District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 35, of Bowie, Maryland, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            According to the indictment, unsealed today, on June 5, 2024, Scott traveled into the District of Columbia from Maryland with a motivating purpose of engaging in a sexual act with a six-year-old child.

            In late May 2024, a member of the MPD–FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force posted a message on a website that is frequented by individuals who have a sexual interest in children. Scott contacted the undercover officer, who he believed was the father of a six-year-old girl, and in the days that followed engaged in graphic conversations about sexually abusing the child. On June 5, 2024, Scott arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C., and was arrested. Scott has remained in custody since his arrest.

            Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct is punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney.

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

WASHINGTON – Graham S. Hauck, 51, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for stealing millions of dollars from eight clients, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

            In May 2023, Hauck pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from one former client. Following that guilty plea, additional clients contacted the government to report that Hauck had stolen from them too. Hauck even stole money from one of those clients after his May 2023 guilty plea, which resulted in the court revoking his bond. Hauck has been housed at the Alexandria, Virginia, detention center since September 2023.

            In total, Hauck misappropriated about $2.5 million from the clients over five years. One of his victims was a nonprofit charity working to improve the lives of cancer patients. In September 2023, he pleaded guilty to bank fraud to reflect the additional criminal conduct.

            In addition to the 66-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Hauck to serve three years of supervised release and pay full restitution.

            Hauck served as president and CEO of Hauck & Associates, Inc., (H&A) a trade association management firm based in Washington, D.C. The victim organizations retained H&A to serve as their management company. Hauck used his access to their financial accounts to embezzle the money. Some of the ways he camouflaged his criminal conduct included falsifying balance sheets and using a foreign exchange and international payment services company to conceal fraudulent transactions.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from former Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, and Paralegal Specialists Sona Chaturvedi, Michon Tart, Marsha Cannon, and Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Catherine Chae.

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WASHINGTON – Paul Maucha, 59, a Kenyan national, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 135 months in prison for perpetrating an advance fee and investment scheme that defrauded numerous victims.

           The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the Atlanta Field Office.

            In addition to the 135-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Maucha to serve three years of supervised release; to pay a $200,000 fine, a $400 special assessment, and restitution and forfeiture both in the amount of $1,901,252. 

            A federal jury convicted Maucha on February 1, 2024, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

            “The defendant tricked investors into giving him money with promises of favorable financial opportunities,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “But instead of following through with those promises, the defendant pocketed the fees and caused investors to lose millions. This sentence holds the defendant accountable and sends a clear message to anyone considering a similar scam.”

            “Investment fraud scams can be difficult to investigate and prosecute due to the interstate and transnational nature of the criminal activity. But this sentence should serve as a warning that the FBI will persistently investigate these crimes and make sure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.  “Our success in this case is the result of a team effort, with outstanding assistance from our partners. Moving forward we will continue to pursue the collection of restitution for those harmed by the defendant.”

            According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Maucha, along with a co-conspirator, engaged in a scheme through a shell company Maucha controlled, American Eagle Services Group Inc. (AESG), to make numerous misrepresentations to victims about AESG, its assets, and its access to money and capital.

            In particular, Maucha—through AESG—promised victims who were seeking loans that AESG would provide them with these loans. The victims were required to first provide AESG with an advanced fee. The company misrepresented the purpose of that fee. AESG told victims falsely that the advance fees could be refunded if AESG did not fund the loan. As proven at trial, however, Maucha and his co-conspirator knew that AESG did not have the capital to make these loans at the time the lending agreements were executed, and refunds to victims could not be assured because Maucha and his co-conspirator were splitting the fees between themselves and spending them. There was no money left to be refunded.

            The FBI’s Atlanta Division investigated the case, with substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

            Trial Attorneys Tian Huang and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine M. Macey for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case. Former Assistant Chief William E. Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein for the District of Columbia previously provided valuable assistance in the investigation.

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A Kenyan national was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison for perpetrating an advance fee and investment scheme that defrauded numerous victims.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Paul Maucha, 59, along with a co-conspirator, engaged in a scheme through a shell company Maucha controlled, American Eagle Services Group Inc. (AESG), to make numerous misrepresentations to victims about AESG, its assets, and its access to money and capital. In particular, Maucha—through AESG—promised victims who were seeking loans that AESG would provide them with these loans. The victims were required to first provide AESG with an advanced fee, but the company misrepresented the purpose of that fee. AESG told victims falsely that the advance fees could be refunded if AESG did not fund the loan. As proven at trial, however, Maucha and his co-conspirator knew that AESG did not have the capital to make these loans at the time the lending agreements were executed, and refunds to victims could not be assured because Maucha and his co-conspirator were splitting the fees between themselves and spending them, such that there was no money left to be refunded.

A federal jury convicted Maucha on Feb. 1 of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; and Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Atlanta Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

Trial Attorneys Tian Huang and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine M. Macey for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case. Former Assistant Chief William E. Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance in the investigation.

WASHINGTON – Clarence Faulkner, 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison on federal firearms and drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Faulkner pleaded guilty on February 27, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute PCP.  He was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan. Following his prison term, Faulkner will serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, on November 4, 2023, MPD officers approached an unoccupied gray Acura in the 300 block of 61st Street Northeast and observed a clear plastic bag filled with suspected marijuana on the rear passenger floorboard. Officers then searched the vehicle and recovered more than two pounds of marijuana, 108 grams of cocaine base, six fluid ounces of liquid PCP, two scales, and over $38,000 in cash. Officers also recovered a loaded Glock semi‑automatic pistol that had been converted into a short-barreled rifle. The firearm was loaded with 28 rounds of ammunition in a 31-capacity feeding device.

            The Acura was registered to Faulkner and contained Faulkner’s identification and mail.  Police stopped and arrested Faulkner, who was standing on a sidewalk nearby. Faulkner has remained in custody since his arrest.

            Federal law prohibits Faulkner from possessing a firearm because he has multiple prior convictions for crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including three prior felony firearms convictions.

            The case was investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Cameron A. Tepfer and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Toth.

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WASHINGTON – Michael Harrington, 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced June 7, 2024, by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan to 84 months in prison for a September 2023 attack, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD).

            Harrington pleaded guilty on March 5, 2024, to assault with intent to kill in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Based on evidence of drug and mental health issues, Harrington was permitted to enter pursuant to Alford v. North Carolina, 400 U.S. 25 (1970). Harrington agreed that the government could establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but did not have to admit to or recall the facts constituting the offense.

            In addition to the prison term, Judge Raffinan ordered Harrington to serve three years of supervised release and pay $100 to the Superior Court’s Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

            According to the government’s evidence, Harrington attacked the victim on a Metro train on September 3, 2023, without provocation. On that evening, the victim was riding a Metro train approaching the Navy Yard-Ball Park Station when Harrington approached her, repeatedly stabbed her in her head and body, and said he would kill her. Harrington left the victim on the train car, bleeding from stab wounds.  Police officers were called and took immediate life-saving steps to stop the bleeding before the victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition. In all, the victim sustained twelve stab wounds to her head, hip, foot, hands, and leg, but survived the assault.

            Police arrested Harrington later that evening, after he triggered a fire alarm at an apartment building in Arlington, Virginia, and was seen wielding a knife that appeared to have dried blood on the blade and matched the description of the assailant. Harrington also admitted to having had a dispute with someone on the Metro earlier that night.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metro Transit Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Arlington County Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Chester.

            WASHINGTON –Scotland Alston, 33, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, before Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe, to aggravated assault while armed for a February 2024 shooting, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Judge O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for August 9, 2024. Alston faces a minimum term of 10 years in prison at sentencing.

            According to the government’s evidence, with which Alston agreed, on February 28, 2024, Alston and the female victim got into a heated argument, during which Alston shoved the victim and she shoved him back. During the argument, Alston took a gun from his waistband and held it at his side. A bystander tried to separate Alston and the victim, but the two continued to argue. Alston then got onto a bicycle to leave the area but then returned to where the victim sat. Alston then fired numerous times at the victim. The victim tried to flee but she collapsed after being hit by approximately seven bullets.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Yarbro.

