2008, “Person A” reported that the Campaign spent $1,553 in January 2008 at a Chicago museum for a fundraiser. In fact, Jackson spent these funds to purchase porcelain collector’s items. In July 2008, “Person A” reported that the Campaign spent $387 for equipment for office repairs. Jackson actually used this money to purchase grass seed and fertilizer for the lawn at his Chicago home.
As a member of Congress, Jackson was required annually to file a financial disclosure statement with the House of Representatives. He failed to report the funds that he and his wife used in defrauding the Campaign. In addition, he failed to report that he was the beneficiary of undisclosed expenditures made by third parties.
Income Tax Returns:
In her guilty plea, Sandra Stevens Jackson admitted to filing false tax returns for calendar years 2006 through 2011. According to the government’s evidence, she knowingly and willfully failed to report nearly $570,000 in taxable income for those tax years. This led to an estimated tax loss of approximately $159,000.
In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Weber commended the work of those who investigated the case for the FBI and IRS-CI. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service on the asset forfeiture aspects of the case. In addition, they commended those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe and Gail Price, and former Paralegal Specialist Sarah Reis.
Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Graves, Michael K. Atkinson, and Jonathan W. Haray, of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, who are investigating and prosecuting the matter, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine K. Connelly and Anthony Saler, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section.
13-061Former CEO and Two Associates Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Impede the Lawful Functions of the Internal Revenue ServiceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Shelly S. Singhal, Loretta Fredy Bush, and Dennis L. Pelino, formerly of Xinhua Finance Limited (Xinhua Finance), a Chinese company trading publicly in Japan, each have pled guilty, in a one-count Information, to conspiracy to impede the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service.
Singhal, 45, of Newport Beach, Calif., pled guilty today before the Honorable Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Bush, 54, of San Francisco, pled guilty before Chief Judge Lamberth on Feb. 13, 2013. Pelino, 65, of Miami Beach, Fla., pled guilty before Chief Judge Lamberth on Feb. 15, 2013.
Singhal, Bush, and Pelino face maximum statutory terms of imprisonment of five years. Sentencing for each was scheduled for April 29, 2013.
The guilty pleas were announced by Mary B. McCord, Acting U.S. Attorney in this case, Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
In connection with the guilty pleas and as set forth in detail in the executed Statements of Offense, the defendants acknowledged that Singhal was the owner and Chairman of SBI Advisors, LLC, a California limited liability company engaged in the business of providing investment advisory services as well as buying and selling securities. Bush and Pelino acknowledged that, from time to time, they participated in investment and borrowing opportunities developed and recommended by Singhal.
Beginning in or about April 2005, Entrée Capital, a limited liability company formed at Singhal’s direction, opened an account at the First Internet Bank of Indiana and transferred funds to Bush and Pelino. Bush and Pelino executed a series of promissory notes obligating them to repay the funds within a fixed term and to pay interest annually at a fixed rate, but the notes did not provide for the method of calculating interest (simple or compound).
The defendants acknowledged that, in or about August 2006, documentation was executed to transfer the ownership of Entrée Capital to a foreign national residing outside the United States. Employees of SBI Advisors continued to maintain Entrée Capital’s books and records. Between January 2006 and January 2009, Bush and Pelino made several interest payments at the rates prescribed in the promissory notes they had executed, but these payments were not made according to any fixed schedule.
Singhal, Bush and Pelino acknowledged that, in or about October 2008, the Entrée Capital account at the First Internet Bank of Indiana was closed by the management of the bank. Each of the defendants acknowledged that, by in or around February 2009, he or she had learned that the Entrée Capital account was closed. In addition, the defendants acknowledged that in 2009 and continuing into early 2010, they became aware that the foreign national to whom ownership of Entrée Capital had been assigned had failed to respond to inquiries or otherwise acknowledge his ownership of Entrée Capital.
The defendants acknowledged that from April 15, 2010 through May 10, 2011, they conspired to impede the lawful functions of the Internal Revenue Service in the ascertainment, assessment, and determination of whether the principal balances owed to Entrée Capital by Bush and Pelino had become forgiven debt and represented income to Bush and Pelino.
As of April 15, 2010, the principal balances owed by Bush and Pelino to Entrée Capital were approximately $2,153,663 and $1,380,633, respectively. The defendants acknowledged failing to notify and otherwise concealing from the Internal Revenue Service that the nominal owner of Entrée Capital had effectively abandoned its assets, including the principal balances payable to Entrée Capital by Bush and Pelino, to delay the payment of any income tax due and owing on those unpaid amounts as forgiven debt. They acknowledged discussing among themselves and with others the fact that the owner of Entrée Capital was a foreign national and that any information in the foreign national’s possession was possibly beyond the authority of the Internal Revenue Service to obtain. Singhal did not direct his employees at SBI Advisors, who maintained Entrée Capital’s books and records, to issue Forms 1099-C (Cancellation of Debt) to Bush and Pelino, which forms would have notified the Internal Revenue Service that Entrée Capital was treating the principal balances payable to Entrée Capital by Bush and Pelino as forgiven debt. Bush and Pelino acknowledged filing Forms 1040 (U.S. Individual Tax Return) for the tax year 2009, which returns failed to declare any portion of the $2,153,663 and $1,380,633 owed to Entrée Capital as income to Bush and Pelino, respectively.
As part of the plea agreements, the government agreed to move at sentencing to dismiss with prejudice the indictments previously returned against the defendants.
Three others earlier pled guilty to charges in the investigation.
In announcing the guilty pleas, Acting U.S. Attorney McCord, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Special Agent in Charge Kelly praised the investigative efforts of the Special Agents of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division. They also recognized the work of U.S. Attorney’s Office Forensic Accountant Crystal Boodoo, Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, and Legal Assistants Lenisse Edloe and Krishawn Graham. Finally, they commended the efforts of Trial Attorney Kenneth C. Vert, U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, Northern Criminal Enforcement Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Hooks and Michael K. Atkinson, who prosecuted the case.
13-060Maryland Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme That Used Stolen Identifying Information to Seek More Than $20 Million in Fraudulent Tax Refunds-Identities Stolen from Nursing Home Patients, Others-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Brown, 42, of Capitol Heights, Md., pled guilty today to federal charges stemming from his role as a key organizer and leader of an identity theft and tax fraud scheme involving the filing of returns seeking more than $20 million in fraudulent refunds.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Gary R. Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Treasury; and David Beach, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service.
The case represents one of the largest prosecutions to date involving the use of stolen identifying information.
According to evidence presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, the defendant was among participants in a massive identity theft and false tax refund scheme involving an extensive network of more than 100 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance. It also involves bank tellers and postal carriers. From 2006 to date, they caused the filing of at least 7,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $20 million in refunds. The case remains under investigation.
Brown pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims; making false, fictitious or fraudulent claims for a tax refund, and fraud and related activity in connection with identification information (identity theft). The guilty plea was entered before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. The defendant will be sentenced at a later date by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle.
The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison. The false claims charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison, and the identity fraud charge carries up to 15 years. The charges also carry potential fines. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the likely range is a prison sentence of up to 14 years and a fine of up to $175,000.
The government has seized and administratively forfeited from Kevin Brown a 2007 Range Rover and more than $100,000 in cash and bank accounts.
“The scope of the identity theft conspiracy revealed by today’s guilty plea is staggering: more than one hundred participants schemed to file more than 7,000 bogus tax returns seeking to rip off $20 million from U.S. taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “These conspirators filed fake tax returns in the names of dead people, grandparents in assisted living facilities, drug addicts, and prisoners. Today one of the masterminds behind this criminal plot took responsibility for his role, but this investigation is not over.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation takes particular interest in cases where individuals, for their own personal benefit, use deceit and fraud to line their pockets,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly. “The illegal activity detailed in the indictment has had a negative and long-lasting impact on the community. Honest and law-abiding citizens are fed up with the likes of those motivated merely by greed. Identify theft is a loathsome, despicable crime that victimizes honest Americans and causes immense hardship to those individuals whose identities were stolen. This plea should serve as a warning to those who are considering similar conduct.”
According to the government’s evidence in this case, the refunds were sought in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated prisoners. At one nursing home alone, at least 14 identities were stolen, including five from people who were deceased at the time tax returns were filed in their names. Some people sold their identifying information. Some victims unwittingly turned over their identifying information after being told that they were due an income tax refund or were entitled to some “Obama Stimulus Money.”
