District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Previously Convicted Robber Sentenced in Southeast D.C. Firearm and Ammunition CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Antoine Gatling, 33, a previously convicted violent felon, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gatling was found guilty following a stipulated trial before Judge Richard J. Leon of one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 36-month prison term, Judge Leon ordered Gatling to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 37-month prison term.
According to court papers, on March 1, 2024, at about 9:04 a.m., a 911 caller reported a man trying to break into an apartment in the 4500 block of 3rd Street SE, describing him as wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black-and-white shoes, carrying a black bag, and armed with a handgun tucked into his waistband.
Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the scene. The first officer arrived at about 9:11 a.m. and found Gatling in the doorway of the apartment complex, matching the caller's description.
The officer asked Gatling to step outside for a pat-down. As the officer reached a satchel worn across Gatling's back, Gatling began to resist. Additional officers responded, and Gatling was handcuffed.
Officers removed the satchel and felt the outline of a firearm inside. Inside, they found a .380 Llama semi-automatic pistol. A further search of Gatling's clothing turned up a round of ammunition and a loaded magazine.
Gatling was previously convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Prince George's County, Maryland, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with 13 years suspended, followed by five years of probation.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nickolas Reck.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Maryland Felon Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Federal Firearm Charge After Traffic Stop Uncovers Loaded Glock, DrugsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Samuel Fapohunda, 27, a previously convicted felon residing in Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his illegal possession of a Glock 19 pistol with a 17-round magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Fapohunda pleaded guilty before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge McFadden scheduled sentencing for Dec. 3, 2026.
According to court documents, on June 25, 2026, at 6:45 p.m., officers on patrol in the 1800 block of 18th Street SE found a vehicle parked with its engine running and an illegally-tinted window.
An officer approached the car and the driver rolled down his window when officers smelled marijuana. The driver, identified as Fapohunda, admitted he had been smoking. Officers ordered the occupants out of the car. As the passenger stepped out, officers saw a burnt marijuana cigarette in her hand.
A federal law enforcement officer conducted a protective pat-down of Fapohunda and felt a firearm in his waistband. Before officers recovered it, Fapohunda blurted out, “it’s under my shorts,” repeating the phrase three times. Officers recovered a loaded Glock 19 9mm handgun with a 17-round magazine.
A search of the vehicle turned up marijuana, a nearly full bottle of codeine-based cough syrup, drug paraphernalia including a scale and baggies with residue, and $985 in cash.
A criminal history check showed Fapohunda was previously convicted of robbery in Arlington County, Virginia, and sentenced to five years incarceration, with four years suspended, making his possession of the firearm and ammunition illegal under federal law.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl, Methamphetamine While Armed at Northwest D.C. RentalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hieu Trung Vu, 37, a previously convicted felon and illegal alien from Vietnam, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison in connection with drug trafficking from a Georgetown Airbnb and unlawful possession of two firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“This defendant showed a complete disregard for our laws and our borders, yet he chose to arm himself with weapons and narcotics. A previously convicted felon, he continued to put American communities at risk by trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamines,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This illegal alien is exactly the type of offender the Trump administration is working tirelessly to remove from our country and after serving his sentence, he will be deported.”
Vu pleaded guilty on March 17, 2026, before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamine, cocaine base, and fentanyl, and to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Because of his illegal status, after Vu serves his 60-month prison term he will be subject to deportation to Vietnam.
According to court papers, on Dec. 4, 2025, police received an emergency call reporting that a woman was in an apartment with a man, later identified as Vu, who was in possession of narcotics. Officers determined the location was a short-term rental in the 1400 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW in Georgetown and obtained a search warrant.
When officers executed the warrant, they recovered two handguns from a backpack in a bedroom, along with a substantial quantity of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and a debit card bearing Vu's name from a bag in the kitchen. Vu acknowledged that the firearms and narcotics were his, court papers state.
Laboratory testing confirmed the narcotics included methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, amphetamine, and fentanyl. One of the recovered firearms was loaded, court papers state.
Vu has a previous 2022 felony conviction in Fairfax County, Virginia, for possession with intent to manufacture or sell a controlled substance, for which he received a five-year sentence with more than two years suspended.
This investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Liss and Caelainn Carney. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Police recovered this Glock 43X, 9mm pistol from Vu’s Airbnb.
Police also recovered this CZ Model 27, 7.65mm pistol from Vu’s Georgetown Airbnb.
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Contractor Agrees to Pay $50,000 to Resolve Allegations of Invoicing Employee Food Expenses Disguised as IT ProductsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia announced today that it reached a civil settlement agreement with Ventana Productions, Inc. (“Ventana”) to resolve allegations that on multiple occasions over a period of years Ventana hid food expenses for its employees by charging the Government for non-existent products and services. Pursuant to the settlement, Ventana agreed to pay the United States $50,000.
“Waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Every day, this Office works aggressively to expose fraud and abuse that diverts taxpayer dollars from their intended purpose. Contractors have a duty to bill the government honestly, and when they violate that trust, we will act decisively to hold them accountable.”
“Federal contractors are expected to bill the government honestly and accurately,” said Judd Leinum, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General. “Disguising employee meal expenses as information technology products and services undermines the integrity of the federal procurement process. Any attempt to falsely bill the Department will not be tolerated. This settlement demonstrates our commitment to protecting taxpayer funds and holding contractors accountable for false claims. We appreciate the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in resolving this matter.”
Ventana is a video production company with offices in Washington, DC and New York, NY. Ventana performed multimedia production support work for the U.S. Census Bureau (“Census”), a component of the U.S. Department of Commerce, under two General Services Administration contracts. Acting on an anonymous tip, the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) conducted an investigation that found seven instances of Ventana invoicing Census for charges that were designed to hide the costs of employee meals. Based on Ventana records and interviews, the OIG uncovered Ventana falsely invoicing Census for “hard drives,” “media transfer,” and “parking” that were disguising food purchased from a variety of establishments, including among others, Dunkin Donuts, Corner Bakery, Panera Bread, and Joe Theismann’s Restaurant. Based on seven false invoices, spanning July 2019 to February 2024, Census paid Ventana $1,533.27 that it would not have otherwise paid. To settle potential claims for damages and penalties under the False Claims Act and related causes of action, Ventana has agreed to pay the United States $50,000.
After OIG and the U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated the matter, a settlement was completed by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe, with the assistance of Auditor Timothy J. Hurley, and a Special Agent with the Department of Commerce OIG.
The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
ventana_settlememt_agreement_signed.pdfFormer HR Executive Agrees to Pay $160,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it reached a civil settlement agreement with Carleena Graham, whereby the former Vice President of Human Resources for World Learning has agreed to pay $160,000 to resolve allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by submitting false invoices to her employer for reimbursement of expenses that benefitted her personally and organizations with which she was affiliated.
World Learning is a nonprofit global development and exchange organization that delivers educational and professional training programs around the world. It was also a recipient of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Department of State funds through various grants, contracts, and negotiated indirect cost rate agreements totaling several million dollars.
The Government asserts that, from approximately 2015 to 2022, Graham orchestrated a scheme to submit false invoices to World Learning for reimbursement of hundreds of thousands of dollars of expenses. As part of that scheme, Graham arranged for goods and services to be delivered to third-party organizations and then arranged for World Learning to pay for these goods and services via electronic transfers of funds from its bank account or use of World Learning’s credit cards. The Government also found that Graham falsified invoices submitted by vendors for payment of the goods and services to make them appear as though World Learning was the recipient of the goods and services. By defrauding World Learning, the Government contends Graham was also misappropriating funds the nonprofit received from USAID and the State Department.
The settlement concludes a joint investigation conducted by USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the State Department OIG that followed Graham’s guilty plea in the District of Vermont to one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 for the above-described conduct. United States v. Carleena Graham, Case No. 23-cr-57.
The civil settlement resulted from the work of Assistant United States Attorney Sam Escher and Auditor Timothy J. Hurley with the support of Special Agents from USAID and the State Department’s OIGs.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
settlement_agreement_-_signed_by_all_parties_v.1_redacted.pdfJury Finds D.C. Man Guilty of Road Rage ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marcus Reavenell, 48, of Washington, D.C., was convicted on charges related to a road rage shooting that occurred on May 14, 2025, in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Reavenell was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, reckless driving, and destruction of property less than $1,000 on July 27, 2026. The possession of a firearm during a crime of violence conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 2, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur.
According to the Government’s evidence, on May 14, 2025, at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Division Avenue NE, Reavenell attempted to cut off the victim in traffic before tailgating the victim and driving erratically. The defendant continued to follow the victim until he pointed a pistol out of his van and fired a round at the victim’s work vehicle, striking its rear door. Reavenell then fled the scene in his van.
Reavenell was arrested on July 9, 2025, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randle Wilson and Kadian Carter.
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D.C. National Guard Major Pleads Guilty to Immigration Fraud Scheme and to Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Collin L. Welch, 40, of Arlington, Virginia, a Major in the D.C. National Guard, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawfully inducing aliens to enter and remain in the United States and to theft of about $54,000 in government money, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Welch pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali to unlawfully inducing aliens to enter and remain in the United States and to theft of government money. As part of the plea, Welch agreed to forfeit a money judgment of $54,000 to the United States. Judge Ali scheduled sentencing for Dec 3, 2026.
According to court documents, Welch is a National Guard officer who previously served in the Alaska and D.C. National Guard with prior deployments to Afghanistan and Djibouti. In 2019, despite being married, he began a relationship with a Mongolian national while he was posted to the U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Welch later fabricated a divorce decree to convince the Mongolian woman he was no longer married, and in 2022 married her in Mongolia while still legally married to his wife. In 2024, Welch brought the Mongolian woman and her minor daughter to the United States on tourist visas, and in October 2024 married the Mongolian woman a second time, in Virginia, again while still legally married.