WASHINGTON – Barrington Hart, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 180 months in prison for two assaults on his romantic partner in July 2023. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Hart was sentenced today by Superior Court Judge Jason Park to 15 years in prison, and five years of supervised release, for two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm), two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, two counts of obstruction of justice, one count of threats, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), one count of simple assault, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.  The sentence followed a trial by the court where Judge Park found Hart guilty of these charges on March 15, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, Hart and the victim were in a previous romantic relationship, broke up, and then reunited for four days when, on July 27, 2023, they got into an argument over the victim’s phone. Hart accused the victim of cheating on him and wanted to look through her phone. After she refused, he became angry, retrieved a black and yellow gun, and hit the victim on the head with it, causing a laceration. Instead of taking her to a hospital for her injury, Hart made the victim come with him to a job interview while her head was still bleeding. She later went to the hospital alone and had the wound treated with nine staples to the top of her head. On August 4, 2023, less than a week after the victim reported the assault to the Metropolitan Police Department, the victim called the police again and reported that the night before, Hart started an argument about her seeing other people, slapped her, and pointed the same black and yellow firearm at her. Police arrested Hart on August 4, 2023, and he has been detained since that date.

            After arrest, Hart continued to attempt to control the victim. He instructed her, twice, over Department of Corrections Video Visits, to refrain from testifying in the grand jury. Also, while incarcerated, Hart threatened the victim via numerous text messages, calling her names and using profanity.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Han, Paralegal Tiffany Jones, Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, and Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Shanika McCullough. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Domestic Violence unit, Callie Hyde and Katharine Yaske, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Terrylle Blackstone, 36, of Woodbridge, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in a conspiracy that fraudulently promised thousands of homeowners across the U.S. legal help in avoiding foreclosure. The scheme generated at least $15 million for the conspirators but never provided any legal services to the client-victims.

          The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.

          Blackstone today pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud before U.S District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss, who scheduled sentencing for October 3, 2024.

          According to court documents, when entering his guilty plea, Blackstone admitted that, from January 2018 until February 2021, he worked with codefendants David Maresca of Virginia, attorney Scott Marinelli of New Jersey, and attorney Sam Babbs of Florida. The co-conspirators told homeowners that they operated a “national law firm” based in Washington, D.C.; that attorneys would review the homeowner’s file and provide legal representation to the homeowners; that an attorney in the homeowner’s local area would be assigned to assist them; that the homeowner could meet and consult with those attorneys about the case; and that attorneys in their law firm could help the homeowner, if necessary, file for bankruptcy.

          Blackstone further admitted that, from 2016 until 2019, the conspirators marketed Synergy Law with telephone, television, and internet advertising which told homeowners that attorneys at Maresca and Marinelli’s Synergy Law in Manassas could help them avoid foreclosure. In early 2019, Marinelli was incarcerated in Pennsylvania. Yet Blackstone, Maresca, Marinelli, and others continued to operate Synergy and collect monthly payments purportedly for legal services. During this time, there was no attorney who was a member of Synergy who could practice law. Synergy never had attorneys review all homeowner files and Synergy never had attorneys contact a client’s lender to discuss a mortgage resolution. They also continued to use the interstate wires to operate their “law firm” in ways that were essential to the scheme, such as soliciting clients by telephone.

          And Blackstone admitted that, from 2019 until at least 2022, the conspirators marketed another firm, Themis Law, with television and website advertising which told homeowners that attorneys with Themis could help them avoid foreclosure. Themis operated a call center at an office in Manassas, Virginia. Call center workers used scripts during their phone calls with homeowners in which Themis falsely promised that an attorney would review the homeowner’s case file; that this attorney knew their lender’s “internal guidelines” for a “mortgage resolution”; and that an assigned “legal team” would contact the homeowner’s lender to negotiate a resolution. Themis required homeowner-clients to pay an initial retainer amount followed by a monthly recurring amount for as long as the firm represented the homeowner. Themis Law never provided legal services to the homeowner-clients.  When Themis clients faced imminent foreclosure, Themis advised those clients to consider filing for bankruptcy to save their home and referred the clients to Babbs at Babbs Law Firm. Those clients then signed a new retainer agreement and paid additional fees to Babbs. 

          During his dates of employment at Synergy Law and Themis Law, Blackstone received no less than $163,199.30 in direct payments from the companies.

          A federal district court judge will determine any sentence for Blackstone after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In addition, the United States also will seek a forfeiture money judgment against him for an amount not less than $163,199.30

          This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.

            It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Borchert.

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WASHINGTON – Tyrone Johnson, 43, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday by a Superior Court jury of aggravated assault while armed and related charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The verdict followed a two-week trial before Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo. The jury also found Johnson guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during each of those crimes of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of an unregistered firearm. Judge Demeo scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, at around 5:40 a.m. on August 30, 2022, Johnson entered Starburst Plaza, located at the intersection of Benning Road NE and Bladensburg Road NE, and asked the victim if he could buy a cigarette from him. The victim did not have any cigarettes and told Johnson “no.” Johnson then told the victim to, “Give it up,” before taking out a handgun. Johnson then fired multiple times at the victim at close range, hitting him in his midsection. Johnson then ran into a nearby apartment complex. Police later identified Johnson through review of video surveillance, GPS records, and ballistics evidence that linked Johnson to this shooting and one committed one week before this offense.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            This case was prosecuted at trial by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Matthew Goldstein.

WASHINGTON – Mark Harris, 27, a previously convicted felon from Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 65 months in prison for possessing three different firearms between June 1 and November 2, 2023, one which was an untraceable “ghost gun,” and more than 150 rounds of ammunition. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police.

            Harris, aka “Romilli,” pleaded guilty on February 29, 2024, to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Harris to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, on May 23, 2023, law enforcement learned of an Instagram live stream posted by Harris in which he produced a black handgun and stated something to the effect of “crack a (explicit) head with this joint.” Based on the post, Harris’s prior felony conviction and his location in the District at the time of the posting, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his residence.

             On June 1, 2023, law enforcement executed the search warrant. In Harris’s bedroom under the mattress, law enforcement seized a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol with no serial number (a privately manufactured firearm or “ghost gun”) and an extended magazine with 12 rounds of ammunition and one bullet in the chamber. Inside a closet, law enforcement recovered a Palmetto PA-15 multi-caliber semi-automatic rifle with a 42-round capacity magazine. In addition, they found more than 133 rounds of assorted silver and bronze ammunition; ammunition in four boxes under the bed; 10 bottles of promethazine, and two bags of white powdery substance in a small safe.

            Despite the execution of the search warrant on June 1, by June 30 Harris again went on Instagram to post images of additional firearms in his possession. On October 4, 2023, Harris publicly posted to his Instagram account a YouTube music video for his song “Add It Up,” in which he is depicted holding a firearm with an extended magazine and a “giggle switch” used to convert the weapon into a fully automatic machine gun. On November 2, 2023, law enforcement again executed a search warrant at Harris’s residence. This time, they found Harris in his bedroom, where they recovered: a stolen black .40 caliber Glock 22 pistol with a 15-round capacity magazine containing 14 rounds and one round in the chamber; 10 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from a dresser drawer; various prescription forms contained within a bag on the floor; and two empty promethazine bottles next to the bed. Law enforcement arrested Harris and he has remained in custody since his arrest.

            This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration- Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Washington D.C. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Crosby.

                    

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WASHINGTON – Bridgette Crowell, a former public official who managed government contracts at the District of Columbia’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) and, before that, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), pleaded guilty today for participating in a scheme in which she reaped benefits from steering lucrative government contracts to her co-conspirators' private companies.

            The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Inspector General Kevin B. Muhlendorf of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Inspector General, and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas of the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.

            Crowell, 39, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal Information charging her with conspiracy to commit wire and honest services fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2024.

            In a related case, Obinna Ogbu, 52, of Silver Spring, Maryland, also pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire and honest services fraud for his conduct as an employee at WMATA and his actions with Crowell at OCP.  In another matter, Ifediora Oli, 41, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was previously charged with conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

            “The defendants have admitted to a corrupt scheme where government contracts were steered to companies that unlawfully paid government officials in connection with the contracts,” said US Attorney Graves. “Such corruption of our government agencies will not be tolerated.  We commend the diligent work of our investigative partners who helped uncover a multiyear conspiracy to defraud WMATA, the District of Columbia, and the District’s citizens.”