The government’s evidence showed that participants in the schemes had various roles: some stole the identifying information; some permitted their personal identifying information to be used; some created and mailed the fraudulent federal tax returns; some permitted their addresses to be used for receipt of the refund checks. Some helped cash the checks; some provided bank accounts for negotiation of checks, and some forged endorsements of identity theft victims on the refund checks.
The false returns typically claimed that the “taxpayer” operated a sole proprietorship, such as a barber, claimed phony dependents, and then reported income that was sufficient to generate tax refunds based on the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable federal income tax credit for working families with low to moderate incomes.
According to the government’s evidence, Brown was a key organizer and leader of the scheme and recruited others to join in the illegal activities. Brown, who owned Classic Kutz, a barbershop in the 3200 block of 22nd Street SE, Washington, D.C., sometimes listed that establishment as the business name on the fraudulent returns. Among other things, he prepared fraudulent returns, mailed them, endorsed refund checks, and deposited funds.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Special Agent in Charge Kelly, Inspector in Charge Barksdale, Inspector General Thorson, and Special Agent in Charge Beach commended those who investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, who is prosecuting the case.
13-058District Man Sentenced to Prison Term for Running an Illegal Gambling Operation-Defendant, Others Operated at Locations in Chinatown Area-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Chun Liu, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by six months of home confinement, on charges involving the operation of an illegal gambling business, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and John P. Torres, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Liu pled guilty in October 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conducting an illegal gambling business and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan. As part of the plea agreement, Liu agreed to the forfeiture of $255,320, which represents proceeds from the gambling business. The amount includes more than $230,000 in cash that was seized by law enforcement authorities in a search of the operation in September 2011. Following his home confinement, Liu will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of evidence, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Liu and other individuals operated a total of three illegal gambling establishments in the Chinatown area of Northwest Washington from March 2007 through October 2011.
From approximately March 2007 until December 2007, Liu continuously operated a gambling establishment in the 800 block of Sixth Street NW. From April 2009 until December 2009, he moved the operation to another location, on the same block. In February and March of 2010, the operation moved to the 500 block of H Street NW. And finally, from July 2010 until October 2011, Liu returned to the first location on Sixth Street NW.
The gambling activity typically took place from 9 a.m. until 3 or 4 a.m. At any given time, Liu operated electronic, touch-screen gaming machines and up to five Mahjong tables inside the gambling establishments. Liu conducted numerous financial transactions involving the proceeds of his illegal gambling activity, including paying rent for his residence, making monthly payments on his Mercedes-Benz automobile, and paying utility bills.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Torres praised the investigative work of the Special Agents from the Washington Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Taryn McLaughlin, the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Sroka, who prosecuted the matter.
13-057District Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Northwest Washington Home Invasion-Police Catch Defendant in Front of the Home with Stolen Property-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shawn A. Thomas, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to more than 12 years in prison following his conviction on burglary and other charges in a home invasion in Northwest Washington, DC, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Thomas was found guilty by a jury in December 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of first-degree burglary, first-degree theft, receiving stolen property, and destruction of property. The Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow sentenced him to 10 years in prison on the burglary charge and imposed shorter concurrent sentences on the theft and property-related offenses. Judge Pasichow also sentenced Thomas to an additional 28 months for committing these crimes while on release in an unrelated second-degree theft case.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, at about 7 a.m., several intruders threw a rock through a window and entered a single-family residence in the 3900 block of Reno Road NW. The victim was home alone at the time. After hearing the glass break, and hearing voices, he barricaded himself in the bathroom and called 911.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded within minutes. When they arrived, they found Thomas seated in a car in front of the burglarized home and various items belonging to the victim and his family - including a DVD player, stereo components, cordless telephones, and jewelry - in the back seat of the vehicle. Inside Thomas’s pocket, MPD officers also found the victim’s paging device. It had been on a bedside dresser at the time of the home invasion.
The victim and his family had just moved into this home only days before the burglary, and the other family members were visiting relatives out of town at the time of the crime.
“Thanks to the victim’s quick thinking and the fast response by police, this defendant was arrested and brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Home invasions are as dangerous as they are terrifying, and the community is safer with this defendant in prison.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the MPD officers and detectives who investigated the case. He also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Catherine Bouldin, who assisted in preparing the case for trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Kravis who secured the indictment in the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Andrew Chambers, who tried the case to the jury. The Assistant U.S. Attorneys are assigned to the Second and Third District Unit of the Superior Court Felony Major Crimes Section.
13-059District Man Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Taking Part in Robbery in Northeast Washington-Defendant Stole Victim’s Sneakers-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Junior Josephson, 18, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 20-month prison term for his role in a robbery last fall of an acquaintance in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.
Josephson pled guilty to robbery in December 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced on Feb. 14, 2013 by the Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. Upon completion of his prison term, Josephson will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Josephson knew the 22-year-old victim well, having grown up in the same neighborhood. On Oct. 21, 2012, at about 2:30 p.m., Josephson was with four assailants who jumped on top of the victim in the 500 block of Emerson Street NE. The four knocked the victim to the ground, and began punching and kicking him. Josephson pulled off the victim’s Nike sneakers, while the others kept beating him and going through his pockets.
The victim was able to escape and ran to the Fort Totten Metro station, where a transit employee called for an ambulance. The victim was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where he was admitted and treated for multiple lacerations and bruises.
The police later recovered surveillance footage from a drugstore that showed Josephson was present, on Oct. 21, 2012, when another suspect used the victim’s stolen credit card to purchase merchandise. Josephson was arrested on Oct. 31, 2012. He was wearing the Nike Air Penny Sprite sneakers believed to have been taken from the victim.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tamaya Reid and Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor N. McFadden, of the Fourth District Felony Prosecution Unit.
13-056Two Men Plead Guilty to Robbery Charges in Recent Attack in Northeast Washington-Defendants Caught After Crashing A Stolen Car-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Tayvaughn Sinclair, 25, of Mount Rainier, Md., and John Wright, 22, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to robbery charges stemming from an attack against two men earlier this year in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Sinclair and Wright entered their guilty pleas in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the robbery charge, Sinclair pled guilty to one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The Honorable William M. Jackson scheduled sentencing for April 12, 2013. Under the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, Sinclair likely faces up to six years in prison on the robbery and up to 32 months on the second charge. The guidelines call for a likely range for Wright of up to five years in prison for robbery.
According to the government’s evidence, Sinclair and Wright accosted the two victims at about 10:20 p.m. on Jan. 4, 2013. The victims were working on a taxicab in a parking lot in the 5500 block of South Dakota Avenue NE. The defendants asked them for a cigarette lighter. When the victims said they didn’t have one, Sinclair ordered them to give up their wallets and cash. The victims complied. Wright then went through their pockets, and he and Sinclair took the victims’ iPhones, wallets, shoes and keys.
Sinclair and Wright then got into a red Plymouth Breeze, threw the victims’ keys on the ground, and drove off. The victims notified police that they had just been robbed by men in a red car and provided a portion of the license plate number. Within a few minutes, an officer spotted a vehicle matching this description being driven in the 200 block of Galloway Street NE. Police attempted to stop the car, but Sinclair, who was driving, did not stop.
Sinclair eventually crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Monroe Street NE. The occupants of the other vehicle included a mother and two young children, and the mother was transported to a hospital for injuries sustained in the accident.
Sinclair, meanwhile, attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended. Wright, who was also injured in the accident, was apprehended in the getaway vehicle. Officers recovered the victims’ stolen items from the vehicle. The car had been stolen earlier in the day.
In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor N. McFadden, of the Fourth District Felony Prosecution Unit, who prosecuted the matter.
13-055Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marc Gange, 32, of Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty today to a federal charge of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Gange entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable James E. Boasberg is to sentence him on June 11, 2013. Gange faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment as well as a fine of $250,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely sentencing range of 97 to 121 months in prison.
According to the government's evidence, on Nov. 15, 2012, Gange contacted a man he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old girl on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force. Over the next several days, Gange engaged in online e-mail and instant message conversations with the undercover officer.
During this period of time, Gange sent the undercover officer approximately 79 images of child pornography which depicted, among other things, adult men engaged in sexual acts with children. Following Gange’s arrest on Dec. 5, 2012, the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force conducted a search of his work space and residence. Officers recovered approximately three videos and over 1,000 images of child pornography from a USB drive and the defendant’s computer.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force who investigated the case. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.