After the woman and her daughter’s tourist visas expired in early 2025, Welch knowingly continued to support them financially and house them. When the Mongolian woman asked about her immigration status, Welch fabricated a series of documents, including fake permanent residency approvals, Social Security cards, and a letter falsely indicating military dependent health benefits, to convince her that a citizenship process was underway. None of the documents were ever filed with any government agency.
Separately, Welch used his government travel card to submit fraudulent travel vouchers and fabricated receipts for hotel stays and rental cars that never occurred, and used the card without authorization to fund personal travel and to pay for the woman and her daughter’s living and travel expenses, resulting in about $54,000 in unauthorized charges to the United States.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Babu Kaza, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia - Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Gun, Drug Charges After Fleeing Police in Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Fulani Hasan Tahrike Herrod, 24, a Maryland resident and a convicted felon, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his possession of a “ghost gun,” ammunition, and crack cocaine recovered following a police pursuit through Northwest Washington that ended when he crashed a stolen vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Herrod pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. A sentencing date is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2026. Herrod faces a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison on the ammunition count and 20 years in prison on the drug count.
According to court papers, on March 8, 2026, a United States Park Police (USPP) officer monitoring police radio during a high-visibility patrol learned that a license plate reader had spotted a stolen vehicle, a black BMW sedan with Maryland tags, traveling in the area of Columbia Road NW.
The officer located the BMW near 16th Street and Irving Street NW and attempted to stop it. Herrod, the sole occupant, disregarded the officer's emergency lights and sirens and fled, running multiple traffic lights, driving at a high rate of speed, driving the wrong way, and colliding with several parked vehicles.
The pursuit ended in the area of 14th Street and Military Road NW, when Herrod drove over a curb and struck a parking sign, disabling the vehicle. As the officer attempted to handcuff him, Herrod got up and ran on foot, jumping a stone wall and crossing a grassy area before he was taken into custody with the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Department.
A search incident to arrest recovered a Maryland driver's license and $170 in cash from Herrod. In plain view on the driver's side floorboard of the vehicle, officers found a loaded, privately manufactured 9mm “ghost gun” bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. A backpack recovered from behind the driver's seat contained cocaine base, baking soda, a substance labeled as a cannabis concentrate, and a large quantity of small plastic bags. Laboratory testing by the Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed 22.34 grams of cocaine base and 6.06 grams of cocaine.
Herrod previously had been convicted in Montgomery County, Maryland, of possessing a loaded handgun in a vehicle, attempting to elude a uniformed police officer by fleeing on foot, and related traffic offenses.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Park Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss, with significant assistance from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ursula Simmons.
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Georgia Teen Pleads Guilty in Possession of Shotgun on U.S. Capitol GroundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Carter Camacho, 18, of Smyrna, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his possession of a loaded 12-gauge shotgun on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Building as well as possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Camacho entered his plea before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm within the United States Capitol Buildings or Grounds and one count of receipt of visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. Judge Mehta scheduled sentencing for Dec. 8, 2026.
According to the court documents, on Feb. 17, 2026, Camacho parked a white Mercedes SUV on Maryland Ave. SE, between First and Third Streets. About 12:07 p.m., Camacho exited the vehicle and ran toward the United States Capitol carrying a firearm while wearing a tactical-style vest and camouflage-style clothing.
Camacho reached the steps on the western side of the Capitol. A uniformed officer with the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) asked Camacho what he was carrying. Camacho produced the firearm. The officer ordered Camacho to halt and lie down on the ground.
Once Camacho was on the ground, USCP officers recovered a Mossberg Model 88 12-gauge shotgun loaded with seven rounds in the tube and one in the chamber, with the safety off. An additional 17 rounds of ammunition were held in a carrier attached to the shotgun’s stock.
Officers placed Camacho in handcuffs. Camacho told USCP officers that he was there to talk to a Member of Congress.
USCP officers traced Camacho’s path to the white Mercedes SUV and located a fixed blade knife on the ground about forty feet from the vehicle. Officers then searched the vehicle and located Camacho’s cell phone. A subsequent search of the cell phone, led to the discovery of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Investigators determined that Camacho had purchased CSAM and was in possession of dozens of CSAM images and over 100 CSAM videos.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, who is detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the United States Capitol Police.
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Camacho ran toward the United States Capitol carrying a firearm while wearing a tactical-style vest and camouflage-style clothing. Photo Credit: United States Capitol Police
USCP officers recovered a Mossberg Model 88 12-gauge shotgun loaded with seven rounds in the tube and one in the chamber, with the safety off. An additional 17 rounds of ammunition were held in a carrier attached to the shotgun’s stock. Photo Credit: United States Capitol Police
District Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Homicide in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyree Irving, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in D.C. Superior Court to 18 years in prison for the killing of Davane Williams on January 15, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Irving pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026, to one count of second-degree murder while armed, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On July 24, 2026, the Honorable Judge Neil Kravitz ordered Irving to the 18-year prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
On January 15, 2019, at 2:59 p.m., Irving walked toward the Tyler House, at the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, NW. Williams and several other men were standing on the sidewalk outside the entrance pathway to the Tyler House. Irving, who had a .40 caliber pistol concealed in his clothing, approached the group and immediately started yelling at Williams. After yelling at Williams for less than 10 seconds, Irving pulled the .40 caliber pistol out and fired five shots at Williams, striking him five times. Irving put the pistol away and then ran away southbound across M Street and changed clothes before fleeing southbound away from the Sursum Corda neighborhood. Irving was arrested on February 27, 2019, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Hall and Wes Faulkner, who prosecuted the case.
Prior Felon Sentenced to 96 Months for Shooting over Money DisputeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick Gladden, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 96 months in prison today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for shooting Christopher Seward during a dispute in April 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gladden was found guilty by a jury on March 11, 2026, of one count each of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. In addition to the 96-month sentence, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Gladden to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2024, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the victim was standing on the first-floor patio of his friend’s apartment in the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE. Gladden, who lived in the apartment next door, saw the victim and confronted him about an ongoing dispute over money. He then pulled out a firearm and shot the victim once in the chest. The victim suffered a serious injury and almost died, however, thanks to the Whole Blood Program, which had been launched earlier that month, the victim received a blood transfusion in the ambulance and survived. In April 2025, before having a chance to testify, Seward died of cancer.
After learning the identity of the shooter from the victim, police obtained an emergency search warrant for the defendant’s residence and located ammunition that matched a casing found near the location of the shooting, along with firearms accessories and a holster. Additionally, a neighbor provided Ring camera footage showing the defendant fleeing from the front door of his apartment after the shooting.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
They also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Eliot Folsom and Natalie Anderson, who prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Armed Robberies and AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rodney Bennett, 20, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia for two robberies in 2024 and one assault with a dangerous weapon while confined in a D.C. Correctional Facility in 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bennett pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026, to one count of armed robbery, one count of robbery, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Bennett to 9 years in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 11:10 p.m., Bennett approached a man who was returning a rental scooter at 5th and Neal Place NE, Washington, D.C. Bennett pointed a firearm at him and demanded his cellphone and wallet. The man handed over both items but later grabbed his phone back and fled to a nearby bar, where he called the police. Bennett fled the scene with the wallet. Bennett was wearing a GPS monitor, and his coordinates placed him at the scene at the time of the robbery.
Just over an hour later, on August 29, 2024, at approximately 12:24 p.m., Bennett followed two individuals walking to 1924 8th Street NW, Washington, D.C., into an underground parking garage. When Bennett exited his vehicle and approached, both individuals ran. Bennett chased one of them, stopping him at the entrance to the elevator. Bennett pointed a firearm at him and demanded his watch and cash and then fled with the stolen items. His GPS monitor again placed him at the scene during the offense.
Bennett was arrest on October 9, 2024, by the Metropolitan Police Department and has remained in custody since that time.
While incarcerated, on November 10, 2025, at approximately 9:50 p.m., inside the Northwest Three Housing Unit of the Department of Corrections’ Central Detention Facility, Bennett became involved in a verbal altercation with another inmate. During the dispute, Bennett produced a sharp metal object and stabbed the inmate, causing lacerations to the face and head.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hanley.
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D.C. Man Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Luis Figueroa, 67, of Washington, D.C., was convicted on charges of First- and Second-Degree Child Sexual Abuse with Aggravating Circumstances, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Figueroa was found guilty of First- and Second-Degree Child Sexual Abuse with Aggravating Circumstances on July 23, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for September 25, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt. Due to the aggravating circumstances for which the defendant was convicted, the defendant is eligible for a sentence of over 30 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment without possibility of release.
According to court documents, in 2017, the victim, six-years-old at the time, and her family were living in a basement apartment in the defendant’s home. The defendant maintained a friendly relationship with the victim, instructing her to call him “the Cookie Monster.”
One day, the defendant entered the apartment to fix a broken shower and called the victim into the bathroom to help him. Upon entering the bathroom, the defendant instructed the victim to shut the door behind her. The defendant then proceeded to sexually assault the victim.
Afterwards the victim was disgusted and confused which led her to keep the abuse to herself until coming forward in 2021. The victim was inspired to come forward and tell her mother about the abuse that occurred after seeing other individuals share their stories online. The victim’s mother then alerted a social worker. The case was indicted and Figueroa was arrested pursuant to a bench warrant on April 3, 2024.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Ballou and Lindsey Miller.
Wholesale PCP Supplier Sentenced to 120 Months for Violent D.C. Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darryl Dacota Riley, Jr., 40, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 120 months in prison in connection with his role as a wholesale PCP supplier in a large-scale narcotics trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Riley wasn’t just selling drugs in the summer of 2024, he was pumping lethal substances into a neighborhood already reeling from violence and daily fear,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “His operation sat at the center of a zone where families were living through murders, armed assaults, robberies, and break‑ins within steps of his stash house. This sentence delivers accountability for the violence his trafficking fueled, the fentanyl and PCP he chose to sell, and the firearms he kept ready to defend his profit. To every parent and resident of D.C.: we have your back. Drug traffickers will be caught, charged, and face federal prison time.”