            “Crowell misused her position to steer lucrative contracts to private companies, and in return, she received cash payments and a new car,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott. “The FBI Washington Field Office, in coordination with our federal and district partners, worked tirelessly to unmask this scheme, and we will continue to investigate allegations of criminal activity that degrade community trust in our public servants."

            “These guilty pleas highlight WMATA OIG’s commitment to investigating procurement fraud impacting WMATA activities,” said Acting Inspector General Muhlendorf. “The OIG will continue to work with our investigative partners to pursue those who violate the public’s trust for personal gain.”

            “These judicial outcomes highlight the unfortunate fact that taxpayers become the victim when government employees and contractors collude to enrich themselves unjustly,” said Inspector General Lucas.  “The DC OIG and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our shared commitment to hold accountable those who seek to deprive District residents of the benefits of their tax dollars.”

            According to court documents, Crowell began working at the District’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) in 2019 as a contracting specialist. Before that, she worked at WMATA as a contract administrator. Crowell first met her co-conspirators when working at WMATA. Ogbu was a WMATA employee. Oli was an employee at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but separately held himself out as the Principal of Highbury Global Group, Inc. (Highbury).  By 2021, Crowell understood that her co-conspirators had orchestrated a bribery scheme in which Ogbu received things of value for misusing his position at WMATA and steering WMATA-related business opportunities to Oli and Highbury.

            While at OCP, Crowell agreed to steer government contracts to Highbury and another company created by Ogbu, The Nupath Company (Nupath), in exchange for things of value.  Crowell misused her official position at OCP by, among other things: alerting her co-conspirators to upcoming solicitations; providing them with non-public information about the solicitations, including information regarding contract pricing; helping Highbury and Nupath secure government contracts; and taking multiple steps to conceal her personal connections to Highbury and Nupath.   

            Crowell’s misconduct led to Highbury obtaining a $630,000 contract with the District to provide the District’s Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) with COVID-19 Testing Supplies; Nupath receiving a $27,000 contract to provide the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with certain equipment; and Nupath being awarded a nearly $850,000 contract to provide MPD with assistance carrying out pre-employment suitability background investigations for officer candidates. For her official actions and participation in the fraudulent schemes, Crowell received things of value from her co-conspirators, including as much as $10,000 cash per month, a new car, and assistance with closing costs for a new home.

            As part of his guilty plea, Ogbu admitted that his misconduct began in 2018 and ultimately resulted in Highbury and Nupath receiving roughly $2 million in funds originating from WMATA and District contracts.  

            The investigation into this matter was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with the WMATA Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Visser of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Zakyh Samuel, 16, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on May 30, 2024, on charges stemming from an August 24, 2023, crime spree throughout the District, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. 

            Samuel was charged as an adult by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in a 16-count indictment. Samuel was charged with two counts of armed carjacking, five counts of armed robbery, and assault with intent to rob while armed, along with possession of a firearm during each of those crimes of violence.

            Samuel was arraigned on May 31, 2024, before the Honorable Jason Park.

            According to the government’s evidence, Samuel and his accomplices used a stolen burgundy Jeep Grand Cherokee to traverse around the District and prey on members of the community from about 1:30 a.m. to 5:15 a.m., flanking their victims, brandishing firearms, demanding property, and then fleeing, in each offense. DNA testing and surveillance footage later linked Samuel to the spree of offenses.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

WASHINGTON – David Botchway, 20, of Gwynn Oak, MD, was sentenced on May 31, 2024, to 18 years in prison for second degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Andre Baker, of Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt also ordered the defendant to complete five years of supervised release, register as a gun offender, pay a fine to victim’s compensation fund, and receive mental health treatment.

            According to the government’s evidence, on August 5, 2023, Mr. Baker and two friends were standing near a bus stop in the 1200 block of U Street Northwest, after enjoying a night out in the U Street neighborhood. At around 5:01 a.m., Botchway approached the group and, without warning or any provocation, pointed the gun at Mr. Baker and shot him multiple times in the head and torso. Mr. Baker died a short time later. One of the bullets also grazed one of the victim’s friends.

            In announcing the sentence U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke of the Homicide section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Columbian Thomas, 26, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to participating in a wide-spread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills purchased in Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia.

            The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA Washington Division, Acting Inspector in Charge Ajay Lall of the US Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda,” pleaded guilty on May 30 to a charge of conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for October 22, 2024.

            According to the statement of offense in support of the plea agreement, Thomas entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Thomas would travel to Southern California to purchase the fake oxycodone pills from the L.A. supplier and return to the District with the drugs.

            Thomas and his co-conspirators employed two primary methods to transport the fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to the District: they smuggled the pills concealed in luggage or carry-on items on commercial airline flights, or they shipped the pills using commercial mail carriers.

            On June 2, 2023, the date of his arrest, law enforcement found Thomas in the bedroom of his home and recovered a baggie containing about 100 blue M-30 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills, along with a loaded Glock 21 Gen4 pistol that had been equipped with a “giggle switch” that converted the handgun in a fully automatic machine gun.

            The investigation was launched by the DEA after a young woman in Washington, D.C., Diamond Lynch, took one pill and died almost immediately. Twenty-eight defendants have been charged to date as a result of the investigation, and law enforcement have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.

            By statute, Thomas is eligible for a prison sentence of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment to be imposed. A federal judge will determine the sentence based on guidelines established by Congress.

            The investigation was conducted by the DEA Washington Division and the US Postal Inspection Service, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section. Valuable assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy T. Wang.

23cr73

WASHINGTON – A five-count indictment, filed in U.S. District Court and unsealed today, charges Maurice Driver, 35, of Gloucester City, New Jersey, with lying to a Federal Agent. The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Mike Waters of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General Eastern Area Field Office.

            According to the indictment, Driver was employed by Amtrak and was working as a Lead Service Attendant in the café car on an Amtrak train, which departed from Washington, D.C. in the afternoon of January 3, 2024, and ended in Chicago, Illinois, in the morning of January 4, 2024.  While working on that train, Driver met a passenger. Driver spoke and texted with the passenger, and Driver allowed her to use a vacant sleeper car on the train. On January 4, in Chicago, that passenger reported to Amtrak Police that Driver sexually assaulted her in a sleeper car on the train.  Amtrak-OIG then initiated an investigation of the sexual assault allegations.

            As the indictment alleges, on January 5, 2024, during an interview with an Amtrak-OIG Special Agent, Driver made multiple false and misleading statements about his communications and contacts with the passenger. These false and misleading statements included (1) Driver’s falsely denying his personal phone number; (2) Driver falsely denying that he gave the passenger his personal phone number; (3) Driver falsely denying that he texted with the passenger; and (4) Driver falsely denying that he showed the passenger to a sleeper car.

            If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison for the charged offenses of making false statements. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided for informational purposes. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the Amtrak Office of the Inspector General’s Eastern Region. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross and Brian P. Kelly, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

            WASHINGTON –Rodrigo Miranda, 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court to more than seven years in prison for felony second-degree theft, unlawful entry, and destruction of property stemming from events occurring between July 19, 2022, and April 4, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            After hearing the impact of Miranda’s conduct on the community, the Court imposed 60 months for one theft conviction, 24 months for another theft conviction, and 180 days for a third theft, all to run consecutively, resulting in a total sentence of seven years plus 180 days in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, between July 19, 2022, and April 4, 2023, Miranda took packages from several locations in the Adams Morgan area. In doing so, Miranda unlawfully entered areas he was not legally allowed to be in and destroyed property to gain access. Miranda had multiple prior theft convictions and was therefore subject to the enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison. The government had indicted Miranda on 43-counts, and Miranda had accepted a plea agreement to resolve all his charges on March 29, 2024. 

            At sentencing, the Court heard several victim impact statements, including one victim who shared that “Miranda’s crimes have . . . . left [him] feeling deeply unsafe in [his] own home and neighborhood.”  The Court learned that the “community has vested a good amount of time and effort into bring Mr. Miranda to justice. And it appears to have paid off, as, interestingly, once Mr. Miranda was arrested, the attempted package thefts in [the] building plummeted. It’s barely a problem at all now. His absence has brought a sense of relief to [the] community.” 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mulvey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Anderson.