13-054District Man Sentenced to 32-Month Prison Term for Robbing A Woman in Northwest Washington-Defendant Got Away, but Was Spotted Two Weeks Later by the Victim-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vincent Shingler, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to two years and eight months in prison for a robbery that took place in Northwest Washington last summer, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Shingler pled guilty in December 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a robbery charge. He was sentenced by the Honorable Gerald I. Fisher. Upon completion of his prison term, Shingler will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Shingler came from behind and approached the victim, a Howard University graduate student, at about 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 22, 2012. The victim was headed toward home from campus, listening to a book on tape, when she was accosted in the 700 block of Quincy Street NW. Shingler snatched her iPhone and ran.
The victim, who had only been in Washington, D.C. for a week, after moving here from Alaska, cried out for help and multiple eyewitnesses came to her aid. However, Shingler was able to successfully get away. Then, about two weeks after the robbery, the victim saw Shingler enter a local store and called police. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested Shingler in the 700 block of Rock Creek Church Road NW.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the MPD officers and detectives who investigated the case. He also thanked those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Assistant Todd McClelland and Intelligence Specialist Sharon Johnson. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Selden, of the Superior Court Felony Major Crimes Section who prosecuted the case.
13-053Virginia Man Convicted by Jury of Attempting to Entice Minor to Engage in Illicit Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Paul David Hite, 58, of Midlothian, Va., was found guilty by a jury today of two federal charges of attempting to entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Joining in the announcement were Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hite was convicted of the charges following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment on each count, a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on each count, and a fine of up to $250,000. The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for July 2, 2013.
Evidence presented at trial established that from Feb. 1, 2012 through Feb. 17, 2012, Hite engaged in a series of Internet chats and telephone calls with an undercover police detective in Washington, D.C., who was posing as an adult who was sexually abusing a minor girl and a minor boy. During the course of the communications with the undercover detective, Hite described, in graphic detail, the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the purported minors. Hite also discussed plans to travel to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of sexually abusing the purported minors.
Hite was arrested near his residence in Midlothian on Feb. 17, 2012. Law enforcement recovered computer equipment from Hite’s home, which uncovered evidence of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Attorney General Breuer, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier commended the work of all who participated in the investigation. They especially acknowledged the efforts of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as the FBI’s Richmond Field Division.
They also acknowledged the efforts of Digital Investigative Analyst Christie Gardner of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They additionally commended the efforts of those who assisted with the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Starla Stolk; Legal Assistants Jessica Moffatt and Charmonique Price; Dawn Tolson-Hightower and David Foster of the Victim Witness Assistant Unit; and Joshua Ellen, Kimberly Smith, and Leif Hickling of the Litigation Services Unit.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wu from the Eastern District of Virginia, Diane Lucas of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and David B. Kent and Julieanne Himelstein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Darcy Katzin of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
13-052Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cornelius Magee, 36, of Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty today to a federal charge of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Magee entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Amy Berman Jackson is to sentence him on April 26, 2013. Magee faces a maximum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment as well as a fine of $250,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely sentencing range of 97 to 121 months in prison.
According to the government's evidence, on Oct. 24, 2012, Magee contacted a man he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old girl on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force.
Over the next two days, Magee engaged in online e-mail and instant message conversations with the undercover officer. During this period of time, Magee sent the undercover officer two videos of child pornography which depicted adult men engaged in sexual acts with children. Following the defendant’s arrest on Oct. 26, 2012, members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force conducted a search of Magee’s residence and found approximately 16 additional videos of child pornography on the defendant’s computer.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.
13-051District Man Sentenced to 20-Year Prison Term, Arrested After Authorities Intercept Heroin Shipments-Drugs Hidden in Lampshades, Dresses, Other Items-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Gary Allen Lewis, 43, was sentenced today to a 20-year prison term on a federal drug charge stemming from an investigation into shipments of large quantities of heroin into Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Lewis, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in February 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert L. Wilkins.
Lewis was arrested in August 2011, following an investigation led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Authorities intercepted a series of shipments of heroin before any of the drugs could be distributed on the street. The drugs were hidden in packages to be delivered to the residences of the defendant’s relatives in Northeast Washington. In the various shipments, heroin was hidden inside lampshades, pencil containers, the hems of dresses, and the lining of purses.
Overall, the drugs had an estimated street value of about $150,000.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 4, 2011, agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York intercepted a package that had been shipped from India and was addressed to “Ebony Mays,” at a location in Northeast Washington, D.C. When agents opened the box, they found pillow covers and decorative lampshades. A further inspection of the lamp shades revealed heroin hidden in the shades’ frames. The total amount of heroin contained in the package was 480 grams.
A controlled delivery of the package was coordinated with law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. On Aug. 10, 2011, an undercover officer attempted to deliver the package and was greeted at the location by the defendant’s sister, who agreed to accept the package after falsely identifying herself as “Ebony Mays.” A brief time later, Lewis arrived at his sister’s home to retrieve the package. Once Lewis had retrieved the package from inside of the house, he was stopped and arrested as he was trying to put the package into his vehicle.
In addition, on July 14 and 15, 2011, Lewis arranged to have two other packages of heroin, each containing about one-half kilogram of heroin, shipped to the United States. The heroin was to be hidden inside some other product to disguise it and prevent its detection by law enforcement. Both packages were to be delivered to the Northeast Washington home of Lewis’s mother. The first package contained dresses, with packages of heroin sewn into the hems. The second package contained two purses and three scarves. Inside the lining of each of the two purses was secreted a package of suspected heroin. Both packages were seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection component of the Department of Homeland Security.
An analysis by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that the two packages contained about 526.1 grams and 459.2 grams, respectively, of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
Some time prior to Aug. 8, 2011, Lewis arranged to have yet another package of heroin shipped to the United States. The heroin was to be hidden inside another product in order to disguise it and to prevent its detection by law enforcement. The package was delivered to the Northeast Washington home of Lewis’s aunt. Lewis acknowledged that he asked his aunt to accept this package on his behalf. This package was seized by Customs and Border Protection on Aug. 8, 2011. The package contained pencil containers; hidden in each of the pencil containers was a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. On Aug. 11, 2011, an undercover investigator from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service delivered the package to the listed address and it was accepted by the defendant’s aunt. After the passage of a certain amount of time, agents of the Department of Homeland Security retrieved the package. The suspected heroin was sent to the DEA for analysis. An analysis of that substance revealed that it contained 440.2 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of members of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its U.S. Customs and Border Protection component, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. He also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rikki McCoy, Arvind Lal, who secured the indictment in the case, and Emory V. Cole and Brittan K. Heller, who prosecuted the case.
13-050Two District Men Plead Guilty to Robbery in Daytime Attack in Southeast Washington-Defendants Arrested Soon After Crime, with Victim’s Cash and Property-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Venlonte Bethea, Jr., 19, also known as James Williams, and Anthony Hardy, 24, pled guilty today to robbery charges stemming from a mid-afternoon attack on a man last summer in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Bethea and Hardy, both of Washington, D.C., entered the guilty pleas in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for April 12, 2013. The charge carries up to 15 years in prison. Judge Leibovitz ordered that both defendants be held without bond pending their sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 17, 2012, at about 1:40 p.m., the victim was walking near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and G Street SE, adjacent to the Potomac Avenue Metro station and bus stop. Bethea and Hardy approached him, asking for change. Bethea then circled behind the victim and put him in a chokehold, while Hardy went through the victim's pockets and took all of his money, phone, and various other identification cards. In all, both men took $576 in cash, including three $2 bills, a debit card, an insurance card, and an identification card. Then they ran into the Potomac Avenue Metro station.
The victim chased both defendants to the L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station, and used another Metro passenger’s phone to call the police. In his call to the police, the victim provided detailed descriptions of his attackers. The Metro Transit Police stopped both defendants inside the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. They matched the descriptions provided by the victim.
The victim subsequently identified both defendants as having robbed him. In a search following the arrests, police found $290 on Bethea; Hardy had the rest of the money, including the $2 bills, as well as the victim's debit and identification cards.
