District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
PDS Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years for Gun Battle in Southeast Washington NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison in connection with a June 2023 shootout in a residential neighborhood in Southeast.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Armstead, aka “Smaut,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit street crew. He pleaded guilty Jan. 30, 2025, to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 120-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy B. Jackson ordered Armstead to serve four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on June 5, 2023, Armstead was in possession of a half-pound of marijuana and intended to sell it. About 3:15 p.m., Armstead — who was seated in the front passenger seat of a 2005 Nissan Altima near the intersection of Third and Atlantic Streets, SE — engaged in a gun battle with the driver of another car. During the shootout, Armstead fired a .300 caliber AR-Pistol from the passenger seat before the Altima he was riding in became disabled and crashed through a fence and stopped in a grassy area next to an apartment building on Atlantic Street.
Armstead, who suffered bullet wounds to his wrist and chest during the shootout, and the driver of the vehicle both fled on foot through a wooded area between Atlantic Street and Valley Avenue, stopping to discard the AR-Pistol in a trash receptacle. Responding MPD officers apprehended Armstead about 3:18 p.m. at the intersection of Fourth Street and Valley Avenue, SE, retraced Armstead’s steps, and found the AR-Pistol which was later determined to have Armstead’s DNA on it.
According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, SE, and operated an open-air drug market outside a market. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang. The combined gang also conspired to carry firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom they had “beefs.”
This sentence is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 26 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office's Cross Border Task Force, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
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New York Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kaziah Matthew White, 33, of Long Lake, New York, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison in connection with distributing child pornography after which he traveled to the District of Columbia for the purpose of engaging in sexual contact with a minor.
The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
White pleaded guilty Dec.18, 2024, in the District of Columbia to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered White to serve a lifetime term of supervised release.
According to court papers, on March 21, 2024, an undercover officer with the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in the District of Columbia was monitoring an online dating application. A user who called themselves “EarthenFireMD,” contacted the undercover officer, indicated he was staying in Clarksville, Maryland, and that he wanted to “meet n play” with the undercover officer’s purported 10-year-old boy. EarthenFireMD was later identified as the defendant.
“Broooo I’m only the area til the end of the month, would love to plan a playdate,” he wrote on a messaging application. “We can get lunch somewhere public first if u wanna feel out the vibe. And show u Im not a cop. Have an after school bonding sesh.” He indicated that boys between the ages of 5- to 14-years-old were his favorite.
Between March 22-25, 2024, the defendant sent the undercover officer more than 100 videos depicting the sexual abuse of chldren. During the chat, White agreed to meet the undercover officer and wrote that he would bring a “gift” for the child. He then sent a photograph of Spiderman-themed underwear, writing “They had a multipack.”
On March 28, 2024, White traveled from Clarksville, Maryland, to the District to meet with the undercover officer. Upon his arrival, White was in possession of Spiderman underwear consistent with the image of the underwear he previously had sent to the undercover officer. He was arrested on site.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by FBI-MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Bond.
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Possession of a Taurus Semiautomatic Pistol and a Glock 17 Nets Previously Convicted Felon 46 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Larnell Hutchinson, 25, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison in connection with possessing two pistols that he discarded as he led police on a foot chase in June 2024.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Hutchinson pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 46-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Hutchinson to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2024, at 6:51 p.m., MPD officers from the Violent Crime Suppression Division’s Robbery Suppression Unit were driving southbound on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. The plain clothes officers, dressed in tactical vests that identified them as police, spotted Hutchinson standing at a bus stop. When Hutchinson noticed the police vehicles approach, he appeared startled, began walking away from the bus stop, and reached for his waistband.
Hutchinson ran toward the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Dix Street, NE. Officers saw Hutchinson pull two firearms from his waistband and throw one of them into the intersection. Police apprehended Hutchinson on Dix Street. Following his arrest, police recovered a Taurus semi-automatic pistol, previously reported stolen, and loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition. Police also recovered a Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 12 rounds, that Hutchinson had dropped on the road.
Hutchinson has previous convictions for robbery while armed, attempt to commit robbery, and robbery.
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division’s Robbery Suppression Unit with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Fatal October Southeast ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andre Clark, 34, of the District, pleaded guilty yesterday to second-degree murder while armed for the October 2024 shooting of Leonard Taylor, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Clark’s guilty plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, calls for a range of 15-to-20 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release. Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2025.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on the morning of Oct. 20, 2024, the defendant walked out of a building on the 1500 block of 19th St., SE and towards the victim, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a gray sedan parked on that street. Clark walked up to the driver’s side of the car, leaned down towards the driver’s side window, and used his right hand to point a firearm at the victim. As the victim started to drive away, the defendant fired his gun at him, striking the victim in the back and killing him.
The defendant was located and arrested in Baltimore, Maryland, Dec. 19, 2024, and has been in custody since his arrest.
This case was investigated by officers, detectives, and other personnel of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bromwich.
Shooter Who Injured Stranger on a Metro Bus in March 2025 Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Javarry Peaks, 19, of the District, pleaded guilty Friday May 2nd, to the March 2025 shooting of a stranger while inside of a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority bus that was traveling along the V2 route, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department.
Peaks pleaded guilty in the Superior Court to aggravated assault while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3, 2025, before the Honorable Rainey Brandt. Peaks faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 8, 2025, Peaks and the victim both boarded a WMATA bus at the Anacostia metro station at approximately 9:30 p.m. Multiple other, unidentified people were also on the bus at the time. While the bus was driving along the V2 route, the victim began talking to Peaks while they were seated across from each other. When the defendant stood up to walk, the victim momentarily blocked him from proceeding. After a few seconds, the victim walked toward the front of the bus where the defendant was standing. Peaks and the victim then continued to move around the bus for the next several minutes. At 9:45 p.m., the victim attempted to push the defendant off the bus, at which point the defendant briefly exited the bus before boarding again and walking past the victim toward the back of the bus. Within approximately a minute, at 9:46 p.m., while the defendant was standing at the front of the bus near the bus operator, and the victim was behind him in the middle of the bus, the defendant asked the bus operator if he could get off. As soon as the bus operator opened the doors, the defendant reached into his left jacket pocket, spun around, and shot the victim, who was approximately two feet away, one time in the chest. The defendant then ran off the bus and away from the area.
Peaks was arrested March 25, 2025, and has been in custody ever since.
This case was investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Goldstein.
This enforcement action is part of President Donald J. Trump’s ‘Make DC Safe and Beautiful Again’ initiative
Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Killing of Man in GeorgetownRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ranje Reynolds, 28, of Beltsville, Maryland, was found guilty today by a jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges related to a shooting that took place on a January evening on M Street in Georgetown, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, as of Jan. 31, 2022, the defendant and Mr. Tarek Boothe were friends who had worked together for two years at the marijuana dispensary located at 1204 Eton Court. Despite their friendship, at some point earlier that evening, the defendant and Mr. Boothe got into a fight at the dispensary. Around 6:00 p.m., Mr. Boothe left the dispensary and went to the corner of 33rd and M Street N.W., where he was waiting for his ride home. The defendant followed Mr. Boothe and sat next to Mr. Boothe as Mr. Boothe was waiting for his ride. The defendant then left briefly and returned seconds later to shoot Mr. Boothe in the eye, killing him. The defendant fled to Jamaica on Feb. 3, 2022. He was returned to the United States to face criminal charges on Sept. 15, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natalie Hynum and Jessica Keefer.
District Felon Sentenced for Distributing ‘Boot,’ Illegal Possession of a PistolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Parker, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27-months in prison in connection with distributing the designer synthetic stimulant called “boot” near a school and for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the United States Park Police, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Parker pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute N, N-Dimethylpentylone near schools and to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 27-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Parker to serve 72 months of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2023, about 8:30 p.m., USPP officers saw an unidentified male approach Parker near 7th and H Streets, about 400 feet from a school, and hand Parker an unknown amount of cash. Parker then handed the male an unknown quantity of white powder. Officers followed Parker into a nearby drug store, stopped him, and arrested him.
During a search, officers recovered a loaded Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol that Parker had tucked in his pants. Parker previously was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license.
In addition, police recovered a clear-knotted plastic bag which contained a white rock-like substance weighing 54.6 grams. a plastic bag that contained 75 clear capsules filled with a white rock-like substance, six purple capsules each containing a white rock-like substance, and $211 in cash. The rock-like substance was sent to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab for analysis. The bag containing the 54.6 grams of a white rock-like substance tested positive for N, N-Dimethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance.
This case was investigated by U.S. Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Cole.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into an Armed Individual Fatally Shot by PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On Feb. 18, 2025, a 29-year-old District resident, S.Z., died after being shot by the police. The officers encountered S.Z., who brandished a knife as he attempted to carjack a woman, and they fatally shot him.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, Metro Bus footage, BWC footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, autopsy results, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, at about 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 18, 2025, S.Z. intentionally drove his vehicle into a MPD cruiser as it was waiting at a red light at an intersection on Georgia Avenue. S.Z. exited his vehicle, brandished a knife, and menaced the officer driving the cruiser. The officer fired a single shot that resulted in a minor injury to S.Z.’s shoulder. S.Z. ran down Georgia Avenue as other officers responded to the scene. S.Z. ignored the officers’ commands to drop the knife and get on the ground. S.Z. eventually charged at a woman sitting in a parked vehicle and attempted to carjack her. S.Z. attempted to stab the woman with the knife after S.Z. opened the driver’s door. An MPD officer discharged his firearm at S.Z. and he fell to the ground. Despite life saving efforts, S.Z. died on the scene.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated S.Z.’s rights.
Investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
Owner of Unlicensed D.C. Row House Sentenced in the Deaths of Two People in Fatal Kennedy Street FireRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James G. Walker, 67, of the District, was sentenced today to more than 35 years in prison for the Aug. 2019 row house fire that caused the deaths of Fitsum Kebede and Yafet Solomen. This case was jointly tried by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Brian L. Schwalb, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division Anthony Spotswood, Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr.
Walker was found guilty of second-degree murder and multiple criminal building code violations on Feb. 20, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelmen sentenced Walker to five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Walker owned commercial property located at 708 Kennedy St., NW. Walker did not have a certificate of occupancy for the building and the structure was in violation of several fire safety codes. Walker operated the building as an illegal “rooming house.” Some of the building’s rooms were too small to be considered habitable space, some had no windows, and the defendant failed to install or maintain functional smoke alarms throughout the building, including the basement. The most egregious violation, however, was the failure to provide an unobstructed means to escape the property, which included erecting multiple security gates that required keys from both sides, the worst offense being a double-keyed security gate installed within the property that blocked access from the kitchen to the front door. Importantly, the defendant had received specific warnings on March 21, 2019, from the Metropolitan Police Department, that the building was in violation of several building codes specifically related to fire safety and hazardous conditions. He was instructed to correct the conditions and have the building inspected for residential use but did nothing.
On the morning of Aug. 18, 2019, a fire erupted in the basement of 708 Kennedy St. Three tenants were present at the time of the fire. Fitsum Kebede, 40, and Yafet Solomen, 10, were in the basement and were unable to exit the premises. They subsequently died from thermal burns and smoke inhalation. The government’s evidence was that the defendant’s knowledge of the danger posed by the conditions of the property and his conscious disregard of the extreme risk that death or serious bodily injury could occur were the but-for cause of the deaths of the decedents.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, ATF Special Agent in Charge Spotswood, MPD Chief Smith, and Fire and EMS Chief Donnelly, commended the work of the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force that investigated the case, including MPD, ATF, and Fire and EMS. They also credited the work of Homicide Section Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke, Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Yvonne Bryant, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory IT Specialists Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce, IT Project Manager Deon Williams, Supervisory IT Specialist Giovanni Harrison, Support Services Supervisor Alvon Brown, and Legal Assistant Patricia Wills Gonzalez. In addition, they congratulated and thanked DC Fire Department Battalion Chief Stephen Faulkner; Habtom Tekle and Jimmie Drummond of Drummond Projects.
Additionally, they thanked the Office of the Attorney General team of Elizabeth Wieser, Peter Saba, Jose Marrero, and John Roberts for their support in this joint trial. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Vinet Bryant, Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Cargill and Assistant Attorney General Keith Ingram who prosecuted the case.
Jilted Boyfriend Gets 50 Years for Killing Ex-Girlfriend in 2021Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Idrissa Fall, 37, of the District, was sentenced today to 50 years in prison for the July 2021 murder of his ex-girlfriend outside of her home in Northwest, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On Jan. 22, 2025, a Superior Court jury found Fall guilty of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Fall to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, just before 1:30 a.m. on July 18, 2021, the victim, Dara Northern, walked out of her home and headed towards her best friend’s car for a night on the town. When the victim left her home, Fall followed her. Ms. Northern had recently broken up with Fall and kicked him out of her home. As the victim got into the front seat of her friend’s waiting vehicle, Fall started reaching for his waistband. As Ms. Northern closed the door, Fall shot her in the head as she sat next to her best friend and fled the scene. Ms. Northern suffered one gunshot wound to her right eye. She was declared brain dead that same day and died as a result of her injuries.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen and Latrice Washington-Williams; Paralegal Specialists Alyssa Schroeder and Sharon Newman; and Litigation Technology Specialist Sigourney Jackson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian L. Hinson and Yasmin Emrani, who prosecuted the case.
D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Claws Back $1 Million in USAID Overbilling CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stax Inc., a private consulting based in Boston, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations it overbilled the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in claims for salary reimbursement in the implementation of the U.S. Government funded Sri Lanka@100 project.
This matter came to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the USAID Office of the Inspector General which found that Stax overbilled USAID more than $850,000 by inflating its employee salary costs.
During an administrative audit, it was discovered that Stax put hidden profit in its proposed salary for its employees. This hidden profit violated the terms of the cooperative agreement entered into by USAID, and further was in direct contradiction to expressed statements to Stax informing them that they were not to get any profit from this cooperative agreement.
During the investigation, Stax was bought out by another company that immediately began to cooperate with the investigation and instituted remedial measures. The new company fired the official who directed that the profit be hidden in the salaries, revamped Stax’s compliance procedures, and placed new personnel with extensive compliance experience into leadership positions. As a result of the earned cooperation credit, the parties agreed to settle for 1.2 times the single damages for a settlement total of $1 million.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and USAID Office of the Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez of the District of Columbia and Special Agents Michael Pak and Kristopher Nordeen of the USAID Office of the Inspector General.
The settlement agreement is not an admission of facts or liability by Stax Inc. but does resolve the disputed overbilling claims.
D.C. Felon Indicted After Officers Find Firearm in VehicleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerone D. Robinson, 48, a resident of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. The initiative prioritizes federal firearms violations, seeks tougher penalties for offenders, and aims to detain dangerous individuals facing federal firearms charges.
Robinson is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, MPD officers were conducting proactive patrols on Benning Road NE when they observed an unattended, running vehicle. Officers noted a sole occupant, later identified as Robinson, sitting in the driver’s seat. Through the windshield, an officer spotted a firearm on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat.
Robinson was detained without incident. Officers secured the firearm, which was identified as a loaded, Glock-style semi-automatic handgun.
Officers also observed a Styrofoam cup containing a yellow liquid with the odor of alcohol in the center console. When questioned, Robinson admitted it was “a mixed drink.” He was arrested and transported to the Fifth District Station.
A background check confirmed the firearm was not legally registered, that Robinson lacked a license to carry, and that he is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Raytheon Companies and Nightwing Group to Pay $8.4M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Non-Compliance with Cybersecurity Requirements in Federal ContractsRead the Press Release
Raytheon Company (Raytheon), RTX Corporation, and Nightwing Group LLC, and Nightwing Intelligence Solutions LLC (collectively, Nightwing), have agreed to pay $8.4 million to resolve allegations that Raytheon violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts or subcontracts involving the Department of Defense (DoD). Raytheon is a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based defense contractor RTX Corporation (formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation). In March 2024, RTX Corporation sold its Cybersecurity, Intelligence, and Services business, which since became part of Dulles, Virginia-based Nightwing. The settlement resolves conduct that allegedly occurred between 2015 and 2021, prior to Nightwing’s acquisition of the business.
The settlement was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service Cyber Field Office, Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross, NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office.
“Cyber threats have grown in size and reach in recent years, leaving no room for complacency among those in the public sector, private sector, or even among private citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Government contractors must comply with the cybersecurity rules that govern their performance and be candid about their compliance. This settlement reflects the Government’s commitment to pursue contractors that fail to live up to those expectations.”
“As cyber threats continue to evolve, it is critical that defense contractors take the required steps to protect sensitive government information from bad actors,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We will continue our efforts to hold contractors accountable when they fail to honor their DoD cybersecurity commitments.”
The settlement resolves allegations that Raytheon and its then-subsidiary Raytheon Cyber Solutions, Inc. (RCSI), failed to implement required cybersecurity controls on an internal development system that was used to perform unclassified work on certain DoD contracts. The United States alleged that Raytheon and RCSI failed to develop and implement a system security plan for the system, as required by DoD cybersecurity regulations, and failed to ensure that the system complied with other cybersecurity requirements contained in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012 and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204-21. FAR 52.204-21 requires federal contractors to apply basic safeguarding requirements to information systems that process or store federal contract information. DFARS 252.204-7012 requires contractors to provide adequate security for information systems that process or store covered defense information. The settlement resolved allegations that Raytheon used its noncompliant internal system to develop, use, or store covered defense information and federal contract information during its performance on 29 DoD contracts and subcontracts.
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, is steadfastly committed to upholding the integrity of all business systems used to process and store defense information,” said Special Agent in Charge DeChellis of the DCIS Cyber Field Office. “DCIS, along with our investigative partners, will continue to protect our service members and military technological edge by ensuring defense contractors strictly adhere to their cyber security contractual obligations.”
“Failure to implement cybersecurity requirements can have devastating consequences, leaving sensitive DoD data vulnerable to cyber threats and malicious actors,” said Special Agent in Charge William Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Procurement Fraud Office, Andrew AFB, Md. “AFOSI, alongside our investigative partners and the Department of Justice, will continue to combat fraud affecting the Department of the Air Force and hold those accountable that fail to properly safeguard sensitive defense information.”
“This settlement further demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office.”
“Strict compliance with contractual cybersecurity requirements is of dire importance to adequately safeguard sensitive information from sophisticated adversaries, assure the safety of our warfighters, and maintain our military’s competitive edge,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross, NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our federal partners remain committed to investigating entities that do not responsibly protect critical information entrusted to them.”