WASHINGTON – Miliki Lee, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today by the Honorable Michael Ryan of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            The court sentenced Lee to five years’ incarceration and ordered an additional two years to be suspended under the Youth Rehabilitation Act. Carjacking otherwise carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years’ incarceration. The court also ordered the sentence be followed by 18 months’ probation.

             According to the government’s evidence, with which Lee agreed, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on October 27, 2023, the victim was driving in the 1000 block of Buchanan St NE, when another car blocked hers. Lee and his accomplices got out of that car and surrounded the victim’s vehicle, banged on the windows, brandished a handgun, and eventually forced her out of her car at gunpoint. Lee and his accomplices drove off in the victim’s car. MPD officers immediately used its helicopter to track the victim’s vehicle into Prince George’s County, Maryland, and then back into the District. Lee crashed the car at North Capitol and Ingraham Streets and ran. Police apprehended Lee, and recovered a Glock handgun that was loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition.

            The government had requested a nine-year prison term.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Bartz.

 

WASHINGTON – Leroy Frye, 32, of Waldorf, Md., and Francis White, 28, of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to 60 months in prison and 46 months in prison, respectively, on firearms possession charges. The sentences were announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            According to court documents, both guilty pleas stemmed from a residential search warrant that occurred on November 3, 2021, at 215 K Street, Southwest, a known trap house operated by members of the “No Rats Allowed” (NRA) crew which they used to stash their narcotics and firearms. Members of NRA would refer to 215 K through text messages as the “Dope Hole.” During a search of the trap house, 457 blue pills containing fentanyl (approximately 48.6 grams), 37 grams of crack-cocaine, and approximately 980 grams of suspected marijuana.

            NRA is a known violent street crew that operated on the 200 block of K Street, Southwest, in the District’s Greenleaf Gardens neighborhood. The NRA crew is responsible for distributing thousands of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and possessing firearms as part of their distribution schemes. Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine and are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of how lethal they can be.  One example of these counterfeit pills that the NRA crew are known to traffic are blue pills stamped with “M” and “30.”

          

            Legitimate M30 Pill                                        Counterfeit M30 Pill

            During the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement also seized four firearms, three of which were inside of the same kitchen drawer near where the drugs were found. One of the firearms was an FN FNS.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, with a high-capacity magazine, with one round the chamber and 14 total rounds in the magazine. In his plea, Frye admitted the FN FNS was his.

From the same kitchen drawer, law enforcement also seized a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol, with a high-capacity magazine capable of holding 31 rounds, with one round in the chamber and 28 total rounds in the magazine. In his plea, White admitted the Glock 17 was his.

            Judge Friedrich recently sentenced two co-defendants in this case. On May 29, 2024, the judge sentenced Bartwone Copeland, 28, to 144 months (12 years) in prison and five years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, distribution of fentanyl, and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Copeland was also linked by DNA to one of the pistols found in the kitchen drawer that was modified with a “giggle switch,” a device that converted the firearm to function as a fully automatic machine gun. On January 10, 2024, Judge Friedrich sentenced Adrian Wade to 60 months in prison and five years of supervised release for carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

            This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin F. Song and Joshua Gold.

22cr378

WASHINGTON – Robert Burke, 62, of Coconut Creek, Florida, a retired Navy Admiral, and two business executives – Yongchul “Charlie” Kim, 50, and Meghan Messenger, 47, both of New York, – were arrested this morning on charges related to their alleged roles in a bribery scheme that involved a U.S. government contract. The charges are contained in a five-count indictment, unsealed today, and relate to an alleged scheme in which the Admiral accepted future employment at the executives’ company in exchange for awarding them a government contract.   

             The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Deputy Director of Investigative Operations Grant A. Fleming of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the DCIS Transnational Operations Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office, and Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.  

              From 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke was a four-star Admiral who oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger were the co-CEOs of a company (“Company A”) that provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. The Navy terminated a contract with Company A in late 2019 and directed Company A not to contact Burke.

            Despite the Navy’s instructions, Kim and Messenger then allegedly met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021, in an effort to reestablish Company A’s business relationship with the Navy. At the meeting, the charged defendants allegedly agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a sole-source contract to Company A in exchange for future employment at the company. They allegedly further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to Company A to train a large portion of the Navy with a value Kim allegedly estimated to be “triple digit millions.” 

            In furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Company A performed the training in January 2022. Thereafter, Burke allegedly promoted Company A in a failed effort to convince a senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to Company A. To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false and misleading statements to the Navy, including by creating the false appearance that Burke played no role in issuing the contract and falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded. 

            In October 2022, Burke began working at Company A at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options. 

            “As alleged in the indictment, Admiral Burke used his public office and his four-star status for his private gain,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The law does not make exceptions for admirals or CEOs.  Those who pay and receive bribes must be held accountable.  The urgency is at its greatest when, as here, senior government officials and senior executives are allegedly involved in the corruption.” 

            “Today’s indictment exemplifies our unwavering commitment to eradicating fraud within the DoD,” said Deputy Director, Grant A. Fleming, Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General’s, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “Together with our federal partners, DCIS will persist in dismantling attempts to defraud the U.S. Government.”

            “NCIS takes every allegation of corruption within the Department of the Navy seriously, regardless of rank or position,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners remain committed to rooting out criminality that degrades public trust in the Department of the Navy.”

            “Burke allegedly steered a lucrative contract to Kim and Messenger's company in exchange for the promise of future employment and then lied to try to conceal the scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott. “As a four-star admiral, Burke not only cheated U.S. taxpayers but also did a disservice to military personnel under his command. As this indictment demonstrates, the FBI and our partners remain committed to investigating and prosecuting corrupt officials regardless of their rank or title.”

            Burke, Kim, and Messenger are each charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. Burke is also charged with performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States. If convicted, Burke faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and Kim and Messenger each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

            This case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

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

A retired Navy Admiral and two business executives were arrested today on criminal charges related to their roles in a bribery scheme that involved a U.S. government contract.

As alleged in an indictment unsealed today, from 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke, 62, of Coconut Creek, Florida, was a four-star Admiral who oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, both of New York, are the co-CEOs of a company (Company A) that provided a workforce training pilot program to a small component of the Navy from August 2018 through July 2019. The Navy terminated a contract with Company A in late 2019 and directed Company A not to contact Burke.

Despite the Navy’s instructions, Kim and Messenger then allegedly met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021 in an effort to reestablish Company A’s business relationship with the Navy. At the meeting, the charged defendants allegedly agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a sole-source contract to Company A in exchange for future employment at the company. They allegedly further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to Company A to train a large portion of the Navy with a value Kim allegedly estimated to be “triple digit millions.” 

In furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Company A performed the training in January 2022. Thereafter, Burke allegedly promoted Company A in a failed effort to convince a senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to Company A. To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false and misleading statements to the Navy, including by creating the false appearance that Burke played no role in issuing the contract and falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded. 

In October 2022, Burke began working at Company A at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options. 

Burke, Kim, and Messenger are each charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. Burke is also charged with performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States. If convicted, Burke faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and Kim and Messenger each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; Deputy Director of Investigative Operations Grant A. Fleming of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the DCIS Transnational Operations Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office; and Assistant Director Michael D. Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.

DCIS, NCIS, and the FBI are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

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

Paulette Harlow was sentenced today to 24 months in prison following her convictions for federal conspiracy against rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offenses in connection with the blockade of a Washington, D.C., area reproductive health clinic on Oct. 22, 2020.

Previously, Lauren Handy was sentenced to 57 months in prison, John Hinshaw was sentenced to 21 months in prison, William Goodman was sentenced to 27 months in prison, Jonathan Darnel was sentenced to 34 months in prison, Herb Geraghty was sentenced to 27 months in prison, Jean Marshall was sentenced to 24 months in prison, Joan Bell was sentenced to 27 months in prison and Heather Idoni was sentenced to 24 months in prison. A 10th defendant, Jay Smith, was sentenced to prison following his guilty plea to a felony FACE Act offense on March 1, 2023.