In announcing today’s plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metro Transit Police. He also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Truong, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
13-049District Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Robbery at Check Cashing Store-With Help from Witnesses, Police Made Quick Arrest-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Mitchell, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a four-year prison term after earlier pleading guilty to robbing a check cashing store in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Mitchell pled guilty to a robbery charge in December 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He previously was convicted of multiple violent and theft-related offenses dating to the 1990s. He was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Following his prison term, Mitchell will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Mitchell entered a check cashing store at Georgia and New Hampshire Avenues NW at about 9:35 a.m. on Oct. 6, 2012. At the time, six other customers waited in line, including the victim. After entering the store, he approached the victim, an immigrant to the United States who worked two jobs as a nursing assistant and was in the store to send money home to her family in Uganda. Mitchell then grabbed the victim's purse and an envelope containing money for her family.
The victim fought back and Mitchell ripped the items from her hands and ran out of the store. Multiple eyewitnesses came to the victim’s aid and helped her chase after her attacker, keeping him in sight. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were called and caught Mitchell fleeing in the 3500 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the MPD officers and detectives who investigated the case, as well as the citizens who came forward to assist the victim. He also thanked Paralegal Assistant Todd McClelland and Intelligence Specialist Sharon Johnson for their work on this case. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Selden, from the Superior Court Felony Major Crimes Section, who prosecuted the case.
13-048Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Sentenced for Making A False StatementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Kristen M. Jasper, 28, a former background investigator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management OPM), was sentenced today to six months of home detention and ordered to pay $109,000 in restitution for falsifying work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management.
Jasper, of Hayden Lake, Idaho, pled guilty in August 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of making a false statement. The Honorable Beryl A. Howell sentenced her today, including the six months of home detention as part of three years of probation.
According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court at the time of the guilty plea, Jasper was a Special Agent assigned to the Federal Investigative Services, where her job was to conduct federal background investigations.
Between August 2010 and June 2011, in more than three dozen Reports of Investigation on background investigations, Jasper represented that she had interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of the background investigation. In fact, she had not conducted the interview or obtained the record. Her reports were utilized and relied upon by the agencies requesting the background investigations to determine whether the subjects were suitable for positions having access to classified information, for positions impacting national security, or for receiving or retaining security clearances.
Jasper’s false representations have required Federal Investigative Services to reopen and rework numerous background investigations that were assigned to her during the time period of her falsifications, at an estimated cost of $109,000 to the U.S. government. The restitution is to be paid to the federal government.
Federal Investigative Services has a robust integrity assurance program which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by the defendant was detected through the program.
This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in the last four years involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Jasper, 13 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.
Federal Investigative Services, through its workforce of approximately 7,300 investigators, is responsible for conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contractors, on individuals either employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. Federal Investigative Services conducted more than 2.1 million investigations during the 2012 fiscal year. More than 770,000 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.
In performing background investigations, the investigators conduct interviews of individuals who have information about the person who is the subject of the review. In addition, the investigators seek out, obtain, and review documentary evidence, such as employment records, to verify and corroborate information provided by either the subject of the background investigation or by persons interviewed during the investigation. After conducting interviews and obtaining documentary evidence, the investigators prepare a Report of Investigation containing the results of the interviews and document reviews, and electronically submit the material to OPM in Washington, D.C. OPM then provides a copy of the investigative file to the requesting agency, which can use the information to determine an individual’s eligibility for employment or a security clearance.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Inspector General McFarland praised the efforts of Special Agent Nathaniel Smith, OPM, Office of the Inspector General, and Philip Kroop, Chief of Quality and Integrity Assurance, OPM-Federal Investigative Services. Mr. Machen and Mr. McFarland also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Chris Dobbie and Ellen Chubin Epstein, who investigated and prosecuted this matter.
13-043District Teenager Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Shooting Classmate at Coolidge High School -Defendant Opened Fire in Parking Lot as Classes Let Out-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brandon Smothers, 17, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight years of incarceration for shooting a classmate last year in the parking lot of Coolidge High School, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Smothers, who was charged as an adult, pled guilty in October 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of aggravated assault while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Upon completion of his prison term, Smothers will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Smothers and the 18-year-old victim were involved in a verbal altercation inside their classroom on Sept. 19, 2012. Smothers was escorted out of the classroom and subsequently left the school premises. The victim was allowed to stay in the classroom after the altercation and even helped other students with their school work.
At about 3 p.m., as classes were ending for the day, Smothers confronted the victim in the parking lot of the school, which is in the 6300 block of 5th Street NW. At the time, the victim was walking to get on a school bus. Smothers and the victim exchanged words. Smothers then pulled a black .380 semiautomatic handgun from his waist area and pointed it at the victim’s chest area. The victim turned around and, as he ran away, Smothers fired the gun at him several times. Four shots hit the victim in the leg and lower body area.
Other students were in the parking lot at the time and on a bus in the parking lot. As the victim was running, he attempted to shield other students from the gunfire. The high school was placed on lockdown for the safety of students, teachers and staff.
Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) saw Smothers fleeing the scene on foot and stopped him in the 100 block of Rittenhouse Street NW. They recovered the firearm from the path he had been taking, as well as shell casings from the school parking lot.
The victim was transported to Washington Hospital Center, where he required immediate surgery for his wounds. Smothers subsequently provided a statement to police in which he acknowledged shooting the victim.
“This case demonstrates how quickly a gun can escalate a classroom squabble into a life-threatening confrontation,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “When parents send their kids off to school, they should never have to worry that their child could be caught in a hail of gunfire during the school day. Our decision to charge this shooter as an adult is a reflection of how seriously we take gun crimes in the District and how committed we are to keeping our schools free of gun violence.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the MPD, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Debra Smith and Lynda Randolph and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Selden and Vivien Cockburn, who prosecuted the case.
13-045District Man Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for Murder of 13-Year-Old Daughter, Shooting of Two Others -Defendant Wounded Ex-Girlfriend and Another Child in the Attack-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Robert Carter, 41, was sentenced today to 70 years in prison on charges stemming from the killing of his 13-year-old daughter and the wounding of his ex-girlfriend and a 10-year-old boy, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Carter, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in October 2012 to one count of first-degree murder while armed and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. He was sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Honorable Thomas J. Motley. Judge Motley sentenced Carter to 45 years in prison for the murder and 25 years for the other charges.
According to the government’s evidence, Carter and his then-girlfriend, Moria Morse, were estranged and he was no longer living with her and the family at the time of the murder. On Oct. 29, 2010, he was at their home in the 500 block of Madison Street NW, alone there for several hours. That afternoon, he went to a store and purchased a Halloween mask and a pair of work gloves. When he returned, he took his daughter, Angel Morse, 13, to the basement. He shot the teenager once in the head. The Halloween mask was later found on the floor, next to the girl, and the gloves were found elsewhere in the house, with her blood on them.
Within an hour, several family members and acquaintances began returning to the home. Carter held them against their will, including Moria Morse’s two sons, 6 and 10, and the defendant’s and Moria Morse’s 16-year-old daughter, who he forced to sit on a couch.
At one point, Carter told the 16-year-old that Angel was in the basement and that he had killed her. When his then-girlfriend returned home, Carter went to the front door, opened it, and pointed a gun at her. The 10-year-old boy jumped up from a couch and lunged at Carter, striking his arm as he began to fire the gun. Carter fired the gun several times, hitting his then-girlfriend once in the abdomen and the 10-year-old once in the leg.
After shooting the gun several more times, Carter stole a friend’s car and fled. He abandoned the vehicle in order to carjack a MetroAccess sedan, taking control of that car with an 84-year-old passenger inside. As Carter kept driving, the woman screamed, “You’re passing my house! This is my block? I’m sick and I’m crippled! Please get me to my house” She was eventually released unharmed. But Carter continued to flee, leading local police officers on a chase into Prince George’s County, where he crashed the MetroAccess car into a building in Capitol Heights. He has been in custody since his arrest after the crash.
“Robert Carter committed one violent act after another in a terrifying afternoon, killing his own 13-year-old daughter, shooting two other innocent victims, and then trying to make his escape by carjacking a MetroAccess car with an elderly passenger inside,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “His complete lack of compassion was astounding and the community will be safer with this sentence that should put him in prison for the rest of his life.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers and crime scene technicians who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegals Phaylyn Hunt, Sandra Lane, and Alesha Matthews Yette, Victim Advocate Marcy Rinker, Witness Security Specialist Debra Cannon, Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Gorman and Erin O. Lyons, who prosecuted the case.