Riley, also known as "Slice," pleaded guilty on Feb. 12, 2026, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP), 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 120-month prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Riley to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 121-month prison term, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE. Law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker in the 2900 block of Knox Place. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, investigating agents determined that Riley was conspiring with members of the drug trafficking operation in the redistribution of cocaine, PCP, fentanyl, among other narcotics.
During the conspiracy, five homicides, seventeen assaults with dangerous weapons, five robberies and eight burglaries occurred within 1,000 feet of the conspiracy's primary stash location on Knox Place SE, court papers state.
According to court papers, from July 2024 through his arrest in August 2025, Riley served as a wholesale supplier of PCP to a co-defendant who redistributed narcotics from the 2900 block of Knox Place SE. Riley repeatedly supplied bulk quantities of liquid PCP for redistribution, at times traveling to Knox Place to personally deliver the drugs, which he referred to in intercepted calls as the “Deer Park.”
On August 26, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Riley’s residence in the 1900 block of Naylor Road, SE. Over the course of the search, law enforcement recovered more than 930 grams of cocaine and nearly 120 grams of fentanyl, amongst other narcotics, more than $20,000 in cash, and three loaded firearms, including a privately made rifle.
Riley has a previous 2012 conviction for attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and John Crabb of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced After Driving Stolen Truck with Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Christian Malik White, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 40 months in prison, to be followed by 10 months home confinement, in connection with possessing a loaded firearm and ammunition discovered after he was found in possession of a stolen pickup truck in the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
White pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2025, before Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 40-month prison term, Judge Sooknanan ordered White to serve three years of supervised release, with the first 10 of those months being in home detention. Federal prosecutors had requested a minimum sentence of 57 months in prison.
According to court papers, at about 3:15 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol saw a pickup truck with no front or rear license plate parked in the 1800 block of 9th Street NW. White was leaning against the passenger side of the pickup. When officers asked him about the vehicle, White lied about whether he had driven it and whether he had a key to it. Officers determined the truck had been reported stolen out of Maryland and arrested White, finding a key to the truck in his pocket.
Inside the pickup, officers found a loaded Glock 19 with a laser sight and a 15-round magazine, along with a second extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, for a total of 39 rounds. The firearm had been reported lost by a District resident in February 2025.
White was on probation for a Maryland cocaine distribution conviction at the time of this offense and faces additional probation revocation proceedings in Maryland. This conviction is his fourth felony conviction and third involving a firearm. His prior convictions include serving as a straw purchaser for firearms in 2019, distributing cocaine in 2018, eluding law enforcement and reckless driving in June 2020, and possessing a handgun with a laser attachment in September 2020.
The Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Inside the pickup truck was White's Glock 19 Gen4 9mm pistol with laser attachment and a magazine containing 15 rounds.
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Californian Pleads in D.C. to Multi-State PCP Trafficking Conspiracy, Firearm Charge Tied to Interstate ShipmentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Anderson Thomas, 50, of Chino, California, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that reached across the United States and sold PCP, cocaine, and fentanyl in the 2900 block of Knox Place in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thomas pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP) and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking conspiracy. Thomas is a convicted felon, with prior federal felony convictions in the Northern District of Alabama and the District of Oregon for controlled substance offenses.
Thomas faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the drug conspiracy charge and a consecutive mandatory minimum of five years for the firearm charge, for a combined mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. Judge Kelly scheduled sentencing for Nov. 19, 2026.
According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE. Law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker in the 2900 block of Knox Place. As the investigation progressed, law enforcement was able to identify sources of supply for both narcotics, including California-based co-conspirators like Thomas.
During the conspiracy, five homicides, seventeen assaults with dangerous weapons, five robberies and eight burglaries occurred within 1,000 feet of the conspiracy's primary stash location on Knox Place SE, court papers state.
According to court documents, from at least July 2024 through his arrest in August 2025, Thomas conspired with others to distribute PCP in and around the District of Columbia from his operating base in Los Angeles.
Thomas's role was to arrange bulk PCP shipments to co-defendant Thomas Wilton Hancock, Jr., for redistribution within the greater Washington, D.C.-Baltimore Metro Area. Beginning in late 2024, Hancock brokered the purchase of 17 gallons of PCP from Thomas, to be delivered to Hancock in March 2025. Payments, transmitted through peer-to-peer platforms, cashier’s check, and cash, were routed to “Never To Late Transportation, LLC,” a shell company Thomas had incorporated with co-defendant Darrell Lamont Smith in Los Angeles, California. From August 2024 to March 2025, Thomas was paid about $170,000 through the company, reflecting a price of $10,000 per gallon.
In late-March 2025, Darrell Smith drove a pickup truck carrying 17 gallons of PCP from Los Angeles to Baltimore while Thomas flew to the region to meet the purchaser. On March 26, 2025, Kansas state police stopped the pickup truck, arrested Darrell Smith, and seized the PCP from a lockbox in the truck bed.
On Aug. 26, 2025, FBI agents, in coordination with partner law enforcement agencies, conducted a coordinated search and arrest operation at locations in the District of Columbia, Baltimore, and Los Angeles. A search of Thomas's residence in Chino, California, turned up chemical production materials, including chemical precursors for PCP production, in a backyard shed. From Thomas’s home, law enforcement also recovered two firearms, ammunition, about $26,000 in cash, a money counter, and a can sealer.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and John Crabb of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Northeast D.C. Man Arrested, Charged in July 4 Shooting Death of RoommateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – George Bernard Shaw, 53, of the District of Columbia., was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed, for the killing of Adeyinka Aderemi in the early morning of July 4, 2026, in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Shaw made his initial appearance today before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond. Judge Raymond found probable cause that Shaw committed the offense of first-degree murder while armed and ordered that Shaw be held without bond pending trial.
According to court documents, Shaw and Aderemi lived for several months in the same apartment on the 1800 block Irving Street, NE. Prior to the homicide, Shaw had made threats to kill Aderemi. On the date of the homicide, Shaw approached the victim in a parking lot outside the apartment and shot him once in the back of the head. Aderemi was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Shaw’s apartment and recovered a revolver from his bedroom.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.
Shaw is scheduled to appear before Judge Raymond for a preliminary hearing on Aug.31, 2026.
These charges are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Files Complaint Against Manufacturer and Retailer of Allegedly Imminently Hazardous Immersion Water HeatersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, together with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced today the filing of a complaint against Cixi Miaojie Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd., and Changsha Jiayi Tianzhuo Trading Co. Ltd. of China, seeking mandatory recall relief for consumers under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) for Defendants’ manufacture and sale of allegedly imminently hazardous immersion water heaters.
“The Department of Justice will not allow dangerous products manufactured in China or elsewhere to flow to American consumers and expose unwitting families to the risk of serious injury or death,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This complaint seeks the urgent recall of these products in order to protect American consumers from imminent danger.”
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Americans from hazardous products, including deadly products made in China and imported into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Working with the CPSC, we will hold accountable those who put hazardous products in the hands of American consumers.”
“When dangerous products threaten American families, the Commission will not hesitate to use every authority Congress has entrusted to us,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “Today’s action is the Commission’s first use of its Section 12 imminent hazard authority since 1987, underscoring our commitment to making full use of the tools Congress provided to protect consumers. I want to thank the Department of Justice for its outstanding partnership in this effort. Our collaboration has never been stronger, and together we are ensuring that those who place imminently hazardous products into the U.S. marketplace are held accountable.”
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Defendants manufactured and sold immersion water heaters to consumers in the United States under the label “Lakkzoom” and that Defendants’ immersion water heaters are imminently hazardous consumer products because the immersion heaters can overheat and catch fire within minutes when energized and either completely or partially out of water. The complaint further alleges that the CPSC received 235 fire-related reports, investigated several of those incidents involving Defendants’ immersion water heaters and that the CPSC’s testing of the heaters showed that they could catch fire within minutes in certain circumstances.
The CPSA authorizes lawsuits to be brought against manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to require a recall of consumer products that present an imminent and unreasonable risk of death, serious illness, or severe personal injury.
The United States is represented in this action by Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson and Trial Attorney Jordan A. Ryan Rinear from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Tepe for the District of Columbia, with the assistance of Michael Rogal, Joseph Kessler, Renee McCune and Alex Dennis of the CPSC.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government would be required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Investigations into Cryptocurrency Scams Result in Seizure of More Than $25 MillionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, together with the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office announced today that multiple investigations conducted by its Cyber Fraud Task Force have resulted in the seizure of more than $25 million in cryptocurrency tied to international fraud schemes targeting residents of the United States and Canada. The seizures represent part of the more than $800 million recovered through the Scam Center Strike Force, launched in 2025 by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“This $25 million seizure is a direct result of the Scam Center Strike Force I launched in November 2025, and it demonstrates the power of aggressively targeting these international fraud networks,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Our investigators cut through complex laundering schemes, protected victims, and shut down criminal pipelines. We will continue to identify these actors, dismantle their operations, and bring them to justice.”
On July 21, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia filed five civil forfeiture complaints in U.S. District Court seeking forfeiture of more than $25 million in cryptocurrency recovered during separate fraud investigations conducted by Secret Service Washington Field Office agents. As part of these investigations, agents identified multiple laundering networks and confirmed thousands of victims worldwide who were misled into believing they were making legitimate cryptocurrency investments.
“This seizure is the result of months of tireless work by Washington Field Office investigators, who are among the best in the world at tracking down cyber criminals and tracing their illicit transactions,” said Special Agent in Charge Tara McLeese of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. “These investigations are far from over and we encourage anyone who thinks they may be a victim of these scams, or similar cryptocurrency crimes, to contact us. I want to thank the Special Agents and Investigative Analysts who continue to work on these cases and symbolize the dual mission of the Secret Service every day.”