“These 10 defendants have been held accountable for using force, threatening to use force and physically obstructing access to reproductive health care in the District of Columbia,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to protect both patients seeking reproductive health services and providers of those services. We will hold accountable anyone who seeks to unlawfully obstruct or block access to reproductive health services in our country.”   

“Today, the final defendant was sentenced in an elaborate conspiracy by 10 people to intentionally and forcibly block patients and workers from accessing a reproductive health clinic while streaming it live online,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI will not stand for anyone who violates federal laws causing destruction, injury and violent attacks like this one. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of all Americans to safely access medical services and ensuring providers can perform their duties freely.”

These defendants were convicted following three separate trials in 2023. Idoni is scheduled to be sentenced in a separate matter on July 30, following conspiracy and FACE Act convictions in an unrelated clinic blockade from Tennessee.

Evidence presented at trial established that the defendants used force and physical obstruction to execute a clinic blockade that was organized by the group’s leaders, Handy and Darnel. The defendants planned and organized the clinic invasion using social media, text messages and telephone calls, and several co-conspirators, including defendants Hinshaw, Goodman, Geraghty, Marshall, Bell, Harlow, Idoni and Smith traveled from northeast and midwestern states to participate in the blockade. Prior to the clinic incursion, the defendants met with other co-conspirators to plan their crime, which included making a fake patient appointment to ensure the group’s entry into the clinic, using chains and locks to barricade the facility and passively resisting their anticipated arrests to prolong the blockade. The clinic invasion was advertised on social media as a “historic” event that was live-streamed on Facebook. The defendants’ forced entry into the clinic at the outset of the invasion resulted in injury to a clinic nurse. During the blockade, one patient had to climb through a receptionist window to access the clinic, while another laid in the hallway outside of the clinic in physical distress, unable to gain access to the clinic.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

Prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Paula Paulette Harlow, 75, of Kingston, Massachusetts, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months incarceration for her role in a conspiracy that created a blockade at a Washington, D.C. reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Harlow is the 10th member of the conspiracy to be sentenced on charges of civil rights conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act violations. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced eight other members of the conspiracy.

            Another of the defendants, the only one to plead guilty, Jay Smith, 34, of Freeport, New York, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release in March 2023.

            As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. As part of the conspiracy, many of the defendants traveled to Washington, D.C. from various northeast and midwestern states, to meet with Lauren Handy and participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook.

            According to the evidence, on October 22, 2020, Handy – along with her co-conspirators Jonathan Darnel, John Hinshaw, William Goodman, Jean Marshall, Joan Bell, Herb Geraghty, Heather Idoni, and Paula Harlow, among others – forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes. Once the blockade was established, they live-streamed their activities. The evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using a physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services.

DEFENDANTS

 

NAME

AGE

GUILTY OF

SENTENCE

Lauren Handy

Alexandria, VA

 

30

Found Guilty on August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act

Sentenced
May 14, 2024, to 57 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

John Hinshaw

Levittown, NY

69

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 14, 2024, to 21 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

William Goodman Bronx, NY

54

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 14, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Jay Smith

Freeport, NY

34

Pleaded Guilty March 1, 2023, to Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
Aug. 17, 2023, to 10 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Jonathan Darnel Arlington, VA

42

Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 34 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Jean Marshall Kingston, MA

74

Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Joan Bell

 Montague, NJ

76

Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Herb Geraghty Pittsburgh, PA

27

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Heather Idoni Linden, MI

59

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 22, 2024 to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Paula Harlow

Kingston, MA

75

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 31, 2024 to 24 Months Incarceration

 

 

 

 

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh and Detroit provided valuable assistance. It was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of New York; and FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston, and Detroit provided valuable assistance.

22cr96

WASHINGTON – A South Dakota man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including for allegedly assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

William George Knight, 37, of Rapid City, South Dakota, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, both felony offenses.

In addition to the felonies, Knight is charged with five misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

The FBI arrested Knight on May 26, 2024, in Rapid City. He is expected to make his initial appearance today in the District of South Dakota.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Knight attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., and witnessed the United States Park Police (USPP) take an individual into custody. A crowd of others, including Knight, allegedly pursued the USPP to a screening facility, a glass structure, and Knight aggressively approached the glass wall four times over approximately seven minutes, each time pushing himself off the wall and gesturing toward police. Knight then put his middle fingers up to the glass and pointed menacingly at the police inside the Screening Center.

Knight later made his way toward the Capitol and entered the Capitol grounds via the Maryland Avenue walkway. Knight and others were allegedly among the first rioters to breach the restricted perimeter and arrive at the West Plaza at approximately 12:57 p.m. A short while later, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers arrived to reinforce Capitol Police and set up a barrier using bike racks on the West Plaza. It is alleged that Knight grabbed one of the bike rack barriers and fell backward because he had pulled on the barrier so forcefully.

At about 1:14 p.m., Knight allegedly attempted to pull a second bike rack barrier away from a different nearby police line. After initially grabbing the second bike rack, Knight retreated before charging toward the police line and diving to grab the barrier. Court documents say that MPD officers had to deploy chemical spray to stop Knight. Knight then jeered at the police line for several minutes, pointed at them aggressively multiple times, and yelled at the police, “We ain’t leaving! We ain’t going nowhere!” and “Here are the b—. Here are the b—.”

Court documents allege that at about 1:40 p.m., Knight and a large group of other rioters pushed a giant metal-framed sign toward the police line. After ramming the sign at police, Knight allegedly shoved an MPD officer and again grabbed a bike rack barrier and pulled it into the crowd, depriving the police of its use. Knight remained at the vanguard of rioters confronting officers, chanting, “Stop the steal! Stop the steal!” with other rioters.

Later, at approximately 2:08 p.m., Knight is alleged to have been part of a group of rioters that pushed together against the police line on the Lower West Plaza. The police line collapsed at approximately 2:30 p.m., and Knight and other rioters made their way up one level to the Lower West Terrace. Knight remained on the Lower West Terrace for at least two hours.

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Minneapolis Division, Rapid City Resident Agency, and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 40 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,424 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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

            WASHINGTON – Jaleil Jones, 19, of Washington, D.C., was charged by indictment, filed yesterday, for killing Robert Lavender, the manager of the BGR “Burgers Grilled Right” restaurant on July 17, 2023, near Catholic University in Northeast D.C.

            Jones was indicted by a grand jury in the District of Columbia on charges of conspiracy, first degree murder while armed (felony murder), robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. 

            According to the government’s evidence, on July 17, 2023, Jaleil Jones and another person came across Mr. Lavender on a bench on the 600 block of Monroe Street, Northeast, D.C.  Mr. Lavender was waiting for a ride home after work.  Jones and the other person agreed together to rob Mr. Lavender.  In the course of that robbery, Jones shot Mr. Lavender in the head.  

            The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alec Levy.

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

WASHINGTON - Ade Salim Lilly, 35, of Queens, NY, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in threatening to kill a Congressional staff member and for making repeated harassing phone calls to members of Congress, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the U.S. Capitol Police. 

            Lilly pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly to two federal charges: interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure and repeated telephone calls. The threat charge carries a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; the count of repeated phone calls carries a maximum of two years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A federal judge will determine Lilly’s sentence based on the federal guidelines determined by Congress. Judge Kelly scheduled sentencing for August 28, 2024.

            “Threatening another person’s safety or life is a crime, not protected speech,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This case should send a clear message that while people are secure in their rights to express themselves, they are not allowed to threaten people and those who do will be held accountable.”

            According to court documents, beginning about February 1, 2022, and continuing until his arrest in this case in Puerto Rico on November 8, 2023, Lilly made over 12,000 telephone calls to approximately 54 offices of Members of Congress across the country, both in district offices located in various U.S. States and to offices located in Washington, D.C.

            Of the calls to congressional offices, more than 6,526 were made by Lilly to offices within the District of Columbia. Lilly placed the calls while he was in Maryland or Puerto Rico.

            Most of these phone calls were answered by congressional staff members or interns. In some of these telephone calls, Lilly became angry and use vulgar and harassing language towards the individual who answered the phone. Congressional staff repeatedly asked Lilly to refrain from calling. U.S. Capitol Police informed Lilly on multiple occasions that his phone calls were unwanted, and due to a harassing nature, were prohibited by law.