13-047District Man Sentenced to 38 Years in Prison for 2009 Murder and Separate Sex OffenseIn One Incident, Defendant Shot Man in A Parking Lot; In the Other, He Sexually Abused A 15-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Luel Hayes, Jr., 43, was sentenced today to a total of 38 years of incarceration on charges stemming from a 2009 slaying in Northwest Washington and a sexual assault that took place about two months later, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Hayes, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty in November 2012, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses in the slaying of Rahiem Moore. He pled guilty in January 2013 to one count of first-degree child sexual abuse, stemming from an attack on a 15-year-old girl.
Hayes was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck to a total of 27 years in prison in the murder case and an additional 11 years in the sexual abuse case, to be served consecutively. Following completion of his prison term, he is to be placed on five years of supervised release. In addition, after his release from prison, Hayes must register as a sex offender for 10 years.
According to the government’s evidence at the murder trial, Hayes shot and killed the victim, Rahiem Moore, 37, at about 9:35 p.m. on June 10, 2009. Before the murder, Hayes, who was angry with Mr. Moore over an earlier dispute, lay in wait by Mr. Moore’s parked car in a lot behind 1310 Columbia Road NW. Once Mr. Moore appeared, Hayes shot him five times in the dark parking lot. He left Mr. Moore to die face down, next to his car.
Although there were no eyewitnesses to the shooting, Hayes told several people about the murder of Mr. Moore, who also was known as “Spot.” They included the 15-year-old girl, who he sexually assaulted in August 2009 at an apartment in Northwest Washington. After that attack, Hayes pointed a silver revolver at the victim’s face from about three feet away and declared, “If you tell, you already know, I killed somebody named Spot.”
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives, officers, and mobile crime technicians who investigated the cases. He also expressed appreciation to the FBI forensic documents examiner who worked on the cases. In addition, he thanked those who worked on the two cases from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity and Jason Manuel; Intelligence Analyst Sharon Johnson; Litigation Technology Specialists Jeanie Latimore-Brown and Leif Hickling, and Victim/Witness Advocates Marcey Rinker and Lezlie Richardson.
Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Zubrensky, who investigated and prosecuted the sexual assault case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Saybolt, who investigated and tried the murder case.
13-044District Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for 2011 Murder in Northwest Washington - Shooting Followed Attempted Robbery -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Anthony Speight, Jr., 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 21-year prison term for the January 2011 slaying of a man following a robbery attempt in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Speight pled guilty in September 2012 to a charge of second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Russell F. Canan in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, Speight will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 19, 2011, shortly after 11 p.m., Speight was riding a bicycle at Florida Avenue and North Capitol Street NW. As Speight crossed the intersection, he approached a young woman and unsuccessfully propositioned her for sex. Turned away, Speight then continued across the intersection and approached William R. Mitchell, 33, who was walking home from a nearby Metro station.
While still on his bicycle, Speight demanded money from Mr. Mitchell. At some point during their exchange, the defendant lifted up his shirt, revealing a silver .357 revolver. The young woman, who was still nearby, intervened and told Speight that she would call the police if he did not leave Mr. Mitchell alone. She then pulled out her phone to call the police. Speight knocked the phone out of her hand and repeatedly ran over the phone with his bicycle.
Then, as the woman bent over to pick up her phone, Mr. Mitchell jumped on Speight’s back. Speight and Mr. Mitchell fell to the ground and struggled. During the struggle, Speight pulled out his revolver and shot Mr. Mitchell four times.
Speight is to stand trial in July 2013 in an unrelated case involving an armed carjacking that took place on the afternoon of Jan. 19, 2011 in Northeast Washington. He has pled not guilty to charges.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the detectives and other personnel who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He acknowledged the hard work and dedication of those who assisted with the investigation and prosecution at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker and Paralegal Specialist Debra Joyner. Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Snyder and Holly Shick, who investigated and prosecuted the case
13-046District Man Pleads Guilty to Making Arrangements to Have Sexual Contact with A ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Carl Lott, 47, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to arranging to have sexual contact with a child, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Lott entered the guilty plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Stuart G. Nash is to sentence him on April 11, 2013. Lott faces a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment, as well as a fine of up to $50,000.
According to the government's evidence, on Nov. 8, 2012 Lott contacted a man he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old female child on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover MPD officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force.
Over the next two days, Lott engaged in online e-mail conversations with the undercover officer about having sexual relations with the purported child. During this period of time, Lott arranged a meeting - including time, date and location - with the undercover officer for the purpose of having sexual relations with the purported child. On Nov. 9, 2012, Lott met the undercover officer and was arrested.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.
13-042Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Shooting of Security Guard at Family Research Council- Defendant Targeted Organization in Planned Attack-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Floyd Lee Corkins, II, 28, pled guilty today to three felony charges, including a terrorism offense, in the August 2012 shooting of a security guard at the Family Research Council in downtown Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Corkins, of Herndon, Va., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to charges of committing an act of terrorism while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition. The Honorable Richard W. Roberts scheduled sentencing for April 29, 2013. The terrorism offense carries a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison. The assault charge carries a statutory maximum of 30 years of incarceration, and the weapons-related charge carries up to 10 years in prison.
Corkins has been in custody since his arrest after the Aug. 15, 2012 shooting.
This marks the first time that a defendant has been charged with and convicted of committing an act of terrorism under a provision of the District of Columbia’s Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 that covers criminal actions committed with the intent to “intimidate or coerce a significant portion of the civilian population of the District of Columbia or the United States.”
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 15, 2012, at about 10:45 a.m., Corkins entered the office of the Family Research Council, at 801 G Street NW, and encountered an unarmed security guard. Corkins retrieved a firearm from his backpack and pointed it at the security guard. The security guard charged Corkins and a struggle ensued, during which Corkins fired three shots, striking the guard in the arm. Despite the gunshot wound and Corkins’s subsequent discharges of the gun, the security guard heroically succeeded in disarming the defendant and forcing him to the ground and onto his belly.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Corkins targeted the Family Research Council because of its views, including its advocacy against recognition of gay marriage. He entered the building with the intention of shooting and killing as many employees of the organization as he could.
“Were it not for the heroic guard who tackled Floyd Corkins, he could have succeeded in perpetrating a mass killing spree in the nation’s capital,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “This case highlights the dangers of access to high-capacity magazines that allow killers to inflict carnage on a mass scale in the blink of an eye. Today’s guilty plea makes clear that using violence to terrorize political opponents will not be tolerated.”
“Individuals such as Mr. Corkins, who commit violent acts in pursuit of political aims, are a danger to our society and to the freedoms we enjoy as citizens,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “In today’s plea, Mr. Corkins admitted to committing an act of terrorism in the District of Columbia. Together with our partner law enforcement agencies and with the assistance of the community, the FBI will pursue all those who seek to intimidate or harm U.S. citizens.”
“This was a horrible act,” said Police Chief Lanier. “Fortunately, a quick-thinking employee was able to disarm and subdue the shooting suspect. His dedication to duty and willingness to put himself in harm’s way prevented others from being seriously injured or killed. He is an inspiration to many and a hero to all that were affected.”
According to the statement of offense, Corkins purchased a semiautomatic pistol from a store in Virginia on Aug. 9, 2012, and picked up the weapon the following day. On the afternoon of Aug. 13, he rehearsed his planned trip to the Family Research Council. On the night before the shooting, Corkins returned to the gun store and engaged in shooting practice.
On the morning of Aug. 15, Corkins rode Metrorail from Virginia and into the District of Columbia, got off at the Gallery Place stop, and went to the Family Research Council. To gain access into the building, he falsely told the security guard that he was there for an interview as a prospective intern. Upon gaining entry, Corkins approached the receptionist desk, which the security guard was manning, intending to shoot and kill him. However, the security guard fought back and, as the two men scuffled, Corkins fired his gun three times, striking the guard once in his left arm in the process. After the security guard subdued Corkins, Corkins stated, “It’s not about you,” but about the organization’s policies. He also was heard making remarks such as, “I don’t like these people, and I don’t like what they stand for.”
In a search after the shooting, MPD officers discovered two fully loaded magazine clips in one of Corkins’s front pants pockets, as well as a Metro card and a handwritten list containing the names of the Family Research Council and three other organizations that openly identify themselves as having socially conservative agendas. A search of Corkins’s backpack turned up, among other items, a box of 50 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. They also found 15 individually wrapped sandwiches that Corkins had purchased the previous day from Chick-fil-A.
Corkins later made statements to the FBI in which he said that he was a political activist and considered the Family Research Council to be a lobbying group. He also stated that he intended to kill as many people as possible and smother the Chick-fil-A sandwiches into their faces. Among other things, he said, “Chick-fil-A came out against gay marriage so I was going to use that as a statement.”