The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Branson Kenneth Fowler, Sr., a former Director of Engineering with Raytheon, to receive a $1,512,000 share of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Doe v. Raytheon Co. et al., No. 21-cv-2343 (D.D.C.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Air Force Materiel Command, AFOSI, DCIS, NCIS, and Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez of the District of Columbia and Senior Trial Counsel Kimberly Friday of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Raytheon Companies and Nightwing Group to Pay $8.4 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Non-Compliance with Cybersecurity Requirements in Federal ContractsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Raytheon Company (Raytheon), RTX Corporation, and Nightwing Group, LLC, and Nightwing Intelligence Solutions, LLC (collectively, Nightwing), have agreed to pay $8.4 million to resolve allegations that Raytheon violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts or subcontracts involving the Department of Defense (DoD). Raytheon is a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based defense contractor RTX Corporation (formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation). In March 2024, RTX Corporation sold its Cybersecurity, Intelligence, and Services business, which since became part of Dulles, Virginia-based Nightwing. The settlement resolves conduct that allegedly occurred between 2015 and 2021, prior to Nightwing’s acquisition of the business.
The settlement was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service Cyber Field Office, Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross, NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office.
“Cyber threats have grown in size and reach in recent years, leaving no room for complacency among those in the public sector, private sector, or even among private citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “Government contractors must comply with the cybersecurity rules that govern their performance and be candid about their compliance. This settlement reflects the Government’s commitment to pursue contractors that fail to live up to those expectations.”
“As cyber threats continue to evolve, it is critical that defense contractors take the required steps to protect sensitive government information from bad actors,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Roth. “We will continue our efforts to hold contractors accountable when they fail to honor their DoD cybersecurity commitments.”
The settlement resolves allegations that Raytheon and its then-subsidiary Raytheon Cyber Solutions, Inc. (RCSI), failed to implement required cybersecurity controls on an internal development system that was used to perform unclassified work on certain DoD contracts. The United States alleged that Raytheon and RCSI failed to develop and implement a system security plan for the system, as required by DoD cybersecurity regulations, and failed to ensure that the system complied with other cybersecurity requirements contained in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012 and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204-21. FAR 52.204-21 requires federal contractors to apply basic safeguarding requirements to information systems that process or store federal contract information. DFARS 252.204-7012 requires contractors to provide adequate security for information systems that process or store covered defense information. The settlement resolved allegations that Raytheon used its noncompliant internal system to develop, use, or store covered defense information and federal contract information during its performance on 29 DoD contracts and subcontracts.
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General, is steadfastly committed to upholding the integrity of all business systems used to process and store defense information,” said DCIS Cyber Field Office Special Agent in Charge DeChellis. “DCIS, along with our investigative partners, will continue to protect our service members and military technological edge by ensuring defense contractors strictly adhere to their cyber security contractual obligations.”
“Failure to implement cybersecurity requirements can have devastating consequences, leaving sensitive DoD data vulnerable to cyber threats and malicious actors,” said Special Agent in Charge William Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Procurement Fraud Office, Andrew AFB, Md. “AFOSI, alongside our investigative partners and the Department of Justice, will continue to combat fraud affecting the Department of the Air Force and hold those accountable that fail to properly safeguard sensitive defense information.”
“This settlement further demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office.”
“Strict compliance with contractual cybersecurity requirements is of dire importance to adequately safeguard sensitive information from sophisticated adversaries, assure the safety of our warfighters, and maintain our military’s competitive edge,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross, NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our federal partners remain committed to investigating entities that do not responsibly protect critical information entrusted to them.”
The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, Branson Kenneth Fowler, Sr., a former Director of Engineering with Raytheon, to receive a $1,512,000 share of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Doe v. Raytheon Co., et al., No. 21-cv-2343 (D.D.C.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Air Force Materiel Command, AFOSI, DCIS, NCIS, and Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez of the District of Columbia and Senior Trial Counsel Kimberly Friday of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Make DC Safe Again Initiative Continues to Build MomentumRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office brought federal firearms charges against 24 defendants in the month of April —more than twice the monthly average since January 2021— and bringing the total number of firearms prosecutions under the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative to 42 since its inception, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged 24 defendants with federal firearms offenses. This marks the highest number of case adoptions since before January 2021. The surge has taken more dangerous offenders off the streets. Examples of these cases include:
- Baltimore Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge Following Foot Chase in Southeast
- Arrest in Chinatown Results in Illegal Firearm Charge
- Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm Charge
- District Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Arrest in Northeast D.C.
- Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm Following Arrest in Southeast
Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Possession of Firearm and Distribution Quantities of PCP Net Felon a 72-Month Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Eugene Taylor, 36, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 72-months in prison for being in illegal possession of a semiautomatic pistol and distribution quantities of PCP.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Taylor pleaded guilty on Oct. 1, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and unlawful possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Taylor to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on August 11, 2023, members of the MPD’s Seventh District Crime Suppression Team were patrolling in a marked vehicle along the 300 block of Livingston Terrace, SE. The area is known to be a high-crime area, where crimes with firearms and gunshots are routinely reported. As the officers were driving, they passed Taylor and another male standing on the 4300 block of 3rd St., SE. Taylor was wearing a black satchel across his torso. One of the officers noticed a distinct L-shaped bulge protruding from the satchel.
The officers made a U-turn to talk with him. As they pulled up, the officers noticed that Taylor had moved the satchel and turned his body to obscure their view of the bag. Officers asked Taylor if he had a gun and if he would fold his bag in half. Taylor replied, “No, I live right here” and pointed to a nearby house. Officers exited their marked car to get a better look at the satchel. Taylor immediately fled into the building. Officers followed, found Taylor standing in front of an apartment door, and cuffed him. An officer opened the satchel and found a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P 9 2.0 9mm, semiautomatic pistol with 21 rounds loaded in its extended magazine. The officer also recovered from the satchel three vials of liquid phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP. The quantity of PCP was indicative of distribution rather than personal use.
Taylor has a previous felony conviction for illegal possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Seventh District Crime Suppression Team and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
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Federal Gun Charge Filed Against Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Antoine Gatling, 32, of the District of Columbia, was indicted yesterday in U.S. District Court, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. A man convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in 2011was indicted yesterday on firearms and ammunition charges by a federal grand jury in Washington D.C.
According to court documents, Gatling, who was previously convicted of robbery, was arrested in Southeast Washington D.C. on March 1, 2024, after a 911 caller requested police assistance regarding a burglary in progress at an apartment located at 4500 3rd St. SE. The caller specified that an individual wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black and white shoes was armed with a handgun and appeared to be attempting to break into a first-floor apartment within the apartment complex. Within minutes, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived at the location, identified Gatling, who matched the description of the 9-1-1 caller and was found just outside of the location of the attempted burglary, and detained him. After conducting a protective pat-down for safety, officers felt what they believed to be a firearm in a satchel strapped across Gatling’s back, and ultimately removed a Llama Especial .380. Officers later identified a round of 9mm ammunition as well as a 9mm magazine on Gatling’s person as well. Further investigation revealed that Gatling had been convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Prince George’s County Circuit Court. As a person who had been convicted of a criminal charge carrying a sentence of at least a year, Gatling was prohibited from possessing either the firearm or ammunition.
The charge carries a statutory maximum of 15 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the MPD and the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Convicted Robber Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Ricky Howard, 32, of the District of Columbia, was indicted yesterday in U.S. District Court, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Howard, who was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in 2013, was arrested on June 10, 2024, after a 911 call requested police assistance in a domestic dispute in Northeast Washington D.C. When Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived, they observed Howard carrying a rifle in his hands. Howard, however, entered his residence with the rifle before the officers could investigate. When he exited the residence a few minutes later, Howard walked to a black Jeep that was registered to his wife, opened the passenger side door, and walked toward the front passenger’s side of the Jeep. Officers investigated the area and discovered a black firearm underneath the Jeep near the front passenger’s side tire. Howard’s DNA was found on the firearm. As a person who had been convicted of a criminal charge carrying a sentence of at least a year, Howard was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Further investigation revealed that Howard had been convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Circuit Court for Prince George’s Court, as well as threatening or intimidating a witness. Both charges carry a potential sentence of at least a year of incarceration.
This case is being investigated by the MPD and the ATF Washington Field Division.
The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
28-Month Prison Term for Felon Who Twice Possessed FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deionta Person, 27, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 28 months in federal prison in connection with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the United States Park Police (USPP), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Person pleaded guilty on Jan. 15, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 28-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Person to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2021, USPP officers observed four individuals, including Person, exit a vehicle and walk towards an apartment complex located in the 2600 block of Douglass Place, SE. As the officers attempted to stop the quartet, Person ran away. At the back of the apartment building on the 2700 block of Douglass Place, Person discarded a black Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. USPP subsequently recovered this firearm.
On December 1, 2023, MPD officers observed Person seated in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked on the 2700 block of Douglas Place, SE. As MPD officers attempted to speak to Person, he fled on foot down the sidewalk and discarded a Glock 30 .45 caliber handgun modified with a machine gun conversion device, loaded with 25 rounds.
In June of 2018, Person was convicted of robbery in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and sentenced to 15 years in prison with 12 years suspended.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Song.
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U.S. Attorney Martin Encourages Staff to Attend May 14 Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – President Donald J. Trump’s U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia said he hoped his staff and partners with his office would participate with him at the 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program.
“This year’s theme is ‘Courage Cannot Be Silenced,’ and the keynote speaker is Holocaust survivor Eugene Bergman, whose personal story is a compelling reminder of the horrors of the Shoah.
“In 1939, Bergman, a native of Poznan, Poland, was moved with his family to Lodz, as part of the Nazi ghetto policies, and there a German soldier struck him with the butt of his rifle as he was in the street with other children,” Martin said.
“Five days later, Bergman woke up from a coma completely deaf,” he said.
“For the rest of the war, Bergman was shuttled between ghettos and camps as the Nazis pursued their so-called ‘final solution,” he said.
After the war, Bergman threw himself into his education, becoming a master of five languages and the first deaf individual to earn a PhD in English.
“Bergman’s life story is full of sorrow and survival, but always in the context of his own courage that could not be silenced,” Martin said.