The complete list of investigations is as follows:
• Investigation 1: In late 2024, Canadian authorities alerted Secret Service agents to a large network of virtual currency wallet addresses suspected of transferring illicit proceeds. Investigators froze the identified addresses and traced more than 270 suspected victim transactions involving fraudulent investment platforms. The civil forfeiture complaint seeks approximately $10,400,913.
• Investigation 2: A private sector partner alerted the U.S. Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force to multiple suspicious transactions. Investigators determined that more than 200 victims had been defrauded through online romance schemes. The illicit proceeds had been laundered through hundreds of intermediary addresses and commingled with funds from other victims. The civil forfeiture complaint seeks approximately $12,086,914.
• Investigation 3: In May 2026, a victim in the National Capital Region reported a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme. After the victim attempted to withdraw funds, the perpetrators cut off contact. Investigators traced the victim’s investments across multiple cryptocurrency addresses. The civil forfeiture complaint seeks approximately $1,230,900.
• Investigation 4: In March 2026, another victim in the National Capital Region transferred millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency to what they believed was a legitimate investment account. Investigators identified a second victim linked to the same fraudulent platform. A portion of the funds was traced to six cryptocurrency addresses and subsequently frozen. The civil forfeiture complaint seeks approximately $2,392,231.
• Investigation 5: The victim of an unrelated fraud was contacted by scammers claiming to have recovered previously stolen funds. The victim was persuaded to pay a fee in order to retrieve the money and made a series of transactions to the new scammers. Investigators have traced some of these transactions and continue working to recover additional funds. The civil forfeiture complaint seeks approximately $285,000.
These five investigations are ongoing and Secret Service investigators continue to work to identify the suspects behind these scamming networks and will work with our law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.
In each of these five cases, launderers were predominantly located in Southeast Asia, with IP addresses located in China, Malaysia, and Cambodia. These funds are the latest in the more than $800 million recovered as part of the Scam Center Strike Force
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force, in consultation with Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of the Department’s Criminal Division. These matters are handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Blaylock from the District of Columbia and Jehiel Baer from the Western District of Washington.
Individuals who believe they may be victims of cryptocurrency fraud are encouraged to contact their local U.S. Secret Service field office at www.secretservice.gov/contact and submit a report through www.ic3.gov.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing Loaded Firearm with Extended Magazines After Fleeing Traffic StopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Robert D'Angelo Poteat, 40, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 33 months in prison in connection with illegally possessing a loaded firearm and high-capacity magazines that were recovered after he fled from a police traffic stop, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Poteat pleaded guilty on April 22, 2026, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 33-month prison sentence, Judge Kelly ordered Poteat to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court papers, at about 12:35 a.m. on Dec. 22, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped a pickup truck that Poteat was driving in the 2400 block of 14th Street, NW for a lane violation. An officer saw a firearm with an extended magazine in plain view on the passenger side floorboard and called for backup. As additional officers arrived and one opened the driver's side door, Poteat sped off at a high rate of speed. Officers later identified Poteat from department records as the driver who fled.
About two hours later, officers found the truck parked in the 800 block of Princeton Place NW with Poteat unconscious in the driver's seat. Officers called MPD's Emergency Response Team, which established contact with Poteat and ordered him out of the vehicle. Poteat exited with a cross-body satchel and a firearm tucked into his waistband.
Officers recovered a loaded .40-caliber Glock 23 with an extended, 29-round magazine from his waistband, and a 50-round drum magazine and a 15-round magazine from the satchel.
Poteat was previously convicted in D.C. Superior Court of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in two separate cases, including a 2015 case in which he was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 18 months of supervised probation.
The Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Lauren Ibanez.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Officers recovered a loaded .40-caliber Glock 23 with an extended, 29-round magazine.
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Arizona Man Sentenced in D.C. to 100 Months for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Murphy, 37, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 100 months in prison in connection with distributing child sexual abuse materials, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Murphy pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026, before Judge Royce C. Lamberth to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the 100-month prison sentence, Judge Lamberth ordered Murphy to serve 10 years of supervised release. Murphy will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court papers, on various occasions, Murphy used two encrypted messaging applications – Signal and Telegram – to distribute and receive child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), including materials involving extremely young children.
In addition to his receipt and distribution of CSAM, Murphy was a member of several Signal groups that were primarily used for the sharing of CSAM. Murphy also hosted and attended Zoom video meetings to connect with other “pedos” and view and exchange CSAM. In chat messages recovered by law enforcement, Murphy talked about building his “collection” of child pornography, ultimately possessing thousands of images and videos on his devices, all of which were discovered following his arrest.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Kelley.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Shooter Gets 22 Years in Prison for June 2020 Killing of Father of FourRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamil Whitley, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in D.C. Superior Court for the shooting death of 32-year-old Kevin Redd on June 11, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Whitley was found guilty by a jury on May 12, 2026, on one count of second-degree murder while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. The Honorable Danya Dayson sentenced Whitley to 22 years and six months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In its sentencing memorandum, the government asked the court for the top of the guidelines, which is 35 years and four months.
“Unfortunately, the sentence imposed today does not reflect the severe harm suffered by the four young children who will now grow up without their father,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “His actions caused extraordinary damage, and my office sought a substantially longer sentence because the brutality of this crime demanded it. The impact on Mr. Redd’s family—especially his children—will last a lifetime, underscoring that violent conduct of this magnitude deserves the strongest response our justice system can deliver. Whitley’s murder of Kevin Redd, a father of four, left a hole in our community that can never be repaired.”
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of June 11, 2020, the victim, Kevin Redd, stopped at the Shell Gas Station located at 4321 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE. The gas station surveillance video captured Whitley arriving three minutes earlier as the passenger of a vehicle. The surveillance video captured both Whitley and Redd speaking to each other. Eventually, Whitley returned to the vehicle and was driven from the gas station while Redd remained.
Thirteen minutes later, Whitley returned to the gas station wearing a surgical mask. Whitley exited the vehicle and approached Redd, then returned to his car with the victim following behind him. Whitley entered the driver’s door and quickly pulled a small object from his pants. As the victim entered the passenger door the defendant sped off causing a vehicle to swerve to avoid hitting him and entered the alley leading to the rear of 4722 Jay Street, N.E. Seconds later, two gunshots rang out and Whitley was captured on surveillance video fleeing the area. Redd was found by responding officers, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
Whitley was arrested on August 25, 2021, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro, Assistant Director Cox and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
They also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle D. Jackson and Negar Kordestani, who prosecuted the case.
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PCP Trafficker Sentenced to 60 Months for Role in Wide-Ranging Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Kenneth Watts, 59, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute phencyclidine (PCP), announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Watts was convicted by a federal jury on May 20, 2025, in U.S. District Court on one count of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP. In addition to the 60-month prison term, Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Watts to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court papers, a two-year investigation by federal and local law enforcement uncovered a narcotics trafficking network operating in the metropolitan area. The network distributed large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and PCP and relied on firearms to protect its operations and drug proceeds.
Watts’s role in the conspiracy centered on obtaining bulk shipments of liquid PCP from a supplier in California. On Sept. 23, 2020, Prince George’s County police intercepted a package containing six kilograms of PCP at a FedEx facility in Maryland. The package was addressed to a fictitious name at an address in Temple Hills, Maryland.
Officers conducted a controlled delivery to the address. After the package was dropped off, they observed Watts retrieve it and enter the residence. He emerged carrying a suitcase and drove away. He was pulled over a short distance from the house. Officers recovered the PCP from the suitcase in the truck bed. Laboratory testing confirmed the substance was approximately six kilograms of PCP.
A search of Watts’s cellphone revealed text messages with the California supplier, including the delivery address and a fictitious recipient name. His phone also showed he had messaged a co-conspirator asking him to call “asap” the day before the package arrived. Evidence showed the co-conspirator later contacted Watts when seeking to obtain PCP.
Co-defendant, James Kinard, 48, of Temple Hills, Md., also was found guilty by the jury on May 20, 2025, on the PCP conspiracy count, and additionally found guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Sentencing for Kinard is pending.
Three other co-defendants pleaded guilty before the case went to trial. Melvin Grayson, 52, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, more than 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and more than one kilogram of PCP and was sentenced to 120 months. Tyrone Ragland, 57, aka “Tech,” of the District, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram of PCP and was sentenced to 180 months. Charles Cunningham, 59, of the District, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and was sentenced to 180 months in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar R. Mohanty and Iris Y. McCranie.
Police recovered six kilograms of PCP from a suitcase Watts had stashed in the back of his vehicle.
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Two D.C. Men Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for 2024 Shooting of Dunbar High School StudentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Saki Frost, 19, and Azhari Graves, 20, of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today for charges related to a shooting near Dunbar High School in May 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“These defendants opened fire just steps from a school, injuring multiple students, including one who was struck in the head by a bullet and endangering countless others,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Students should be able to learn without fear of violence, and those who seek to disrupt that safety will be met with decisive action.”
Frost and Graves each pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a pistol without a license on December 19, 2025. Frost, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting, was prosecuted as an adult under Title 16. As part of their sentences, both defendants will be required to register as gun offenders. The Honorable J. Michael Ryan ordered both defendants to 84 months in prison, suspended as for all except for 60 months, to be followed by two years of supervised probation.