Corkins also revealed the steps he took in planning the attack, saying that he had been thinking about perpetrating similar violence for years but never carried out an attack. Had he not been stopped at the Family Research Council, he stated, he planned to go to the second organization on the list he was carrying and wage a similar shooting there.
The security guard, who also was the building’s manager, underwent emergency surgery in which metal plates were inserted into his left arm so that shattered bones could heal. Numerous bullet fragments remain in his arms, and he was unable to work for months.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier expressed their appreciation to all those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the MPD. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann H. Petalas and T. Patrick Martin of the National Security Section of the United States Attorney’s Office, who prosecuted the case.
13-039District Man Indicted for Second-Degree Murder and Other Charges in Killing of His Cousin-Victim Died of Head Injuries Suffered in Attack-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Arvel Wills, 23, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today on murder and related charges in the killing of his cousin, Dwayne Wills, last year in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
A grand jury returned the indictment in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, charging Wills with second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm and related weapons offenses. He is to be arraigned on March 7, 2013 before the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. A trial date has been scheduled for June 3, 2013. If convicted, the defendant faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 26, 2012, at about 4 a.m., Wills and his cousin, Dwayne Wills, 25, engaged in a verbal dispute that turned into a physical altercation at Abbey Place and L Street NE. They had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident. Witnesses observed Wills pick up his cousin by his neck and leg, hold him over his head, and then forcefully slam the cousin’s head into the street, causing a skull fracture.
Dwayne Wills was unconscious but was revived and taken to Washington Hospital Center where he claimed that he had fallen and hurt himself. He lapsed into a coma. On June 4, 2012, he died as a result of head injuries suffered on May 26, 2012.
The District of Columbia medical examiner=s office has ruled the case a homicide. The evidence indicates that the cause of death was blunt impact trauma to the head. Wills was arrested on Sept. 27, 2012. At the time of his arrest, he possessed a 9 mm Ruger and an extended magazine clip with 13 rounds of ammunition. He has been in custody ever since.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright.
13-041District Man Pleads Guilty to Burglary and Assault Charges in Break-In of Elderly Woman’s Home-Defendant Punched Victim, Knocking Her Unconscious-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Tyran Mcelrath, 18, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from an attack he carried out against an elderly woman during a burglary last fall of the victim’s home in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Mcelrath pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of first-degree burglary and one count of aggravated assault. He is to be sentenced May 7, 2013 by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. He faces a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison for the burglary offense and an additional 10 years for aggravated assault. Under the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of up to eight years for burglary and up to 5 ½ years for the assault.
According to the government’s proffer of evidence, with which Mcelrath agreed, Mcelrath left his home on the morning of Nov. 7, 2012, and traveled to the 3500 block of McKinley Street NW, where the victim, an 81-year-old woman, resided. Mcelrath, who did not know the victim, went to the house intending to steal property, and broke into the home through a basement window. At the time, the victim was on the second floor of the house.
Mcelrath took some tools from the basement and made his way up to the main floor of the house, where he rifled through cabinets and took change from the victim’s change purse. Mcelrath then carried an Apple computer outside and hid it in bushes located at the base of the front porch steps. The victim then came downstairs and interrupted Mcelrath.
She walked toward the front door and politely asked Mcelrath to leave. Mcelrath then punched her repeatedly in the face with closed fists until she lost consciousness. Mcelrath then fled before police were called.
A civilian witness who came upon the woman sometime after the assault called police. Police found the victim disoriented and suffering from multiple bruises and broken teeth as a result of the beating. Police were able to identify Mcelrath as the perpetrator when they searched GPS records, which showed Mcelrath inside the victim’s home between 11:41 a.m. and 12:21 p.m., when the crimes occurred. Police used that same GPS information to locate Mcelrath in Southeast Washington the following day, and found that he matched the limited description that the victim was able to provide, and was wearing a mask that was the same as the one the victim had described. Police subsequently obtained surveillance video from Metro that showed Mcelrath as he traveled to and from the crime scene.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department officers and detectives who investigated the case. He also commended the efforts of Victim Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, for her work with the victim in this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Carroll and Jonathan Kravis, who investigated and indicted the case.
13-038District Man Sentenced to 52 ½ Years in Prison for Murder and Other Charges in Killing at Northwest Washington Store- Store Owner Fatally Shot During Robbery-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Dowen Knight, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 52 ½ years in prison for first-degree felony murder while armed and related charges in the slaying of a Northwest Washington store owner, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
A jury found Knight guilty of the crimes in October 2012, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Knight, who was convicted of 12 counts, was sentenced by the Honorable Florence Y. Pan.
According to the evidence at trial, at approximately 9 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2009, Knight and an accomplice entered La Casa de Morata, a liquor store in the 5400 block of Georgia Avenue NW. The store owner, Rufina Hernandez, 51, and her son were working there at the time.
Knight pulled a pistol, went behind the counter, and approached Ms. Hernandez. Upon seeing this, Ms. Hernandez’s son attempted to come to her assistance, but the accomplice ordered him not to move. As Knight approached Ms. Hernandez, she opened the cash register and invited him to take the money. Knight reached inside, took the bills and then fired a single shot, striking her in the left side of her chin. Knight then pointed the gun at the son and ordered him to the floor. However, the son refused and backed into the storage room. Then Knight and the accomplice fled the store.
When officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived on the scene, they found Ms. Hernandez standing outside, being held upright by her son, who was still grasping the cell phone which he had used to make the 911 call. Paramedics transported her to the Washington Hospital Center. However, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The accomplice is currently awaiting sentencing in the case.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the MPD detectives, officers, crime scene technicians, and forensics specialists who worked on the case. He also praised those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews Yette and Litigation Technology Specialists Kimberly Smith, Leif Hickling, Paul Howell and William Henderson. Finally, he commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Wheeler, who secured the indictment in the case and handled the prosecution at trial.
13-037Virginia Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Role in Bribery and Kickback Scheme Involving Government Contracts-Defendant and His Father Laundered $401,000 in Payments to RelativeRead the Press Release
Who Threatened to Expose the Scheme-WASHINGTON – Lee A. Khan, 32, of Fairfax, Va., was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for his role in a money laundering scheme meant to keep law enforcement from learning about a larger conspiracy involving bribery, kickbacks and federal government contracts.
Khan pled guilty in May 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Among other things, he admitted scheming to channel more than $400,000 to a relative who threatened to expose wrongdoing involving millions of dollars in government contacts issued through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Sheila Olander, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA); Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).
Khan was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. As part of his plea agreement, Khan agreed to forfeit his interest in more than $1 million in bank account funds, 13 properties in Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia, and a Rolex watch. In addition, Judge Sullivan ordered him to join other conspirators in paying $401,000 in restitution to the federal government. Following completion of his prison term, Khan will be placed on three years of supervised release.
A total of 12 people have pled guilty to charges in the largest domestic bribery and bid-rigging scheme in the history of federal contracting cases, and Khan was the eighth defendant to be sentenced. All of those sentenced so far have received prison terms. All told, corrupt public officials agreed to steer government contracts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of the Army in exchange for more than $30 million in bribe and kickback payments. The investigation is continuing.
Khan is one of three family members charged in the case. His father, Kerry F. Khan, 55, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, pled guilty in May 2012 to charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a scheme in which he received or was promised more than $26 million in payments from various contractors who submitted fraudulently inflated invoices to the government. The contracts were awarded through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Army. His uncle, Nazim Khan, 50, pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
According to the government’s evidence, Lee Khan helped his father launder $401,000 to pay one of their close family members, identified in court documents as “Khan Family Member A.” The primary purpose of the payment was to prevent the family member from disclosing information concerning bribe payments made to Kerry Khan by a former government contractor.
At the time of the money transfers, “Khan Family Member A” was incarcerated at the Alexandria Detention Center in Alexandria, Va., where he was jailed following his conviction of a federal felony drug trafficking crime. The family member wrote a letter to the former government contractor – copying Lee Khan – threatening to go to the authorities unless he received a deposit covering “the entire cost of my house and 4 cars.”
Although Lee Khan did not know the full extent of his father’s illegal conduct, he did know that the source of Kerry Khan’s funds came from unlawful activities. He orchestrated the payments to the relative through multiple accounts in August 2011 in an effort to disguise that he and his father were the source of the funds.