            To avoid detection and to trick congressional staff to answer his phone calls, Lilly masked his phone number. Lilly made at least one phone call during which he threatened to kill or injure the person who answered. On October 21, 2022, Lilly called into a congressional office in Washington D.C., threatening a staff member. “I will kill you, I am going to run you over, I will kill you with a bomb or grenade,” Lilly told the employee. In addition to the threatening phone calls, Lilly repeatedly called Congressional offices. For example, during two-days in February 2023, Lilly called one congressional representative more than 500 times.

            In response, Lilly was indicted, and the U.S. Capitol Police deployed agents to arrest Lilly on November 14, 2023, in Puerto Rico.

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police with valuable assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander R. Schneider.

 

23cr0384

WASHINGTON – Bartwone Copeland, a previously convicted felon and member of the “No Rats Allowed” crew, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison in connection with his possession of firearms, including a machinegun, and distribution of fentanyl. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Copeland, 28, of Southwest Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia on December 4, 2023, to unlawful possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. In addition to the 144-month prison term, the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich today ordered Copeland to serve five years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, Copeland was a member of “NRA” or “No Rats Allowed,” a street crew that trafficked drugs out of townhouses on the 200 block of K Street SW. NRA also used the homes as stash locations or “trap houses” for narcotics and firearms. Copeland sold controlled substances, including crack-cocaine and marijuana, but primarily focused his business on pills laced with fentanyl that he had arranged to be shipped to the District from California.

            At the time of each of Copeland’s two arrests, he was in possession of Glock 23 .40 caliber handguns with obliterated serial numbers and extended magazines.

            On November 3, 2021, MPD officers and FBI agents executed a search warrant at “the Dope Hole,” a trap house Copeland operated on the 200 block of K Street SW. Inside the townhome, officers encountered Copeland, aka “Bart” aka “Shmoney,” and four other people. Copeland was the only person in the kitchen. In the kitchen officers recovered about 37 grams of crack cocaine, 457 blue pills containing fentanyl (approximately 48.6 grams), about 980 grams of suspected marijuana, $1,686 on his person, and another $7,010 in a Prada bag. Police found three firearms in a kitchen drawer. One of the guns was a Glock 23 pistol that had been modified with a “switch” converting it into a fully automatic machine gun that could fire 20 shots with the single pull of a trigger.  At the time of that arrest, Copeland was on escape status, as he had absconded from a halfway house.

            On November 7, 2022, a week after his initial indictment, FBI agents stopped Copeland driving an Infiniti sedan after following him from the District to the Camden Potomac Yard Apartments in Arlington, Va. In Copeland’s lap was a bag which included $3,500 in cash, and a baggie containing 957 blue pills containing fentanyl. From Copeland’s waistband, FBI agents recovered a Glock 23, 40mm pistol loaded with a 22-round magazine. The firearm had an obliterated serial number. Copeland admitted that he had possessed the firearm, which had traveled in interstate commerce. After obtaining a search warrant, agents searched Copeland’s Alexandria apartment and recovered 57.8 grams of suspected crack-cocaine inside a pair of Dior shoes and about $5,000 in cash.

            Across these two arrests Mr. Copeland possessed more than 1,400 pills with a total weight of more than 150 grams. However, text messages on Copeland’s digital devices indicated that he was trafficking in much larger amounts. Text messages suggest that over two weeks in August 2022, Mr. Copeland purchased 20,000 pills—an amount that would likely weigh well over a kilogram. Furthermore, although the pills looked like legitimate Oxycodone pills, Copeland knew they contained fentanyl, as he shared a news article about a drug bust involving “[his] folks” that identified the blue pills as containing fentanyl.

            Copeland has an extensive criminal history that includes a conviction in D.C. Superior Court for assault with a dangerous weapon, a conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm, a guilty plea for attempt to commit robbery, and numerous violations of the terms of his supervised release.

            This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Song and Joshua Gold.

22cr0378

WASHINGTON – Travon Diggs, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the May 2, 2022, fatal shooting of Junior Lee Johnson on Benning Road, Northeast, near 17th Street, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Diggs pleaded guilty on March 19, 2024, to second degree murder while armed.

            According to the government’s evidence, the victim was walking away from Diggs when Diggs pulled out a handgun and shot Mr. Johnson multiple times without provocation. Mr. Johnson ran away from Diggs. Diggs got into a rental car and drove away at a high rate of speed to the residence he shared with his mother in Southeast Washington, D.C.  Mr. Johnson died of his injuries that day.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alec Levy.

WASHINGTON – Jeremiah Jordan, 33, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on May 22, 2024, on murder and other charges for the killings of 29-year-old Luke Whitaker and 19-year-old Zion Hollingsworth-Hayes on July 22, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Jordan was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court on two counts of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction).

            According to the charges, at about 9:49 p.m. on July 22, 2023, Jordan met with Mr. Whitaker in the 1400 block of Girard Street, NW, where they were observed arguing with each other. Shortly thereafter, several shots rang out and the defendant was seen running from the scene before turning the corner at 14th Street NW. Numerous people were outside at the time, in and around the busy neighborhood. 

            An arraignment is scheduled for June 14, 2024.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Shauna Payyappilly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

WASHINGTON – Gary Bellinger, 61, of Maryland, was convicted today of one count of first-degree child sexual abuse and one count of second-degree child sexual abuse. The verdict, announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), follows a four-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for August 30, 2024.

            According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, in 2015, Bellinger sexually abused a female relative who was 15 years old at the time.

            Bellinger faces the potential of life imprisonment without the opportunity of release. If he were to be released, Bellinger would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck.

WASHINGTON – Edward Steven Monge, 23, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy in which he sold at least 4,500 pills.

             The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, Chief Marcus G. Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

             Monge pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia on January 30, 2024, to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes ordered Monge to serve four years of supervised release.

             According to the government’s evidence, between February and August 2023 Monge sold more than 4,500 pills containing fentanyl to Jennifer Echeverria Flores, 26, of Silver Spring, MD. Echeverria Flores then sold the pills to a DEA undercover agent on five separate occasions between February 17 and July 19, 2023, in the District and Maryland. The pills were blue, marked “M” on one side, and “30” on the other. The total approximate weight of the pills was 479 grams. These pills were designed to look like authentic oxycodone “M30” pills, but instead contained fentanyl. In addition to the pills Monge distributed with Flores, he distributed thousands more fentanyl pills to other re-distributors and clients during this period.

             On August 3, 2023, law enforcement arrested Monge in Hyattsville, MD, and found him carrying about 1,102 identical fentanyl pills. As part of the plea agreement, Monge also admitted that he possessed a firearm in connection with his unlawful distribution of fentanyl. Echeverria Flores pleaded guilty in December to the drug conspiracy charge. Monge’s co-conspirator Mynor Josue Fernandez Alfaro was indicted in March for his role in this conspiracy, and his case is ongoing.

             This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

             This investigation additionally was an effort of Montgomery County Police under the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). MCIN was launched in 2017 and provides grant funding and strategic support through the Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to MCIN member sites to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations through inter-agency collaboration and data sharing to make Maryland safer. The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services funded this project.

             This matter was investigated by the DEA – Washington Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Henek, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section. Valuable assistance was provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Leiter and Javier Urbina.

24cr0052

 

WASHINGTON – John Albertson, 33, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced on Friday, May 24, 2024, in U.S. District Court to 13 years in prison for sending an undercover FBI agent videos of adults sexually abusing prepubescent girls with the aim of making his own sexually exploitive videos so that he could “have fun and make xxx money.” The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Albertson entered a guilty plea on November 7, 2023, to one count of Distribution of Child Pornography. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Albertson to serve 15 years of supervised release and to pay $18,000 in restitution to the victims depicted in the child pornography.

            According to court documents, on August 9, 2023, Albertson joined an encrypted private messaging group on social media where members traded images of child sexual abuse. Albertson shared images of an adult man abusing a prepubescent girl, sending them to an undercover FBI agent working with Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (MPD-FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force. On August 10, 2023, Albertson initiated a text conversation during which he invited the undercover agent to join another social media group focused on child pornography. Albertson and the undercover then exchanged messages in which Albertson sought a meeting with the undercover and his purported 8-year-old daughter for the purpose of sexually abusing the child and filming the abuse for the purpose of later selling it. 