The program will be held Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Main Building.
The Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program started at the U.S. Department of Education in 1994 to commemorate the Congressional Days of Remembrance—an annual, national, and civic commemoration of the Holocaust. This year’s program also coincides with both Jewish American Heritage Month and the 80th anniversary of U.S. troops liberating Nazi concentration camps.
For more information, please visit the Federal Inter-Agency Holocaust Remembrance Program. Sign-language interpretation will be provided.
Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged for Operating Global Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Leonidas Varagiannis, also known as “War,” 21, a citizen of the United States residing in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, also known as “Trippy,” 20, of North Carolina, were arrested and charged for operating an international child exploitation enterprise known as “764,” a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network. Varagiannis was arrested yesterday in Greece; Nepal was arrested on April 22, 2025, in North Carolina and had a court appearance. Court hearings in Washington, D.C. are pending for both defendants.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the New York Field Office.
According to the affidavit in the District of Columbia, 764 is a network of nihilistic violent extremists who engage in criminal conduct in the United States and abroad, seeking to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government.
As alleged, the defendants engaged in a coordinated criminal enterprise and led a core subgroup within 764 known as 764 Inferno, operated through encrypted messaging applications. As alleged, they directed, participated in, and otherwise caused the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the defendants facilitated the grooming, manipulation, and extortion of minors. Veragiannis and Nepal allegedly ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors. The affidavit alleges that the group targeted vulnerable children online, coercing them into producing degrading and explicit content under threat and manipulation. This content includes “cut signs” and “blood signs” through which young girls would cut symbols into their bodies.
The defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the CSAM and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which NVEs used as digital currency within the 764 network — traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network. The affidavit also details how the defendants instructed others members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.
Also according to the complaint affidavit, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025, with core leadership roles attributed to both defendants throughout the period.
“The allegations in this case are not only disturbing, they are also every parent’s nightmare” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “The number of victims allegedly exploited by these defendants, and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands that our response be swift in order to ensure public safety, hold the wrongdoers accountable, and bring the victims some sense of closure so they can heal.”
“These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered – a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Bondi. “We will find those who exploit and abuse children, prosecute them, and dismantle every part of their operation.”
“The charges against these subjects represent our resolve to dismantle violent networks that seek to destroy civilized society,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Our work is not done until justice is restored for all impacted victims.”
“Prasan Nepal, a leader of 764, allegedly instructed other members of the network to use explicit material to induce and extort victims into producing child exploitative content,” said Assistant Director in Charge Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “Manipulating the most vulnerable members of society—our children—to produce sexually harmful material to further their depraved goals is unconscionable. The FBI is determined to do whatever necessary to stop the heinous actions of 764 members and hold them accountable in the justice system.”
“These arrests expose one of the most disturbing online child exploitation networks we’ve ever encountered,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “A group that glorified violence, weaponized abuse, and targeted children to advance a deeply depraved ideology. Through the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the NYPD is proud to have partnered with federal and international authorities to dismantle this horrific operation and protect the most vulnerable among us.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and New York Field Office with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office, the FBI Athens (Greece) Legal Attaché Office and the Hellenic National Police (HNP) .
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Hughes, Karen Ditzler Shinskie, and Jack Korba for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli, Kristina Hamil, and Jorge Casillas provided assistance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina provided invaluable assistance.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former State Department Budget Analyst Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $650,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Levita Almuete Ferrer, 64, of Montgomery Village, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $650,000 from the U.S. State Department over a two-year period.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Brockschmidt of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Inspector General, and Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Special Investigations.
As part of her guilty plea, Ferrer, who is also known as Levita Brezovic, admitted that she abused her signature authority over a State Department checking account between March 2022 and April 2024 while working as a Senior Budget Analyst in the State Department’s Office of the Chief of Protocol. She issued 60 checks payable to herself and three checks payable to another individual with whom she had a personal relationship. She printed and signed each check and then deposited all 63 checks, which totaled $657,347.50, into her personal checking and savings accounts.
Ferrer attempted to conceal her scheme by using a common Quickbooks account at the State Department. After entering her name as the payee on checks in Quickbooks and then printing them, she often changed the listed payee in Quickbooks from herself to an actual State Department vendor. As a result, anyone viewing those entries in the Quickbooks system did not see Ferrer’s name as the payee on the checks unless they accessed an audit trail.
U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper accepted Ferrer’s guilty plea to theft of government property and set a sentencing date for September 18, 2025. Ferrer faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Judge Cooper will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
As part of her plea agreement, Ferrer agreed to pay $657,347.50 in restitution to the U.S. government. She also agreed to be liable for a forfeiture money judgment in that same amount.
This case was investigated by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General and Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sona Chaturvedi. Essential investigatory work was conducted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Orville of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
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Baltimore Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge Following Foot Chase in SoutheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dion Zellars, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Zellars is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, MPD officers assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Suppression Team recovered a firearm following a foot pursuit of a suspect in Southeast Washington.
At approximately 4:25 p.m., officers patrolling in the 4200 block of Southern Avenue, Southeast observed a group of individuals. One individual, later identified as the defendant, separated himself from the group upon seeing the marked MPD patrol cruiser. Officers noted that the defendant appeared evasive and attempted to conceal himself behind a parked SUV.
As officers approached to investigate, they observed the defendant looking back at them and pretending to speak on a phone. Officers then saw the defendant clutch an item in his waistband before suddenly fleeing on foot. Officers gave chase and during the pursuit, observed the defendant discard a black firearm into a backyard.
The defendant was apprehended shortly thereafter in another backyard. The firearm was recovered and determined to be a Glock.
The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lawrence Barclay is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr. Highlights Successful Local Prosecutions During First 100 DaysRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. marked his first 100 days in the office by highlighting a 25 percent drop, year-to-date, in violent crime across the District.
“This office is working diligently and collaboratively to achieve a lower rate in violent crime and in crime, across the board, for the residents and visitors to our nation’s capital,” said Martin.
Martin is a member of the President Trump’s “Make DC Safe and Beautiful” Task Force.
According to data provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, robberies have declined by 30 percent and homicides have decreased, year-to-date in 2025.
“I am proud of the tireless work that the people in this office do, day in and day out, to serve this community and their country,” Martin said.
The Office has brought charges in D.C. Superior Court against individuals who committed violent crimes against law enforcement officers, near neighborhood schools, and other violent acts. Recent cases include:
- Fifth Defendant Charged in March 11 Assault on Metropolitan Police Department Officers
- Charges Filed in Assault on Metro Transit Police Officer
- Armed Robber Who Also Assaulted a Correctional Officer Gets 104 Month Prison Term
- Two Teens Indicted on Charges of Assault with Intent to Kill and Other Charges After Opening Fire Near High School
- D.C. Man Admits to 2023 Killing at a Navy Yard Metro Station
- Sexual Assaulted Aboard Metro Train Yields Prison Term
- 35-Year Sentence for Man Convicted of 2023 Stranger Rape and Kidnapping That Followed Robbery Attempt
For more information on the cases being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, go to: www.justice.gov/usao-dc, or follow us on social media: Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Maryland Resident with Prior Domestic Violence Conviction Indicted for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Forbes, 30, of Suitland, Maryland, has been indicted on federal firearms charges as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Forbes is charged in an indictment in federal court with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon; one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; and one count of unlawful discharge of a firearm.
According to court documents, on April 5, 2025, at approximately 5:42 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to the 1800 block of A Street SE after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire. Upon arrival, officers observed a man, later identified as Forbes, matching the suspect description. Officers located Forbes several blocks away on Independence Avenue SE and conducted a protective pat-down.
During the encounter, officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber handgun from his waistband. The weapon was loaded with 2 rounds, including one in the chamber. Shell casings found near the scene matched the firearm’s caliber. Forbes was arrested on the scene.
A review of law enforcement databases revealed that Forbes had a prior felony robbery conviction in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 2024, and an active extraditable warrant for failure to appear related to that case. He also had a non-extraditable warrant out of Florida stemming from a prior conviction for discharging a firearm in public.
Forbes was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to his felony conviction and his prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged for Operating Global Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Note: View the criminal complaint.
Leonidas Varagiannis, also known as War, 21, a citizen of the United States residing in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, also known as Trippy, 20, of High Point, North Carolina, are charged for their crimes operating an international child exploitation enterprise in connection with a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network known as 764. Nepal was arrested on April 22 in North Carolina. Varagiannis was arrested yesterday in Greece.
According to the affidavit unsealed today in the District of Columbia, 764 is a violent online network that seeks to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government.
“These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered — a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will find those who exploit and abuse children, prosecute them, and dismantle every part of their operation.”
“These defendants allegedly recruited others to exploit children and created a guide for the disgusting online content they wanted,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let me be very clear about our efforts. The FBI and our partners are determined to protect juveniles from predators, and we will track down and hold accountable those who engage in these criminal activities. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the Department of Justice to bring justice to the victims of such cruel abuse.”
“The allegations in this case are not only disturbing, they are also every parent’s nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “The number of victims allegedly exploited by these defendants, and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands that our response be swift in order to ensure public safety, hold the wrongdoers accountable, and bring the victims some sense of closure so they can heal.”
As alleged, the defendants engaged in a coordinated criminal enterprise and led a core subgroup within 764 known as 764 Inferno, operated through encrypted messaging applications. As alleged, they directed, participated in, and otherwise caused the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the defendants facilitated the grooming, manipulation, and extortion of minors. Varagiannis and Nepal allegedly ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors. The affidavit alleges that the group targeted vulnerable children online, coercing them into producing degrading and explicit content under threat and manipulation. This content includes “cut signs” and “blood signs” through which young minors would cut symbols into their bodies.
The defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the CSAM and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which NVEs used as digital currency within the 764 network — traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network. The affidavit also details how the defendants instructed other members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, the defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.
Also according to the complaint affidavit, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025, with core leadership roles attributed to both defendants throughout the period.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Washington Field Office and the FBI New York Field Office are investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office, the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the FBI Athens (Greece) Legal Attaché Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided crucial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Hughes, Karen Ditzler Shinskie, and Jack Korba for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli, Kristina Hamil, and Jorge Casillas.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former USDA Program Director Pleads Guilty in $400,000 Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kirk Perry, 60, a former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program director, pleaded guilty today in connection with a kickback scheme in which he and his nephew, Jamarea Grant, 31, of Cleveland, Ohio, conspired to bill the government nearly $400,000 for work that Grant did not actually perform.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Jeldrys Lowry of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Perry, of Lorain, Ohio, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to conspiracy to commit money, property, and honest services wire fraud. Grant previously pleaded guilty on Nov. 27, 2024, to the same charge. Judge Kollar-Kotelly will determine any sentences for Perry and Grant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4, 2025. Grant’s sentencing is pending.
In pleading guilty, Perry and Grant admitted that, from August 2015 through November 2022, Perry, who at the time was serving as a USDA Program Director, arranged for Grant to be hired by two companies under contract with the USDA Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Grant reported directly to Perry, who also approved the invoices billing for Grant’s time, and the two of them conspired to bill the government for work that Grant did not perform.
Grant received nearly $400,000 for work he did not do. Perry also had access to Grant’s bank account. As part of the criminal scheme Perry transferred approximately $125,000 of the USDA payments from Grant’s account to his own account.
This case was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General Sensitive Investigations Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Maeghan Mikorski.
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U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr. Credits President Trump’s First 100 Days with 25% Drop in D.C. Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia is marking President Donald J. Trump's first 100 days by highlighting a 25 percent drop year-to-date in violent crime across the District, credited in part to the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative and the U.S. Attorney’s partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Metropolitan Police Department.
"Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and the efforts of our 'Make D.C. Safe Again' initiative, the District has seen a significant decline in violent crime," said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.
"We are proving that strong enforcement and smart policies can make our communities safer,” he said.
“When President Trump chose me to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, he could have picked anybody, but he picked me, because he knew I am committed to preparing the nation’s capital for America 250, when we welcome the rest of the country and the rest of the world to celebrate America’s founding,” Martin said.
Martin is also a member of the president’s “Making DC Safe and Beautiful” Task Force.
“Violent crime often negatively impacts an entire community, and the victims are often left to pick up the broken pieces. It is our job to ensure that there are far fewer victims, and more people are held accountable for the crimes they commit,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood.
“The safety of our communities is our number one priority, and our actions will continue to reflect just how committed we are. We remain in lockstep with our law enforcement partners as well as the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that people who arbitrarily engage in acts of violence are prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.”
According to data provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, total violent crime has declined by 25 percent year-to-date in 2025, with significant decreases in robberies, assaults with a dangerous weapon, and homicides.
In March of 2025, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. launched 'Make D.C. Safe Again', a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has brought federal firearms charges against 35 defendants since the launch of the 'Make D.C. Safe Again' initiative.
Recent cases include:
- Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm Charge.
- District Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Arrest in Northeast D.C.
- Indictment Charges Maryland Man with Illegal Possession of a Firearm.
- Felon with Firearm Indicted After Arrest for Committing Lewd Act in Northeast.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alleged Purse Thief Charged with Robbery, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, a Chilean National who is in the U.S. illegally, was arrested on April 26, 2025, on a criminal complaint charging wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery in connection with three purse snatchings in the District and the unauthorized use of victim credit cards.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
An initial appearance in U.S. District Court is pending. Bustamante Leiva appeared in Superior Court today on an unrelated fugitive warrant. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against him.
According to court documents, on April 12, 2025, a victim reported to MPD that her purse was stolen from the back of her chair while she was dining at Nando’s restaurant, in the 800 block of F Street, NW. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect who appeared to be acting in concert with a second individual (Suspect 2). An unauthorized transaction totaling more than $500 was made using the victim’s credit card.
On April 17, 2025, a victim at the Westin Hotel, in the 900 block of 9th Street, NW, reported her purse had been stolen while it was hanging on the back of her chair, while she was having dinner. Two unauthorized transactions for more than $400 were made using the victim’s credit card.
On April 20, 2025, a third victim, who was dining at the Capital Burger restaurant in the 1000 block of 7th Street, NW, reported that her purse, which she had placed at her feet while dining, had gone missing. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect, who made unauthorized transactions, totaling more than $200, using the victim’s credit card. The victim also lost cash and personal documents.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Secret Service working in concert with the Metropolitan Police Department, this alleged thief was quickly identified, arrested, and, with the deft management of the Assistant US Attorney, charged,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“We began this investigation with only a grainy security video of a masked offender,” said U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Matt McCool. “The subsequent arrests in this case are a testament to the extraordinary investigative work by the analysts and special agents of the Washington Field Office, the USSS Uniformed Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. We also received valuable assistance from our partners at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that on April 19, 2025, Bustamante Leiva had reported a robbery to Montgomery County (MD) Police, claiming a bag containing his belongings were stolen from him while he was asleep on a bench.
On April 26, 2025, law enforcement from the U.S. Secret Service and MPD went to a location where Bustamante Leiva was staying, located him, and placed him under arrest. Following his arrest, law enforcement interviewed Bustamante Leiva in connection with the purse thefts.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
U.S. Attorney Martin Sends Letter to Green Theory Pot Dispensary for Violation of Federal LawRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., of the District of Columbia, sent a letter to the owners and operators of Green Theory, a city-permitted marijuana dispensary located at 4828 MacArthur Blvd., NW, for operating within 1,000 feet of several area schools.
“I am concerned that you are in violation of federal laws, which are intended to protect children. To that end, the need to address this issue is serious,” Martin said.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia wrote the letter in response to neighborhood concerns expressed to him from parents and other residents regarding the dispensary operating within 1,000 feet of several schools, including: Our Lady of Victory Catholic School, the River School, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School and Little Ivies preschool.
“As you likely know, there are numerous federal laws governing and even prohibiting the distribution and possession of marijuana, including provisions of the Controlled Substances Act,” he said.
“Your dispensary appears to be operating in violation of federal law, and the Department of Justice has the authority to enforce federal law even when such activities may be permitted under state or local law,” he said. “Persons and entities owning, operating, or facilitating such dispensaries (as well as premises grow centers) may be subject to criminal prosecution and civil enforcement actions under federal law.”
In the letter, Martin asked three questions of the dispensary owners:
- Are you aware of the federal laws related to marijuana dispensaries and their locations near schools?
- Have you addressed these issues with federal law enforcement officials?
- Can you produce documentation regarding your compliance with federal law?
A copy of the letter can be found here.
Spree of Armed Carjackings in 2023 Nets District Man 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Junious Plummer, 36, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison in connection with a firearms offense and a spree of three armed carjackings in late 2023.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Plummer pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025, to one count of brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Plummer to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Aug. 11, 2023, about 7:30 a.m., Plummer approached two men sleeping in a blue Hyundai Elantra parked in a lot on the 3900 block of Dix Street NE. Plummer, holding a black handgun, opened the driver’s side door and demanded that the person get out of the vehicle. The victim tried to close the door. Plummer struck him with the handgun and ordered the person in the passenger seat to get out. Plummer then took the car and drove away with the driver’s phone still in the vehicle.
On Oct.18, 2023, Plummer, brandishing a silver revolver, approached the owner of a white 2007 Toyota Camry as the owner refueled at a gas station on the 4100 block of Hunt Place, NE. Plummer demanded the keys, and when the owner hesitated, Plummer hit the owner in the head with the revolver, causing the owner to drop his keys, iPhone, and headphones. Plummer scooped up the items and fled in the Camry.
On Dec. 18, 2023, Plummer and another man approached a woman in the parking garage of her apartment building on the 400 block of Minnesota Ave., NE. The woman was getting into her black 2014 Chrysler 300. One of the men was armed with a rifle-style firearm. Plummer and his accomplice demanded the woman’s keys, forced her to the ground, and placed the gun against the side of her head. The woman told the men the keys were in the vehicle. Plummer and his accomplice took the Chrysler 300 and fled to Maryland. Shortly after, Plummer and the man used the woman’s credit cards to make purchases.
Between the last two known carjackings, on Oct. 30, 2023, Plummer was found to be in possession of a black Charter Arms .357 firearm loaded with five rounds.
This investigation was conducted by the MPD and the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate MacLure Toth.
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Former District Employee Sentenced for Extorting Money from Low-Income Individuals to Process Assistance ApplicationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON— Ruth Nivar, 57, a former D.C. Department of Human Services employee, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in federal prison for extorting money from low-income individuals to process applications for public assistance programs, even though it was part of her job responsibilities to do that work free of charge.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and the District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
Nivar pleaded guilty on January 13, 2025, to one count of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right. In addition to the 24-month prison term, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Nivar to serve 12 months of supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning at least since 2018 and continuing through at last May 2023, Nivar used the authority of her public office to obtain money from public assistance applicants to which she was not entitled. Nivar preyed on impoverished, largely non-English speaking individuals who lacked the resources to navigate what can be the complicated process of obtaining health care coverage from the government. In 2022, after Nivar understood that law enforcement may have become aware of her scheme, she added an accomplice, a civilian who did not work for the D.C. government, to assist in the extortion scheme.