According to the government’s evidence, on the morning of May 3, 2024, Graves and Frost went to the area of Kirby Street NW, near Dunbar High School, and opened fire on a sedan that was driving down that street, before fleeing the area in a vehicle. A witness reported hearing machine gun fire and surveillance video captured Frost and Graves running down an alleyway holding firearms prior to the shooting. Surveillance video also captured the shooting, in which an individual appearing to be Frost, fires a gun toward the sedan. Investigators recovered a total of 29 shell casings from the scene of the shooting and numerous fragments from the exterior of Dunbar High School, as well as from classrooms inside the school. Investigators also observed at least six bullet strikes to the N Street side of Dunbar. During the shooting, one Dunbar student suffered a graze wound to the head from the gunfire.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dal Lago, who prosecuted the case.
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El Salvador National Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for 1997 Double MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Oscar Diaz Romero, aka Oscar Alonzo Salguero, 47, of El Salvador, was sentenced today for shooting and killing Jose Roberto Molina, 21, and Jose Noel Coreas, 22, in August 1997, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Diaz Romero was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder on March 25, 2026. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman ordered Diaz Romero to serve 24 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised probation.
“Nearly thirty years after fleeing justice, Oscar Diaz Romero’s day of reckoning has come,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Let this be clear: if you commit murder in our community and attempt to escape accountability, my office will never rest until you are brought to justice. Today’s sentencing affirms that violent acts against our residents will be met with consequences.”
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of August 9, 1997, Diaz Romero and several friends were out on the 2nd floor of the then-Las Rocas restaurant in the 2400 block of 18th Street, NW. Just before 2 a.m., a group of young men entered the restaurant and began fighting. Then Diaz Romero pulled out a revolver and fired several times. One round hit and killed Jose Molina, a 22-year-old father of two. Another round hit and killed Jose Coreas, who was out celebrating his 22nd birthday.
Diaz Romero fled the scene to El Salvador, where he was arrested in 2024. He was extradited to the United States in January 2025, where he has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
They also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Dennis Clark and Richard Carlton, who prosecuted the case.
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2022 Murder of Audora Williams Yields Guilty Verdict for Her Children’s FatherRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Wonell Jones, Jr., 38, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today in D.C. Superior Court, on charges stemming from the death of 33-year-old Audora Williams in her apartment on July 19, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jones was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon on July 16, 2026. Superior Court Judge J. Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for October 30, 2026.
“Jones flouted a protective order, put in place to keep Audora Williams and her children safe, and proceeded to murder Williams, with her children just feet away,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He shot Williams over 20 times, traumatizing these children, and changing the trajectory of their lives. Today’s verdict, guilty on all charges, is a step toward justice for Williams and a clear affirmation that such brutality will be met with unwavering accountability.”
According to the government’s evidence, on July 19, 2022, around 1:30 p.m., in the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, Jones returned to Audora Williams’s apartment following a grocery run with one of her young sons. At the time, there were eight children in the apartment, three were Jones’s, three were Williams’s, and a toddler and a baby were shared by Jones and Williams. Shortly after returning, Jones, who was not supposed to be at the home or in contact with Williams because of a temporary protective order she had against him, with a protective order trial scheduled just days later, closed the door to Williams’s room and began a loud argument with her. Jones could be heard accusing Williams of cheating and growing louder and angrier and then the gunshots began. Jones then partially stepped out of the room and fired more shots before exiting the apartment, leaving the kids behind, and ultimately fleeing to Florida.
Surveillance video shows Jones entering the building and apartment with Williams’s child. The defendant shot Audora Williams more than 20 times, using two different guns.
Jones was arrested and held in Florida on August 29, 2022, and extradited to the District of Columbia on October 26, 2022, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Horton and Shaniqua Butler.
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Washington State Man Sentenced in D.C. for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Davis, 36, of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison for distributing child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“James Davis exploited online anonymity to engage in the abuse of children and to seek out other predators,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When investigators closed in, he attempted to destroy evidence rather than take responsibility. This office will continue to track down offenders who believe they can hide behind digital shadows.”
Davis, who used the online screen name “Ulphednar,” pleaded guilty on Jan. 7, 2026, before Judge Amir H. Ali to distribution of child pornography. In addition to the five-year prison sentence, Judge Ali ordered Davis to serve 10 years of supervised release.
According to court papers, the investigation began when a law enforcement officer, working in an undercover capacity for the Metropolitan Police Department-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, encountered Davis on a website used to trade child sexual abuse material.
Davis began exchanging messages with the undercover officer and later continued the conversation on a messaging application. During those exchanges, Davis said he had sexually abused a minor over a period of years and sent images depicting the abuse.
Davis exchanged similar material with other users of the messaging application and discussed a shared sexual interest in children.
On April 11, 2025, the FBI executed a search warrant at Davis’s residence. As agents arrived, Davis attempted to destroy a cellphone that contained evidence of the offense. Davis later waived his Miranda rights and admitted to trading child sexual abuse material online.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation Task Force, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Seattle Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Maryland Felon Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Thompson, 37, a previously convicted felon residing in Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thompson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Mehta scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2026.
According to court papers, on March 7, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Robbery Suppression Unit were on patrol in the 4600 block of Livingston Road SE when they saw Thompson standing outside the South Capitol Liquor Store. As officers approached, Thompson abruptly ended a conversation and entered the store.
An officer addressed Thompson and noticed a heavy, rectangular object in Thompson's jacket pocket after his unzipped coat shifted open. As another officer remarked to Thompson that his pocket looked heavy, Thompson broke into a sprint. Officers chased him and during the pursuit Thompson tossed a firearm into the street.
Officers recovered a loaded .45-caliber pistol with one round in the chamber and 13 additional rounds in the magazine. The firearm was not registered in the District, and Thompson did not have a concealed carry permit.
Thompson has a previous 2017 felony conviction out of Arlington County, Virginia, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison, therefore making it unlawful for him to possess any firearm.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Former Adviser to Federal Reserve Board of Governors Sentenced to Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
Note: the release has been updated to include a quote from the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.
John Harold Rogers, 64, a former senior adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 38 months in federal prison in connection with making false statements to federal investigators about sharing restricted Federal Reserve information with Chinese intelligence operatives.
“The United States entrusted Rogers with its most sensitive economic data,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He violated that sacred trust and lied repeatedly to conceal his collaboration with individuals in China with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, exposing his own country, the United States, to counterintelligence risks.”
“John Rogers spent years secretly funneling sensitive Federal Reserve information to Chinese spies, then looked investigators in the eye and lied about it. And when that wasn’t enough, he lied again under oath at trial,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Federal Reserve employees entrusted with America’s most sensitive economic information cannot sell out their country and their colleagues for personal gain and then expect to hide behind a single word.”
“When Rogers made the decision to share sensitive economic information from the Federal Reserve and give it to China’s intelligence service for personal gain, he betrayed both his country and his oath as a federal employee,” said Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “As this case makes clear, the Chinese Communist Party is employing increasingly aggressive tactics in its campaign to gain a strategic economic advantage over the U.S. by targeting our financial policies, trade secrets, and innovation. However, this sentencing underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing anyone who threatens our economic and national security and bringing them to justice.”
“John Rogers deliberately lied to our investigators to conceal the fact he shared restricted non-public Federal Reserve information with intelligence agents working for China,” said Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who mislead and obstruct federal agents will be brought to justice. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our agents, and our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work and persistence, which led to this result.”
“While holding a position of trust, Rogers repeatedly violated Federal Reserve information security policies by taking sensitive, nonpublic information and sending it to himself, while he was in China, and to others affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Rogers then lied to federal agents about these disclosures. His sentencing underscores the shared commitment of the FBI and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General to pursue anyone who endangers U.S. economic and national security by passing confidential information to an adversarial government.”
A federal jury deliberated for two days before finding Rogers guilty on February 3 of making false statements to government investigators at the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In addition to the 38-month prison sentence, Judge Dabney Friedrich ordered Rogers to serve 12 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 60-month prison term.
Rogers, of Vienna, Virginia, is a U.S. citizen who holds a Ph.D. in economics.
According to court papers, Rogers served for decades as a Senior Advisor at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where he had access to restricted, nonpublic information about monetary policy and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). From 2010 until 2021, Rogers worked as a senior adviser in FRB’s Division of International Finance where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information.
Beginning in 2017, Rogers developed a clandestine relationship with Hummin Lee, a Chinese intelligence operative, whom he met at a conference in China. Over the following years, Rogers met Lee and associates in hotel rooms in China under the guise of teaching academic “classes,” using the sessions to convey Federal Reserve information that Lee had specifically tasked him to collect.
Rogers printed restricted documents to bring on a trip to China, stripped classification markings from materials before emailing them to his personal account, and forwarded sensitive information to a professor at Fudan University, a Chinese state-run institution, days before meeting Lee. Rogers understood that Lee was writing reports for the Chinese government using the information he provided, and knew China could use advance knowledge of Federal Reserve interest rate decisions to generate enormous profits trading its roughly $1.5 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities.
In exchange, Rogers received help with his new wife, university professorships, and substantial financial benefits from Lee and Chinese universities. He told investigators he “owed everything” to Hummin Lee.
On Feb. 4, 2020, Rogers agreed to be interviewed by investigators from the Federal Reserve’s Office of Inspector General. When asked directly whether he had ever shared restricted Federal Reserve information outside the Board, he answered: “Never.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Barry and Jocelyn Ballantine, Trial Attorneys Nicholas O. Hunter and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division, and Paralegal Specialist Derra McQuaig of the National Security Division.
Former Adviser to Federal Reserve Board of Governors Sentenced to Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Harold Rogers, 64, a former senior adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 38 months in federal prison in connection with making false statements to federal investigators about sharing restricted Federal Reserve information with Chinese intelligence operatives, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“John Rogers spent years secretly funneling sensitive Federal Reserve information to Chinese spies, then looked investigators in the eye and lied about it. And when that wasn’t enough, he lied again under oath at trial,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Federal Reserve employees entrusted with America’s most sensitive economic information cannot sell out their country and their colleagues for personal gain and then expect to hide behind a single word.”