            Following Albertson’s arrest in the Cincinnati suburb of Hebron, Kentucky, on August 23, 2023, he was transported to the Washington D.C. area where he was indicted by a Grand Jury.

            In seeking a 13-year sentence, the prosecution argued that Albertson had engaged in progressively more violent, disturbing, and dangerous conduct over the past decade including a violent interaction with police in 2017 and masturbating in front of a child in 2021, prior to engaging in the conduct in this case.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (MPD-FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Jocelyn Bond.

            23-cr-0324

            WASHINGTON –A Superior Court jury, today, found Quenton Jones, 64, of Washington, D.C., guilty of arson, first degree burglary, felony threats, felony destruction of property, and multiple counts of felony contempt, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The Honorable Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for September 11, 2024.  Jones faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, on December 28, 2023, Jones threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, the victim, after he accused her of cheating on him. On February 2, 2024, he incessantly called her multiple times, leaving demeaning voicemails on her phone in violation of a Stay Away No Contact Order. On February 3, 2024, at approximately 3:00 am, Jones went to the victim’s apartment and wrote on her front door, with a black marker, her name, personal phone number, and a list of sex acts. He left, but at approximately 6:00am, he returned and set a piece of paper on fire and shoved it under her front door, causing her front door to catch fire.  All the residents of the apartment building were forced to evacuate the building.  

            Jones was arrested later that morning and has been in custody since. He persisted in contacting the victim from the DC Jail, including making a number of phone calls to her and writing her a handwritten letter right before trial.  

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Monisha Rao from the Domestic Violence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

            WASHINGTON –Bianca Jackson, 40, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on April 18, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.

            A grand jury indicted Jackson on May 22, 2024. Arraignment is not yet scheduled.

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 18, 2024, Jackson went into a CVS located in Northeast Washington, D.C., loaded a wagon with store merchandise, and left without paying. Jackson was located and arrested shortly after Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a call for service at that location.

            Jackson has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for her alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for the count of theft for which she is indicted.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Limb.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. 

WASHINGTON – Sahid Sesay, 36, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft and one count of misdemeanor threats stemming from events occurring on January 16, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.

            A grand jury indicted Sesay on May 22, 2024. Arraignment is scheduled for May 29th.

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 16, 2024, Sesay took several pieces of merchandise without paying from the CVS store located in Northwest Washington, D.C. Just before stealing these items, Sesay, chased a CVS employee around the store, jumped on the cashier counter, and threatened the CVS employee. Sesay was quickly located and arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department.    

            Sesay has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Couce.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. 

WASHINGTON – A three-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in U.S. District Court charging a District woman and a Maryland man with conspiring to launder proceeds from a scheme to steal government benefit funds provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and other government funds.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration (SSA) - Office of Inspector General (OIG) Philadelphia Field Division, and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the U.S. Capitol Police.

            Roliat Abosede Owosho, aka “Rolash,” 48, was arrested yesterday and Afeez Olamide Lawal, aka “Fizzy,” 43, was arrested May 22, 2024, and were released following their initial appearances in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

            According to the indictment, Owosho and Lawal conspired to launder both stolen government SSA benefit funds intended for social security recipients as well as additional stolen government funds derived from a scheme in which conspirators caused the money to be directed to accounts controlled by the co-conspirators. As alleged, Lawal and Owosho laundered proceeds from the scheme to defraud from at least January 1, 2018, through about January 31, 2021. Lawal and Owosho received the stolen funds into their personal accounts. They either used the stolen funds for their personal use or further transferred the stolen funds to others without authority from the intended recipients. The two received more than $148,667 in SSA, unemployment payments, and tax refunds that did not belong to them.

            The indictment further charged Owosho with using her bank accounts to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business in the District and conducting money transmissions without a license. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Owosho transferred funds on behalf of others through her accounts without registering as a money transmitting business with the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), did not obtain a money transmitting license in the District of Columbia, and/or was otherwise involved in transmitting funds known to have been derived from a criminal offense or were intended to be used to promote or support unlawful activity.

            This case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) - Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the U.S. Capital Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

WASHINGTON – James Jackson, 30, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced today in Superior Court to 23 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Christian Monje, 29, of Fairfax, Virginia, in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Jackson pleaded guilty, in February 2024, to one count of second-degree murder while armed.

            According to the government’s evidence, on May 30, 2022, at approximately 4:30 a.m., officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Second District responded to the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave NW in response to the sounds of gunshots. Officers located Mr. Monje on the steps of St. Matthew’s Cathedral suffering a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to the hospital and died from his injuries a few weeks later.

            Detectives recovered surveillance footage from nearby cameras which showed an individual approaching Mr. Monje while he sat on the steps of the church. Cameras also captured the individual fleeing down a nearby alley and ducking behind a dumpster. Detectives searched the area around the dumpster and located a 9mm Polymer80 “ghost gun” that was later determined to be the murder weapon.

            The case remained unsolved, without a suspect, for months until detectives received a CODIS hit from a DNA profile obtained from the 9mm Polymer 80’s magazine. The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is a national DNA database run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that contains DNA profiles from various sources. The CODIS hit in this case was a match with a profile that was submitted by the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division in reference to a prior arrest of the defendant. Using that investigative lead, detectives were able to confirm the defendant’s identity as the murderer using DNA and cell site evidence.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Mabry Johnson and Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Jean-Robert Jean-Baptiste, Jr., 33, a previously convicted felon, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for illegally possession of a total of four firearms, nine machine gun conversion devices, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and multiple large capacity magazines—followed by, only weeks later, illegally carrying a loaded Glock 9mm firearm that was equipped with a machine gun conversion device and a large-capacity magazine in his Benning Terrace neighborhood in Southeast Washington D.C.

            The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Baptiste pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia on January 3, 2024, to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and two counts of possession of a machine gun. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Baptiste to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, on October 19, 2022, MPD officers executed a search warrant at Baptist’s residence and recovered numerous firearms and ammunition from his bedroom. MPD officers seized a Micro Draco semiautomatic pistol with drum magazine and four rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition; a 30-round 7.62 caliber magazine; a 60-round 7.62 caliber magazine; a Glock box with .40 caliber Glock 23 pistol loaded with 14 rounds; a Glock box with 10mm Glock 20 pistol loaded with 16 rounds; a 10mm Glock 29 pistol with an obliterated serial number with 14 rounds in a 15-round magazine; hundreds of rounds of ammunition; nine Glock switch machine gun conversion devices; and 16 assorted 9mm, 10mm, .40 caliber, and 7.62 caliber magazines.

            Baptiste was arrested on November 26, 2022, after MPD officers patrolling near the 4400 block of F Street SE observed him toss a firearm to the ground. The firearm was a Glock Model 19X 9mm, that was loaded with one round in the chamber and 30 additional rounds of ammunition in a 31-round capacity magazine. In addition, the firearm was equipped with a machine gun conversion device.

            During a subsequent search of Baptist’s cell phone recovered at his arrest, the FBI found photographs of numerous firearms and pricing information, firearms with machine gun conversion devices, and screenshots of conversations about Glock switch machine gun conversion devices.

            Baptiste previously was convicted of conspiracy and assault with a dangerous weapon in D.C. Superior Court for which he was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment in May 2013.

             This case was investigated by the MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhood and the ATF Washington Field Division.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long, Allison McGuire, and Thomas Strong.

         

WASHINGTON – Multi-agency law enforcement actions, targeting armed drug trafficking networks in the District, resulted in 23 arrests in the past nine days, plus an additional person already in custody. This morning, law enforcement arrested nine defendants in connection with a Trinidad-based drug trafficking investigation. Three of the arrestees are alleged crew members who were charged in a 13-count indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, and heroin, and firearms offenses. Two additional defendants were arrested this morning in connection with a separate 13-count indictment on fentanyl distribution and firearms charges. These arrests follow another law enforcement action, a week ago, in which 15 people were arrested, 10 of whom are named in a 17-count indictment as alleged members of a drug trafficking crew operating near 21st Street and Maryland Avenue, NE, and who are charged with participation in a fentanyl and cocaine distribution conspiracy and additional firearms counts. Today’s action follows a surge in additional law enforcement tools and resources announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to fight violent crime in Washington, D.C.