Lee Khan told his father that if “Khan Family Member A” cooperated with law enforcement, even after getting paid, that he would kill him or have him killed.
Lee Khan and his father were among four people arrested on Oct. 4, 2011. He has been in custody ever since. “Khan Family Member A,” meanwhile, never got control of the $401,000, which was seized by law enforcement.
In addition to Lee Khan, those who have been sentenced include:
-Nazim Khan, owner of KC Builders Custom Homes LLC, a company that helped channel money to Kerry Khan in the bribery and kickback scheme. He was sentenced in December 2012 to two years in prison and ordered to pay, along with two other defendants, a total of $611,904 in restitution. He also agreed to an order of forfeiture in the amount of $83,403.
-Harold F. Babb, the former director of contracts at Eyak Technology LLC (EyakTek), an Alaska Native-owned small business. He was sentenced in October 2012 to seven years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $9,405,230 in restitution and to forfeit a money judgment of $689,342.
-Michael A. Alexander, a former program manager with the Army Corps of Engineers. He was sentenced in September 2012 to a six-year prison term and ordered to pay $1.25 million in restitution and a $1.25 million forfeiture money judgment.
-James Edward Miller, the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC. He was sentenced in October 2012 to five years and 10 months in prison. Miller also was ordered to pay $9,405,230 in restitution and to forfeit a money judgment of $4,055,063 and specific property, including bank account funds, a property in Virginia Beach, three vehicles, and diamond rings and other jewelry.
-Robert L. McKinney, the president of Alpha Technology Group. He was sentenced in October 2012 to two years and nine months in prison. McKinney also was ordered to forfeit $246,000, representing the illegal proceeds he retained from the crime. In addition, he must pay $984,664 in restitution to the federal government.
-Larry G. Corbett, owner of Core Technology LLC and Enterprise Technical Solutions, Inc. He was sentenced in November 2012 to two years and three months in prison, ordered to perform 500 hours community service, and ordered to forfeit $290,000.
-Theodoros Hallas, the former Executive Vice President of Operations for Nova Datacom, LLC. He was sentenced in November 2012 to one year and three months in prison and ordered to perform 500 hours community service.
Those awaiting sentencing include Kerry Khan; Alex Cho, the former chief technology officer of Nova Datacom, LLC; Nick Park, a former employee of Nova Datacom who later opened his own business, Unisource Enterprise Inc. (UEI), and Oh Sung Kwon, also known as Thomas Kwon, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Avenciatech, Inc.,
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Director in Charge Smith, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olander, Inspector General Gustafson, Special Agent in Charge Craig, and Director Robey thanked those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office; the Office of the Inspector General for the Small Business Administration; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency; the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Army Criminal Investigation Command. They also expressed thanks to the U.S. Marshals Service for its assistance on the forfeiture matter.
They also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson, Bryan Seeley, and James Smith of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they expressed thanks for assistance provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dana; Forensic Accountant Maria Boodoo; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe, Shanna Hays, Taryn McLaughlin, Christopher Samson, and Nicole Wattelet, and Legal Assistants Krishawn Graham and Jessica McCormick.
13-036Former Law School Student Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine-Two Others Awaiting Sentencing in Case-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marc A. Gersen, 31, a former law school student, was sentenced today to a four-year prison term for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Washington, D.C. area, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Gersen, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in November 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Upon completion of his prison term, Gersen will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must comply with a forfeiture order calling for the payment of a $120,000 money judgment, pay a fine of $2,500, and perform 400 hours of community service.
According to the facts presented at the plea hearing, between the summer of 2011 and December of 2011, Gersen and others, including Michael Talon and Lee Hylton, conspired and agreed to obtain and distribute wholesale quantities of methamphetamine in the Washington, D.C., area. During the period of the conspiracy, Gersen, then a student at Georgetown Law School, traveled to California to buy the methamphetamine, which he then would ship to Washington D.C. and sell on a regular basis, in quantities ranging from an ounce to half a pound. The wholesale price of a pound of methamphetamine is approximately $26,000.
As part of an investigation, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department executed a search warrant on Nov. 28, 2011 at an apartment shared by Gersen and Talon in the 1600 block of 18th Street NW. They recovered about three grams of methamphetamine, chemicals used for drug manufacturing, and $3,000 in cash. No one was present during the search; at the time, Gersen was visiting his family in Florida, and Talon was away.
Gersen was arrested by the MPD on Dec. 1, 2011. The arrest took place outside of a hotel in the District of Columbia where others involved in the conspiracy were packaging and storing a large a quantity of crystal methamphetamine. Talon and Hylton were arrested at the hotel.
Talon, 30, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is to be sentenced March 15, 2013. Hylton, 51, of Arlington, Va., pled guilty to the same charge and is to be sentenced March 1, 2013.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier commended the work of the MPD officers and the agents and personnel from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, who worked on the investigation. They also thanked those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Seldon; Criminal Investigator Duncan Templeton, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stewart, Magdalena Acevedo, and Zia Faruqui, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
13-035Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - James Wendell Brown, 51, of Warrenton, Va., pled guilty today to a federal charge of distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Brown entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Richard J. Leon is to sentence him on April 23, 2013. Brown faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment as well as a fine of $250,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely sentencing range of between 151 and 188 months in prison.
According to the government's evidence, on March 5, 2012, Brown contacted a man he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old girl on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force. Over the next few days, Brown engaged in online e-mail and instant message conversations with the undercover officer. During this period of time, Brown sent the undercover officer three images of child pornography which depicted adult men engaged in sexual acts with children. During the course of his conversations with the undercover officer, Brown acknowledged having sexually abused young children in the past.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Director in Charge Smith and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Last and Ari Redbord, who are prosecuting the case.
13-033Two District Men Sentenced to 12-Year Prison Terms on Carjacking and Robbery Charges-Defendants Attacked Two Victims in Six-Hour Period in June 2012-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Robert Jeter, 19, and Davon Watkins, 18, both from Washington, D.C., were each sentenced today to 12 years in prison for carjacking one victim and committing an armed robbery against another victim within a matter of hours, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Jeter and Watkins pled guilty in October 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Gerald I. Fisher sentenced them to seven years in prison on the carjacking charge and an additional five years for the armed robbery.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendants approached the carjacking victim at about 10:30 p.m. on June 21, 2012 as he was walking from his car in a parking lot behind 1400 block of Irving Street NW. Watkins put a gun to the victim’s head while Jeter took the victim’s wallet and cell phone. Watkins then demanded the victim’s car keys. Watkins and Jeter then got into the victim’s car and fled the scene.
About six hours later, at about 4:15 a.m. on June 22, 2012, Jeter and Watkins approached the armed robbery victim as he was walking on Mount Pleasant Street NW. They knocked the victim to the ground, put guns to his head, and took his wallet and cell phone.
About 15 minutes after the armed robbery, police spotted the car taken in the earlier carjacking. The defendants ultimately abandoned the car and fled on foot. They were apprehended in the 1100 block of Clifton Street NW. The armed robbery victim’s cell phone was found in the center console of the stolen car. Fingerprint and DNA evidence analyzed by the D.C. Forensics Laboratory tied Jeter and Watkins to the stolen car.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the detectives, officers, crime scene technicians, and forensic analysts who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Barlotta, Vivien Cockburn, Bridget Fitzpatrick, and Jonathan Kravis, who investigated and obtained the indictment in the case.
13-034Virginia Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - John Patrick Swain, 45, of Sterling, Va., was sentenced today to eight years in prison on federal charges of distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Swain pled guilty to the charges in September 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Upon completion of his prison term, Swain will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for 25 years following his release from prison.
According to the government's evidence, on June 27, 2012, Swain contacted a man he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old girl, using a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force. Over the next few days, Swain engaged in online conversations with the undercover officer. During this period, Swain sent the undercover officer 13 images of child pornography, including videos of adult men engaged in sexual acts with children.
Upon execution of a search warrant on the defendant’s residence in Sterling, members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force recovered a desktop computer as well as various external storage devices containing numerous videos and images of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Director in Charge Smith and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
13-031Maryland Man Sentenced to 57-Month Prison Term for Robbing A Man in Northwest Washington-Summertime Attack Took Place in Broad Daylight-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deandre Swann, 25, of Hyattsville, Md., was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for robbing a man in broad daylight last summer in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Swann pled guilty in November 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to robbery and destruction of property. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert I. Richter. Upon completion of his prison term, Swann will be placed on three years of supervised release.