Because Nivar worked on public assistance programs for the D.C. government, Nivar was able to provide information to her accomplice about eligibility requirements for applicants – including certain documents that needed to be submitted with applications – as well as information about applicants from the internal DHS database, including historical benefits information, status of benefits, identity verification, and dependent information. The accomplice then created online accounts and submitted application materials for health care coverage on behalf of the individuals they extorted. Nivar told individuals to pay her accomplice, who would then split the monies evenly with Nivar, even though it was Nivar’s duty to provide all these services for the community free of charge.
The accomplice, Yessica Moya, pleaded guilty in the same case on January 8, 2025, to one count of aiding and abetting Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right. Her sentencing hearing is pending.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and D.C. Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Madhu Chugh and Will Hart of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Testifies Before D.C. Council in Support of the Peace DC PlanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia testified today at a committee hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia on proposed legislation, including: Bill 26-0188 - the “Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025;” Bill 26-0203 - the “Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025;” and Bill 26-0027 - the “Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025.”
USAO-DC strongly supports Bill 26-0188, the “Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025,” which will make permanent the changes to adult pretrial detention that are already in place pursuant to the “Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024” (Secure DC). USAO-DC also supports Bill 26-0203, the “Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025,” which will make crucial amendments to the District’s kidnapping statute in light of recent caselaw. We appreciate the goals of Bill 26-0027, addressing the “Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025,” however, we are concerned that certain provisions in practice may have the opposite of their intended effect. We recommend that the Council reconsider many of the provisions of the bill.
In addition to appearing before the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, provided written remarks, available HERE.
Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Hopkins, 39, a resident of the District of Columbia, was indicted today in U.S. District Court, on a firearms charge, as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Hopkins is charged in an indictment in federal court with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in November 2024, members of the MPD Violent Crime Suppression Division – Robbery Suppression Unit and the DEA Task Force executed a search warrant in the 4300 block of 3rd Street, SE. During the search, they recovered a 9mm handgun wedged between that sofa cushions. There was ammunition in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. No firearms were registered to the address. At the time, Hopkins was on supervised release from a trial conviction for assault, burglary and stalking stemming from a 2016 case. He was arrested and initially charged in D.C. Superior Court.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charges Filed for Vandalizing Tesla Vehicles in the DistrictRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Justin Fisher, 49, of the District, was charged in Superior Court with four counts of defacing public or private property stemming from offenses committed between Mar. 1 and Mar. 21, 2025, involving multiple Tesla vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Fisher made an appearance in court today and was released on personal recognizance. His misdemeanor initial status hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2025, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.
“The so-called ‘Tesla Takedown’ is domestic terrorism, and my team is taking it on front and center,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “These attacks are not just an attack on someone’s property. They are meant to intimidate and suppress political speech and shut down the marketplace of ideas,” Martin said.
"If you target Tesla and break the law, then you can expect consequences," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "This Department of Justice will not tolerate such criminal acts."
According to documents filed with the court, between the dates of Mar. 1 and Mar. 21, 2025, in Northeast D.C., Fisher defaced private property on Tesla vehicles, owned by multiple victims. The offenses were committed as follows:
- On Saturday, March 1, 2025, at approximately 10:11 a.m., in the 200 block of K Street, Northeast.
- On Sunday, March 2, 2025, at approximately 6:15 p.m., in the 200 block of 11th Street, Northeast.
- On Saturday, March 8, 2025, at approximately 8:05 a.m., in the 600- 700 blocks of F Street, Northeast.
- On Friday, March 21, 2025, at approximately 5:15 p.m., in the 600 block of G Street, Northeast.
Fisher was arrested on April 1, 2025.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Arrest in Chinatown Results in Illegal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vankese Russell, 26, a resident of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Russell is charged in an indictment in federal court with unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, MPD officers from the First District Crime Suppression Team arrested a man in the Chinatown area on Jan. 28, 2025, following the public consumption of marijuana and subsequent discovery of an illegal firearm.
Court documents say that while on foot patrol near 7th and H Streets NW, officers observed smoke and detected the odor of burning marijuana behind a Metrobus stop. The individual, later identified as Vankese Russell, attempted to extinguish and discard a hand-rolled cigarette upon noticing the officers.
During a search incident to arrest, officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun from Russell's waistband. Russell was convicted of a felony in 2018, and thus, he was not permitted to possess the firearm.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.ocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
White House ‘Border Czar’ Thomas Homan Visits USAO-DCRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. welcomed White House Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations Thomas Homan, on April 16, 2025, to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office was honored to welcome Executive Associate Director Homan to our space,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “We had a productive conversation, he had the opportunity to brief our staff and take their questions, and it was great to have him here.”
Executive Associate Director Homan met today with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss immigration issues, crime, and President Donald J. Trump’s “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful” initiative.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia handles a wide variety of federal crimes that include those committed by members of violent transnational criminal enterprises. For more information on the office and its work, go to https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc.
U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Executive Associate Director of Enforcement and Removal Thomas Homan align on strategies to enhance public safety in the district of Columbia. As the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Martin has unique responsibilities for cases in both Superior Court and District Court.
Indictment Charges Maryland Man with Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Damarqus Moore, 33, of Suitland, Maryland, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Moore is charged in an indictment in federal court with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, on January 13, 2025, MPD officers observed an automobile with illegal window tint and no front license plate idling in the area of 5826 Dix Street NE, Washington, D.C. Officers soon realized that the license plate affixed to the rear of the automobile was registered to a separate automobile. Moore was placed under arrest and officers recovered MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) tablets on Moore’s person. As officers searched the automobile for additional controlled substances, they quickly observed a firearm lodged in the steering column of the automobile. The recovered firearm was a .40 caliber firearm, loaded, with an obliterated serial number.
The defendant has been convicted of multiple felony offenses in the State of Maryland, including first degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Arrest in Northeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antowan Tyrone Hagans, 30, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin aimed at reducing violent crime in the District by prioritizing federal firearms violations, seeking tougher penalties, and pursuing detention for firearms offenders.
Hagans is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, on March 27, 2025, MPD officers encountered Hagans in a high-crime area of the Sixth District. As officers approached, Hagans fled into an apartment building. During the pursuit, he fell in a stairwell, and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol fell to the ground during the struggle with officers
Hagans was arrested at the scene. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to two prior felony convictions, including robbery while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Darknet Drug Trafficker from Western Pennsylvania Sentenced in D.C. for Selling Mass Quantities of Fentanyl OnlineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jacob Blair, 27, of Aliquippa, Pa., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in federal prison for his role in a drug conspiracy that distributed a wide variety of narcotics, including large amounts of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Blair sold and distributed the narcotics on Tor2Door and other darknet markets.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.; Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti of the Western District of Pennsylvania; Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division; Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division; Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Pittsburgh Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.
Blair pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams of methamphetamine, and to a charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Blair also pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a charge, originally filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In addition to the 180-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Blair to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Blair was responsible for distributing more than 1.2 kilograms but less than 4 kilograms of fentanyl, and at least 50 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine. He also admitted to mass-marketing the narcotics by means of an interactive computer service.
Blair’s co-defendant Dyani Pezzelle pleaded guilty March 5, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams of methamphetamine. Pezzelle is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2025.
Between August 1, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2023, Blair and Pezzelle operated vendor accounts on various darknet marketplaces. On the marketplace Tor2Door, Blair and Pezzelle advertised their controlled substances using the monikers “YVS” and “YVendor Supplier” which they touted as “a syndicate of professionals that specialize in making the best products the markets have to offer. We focus on quality, consistency, stealth, and speed.” The conspiracy completed at least 459 sales of illegal narcotics.
Blair manufactured and obtained counterfeit Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax pills for sale. Blair posted advertisements for the controlled substances on Tor2Door and four other marketplaces and accepted payment in cryptocurrency. During the conspiracy, Blair shipped counterfeit oxycodone pills to the District of Columbia at least six times. These pills contained fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and metonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance. In addition, they also shipped counterfeit Xanax and Adderall pills to the District multiple times.
On February 22, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at Blair’s residence in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and other locations. During the searches, law enforcement recovered 10 firearms, over 20,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, an industrial pill press, and other manufacturing and distribution supplies.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Field Offices in Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Moon Township Police Department.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Strong and Peter Roman of the District of Columbia’s Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) section and Assistant U.S. Attorney DeMarr Moulton of the Western District of Pennsylvania. The case was initially investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg.
Darknet Drug Trafficker from Pennsylvania Sentenced in D.C. for Selling Mass Quantities of Fentanyl OnlineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jacob Blair, 27, of Aliquippa, Pa., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in federal prison for his role in a drug conspiracy that distributed a wide variety of narcotics, including large amounts of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Blair sold and distributed the narcotics on the darknet marketplace Tor2Door and other darknet markets.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.; Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti of the Western District of Pennsylvania; Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division; Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division; Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the US Postal Inspection Service Pittsburgh Division for; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.
Blair pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams of methamphetamine, and to a charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Blair also pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a charge, originally filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In addition to the 180-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Blair to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Blair was responsible for distributing more than 1.2 kilograms but less than 4 kilograms of fentanyl, and at least 50 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine. He also admitted to mass-marketing the narcotics by means of an interactive computer service.
Blair’s co-defendant Dyani Pezzelle pleaded guilty March 5, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams of methamphetamine. Pezzelle is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2025.
Between August 1, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2023, Blair and Pezzelle operated vendor accounts on various darknet marketplaces. On the marketplace Tor2Door, Blair and Pezzelle advertised their controlled substances using the monikers “YVS” and “YVendor Supplier” which they touted as “a syndicate of professionals that specialize in making the best products the markets have to offer. We focus on quality, consistency, stealth, and speed.” The conspiracy completed at least 459 sales of illegal narcotics.