A federal jury deliberated for two days before finding Rogers guilty on February 3 of making false statements to government investigators at the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In addition to the 38-month prison sentence, Judge Dabney Friedrich ordered Rogers to serve 12 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 60-month prison term.
“John Rogers deliberately lied to our investigators to conceal the fact he shared restricted non-public Federal Reserve information with intelligence agents working for China,” said Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who mislead and obstruct federal agents will be brought to justice. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our agents, and our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work and persistence, which led to this result.”
“While holding a position of trust, Rogers repeatedly violated Federal Reserve information security policies by taking sensitive, nonpublic information and sending it to himself, while he was in China, and to others affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Rogers then lied to federal agents about these disclosures. His sentencing underscores the shared commitment of the FBI and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General to pursue anyone who endangers U.S. economic and national security by passing confidential information to an adversarial government.”
Rogers, of Vienna, Virginia, is a U.S. citizen who holds a Ph.D. in economics.
According to court papers, Rogers served for decades as a Senior Advisor at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where he had access to restricted, nonpublic information about monetary policy and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). From 2010 until 2021, Rogers worked as a senior adviser in FRB’s Division of International Finance where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information.
Beginning in 2017, Rogers developed a clandestine relationship with Hummin Lee, a Chinese intelligence operative, whom he met at a conference in China. Over the following years, Rogers met Lee and associates in hotel rooms in China under the guise of teaching academic “classes,” using the sessions to convey Federal Reserve information that Lee had specifically tasked him to collect.
Rogers printed restricted documents to bring on a trip to China, stripped classification markings from materials before emailing them to his personal account, and forwarded sensitive information to a professor at Fudan University, a Chinese state-run institution, days before meeting Lee. Rogers understood that Lee was writing reports for the Chinese government using the information he provided, and knew China could use advance knowledge of Federal Reserve interest rate decisions to generate enormous profits trading its roughly $1.5 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities.
In exchange, Rogers received help with his new wife, university professorships, and substantial financial benefits from Lee and Chinese universities. He told investigators he “owed everything” to Hummin Lee.
On Feb. 4, 2020, Rogers agreed to be interviewed by investigators from the Federal Reserve’s Office of Inspector General. When asked directly whether he had ever shared restricted Federal Reserve information outside the Board, he answered: “Never.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Barry and Jocelyn Ballantine, Trial Attorneys Nicholas O. Hunter and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division, and Paralegal Specialist Derra McQuaig of the National Security Division.
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D.C. Man Found Guilty of Armed Carjacking and Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Orlin Lemus-Cruz, 22, of the District, was found guilty today in D.C. Superior Court on charges related to the armed robbery of two victims on March 26, 2025, in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Lemus-Cruz was found guilty of one count of armed carjacking, two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled sentencing for October 30, 2026. The armed robbery conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment. The armed carjacking conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 15 years and a maximum sentence of not more than 40 years of imprisonment.
According to the government’s evidence, on the afternoon of March 26, 2025, Lemus-Cruz and his two co-conspirators, Jason Benitez-Umanzor and Julio Villafranco, approached two victims watching a soccer game at the Bell Athletic Field in the 3100 block of Hiatt Place, NW. The victims were then pistol-whipped and robbed at gunpoint of a coat and a moped.
Lemus-Cruz was arrested on April 5, 2025, and has been in custody since. Co-conspirators Jason Benitez-Umanzor and Julio Villafranco previously pleaded guilty to armed robbery on November 19, 2025.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nickolas Reck and Michael Dal Lago. Assistant United States Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi indicted the case.
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Felon with Prior Attempted Carjacking Convictions Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Damian Barnett, 22, a felon residing in the District who was previously convicted of two attempted carjackings, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 28 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded unholstered pistol in a residential neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Barnett chose to illegally carry a loaded firearm in D.C., less than a year after being released from prison for attempted carjacking,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This felon’s actions put law-abiding citizens at risk and demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law. His prior conviction should have been a turning point. Instead, it became a prelude to another crime.”
Barnett pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 28-month prison term, Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Barnett to serve two years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 33-month prison term.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2025, police officers on patrol in Northeast Washington encountered a group of people on the 1100 block of 16th Street, NE. Among the group was Barnett, who appeared to be smoking a marijuana cigarette. When Barnett spotted the officers, he handed off the cigarette and ran down an alley. Officers pursued Barnett and saw him reach for his waistband, pull out a firearm, and toss it into the air.
Officers apprehended Barnett and recovered a Glock 19 pistol, loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition, in the alley off Levis Street, NE. The pistol had been reported stolen in November 2024 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Barnett previously was convicted of two counts of attempted carjacking. For those offenses he received two consecutive 24-month prison sentences and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Division.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Green and Lauren Ibanez as part of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Barnett runs from officers on the 1100 block of 16th Street, NE.
Investigators recovered this Glock 19 pistol in an alley off Levis Street, NE.
An image of a handheld Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging device that indicated the firearm had recently been held.
Evidence photo of the Glock 19, magazine, and 23 rounds of ammunition that police recovered in the alley.
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Felon Sentenced to 27 Months for Possessing ‘Ghost Gun’ While Unconscious on D.C. SidewalkRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Fredrick Moore, 52, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a “ghost gun” and ammunition recovered after he was found passed out on a public sidewalk in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Moore pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026, without the benefit of a plea agreement, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and to unlawful possession of a ghost gun.
In addition to the 27-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Moore to serve two years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 33 months.
According to court papers, on Sept. 3, 2025, a witness called 911 to report that Moore was unconscious and in possession of a firearm at the intersection of 1st Street NW and Florida Avenue NW, a busy downtown D.C. intersection.
Responding officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found Moore with a 9mm privately made pistol lacking a serial number, tucked in the back of Moore's waistband. Officers subdued Moore and recovered the loaded weapon. A search incident to arrest also uncovered suspected drug paraphernalia and a substance that field-tested positive for amphetamines.
Prior to this offense, Moore had been convicted 18 times for an array of crimes that include attempted cocaine distribution, assault and sex abuse, and multiple weapons counts.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Ibanez.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Polymer80 ghost gun recovered from Moore on Sept. 3, 2025.
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Dominican Republic National Pleads Guilty to Participating in $1 Million Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Karin L. Contreras, 45, a Dominican Republic citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to defraud unemployment programs, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Contreras pleaded guilty before the Honorable Beryl A. Howell to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Following the plea hearing, Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for Nov. 6, 2026.
“Contreras came to our country, was given the privilege of permanent residency, and then turned around and defrauded the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This behavior won’t be tolerated, and thieves will be held accountable. Contreras will suffer the consequence of her attempt to cheat the American taxpayers.”
According to court documents, from June 2020 through March 2021, Contreras conspired with others to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits using other people’s names and personal identity information. As a result of the fraudulent applications, conspirators received prepaid ATM cards loaded with benefits totaling more than $1 million. The overwhelming majority of the cards were mailed to a D.C. address immediately next to Contreras’ residence. Contreras and other conspirators then withdrew funds from the cards at ATMs, typically in increments of $1,000, the maximum daily withdrawal limit.
Between July 1, 2020, and July 14, 2020, Contreras personally used 12 different fraudulently obtained cards to withdraw $23,000 from ATMs in Washington, D.C. In total, conspirators were able to realize more than $550,000 from the scheme.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and John Kosmidis of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.
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Guilty Plea Unsealed for Former DC Public Schools Administrator Involved in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tracy Hatton, 60, of the District of Columbia, a former administrative officer at McKinley Technology High School, pleaded guilty to bribery in connection with a scheme that caused a loss to the District of Columbia government of more than $40,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The plea was unsealed today in U.S. District Court.
According to court documents, Hatton was an administrative officer for McKinley, a unit of the District of Columbia Public Schools, and was responsible for managing the school's supply budget, selecting and awarding vendor contracts, and approving invoices for payment.
Beginning in or about October 2020 and continuing until about September 2023, Hatton accepted cash bribes from a contractor identified in court papers as Contractor 1, the owner of an approved D.C. Supply Schedule vendor, in exchange for using her official position to benefit that vendor.
In exchange for the bribes, Hatton issued purchase orders to the contractor and approved payment for goods that were never delivered to McKinley, including fraudulent invoices for inflated and under-delivered orders. Hatton also directed the contractor to fraudulently charge her government-issued purchase card for supplies that were never provided. On some occasions, Hatton accepted additional cash payments from the contractor that did not derive from fraudulently obtained DCPS funds, in exchange for steering additional business to the contractor.
In total, Hatton personally profited by at least $30,000. Because the payments to Hatton were made in cash, the total loss to D.C. Public Schools is difficult to identify. Hatton pleaded guilty to bribery on Nov. 10, 2025. Sentencing is set for Nov. 5, 2026.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. The matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.
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D.C. Resident Sentenced for Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kelvin Leon, 27, a resident of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 22 months in prison in connection with possessing a machine gun that he fired out the window of his Southeast Washington apartment, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Leon pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of possession of a machine gun and one count of endangerment with a firearm. After serving his 22-month prison sentence, Leon will be deported to Venezuela.
According to court papers, on July 24, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division responded to a residence at 2400 Marion Barry Ave. in Southeast Washington after an anonymous tipster reported that a man had fired a gun out of an apartment window. Officers executed a search warrant and recovered a privately manufactured pistol, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The semiautomatic firearm was fitted with a device that allowed it to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger, converting it into a machine gun.
Leon later told investigators that he fired the weapon out of the window after an argument with two men over scooters in front of the apartment building. Leon stated that he had purchased the firearm about three weeks earlier and the conversion device about a week after that, and that he learned to install the device from online videos.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
Officers recovered a privately manufactured pistol fitted with a device that allowed it to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger, converting it into a machine gun.