As part of the plea, Swann admitted that on July 28, 2012, at about 1:25 p.m., he and another man approached the victim in the 500 block of T Street NW. Swann tried to grab the victim’s iPhone, then repeatedly struck him. The victim threw the iPhone and was knocked to the ground. Swann’s accomplice picked up the iPhone, and the two fled the scene together.
In addition to the seriousness of the offense itself, the sentence reflected the fact that at the time of the crime, Swann was on probation in the District of Columbia for a 2008 conviction for five counts of distribution of cocaine in a drug-free zone. In that case, he is facing a probation revocation hearing before the Honorable John M. Mott on Feb. 8, 2013.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also commended the work of Paralegal Specialist Allison Daniels and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rickard, who prosecuted the matter.
13-032District Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery and Assault– Defendant Attempted to Stab Two People Who Tried to Stop Him-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Marlon DeShan Perkins, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 11 years and two months in prison for robbing a woman while armed with a knife and for attacking two people who tried to help her, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.
Perkins pled guilty in November 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of robbery while armed with a knife and assault with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Upon completion of his sentence, Perkins will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 5, 2012, at approximately 7:45 p.m., the victim and her six-year-old child were walking in an alley off the 100 block of Morse Street NE when Perkins approached them and brandished a knife. Perkins lunged at the victim with the knife, demanding her purse and threatening to kill her. In fear for her life, the victim dropped her purse. Perkins picked up the purse and fled down the alley. Two people attempted to intervene, and Perkins attempted to stab both of them before getting away.
The Metropolitan Police Department canvassed the area and found Perkins with the victim’s purse in his hands.
In a second unrelated case, Judge Broderick sentenced Perkins today to an additional 180 days in jail for a weapons offense. In that matter, in June 2012, Perkins entered a woman’s home in Southeast Washington and assaulted her. He tried to take a cell phone from her, and during the struggle, Perkins hit her in the hand with a knife, causing a small laceration.
In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Truong, who conducted the sentencing hearing in the case.
13-028District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison, Led Failed Scheme to Deceive A Federal Judge– Was Attempting to Obtain A $3 Million Default Judgment in Civil Lawsuit -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - David Copeland-Jackson, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to five years in prison on federal charges in two cases, including one in which he plotted to deceive a federal judge into awarding him a $3 million default judgment in a civil lawsuit.
Copeland-Jackson, a convicted sex offender, was attempting to win the judgment in a defamation suit against one of his victims. The plot was unraveled and he never got the money.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office; Steven Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education, and Gary R. Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Copeland-Jackson pled guilty in February 2011 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and perjury for attempting to carry out the ruse. In a separate, unrelated scheme that involved $62,440 in student financial aid, Copeland-Jackson pled guilty to mail fraud.
The Honorable Judge Richard J. Leon sentenced Copeland-Jackson in both cases. Upon completion of his prison term, Copeland-Jackson will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $62,440 in restitution and forfeiture.
Copeland-Jackson has been detained since July 9, 2009, when he was arrested on the conspiracy charge. That matter was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Peter J. Brandel Sr., 74, of Mansfield, Ohio, and Copeland-Jackson’s co-conspirator in the obstruction-of-justice scheme, also has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and perjury. He is awaiting sentencing by Judge Leon.
According to the Statement of Offense filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the Court, Copeland-Jackson was convicted in Ohio in 2000 on charges of gross sexual imposition against two 14-year-olds. After serving three years in an Ohio prison for the offense, Copeland-Jackson was paroled to his hometown, Washington, D.C., and ordered not to have any contact with the victims of his earlier crimes.
However, while on parole, in June 2007 Copeland-Jackson filed a $3 million defamation suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against one of the two victims, a male identified in the Statement of Offense only as “J.C.”
The lawsuit was assigned to U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle. Rather than serve J.C. with a copy of the lawsuit, as required, Copeland-Jackson filed a false affidavit with Judge Huvelle. The affidavit - signed by Brandel - claimed that J.C. had been served with the suit. Without J.C.’s knowledge, for more than a month, Copeland-Jackson then filed numerous pleadings for himself, as plaintiff, and for J.C., as defendant, in the case.
On Aug. 8, 2007, Judge Huvelle awarded a $3 million default judgment against J.C. to Copeland-Jackson. The judge took this action after receiving a document, purportedly from J.C., in which J.C. admitted the allegations in the lawsuit and consented to the judgment.
Judge Huvelle was unaware that Copeland-Jackson had gone to prison in Ohio for the very acts that were the supposed subject of the defamation lawsuit. The Ashland County prosecutor in Ohio subsequently alerted the judge that Copeland-Jackson was on parole for having molested J.C. when he was a minor. At that point, Judge Huvelle immediately vacated the default judgment and set a hearing on the matter for Aug. 16, 2007.
According to the Statement of Offense, at the hearing, Brandel testified falsely under oath that he had served a copy of the Copeland-Jackson lawsuit on J.C.
The mail fraud scheme took place between 2005 and 2009. Copeland-Jackson fraudulently obtained $62,440 in federal student financial aid by enrolling three relatives and five former inmates in college courses at online universities and then collecting their student aid checks. That case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education, and the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Copeland-Jackson falsified certain material information about the individuals purportedly entitled to the financial aid. He falsely listed his own address as that of the phony student, thus causing the student aid checks to be mailed directly to his apartment in the District of Columbia.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Director in Charge Smith, Special Agent in Charge Anderson and Inspector in Charge Barksdale commended the Special Agents and Postal Inspectors who investigated the cases.
They also praised those who worked on the matters from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Jamasee Lucas, Paralegal Specialists Diane Hayes and Tasha Harris and former Paralegal Specialist Mary Treanor. Finally, they acknowledged the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Mitzelfeld, who investigated and obtained an indictment in the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Haray, who prosecuted the case.
13-029District Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Arranging for Sexual Contact with A MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Patrick Henderson, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for arranging for a sexual contact with someone he believed to be a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Henderson pled guilty in October 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of arranging for a sexual contact with a real or fictitious child. He was sentenced by the Honorable Gladys Kessler. Following completion of his prison term, Henderson will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
According to the government's evidence, on Nov. 21, 2011, Henderson contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had entered a social network site. Over the next several days, Henderson engaged in online and telephone conversations with the undercover officer, whom he believed had access to an under-aged boy from Virginia. During this period of time, Henderson arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the boy.
On Nov. 30, 2011, Henderson traveled from his apartment, to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When he arrived at the meeting place, he was arrested.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Director in Charge Smith and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Julieanne Himelstein, who prosecuted the case.
13-030Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail from People on His Route-Carrier Took Cash, Items of Value-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronald Pretlow, 48, a former letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, pled guilty today to stealing mail containing checks and other items of value meant for people on his route, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Paul L. Bowman, Special Agent in Charge, Capital Metro Area Field Office, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Pretlow pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencing for May 3, 2013. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a fine. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the applicable range would be a maximum of 16 months of incarceration and a fine of up to $30,000. As part of the plea agreement, Pretlow also must pay $1,500 in restitution to a victim in the case.
According to a statement of offense signed by the government as well as the defendant, Pretlow began work in February 2003 as a letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. In 2012, he was assigned to the Lammond-Riggs Station, 6200 North Capitol Street.
In the spring of 2012, the Postal Service received numerous complaints about missing packages and greeting cards from citizens living in zip code 20011. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General began an investigation and determined that the complaints were coming from people who resided on Pretlow’s route. Agents conducted an investigation that revealed Pretlow failed to properly handle several pieces of mail.
Additionally, on July 26, 2012, a citizen contacted the Lammond-Riggs station and reported not having received a package containing $1,500 in cash. The citizen said that the sender had written the incorrect address on the package and used the Postal Service’s online tracking service to try to find it. The package, marked as delivered by “R. Pretlow,” has never been found. Pretlow’s restitution payment is to go to this victim.
Pretlow was arrested when he reported to work on Sept. 13, 2012. In a search, agents recovered currency contained in a letter that he had stolen the previous day. In a search of Pretlow’s personal vehicle, agents recovered more than 10 items of undelivered mail that were neither addressed to nor from the defendant. These items included more than $10,000 in uncashed checks, none of which noted Pretlow as the sender or intended recipient.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Bowman commended the work of Special Agents of the Postal Service Office of Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, Paralegal Specialist Lenisse Edloe, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, who is prosecuting the matter.
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