Blair manufactured and obtained counterfeit Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax pills for sale. Blair posted advertisements for the controlled substances on Tor2Door and four other marketplaces and accepted payment in cyrptocurrency. During the conspiracy, Blair shipped counterfeit oxycodone pills to the District of Columbia at least six times. These pills contained fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and metonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance. In addition, they also shipped counterfeit Xanax and Adderall pills to the District multiple times.
On February 22, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at Blair’s residence in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and other locations. During the searches, law enforcement recovered 10 firearms, over 20,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, an industrial pill press, and other manufacturing and distribution supplies.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Field Offices in Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Moon Township Police Department.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Strong and Peter Roman of the District of Columbia’s Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) section and Assistant U.S. Attorney DeMarr Moulton of the Western District of Pennsylvania. The case was initially investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg.
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D.C. Man Admits to 2023 Killing at Navy Yard Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyriq Williams, 31, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder for the 2023 shooting murder of Terry Clark, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman accepted the factual basis for the plea and scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2025. The guilty plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, called for an agreed-upon prison sentence of between 14 and 18 years, followed by a period of supervised release.
On January 7, 2023, the defendant and his girlfriend encountered Mr. Clark on an escalator leaving the Navy Yard Metro Station. The defendant and Mr. Clark did not know each other. After both men left the station, Williams turned around and shot Mr. Clark one time, causing his death. The defendant then went back into the station and took the train to Congress Heights Metro Station, where he took a bus to his place of employment. Williams told a friend that he needed a ride, and his friend picked the defendant up and drove him to the bus stop, where Williams got back on the same bus that he previously rode. The shooting was not captured on video, but law enforcement located the defendant on other video surveillance, including Washington Metro Area Transit Authority surveillance around the metro station and on the bus. After an investigation, Williams was apprehended, and detectives found, pursuant to a search warrant of the defendant’s home, distinctive clothing that he wore on the night of the shooting.
Williams has been in custody since his arrest on January 20, 2023.
This case is being investigated by detectives and other personnel of the Metropolitan Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Jamie Carter. This case was investigated by former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante.
Teen’s Murder in September 2019 Results in Guilty VerdictRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bernard Eddy, 24, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury, earlier today, of second-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses for the September 2019 shooting of 16-year-old Steffen Brathwaite, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2025. Eddy faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison for the murder conviction.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:12 a.m., on September 10, 2019, in the 3000 block of 24th Place, S.E., Eddy approached Steffen as Steffen was walking alone through the neighborhood, on his way to a friend’s house. Eddy, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun, proceeded to fire multiple gunshots at Steffen. Steffen fell to the ground and the defendant fled on foot. Steffen was declared deceased several hours later.
The evidence against the defendant included a 15-second audio-video recording found on the defendant’s cell phone, which was recovered eight days after the murder. In the recording, which was made about three hours after the shooting, Eddy is shown celebrating Steffen’s murder.
Eddy was arrested on January 6, 2023, and has been held without bail since then.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Mark Levy.
Defense Contractor’s Longtime Associate Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thomas G. Ehr, 63, a longtime associate of a former defense contractor, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to an Information charging him with conspiring to defraud the United States.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court documents, from 2009 until approximately 2022, Ehr worked for or on behalf of a co-conspirator, who was a defense contractor who owned 50% of a business that supplied jet fuel to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Middle East.
Ehr, of the United Kingdom, was hired to manage several music television and entertainment projects funded with proceeds from this business. Over time Ehr played a role in several of his co-conspirator’s other investments, including a $60 million real estate investment in Tulum, Mexico, and a $50 million fuel infrastructure project.
Ehr understood that the defense contractor was the 50% owner of the business from the time it was created, and that the defense contractor controlled hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from it.
Nevertheless, Ehr agreed to conceal the contractor’s ownership and control of the company, primarily by falsely asserting that the contractor’s wife had founded the company, so that the contractor could obstruct the IRS’ ability to assess and collect the contractor’s taxes — including taxes on profits he made from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Ehr acknowledged that because of the conspiracy, the contractor evaded taxes on more than $350 million of income and caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $128 million.
Additionally, despite making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in income, Ehr did not file tax returns for years 2010 to 2015, nor make payments on taxes he owed for 2010 to 2023. By doing so, Ehr caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $700,000.
Ehr is the sixth defendant associated with the defense contracting company to plead guilty. Charles Squires pleaded guilty to tax evasion in February 2022, James Robar pleaded guilty to tax evasion in March 2022, Ronald Thomas pleaded guilty to tax evasion in April 2022, Zachary Friedman pleaded guilty to tax evasion in August 2022, and Robert Dooner pleaded guilty to tax evasion in November 2023.
Ehr faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the tax count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case, with assistance from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom. Assistance was also provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold of the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney, Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro, and Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis of the Tax Division.
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Defense Contractor’s Longtime Associate Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
Note: View Information here.
A longtime associate of a former defense contractor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from 2009 until approximately 2022, Thomas G. Ehr worked for or on behalf of a co-conspirator, a defense contractor who owned 50% of a business that supplied jet fuel to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Middle East. Ehr was hired to manage several music television and entertainment projects funded with proceeds from this business. Over time Ehr played a role in several of his co-conspirator’s other investments, including a $60 million real estate investment in Tulum, Mexico, and a $50 million fuel infrastructure project.
Ehr understood that the defense contractor was the business’s 50% owner since it was created, and that the contractor controlled hundreds of millions of dollars in profits from it.
Nevertheless, Ehr agreed to conceal the contractor’s ownership and control of the company, primarily by falsely asserting that the contractor’s wife had founded the company, so that the contractor could obstruct the IRS’ ability to assess and collect the contractor’s taxes — including taxes on profits he made from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Ehr acknowledged that because of the conspiracy, the contractor evaded taxes on more than $350 million of income and caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $128 million.
Additionally, despite making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in income, Ehr did not file tax returns for years 2010 to 2015, nor make payments on taxes he owed for 2010 to 2023. By doing so, Ehr caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $700,000.
Ehr is the sixth defendant associated with the defense contracting company to plead guilty. Charles Squires pleaded guilty to tax evasion in February 2022, James Robar pleaded guilty to tax evasion in March 2022, Ronald “Ron” Thomas pleaded guilty to tax evasion in April 2022, Zachary “Zack” Friedman pleaded guilty to tax evasion in August 2022, and Robert Dooner pleaded guilty to tax evasion in November 2023.
Sentencing will be set at a later date. Ehr faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for the tax count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case, with assistance from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom. Assistance was also provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis, Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney, and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Sentenced for Illegal Gun Crime Committed While on Probation for Another OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Wesley Monroe, 20, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison in connection with three separate incidents in April 2024 that included an armed robbery, his involvement in a street shooting, and a foot chase with police during which he discarded a Smith & Wesson 9mm firearm.
The sentencing was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Monroe pleaded guilty on Jan. 27, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. He previously had been convicted of armed robbery in Superior Court and, in September 2023, was sentenced to 66 months in prison with all but 36 months suspended. In addition to the today’s 30-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Monroe to serve three years of supervised release.
According to the plea documents, on April 17, 2024, at about 1:22 a.m., Monroe robbed an Uber Eats deliveryman of the man’s jewelry at gunpoint in an apartment building on the 1300 block of Columbia Road NW. The entire incident was captured by one of the building’s surveillance cameras. On April 20, 2024, a photo posted to Instagram depicted Monroe and another individual wearing the jewelry that had been stolen from the Uber Eats driver.
On April 23, 2024, Monroe was with a group of friends standing in front of a restaurant on the 3300 block of 14th Street, NW. At 9:24 p.m., a man walked by the group with his daughter. As the pair entered the intersection of 14th St. and Monroe, NW, the man heard several gunshots. The man turned around to see one of the group members firing in his direction. The man was hit in his left leg by one of the stray bullets. Surveillance cameras captured several images of the incident.
On April 29, 2024, two uniformed police officers were patrolling near the 1400 block of Girard Street, NW, when they spotted a group, including Monroe, on the sidewalk. One member of the group appeared to be smoking marijuana. As the officers approached the group, Monroe fled unprovoked.
Officers pursued Monroe on foot. Monroe ran towards a basement stairwell and appeared to be holding the front of his waistband as if he was concealing a heavy object. Monroe then discarded a black and silver Smith & Wesson handgun into a small flower bed. Officers apprehended Monroe and recovered the handgun. The firearm and its magazine were swabbed for DNA and submitted for testing and analysis. The results linked both the firearm and magazine to Monroe. He has remained held without bond since his arrest.
This case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle McWaters and Jared English.
The discarded Smith & Wesson.
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Convicted Sexual Predator from Alabama Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Attempting to Meet a Child in D.C. for SexRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Graham Daniel Ash, 41, of Pinson, Alabama, was sentenced today to 216 months in federal prison for attempting to sexually abuse a child in the District of Columbia and for distributing child pornography to show that he was serious about his goal. Ash was previously convicted of a sex offense against a minor.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Ash pleaded guilty on Nov. 26, 2025, to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition to the 216-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Ash to serve a lifetime of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2023, an undercover officer with the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) began communicating with a user of an online messaging platform. The user, who identified themselves as darkmind36, was later determined to be defendant Graham Ash. The undercover agent was based in an office in the District and posed as the father of an 8-year-old girl.