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Three Juveniles Arrested by Make DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Onyx Austin, 17, Pierce Arrington, 17 and Reggie Mateck, 16, were arrested and charged as adults in D.C. Superior Court in connection with an armed robbery committed on July 6, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The three juveniles were charged on July 8, 2026. They made their initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond and were presented on charges involving the armed robbery of two victims.
“There will be zero tolerance for those committing crimes in D.C., especially juveniles,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “For too long by virtue of their age, they have been able to escape real consequences for their criminal behavior. Their crimes not only harm individual victims but also upend the lives of law-abiding residents and undermine the safety of our neighborhoods. That is why it is essential to lower the age of accountability for these young criminals who are emboldened because of the D.C. Council’s refusal to recognize the violence that they are committing on other D.C. citizens. The rights of victims are paramount and criminals will face the full force of the law.”
According to the government’s evidence, on July 6, 2026, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a call for service near the 3300 Block of 7th St. Southeast for a report of an armed robbery where one suspect placed two victims in chokeholds. Another suspect pushed a handgun into a victim's ribs and threatened them. The suspects stole one victim’s wallet, both victims’ cell phones, and $1,700 from one victim’s bank accounts. Officers located and arrested the suspects at one of the suspect’s mother’s residences.
This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Marshal Robert Anthony Dixon.
The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Campbell.
Charges in a complaint are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
D.C. Felon Who Fled from Officers Sentenced in Possession of a Loaded Glock 9mm PistolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Gaskins, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 26 months in prison in connection with his possession of a loaded Glock 9mm pistol that was recovered after he attempted to flee from police in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gaskins pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2025, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to the 26-month prison term, Judge Ali ordered Gaskins to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 41-month prison term.
According to court papers, on Oct. 4, 2025, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department observed Gaskins and a co-defendant attempting to get into a building on the 2800 block of 28th Street SE and attempted to stop them. Gaskins fled and ran into an alley between two residences. As officers chased him, Gaskins tossed a firearm. Officers later recovered a Glock 17 9mm semiautomatic pistol from along Gaskins’ flight path. The firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and an additional 16 rounds of ammunition in a 17-round capacity magazine. A forensic test of the Glock linked Gaskins’ DNA to the firearm.
Following his arrest, officers searched a Honda Odyssey that matched keys found on Gaskins’ co-defendant and found a satchel with Gaskins’ identification inside. In the satchel with the ID, officers found a plastic bag containing 11 green “zips” with a powder-like substance, and a separate rock-like substance broken up into a plastic bag. The substances later tested positive for cocaine base.
Gaskins has a prior felony conviction and was therefore legally barred from possessing any firearm. In March 2023, he was convicted in Superior Court for unlawful possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with the valuable assistance of the FBI Washington Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Carjacking and Firearms Offense Leads to Guilty Plea from D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dominick Carter, 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Tuesday for a carjacking and firearms offenses committed in January 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Carter pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of carjacking and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The sentencing guidelines for carjacking are 36-84 months with a 7-year mandatory minimum. For the charge of carrying a pistol without a license, the guidelines are 6-24 months. Carter’s co-defendant, De’Shean Dean, accepted a guilty plea last year for carjacking and carrying a dangerous weapon. Dean was sentenced to seven years.
Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno scheduled sentencing for October 2, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on the afternoon of January 21, 2025, the two victims drove from Maryland to an apartment building located at 1641 W Street, SE, to purchase marijuana. When they arrived at that location, the victims met with the defendant and entered an apartment unit. Once inside, co-defendant De’Shean Dean, emerged from the kitchen with a firearm, pointed it at the victims and told them not to move. Shortly thereafter, Carter and Dean made the decision to drive the victims to the Anacostia Metro Station. Carter got into the driver’s seat of victim 1’s car, victim 2 sat in the passenger seat, victim 1 sat in the rear driver’s seat, and Dean sat in the rear passenger seat.
Once they arrived at the Anacostia Metro Station, the two co-defendants ordered the victims out of the car. The victims complied and exited the car, at which point the co-defendants fled the scene in the victim’s car.
On the day of the offense, Carter was in possession of a firearm. The defendant was not licensed to carry the firearm in the District of Columbia. Carter was arrested on February 28, 2026, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katerina Qesari.
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D.C. Felon with Two Prior Firearms Convictions Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Loaded Ghost GunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Rhondell Williams, 39, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 14 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded ghost gun while intoxicated on a residential road in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Williams pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2025, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to three firearms counts: unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a prohibited weapon. In addition to the 14-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 28-month prison term.
According to court documents, on April 4, 2025, about 6:15 p.m., officers from the Metropolitan Police Department's Violent Crime Suppression Division observed Williams walking on Pomeroy Road SE carrying an open bottle of tequila.
Officers approached and attempted to detain him for possessing an open container of alcohol. After Williams resisted, officers removed a cross-body satchel from Williams. Inside the bag was a loaded 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun, privately manufactured, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The ghost gun was loaded with five rounds of 9mm ammunition in a Glock magazine. While in custody, Williams tested positive for amphetamines.
Williams has two prior felony convictions for illegally possessing firearms, in 2007 and 2017. He repeatedly failed to comply with the terms of court-ordered supervision in each case.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
Body-worn-camera photo depicts a police officer reaching for Williams’ bag in which a 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun (below) was found.
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Maryland Man Indicted for Vandalizing Reflecting PoolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was returned today charging David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, for charges related to vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 19, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“After months of renovations ordered by President Trump to prepare our capital for America’s 250th anniversary—including the restoration of more than 50 parks, 48 monuments, and 22 fountains—these deliberate acts of destruction set back real progress and violate the law,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Vandalism at treasured places like the Reflecting Pool is an affront to our shared history and the dignity of our national heritage. These monuments belong to all of us, and we will protect them—and hold accountable those who seek to deface or diminish them.”
On July 2, 2026, a grand jury in Superior Court returned an indictment against Hearn for one count of felony destruction of property in violation of DC Code § 22–303. A court hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2026.
The indictment was in response to an incident that occurred on June 19, 2026, in which Hearn allegedly ripped a piece of the recently installed blue pool sealant on the bottom of the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Deputy Chief David Lamond of the U.S. Park Police.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Park Police.
These charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Arrested and Charged in String of T-Mobile Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Juwan Tyre Hall, 30, and Anthony Burno, 32, of the District of Columbia, were arrested Friday after being indicted on four counts of Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery after allegedly committing a string of armed robberies targeting T-Mobile stores across the District of Columbia and Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, between November 2025 and March 2026, Hall and Burno allegedly engaged in a series of armed robberies targeting six T-Mobile stores and one pawn shop, where they stole both money and devices out of safes in each location. The two men, dressed in black and wearing masks, entered stores brandishing a handgun, which they used to threaten customers and employees to cooperate. After stealing the contents of the safes, they would then flee the scene, often using a different stolen vehicle. After the robberies, Hall and Burno changed and disposed of their clothing and switched out their stolen vehicles for alternate vehicles.
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox and Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Charges in an Indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Chinatown Murder, Shooting at PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jaykell Mason, 26, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty last week in connection with a February 2020 deadly shooting and subsequent police chase that occurred in Northwest Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Mason pleaded guilty June 26, 2026, to second-degree murder while armed and assault on a police officer while armed. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2026, before Judge Jason Park.
The government’s evidence indicates that on the evening of Feb. 13, 2020, the defendant, Jaykell Mason, approached Terence Dantzler, in the 700 block of 8th Street NW. The two spoke briefly and then Mason raised a firearm to Dantzler’s head and fired once, striking Dantzler, who then fell to the ground. Mason then fired two more rounds into the Dantzler's body before fleeing on foot.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department intercepted Mason in the 1000 block of H Street NW. Mason fired upon the officers, who then returned fire, striking Mason in the hand. He was apprehended shortly thereafter.
Dantzler was transported to a nearby hospital where he died of his injuries.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Peter Roman.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Role in Kidnapping that Led to Two DeathsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Terrell, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison in connection with a 2023 kidnapping in which two people were killed, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Malik Terrell and his co-conspirators kidnapped two people at gunpoint, beat them, and set off a chain of events that ended with two men dead,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This was brutal, deliberate violence, and it cost lives. Today’s sentence makes clear that anyone who takes part in deadly conduct will face serious and lasting consequences.”
Terrell pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2026, to kidnapping and aiding and abetting. In addition to the 87-month prison sentence, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Terrell to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court papers, in the early morning hours of June 9, 2023, Terrell and nine co-conspirators returned to the 4400 block of F Street SE after attending a birthday celebration at a nightclub on Connecticut Avenue NW. Two other men, identified in court papers as Victim-1 and Victim-2, arrived back at the area shortly afterward.
At about 3:45 a.m., the group set upon Victim-1 as he sat in the driver's seat of his Mercedes SUV. Co-conspirators lunged at Victim-1 from the driver's-side doorway, confined him, and began stripping clothing from his body. Terrell assisted in preventing both victims from fleeing while the co-conspirators pulled Victim-1 from the vehicle. The purpose of the kidnapping was to steal Victim-1's clothing, money, vehicle, and other belongings.
The co-conspirators drove away in Victim-1's Mercedes SUV with both victims inside. Terrell and three others fled in a white Nissan Altima. The victims were transported to a nearby location where they were threatened, assaulted at gunpoint, and sustained serious injuries.
The group then transported Victim-1 across state lines into Maryland, stopping first at an apartment complex in Suitland and then at a second location in Waldorf. About 5:45 a.m. in Waldorf, a shootout erupted in a parking lot. Victim-1 and another individual were struck by gunfire and were later pronounced dead. About 6:45 a.m., first responders found the victim’s Mercedes engulfed in flames in Capitol Heights, Maryland.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and Safe Streets Task Force, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr. and Anthony Scarpelli of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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D.C. Man’s Refusal to Answer Grand Jury Questions Gets 8 Years in Prison for Obstructing a Homicide InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Nicks, 34, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to eight years in prison for obstructing a homicide investigation, during grand jury proceedings between July 2023 and January 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Antonio Nicks was indicted and pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of obstructing justice and one count of contempt. His guilty plea for the indictment was entered on the eve of jury selection. The Honorable Judith Pipe sentenced Nicks to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 7, 2023, and July 28, 2023, Antonio Nicks testified under oath in a Superior Court grand jury proceeding in Washington D.C. that was investigating the July 9, 2022, stabbing death of Brittany Palmer.