In conversations over the course of a month, Ash said he was actively seeking parents living on the East Coast for the purpose of traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct. To show he was serious, Ash sent the undercover officer a link to 60 files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Ash also discussed other attempts when he had sought out children to sexually abuse.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ash’s Alabama residence on Oct. 3, 2023. Prior to entering the residence, officers knocked and announced their presence. Ash did not open the door and 11 minutes passed before law enforcement gained entrance. Officers arrested Ash after finding him inside with two phones that had been smashed and pulled apart.
Ash’s guilty plea in this case was the second time he had been found guilty of a sex offense against a minor. On July 22, 2022, he was convicted of electronic solicitation of a child, in violation of Alabama state law, for traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act. Based upon that conviction, Ash was required to register as a sex offender at the time of the offense in this case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, in conjunction with law enforcement in the Northern District of Alabama. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond and Rachel Forman.
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Serial Armed Robber Who Targeted Delivery Workers in DC, MD, Is Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rubin Raphael Bordeaux, 36, of the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 192 months in prison for his role a string of armed carjackings that targeted delivery workers in November 2023. At the height of the criminal spree, Bordeaux’s escalating violence culminated in a shooting, an eight-mile chase in an Amazon van, a vehicle collision, and a foot chase.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Bordeaux pleaded guilty on September 12, 2024, to carjacking and to possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 192-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Bordeaux to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Bordeaux and his co-defendants specifically targeted delivery drivers in a spree of armed carjackings and robberies over four days across the District of Columbia and Maryland.
On November 9, 2023, around 1:30 p.m., a UPS driver was in the back of her work truck in Upper Marlboro, Maryland sorting packages. As she was working, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator were lying in wait, planning to rob her at gunpoint. As the UPS driver continued her job, the co-conspirator saw his opportunity and, with a silver firearm in hand, jumped into the back of the UPS truck. The co-conspirator told the UPS driver to “calm down. I just need your wallet and keys.” He took the UPS driver’s keys and ordered her to show him how to operate the UPS truck. In fear for her life, the UPS driver complied. The co-conspirator then threw the UPS driver’s phone in her direction and took off driving the truck. Bordeaux was not far behind. He followed the UPS truck in a tan pickup truck. Eventually Bordeaux and his co-conspirator stopped to offload packages from the UPS truck and abandoned the vehicle in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Just one hour later, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator struck again in Oxon Hill, Maryland. This time, they targeted a FedEx driver who was finishing a break. Bordeaux and the co-conspirator used their pickup truck to box-in the FedEx driver. Bordeaux jumped out of the pickup, quickly approached the FedEx driver, displayed a revolver, and demanded the keys. The FedEx driver gave up the company truck, and Bordeaux, followed by his co-conspirator in the tan pickup truck, drove off. Law enforcement recovered the FedEx truck in Washington, D.C., after it had been stripped of multiple packages.
Four days later, on November 13, 2023, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator targeted another work vehicle. On that day, around 5:24 a.m., an Amtrak driver was seated in the rear passenger seat of a conspicuously marked Amtrak truck. The Amtrak driver and his two coworkers, who were also in the vehicle, were planning to start their workday with breakfast from a restaurant. While waiting inside the running vehicle, the Amtrak driver noticed that a man with a mask had walked up to the truck. Believing this person was a coworker, the Amtrak driver got out of the truck. The masked individual was not his coworker.
Bordeaux ordered the Amtrak driver to “give me the truck.” When the Amtrak driver was slow to react, Bordeaux brandished a black gun and demanded again, “give me the truck.” The Amtrak driver surrendered the vehicle. Bordeaux got into the driver seat and drove away. As he did so, he was followed by a gray sedan.
Bordeaux later abandoned the truck in Washington, D.C. after causing $27,883 in damage to the vehicle during the short time he had it in his possession.
The next day, on November 14, 2023, Bordeaux and his co-conspirators targeted a shopper and her young child in a department store parking lot in Forestville, Maryland. An individual approached the woman at her car, demanded the keys to her vehicle and then forcefully removed the keys from her hands. The individual fled with the car toward Washington, D.C.
Later that day, Bordeaux and three other individuals left the shopper’s vehicle parked in an area of Southeast D.C. As the four walked away, they came upon an Amazon delivery driver, who became Bordeaux’s next target. The Amazon driver was walking to his work van when Bordeaux approached him in the road. A second person from Bordeaux’s group simultaneously walked towards the Amazon driver, who began to run. Bordeaux fired a shot in the Amazon driver’s direction while the other individual also fired at the Amazon driver. Bordeaux’s bullet barely missed the driver, who then stopped and surrendered. Bordeaux went through the Amazon driver’s pockets, demanded “give me them f---- keys” and threatened the driver with “do you want to die?” Bordeaux located the keys and fled in the van while his accomplice ran off in the opposite direction.
Behind the wheel of the Amazon van, Bordeaux led the police on an eight-mile-long chase crossing from the District of Columbia into Maryland. While trying to make his getaway, Bordeaux struck numerous vehicles, among them a police car. Once he realized he could not shake the police, Bordeaux stopped the vehicle on a sidewalk in Capitol Heights, Maryland. He attempted to run from law enforcement on foot but was quickly stopped. The keys to the shopper’s carjacked Honda were recovered from Bordeaux’s pocket.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the MPD. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Omeed Ali Assefi and Jacqueline Yarbro.
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Kidnapping Carjacker Sentenced to 180-Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Zanders, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison in connection with a May 1, 2022, kidnapping and a subsequent carjacking the same day.
The sentencing was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Zanders pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to one count of kidnapping and one count of carjacking in the U.S. District Court. In addition to the 180-month prison term, the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth ordered Zanders to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, Zanders and a friend kidnapped two males outside of a nightclub located on the 600 block of Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. Zanders and the friend pretended to be working for Uber and the two male victims got into Zander’s vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Zanders pulled over on a neighborhood street in the District, pointed a firearm at the two victims, and robbed them of their phones and money. Zanders then drove them to various ATMs in an attempt to withdraw money using ttheir credit cards.
One of the victims escaped at a gas station in Washington D.C. as Zanders and the other suspect went looking for a cash machine. After the first victim escaped, Zander drove the remaining victim to a supermarket in Maryland. Zanders and the friend withdrew money from an ATM at the supermarket using the remaining victim’s ATM card. They then drove to another location in Maryland and released the victim.
That same evening, Zanders gathered with several associates on the 900 block of Longfellow Street, NW. Zanders had arranged a meeting to sell a vehicle to another party, but in fact planned to steal the would-be buyer’s own car. When two new victims arrived in a green Dodge Charger, Zanders pulled out a gun, threatened to shoot, and demanded phones, money and keys. One of Zanders’ associates drove away with the 2019 green Dodge Charger. Zanders and the remaining associates then fled in their own vehicles.
Zanders was arrested on November 18, 2022, and has been detained since.
This case was investigated by the MPD’s Carjacking Task Force and the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George's County Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and Cameron Tepfer and by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud. The case initially was investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Strong.
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Former DOC Case Manager Pleads Guilty to Bribery in Smuggling Narcotics and Cigarettes for an InmateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Herbert Baylor, 68, of the District, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of bribery in connection with a cigarettes and narcotics smuggling scheme at a facility operated by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DOC).
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Investigator Kevin L. Hammond of the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services.
The Honorable Tanya Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Aug. 11, 2025.
A co-defendant, Pamela Porter, 56, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to bribery in connection to her participation in the smuggling scheme.
According to court documents, Baylor was a case manager employed by DOC to assist and manage inmates housed at the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a specialized medium security facility that houses inmates receiving specialized medical treatment or monitoring related to substance dependencies.
From December 19, 2022, through September 23, 2024, Baylor’s duties included helping with the administrative pre-trial and trial needs of inmates, including facilitating communication with their attorneys or social workers.
Baylor worked as Inmate-1’s case worker at CTF. Beginning in October 2023, Baylor agreed with Inmate-1 and others to smuggle contraband into CTF in exchange for money. Specifically, Inmate-1 directed his non-incarcerated associates, including Pamela Porter, to send CashApp payments to Baylor. Baylor then hid on himself cigarettes he had purchased or controlled substances received from Inmate-1’s associates, in order to clear security at CTF. Once through security, Baylor brought Inmate-1 to his office and provided him with the contraband. Inmate-1 then distributed the contraband to other inmates at CTF in exchange for money. As part of this scheme, Porter sent Baylor $1,200. In total, Baylor received $6,245 between October 20, 2023, and June 21, 2024.
On September 19, 2024, Inmate-1 asked Baylor if Inmate-1 could call his attorney to talk about an appeal. Baylor authorized the inmate’s request. But instead of calling an attorney, Inmate-1 called Individual-1 to set up the delivery of prohibited objects to be smuggled into CTF. Baylor agreed to smuggle Suboxone strips into the CTF facility for Inmate-1. Suboxone strips contain Buprenorphine—a Schedule III narcotic drug.
On September 23, 2024, Baylor met Individual-1 in the parking lot of CTF. Baylor accepted $1,000 in cash from Individual-1 and received a cigarette carton Baylor believed to be filled with Suboxone strips. Following the meeting with Individual-1, Baylor placed the $1,000 in his personal vehicle. He put the cigarette carton inside his underwear. Baylor went through security at the entrance to CTF and entered the facility. At that time, he was arrested.
As a DOC employee, Baylor’s conduct was governed by the DOC’s Contraband Control policy which states that trafficking contraband of any kind to inmates is strictly prohibited. The policy describes any illegal drug or controlled substance and any tobacco product as major contraband. Additionally, federal law makes it a crime to provide “prohibited objects” to an inmate. Prohibited objects include any controlled substance or any object that threatens “the order, discipline, or security of a prison, or the life, health, or safety of any individual.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold.
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