On July 7, 2023, Nicks declined to answer certain questions and purported to invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege on various topics during his grand jury testimony. On July 14, 2023, a Fifth Amendment privilege hearing was held before Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring. At this hearing, the Chief Judge found that Nicks did not have a Fifth Amendment privilege and ordered him to answer certain questions in the grand jury. During his grand jury testimony on July 28, 2023, Nicks refused to answer questions even though he acknowledged that he was ordered by the Chief Judge to do so. In subsequent hearings before Chief Judge Josey-Herring on October 2, 2023, December 11, 2023, and January 12, 2024, Nicks continued to express his refusal to answer questions as ordered by the Chief Judge.
Nicks was arrested on a material witness warrant on June 21, 2023, and has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated this case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Galloway, who prosecuted the case.
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Twice-Convicted Sex Offender Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A complaint was unsealed this week in U.S. District Court charging Jason Robert Birk, 50, of the District of Columbia, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, on June 23, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Birk’s residence and recovered his cell phone and laptop. A review of the phone showed that Birk distributed videos showing the sexual abuse of children by adult males and sexual acts between animals and adult males. On April 26, 2026, Birk distributed two videos depicting the violent sexual abuse of a toddler by an adult male. Birk has two prior convictions for sex offenses, including a 2019 conviction for distribution of child pornography.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Janani Iyengar.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 35-Year Prison Term for Vehicular Homicide and Assault in December of 2022Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Spiro Stafilatos, 39, of Silver Spring, MD, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for striking two pedestrians with his vehicle in December 2022, killing Shuyu Sui and causing life-threatening injuries to Jiahui Wang, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A jury found Stafilatos guilty on May 6, 2026, of one count each of second-degree murder, aggravated assault while armed, and fleeing. The Honorable Rainey Brandt sentenced Stafilatos to consecutive sentences of 20 years in prison for the murder and 15 years in prison for the assault. The government had asked the court for an upward departure from the sentencing guidelines, and the court agreed with respect to the assault, citing multiple aggravating factors related to the devastating injuries sustained by Ms. Wang.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 4:28 p.m., on December 30, 2022, Stafilatos was driving a dark Buick LeSabre sedan along the 700 block of 14th Street, NW, near the White House. U.S. Secret Service police officers observed that the vehicle’s front tag was missing and the Maryland tag in the rear had no registration sticker. The Buick was then observed turning right into the 1400 block of G Street, NW, and proceeded to the 700 block of 15th Street, NW, where it stopped and let a passenger out.
As officers approached the vehicle, identified themselves, and made contact with the defendant, they advised Stafilatos of his infraction, to which the defendant asked if he was going to get a ticket. Officers asked for the defendant’s license, which he did not provide. Also, during the stop, officers noticed what they believed to be an open beer container to the right of the driver. While conducting the traffic stop, the officers noticed that the vehicle was still in drive and instructed Stafilatos to put the car in park. Instead, the defendant fled the scene, travelling north on 15th Street, NW before turning onto the 1400 block of New York Avenue, NW. As the vehicle entered an intersection on a solid red traffic signal, it was struck by another vehicle that was driving on a green traffic signal and the impact caused the Buick to rotate counterclockwise and strike two pedestrians who were walking nearby in the crosswalk. Both pedestrians were thrown and fell into the road in the middle of New York Avenue, NW. Both victims were transported to local hospitals. Despite all lifesaving measures, one victim, Shuyu Sui, was pronounced dead at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. The second victim, Jiahui Wang, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where she was treated for trauma to the body and head.
Stafilatos was placed under arrest and transported to Howard University Hospital for complaints of pain in the head and back. Testing conducted several hours after the crash at the hospital revealed that Stafilatos had recently used cocaine. He has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was U.S. Secret Service Police Chief Richard Macauley and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro, Chief Macauley and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Carter and Will Lawrence, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Woman Sentenced to 29 Years in Prison for 2023 Rock Creek Parkway Crash That Killed 3 PeopleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nakita Walker, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 29 years in prison, for the March 15, 2023, vehicular deaths of three people on the Rock Creek Parkway, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Walker was found guilty of three counts of involuntary manslaughter for each of the occupants of the car she struck, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon on April 6, 2026. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt of the D.C. Superior Court, sentenced Walker to the prison term.
“Three lives were lost because of Nakita Walker’s reckless and violent choices,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Their families now carry a grief that can never fully heal. Today’s sentence reflects the profound harm caused and reinforces that fleeing law enforcement and endangering others has devastating consequences.”
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 14, 2023, Walker went to a movie and hung out with friends. She drove home in the early hours of March 15, 2023, and was pulled over by a Park Police officer for speeding and running a red light in front of him. She initially complied with the stop, then midway through she took off in the vehicle, reaching speeds of 100 mph on Rock Creek Parkway. While fleeing, she crossed the double-yellow lane line and crashed into another vehicle, killing all three of its occupants.
Joining the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Brecht commended the work of those who investigated this case from the United States Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter, who prosecuted and tried the case.
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Jury Finds D.C. Man Guilty of Murder After Argument over a BBQ GrillRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Irv Duff, 35, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, on charges of shooting and killing 26-year-old Darnell Gibson, in Southwest D.C., on August 1, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Duff was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On June 23, 2026, Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for September 11, 2026.
“This was a brazen and senseless act of violence that stole a young man’s life and endangered others,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This tragedy is especially troubling because it began with something as trivial as an argument over a grill. Our community deserves far better, and my office remains committed to pursuing accountability and ensuring that those who choose violence are held fully responsible under the law.”
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of August 1, 2023, Duff and his girlfriend got into a verbal dispute in the stairwell of the girlfriend’s walk-up apartment. During the argument, the defendant threw a grill sitting in the hallway that belonged to the victim, Darnell Gibson. The victim came out of his apartment and started arguing with Duff about him knocking over the grill. As the defendant’s girlfriend retreated into her apartment, the defendant and the victim continued to argue. Duff challenged the victim to come outside to fight, which the victim agreed to do. As the victim got ready to go outside, Duff retreated to his vehicle parked in the street and called his girlfriend to warn her there was about to be a shootout. The victim then walked outside, followed closely by the victim’s girlfriend, who stood behind him near the entrance of the building. The victim and Duff remained separated by at least 60 feet while they hurled insults at one another. Moments later, Duff took out a pistol and unleashed 22 rounds of automatic gunfire toward the victim and his girlfriend. The victim’s girlfriend dropped to the ground and narrowly avoided being hit by the hail of bullets. The victim tried to run away, but he was cut down by three shots to his upper torso, all from behind, killing him instantly. Duff then fled the scene in his vehicle.
Duff was arrested on December 8, 2023, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Hall and Wes Faulkner.
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U.S.–Israeli Citizen Extradited from Norway Is Arraigned in Orlando on Indictment Alleging Threats to Jewish Community InstitutionsRead the Press Release
Michael Ron David Kadar, 27, a dual citizen of the United States and Israel, was arraigned today on an indictment from the Middle District of Florida charging him with hate crimes and obstruction of the free exercise of religion committed against Jewish institutions throughout Florida, including schools and community centers. In addition, Kadar faces charges in the District of Columbia for threats made against the Israeli Embassy and the Anti-Defamation League Washington, D.C. offices and in the Middle District of Georgia for cyberstalking and conveying false information to police dispatch regarding an alleged hostage situation at a residence in Athens, Georgia.
“The alleged crimes stand out for their cruelty and for the harm they caused to the Jewish community,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When technology is exploited to terrorize houses of worship and community centers, it is an attack on religious liberty and public safety. We will never lose sight of the families, staff, and first responders who were forced to live with these threats.”
“Targeting individuals, groups, or institutions for their religious beliefs is contradictory to the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and against the law,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The crimes alleged in this indictment caused undue trepidation and threats of harm to the Jewish community in our district and will not be tolerated.”
“The FBI takes all threats seriously and will always utilize the full extent of our resources to restore safety and security,” said Special Agent in Charge Rodney E. Crawford of the FBI Tampa Field Office. “This indictment demonstrates that commitment and our promise to work together with our partners to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”
An investigation into numerous threats made to individuals and organizations in the United States led to the identification and arrest of Kadar in Ashkelon, Israel, and the instant indictment. The indictment from the Middle District of Florida charges that in early 2017, Kadar made multiple calls relaying bomb and active shooter threats to numerous Jewish Community Centers throughout Florida, including to preschool programs operated at those facilities. Additionally, the indictment charges Kadar with attempting to obstruct the free exercise of religion at the Jewish Community Centers when he made those threats. Many of the calls resulted in the temporary closure and evacuation or lockdown of the targeted facilities and required law enforcement and emergency personnel to respond to and clear the area, although no actual explosives were found.
Kadar arrived in the United States on June 18 following extradition from Norway, where he had been detained at the request of the United States. He traveled to Norway after serving a sentence in Israel for related conduct.
The hate crime charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, the bomb threats charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and the interstate threats charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted, Kadar could also be subject to court-ordered restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI Tampa Field Office, FBI Washington Field Office, and FBI Atlanta Field Office.
Trial Attorney Jared Hosid of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara M. Wick and Diane Hu for the Middle District of Florida, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach for the Middle District of Georgia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Kenerson for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the cases with assistance from the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this case. The Department of Justice also acknowledges and appreciates the assistance of Norwegian authorities.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.