            The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            “In January, the Justice Department surged law enforcement resources to the District of Columbia to further our efforts to target the individuals and organizations driving violent crime in the nation’s capital,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.  “Over the past nine days, as a result of a multi-agency investigation, we have arrested 24 individuals we allege have fueled drug trafficking and community violence in Washington, D.C. The Department will continue to leverage our partnerships, our resources, and our investigative and prosecutorial tools to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”

            “The data tells us that a relatively small group of people in our community are the primary drivers of gun violence and that the bulk of the gun violence is clustered in a relatively few blocks of our city,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “For years, we and our law enforcement partners have been focused on developing effective strategies for how we can best build cases against these relatively few people driving violence because we know that proactively removing these people from our streets is the most significant thing we can do as prosecutors to impact violent crime trends.”

            Today’s arrests grew out of an investigation into an open-air drug market around the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE, in the Trinidad neighborhood that was commenced in summer 2023 in response to 59 violent crime incidents and 119 bursts of gunfire occurring in the area from January to July 2023. Agents conducted numerous controlled buys of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, cocaine base, and firearms in connection with this investigation.

            Law enforcement executed 14 residential search warrants today in connection with the Trinidad investigation in the District and Maryland and seized approximately 15 firearms, approximately $126,000 in cash currency, and significant quantities of drugs, including suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and xylazine. At least three of the defendants arrested today have been indicted on firearms charges. 

            “Many Washingtonians have raised concerns about local drug trafficking crews that have been taking over their neighborhoods through violence and the distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Forget. “Drug trafficking and violence are undeniably connected, and we are addressing this issue directly by taking a strong stance and implementing strict measures to combat the illegal manufacture and distribution of drugs, as well as removing firearms from the streets. Whether it's through increased law enforcement efforts, educational programs, or providing support for those struggling with substance misuse, we are confronting this problem head-on to restore the communities to the residents.”

            “Through relentless collaboration, the FBI and our federal and local partners dismantled two violent drug trafficking organizations that were based less than a mile from each other,” Scott said. “We vow to continue to work together to protect communities from crews who peddle drugs and wield illegal firearms.”

            “The success of these operations would not have been possible without the collaboration, dedication, and support of the officers, investigators, and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department, our federal partners at the FBI and DEA, and the United States Attorney's Office. The unwavering commitment to upholding the law and protecting our communities is truly commendable,” said MPD Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll. “To those who continue to engage in violent crimes, drug sales and the illegal possession and use of firearms: let this serve as a clear message. Your actions bring tremendous harm to our communities, and they will not be tolerated. Operations like these will continue, our investigations are ongoing, and our resolve is steadfast.”           

            Last week’s arrests of crew members whose drug operations were based near 21st Street and Maryland Avenue NE in the Carver Langston area included search warrants for 21 residences, nine vehicles, and 14 individuals in the District and Maryland. In the course of executing the arrests, law enforcement seized approximately 20 firearms, additional ammunition feeding devices, more than 150 cartridges of ammunition, over $23,000, and significant quantities of suspected fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and liquid PCP.

            During the course of these investigations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with federal and local law enforcement, identified the members of these networks, developed evidence of the illegal conduct, and obtained indictments charging the defendants. The investigations remain ongoing.

            In January, the Attorney General directed additional resources to the District of Columbia to help combat violent crime. As part of that direction, the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section within the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice joined the Trinidad drug trafficking investigation.  Their participation helped to complete this investigation faster, and they will be full partners on these now-charged cases.

            While the U.S. Attorney’s Office has conducted a number of investigations targeting corners or blocks that crime data showed to be magnets for gun violence (including Lincoln-Westmoreland, MLK- Mellon, 7th & O Sts., and Kennedy St.), these indictments represent the first time that the Office has simultaneously targeted multiple alleged crews in this fashion.  Crews in these two areas, which are separated by less than a mile, have historically feuded with one another.  This year, alone, we have seen mass shootings and homicides in the areas in which crews from these neighborhoods have historically operated.

            Both cases mentioned today are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

            The Trinidad fentanyl trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section, and Trial Attorney Gerald Collins of the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  Valuable assistance was provided by Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Christina Taylor and Gaelin Bernstein.

            The Carver-Langston fentanyl trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Violent Crime Investigations Team of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross-Border Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.

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

The Justice Department today announced a multi-agency law enforcement action, targeting armed drug trafficking networks in Washington, D.C., which resulted in 24 arrests in the past nine days. This action follows a surge in additional law enforcement tools and resources announced in January by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to fight violent crime in Washington, D.C.

“In January, the Justice Department surged law enforcement resources to the District of Columbia to further our efforts to target the individuals and organizations driving violent crime in the nation’s capital,” said Attorney General Garland. “Over the past nine days, as a result of a multi-agency investigation, we have arrested 24 individuals we allege have fueled drug trafficking and community violence in Washington, D.C. The Department will continue to leverage our partnerships, our resources, and our investigative and prosecutorial tools to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”

“The FBI will remain relentless in the pursuit of those who attempt to make money by selling fentanyl and other deadly drugs in our communities,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are firmly committed to working with all of our partners and using all tools available to curb the violence impacting the American people – here in Washington, D.C., and across the country.”

Nine defendants were arrested today in connection with a Trinidad-based drug trafficking investigation. Three of the defendants arrested today are charged in a 13-count indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, crack cocaine, and heroin and several firearms offenses. Two additional defendants arrested today are charged in a separate multiple-count indictment on fentanyl and fentanyl analogue distribution and firearms charges. These arrests follow another law enforcement action last week, in which 15 people were arrested, 10 of whom are named in a 17-count indictment as alleged members of a drug trafficking crew operating near 21st Street and Maryland Avenue, NE, and who are charged with participation in a fentanyl and cocaine distribution conspiracy and additional firearms counts.

Today’s arrests grew out of an investigation into an open-air drug market around the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE, in the Trinidad neighborhood that was commenced in summer 2023 in response to 59 violent crime incidents and 119 bursts of gunfire occurring in the area from January to July 2023. Agents conducted numerous controlled buys of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, cocaine base, and firearms in connection with this investigation.

During the investigation, multiple search warrants were executed at several locations. Law enforcement executed 14 residential search warrants today in connection with the Trinidad investigation in the District and Maryland and seized 15 firearms, large amounts of ammunition, and alleged drug proceeds as part of the operation. At least three of the five defendants arrested today have been indicted on firearms charges, including possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. 

“As alleged in the indictments, the defendants sold fentanyl and other dangerous drugs on the streets of Washington, D.C. Some of them also carried guns,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When armed drug dealers sell deadly drugs like fentanyl, they make our communities more dangerous places to live and work. Today’s arrests reflect the Criminal Division’s commitment to working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and our law enforcement partners to protect our neighborhoods from armed drug dealers and other dangerous offenders.”

“The data tells us that a relatively small group of people in our community are the primary drivers of gun violence and that the bulk of the gun violence is clustered in a relatively few blocks of our city,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “For years, we and our law enforcement partners have been focused on developing effective strategies for how we can best build cases against these relatively few people driving violence because we know that proactively removing these people from our streets is the most significant thing we can do as prosecutors to impact violent crime trends.”

“Street-level drug traffickers are directly responsible for extreme violence and devastating drug poisonings in communities across the country,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “The individuals charged today are alleged members of one of the most violent criminal groups in Washington, D.C., perpetrating countless acts of violence and selling deadly fentanyl. The excellent investigative work by the DEA’s Washington Field Division, and our partners, has made this community safer. These arrests are a warning to all criminals peddling poison on American streets that the DEA will use every available resource to save lives.”

“Today's arrests show that the partnerships among federal and local law enforcement agencies are stronger than the illicit ties among members of drug trafficking organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division. "The FBI vows to continue to work with our partners to protect communities from violent crews who peddle drugs and wield illegal firearms.”

“Many Washingtonians have raised concerns about local drug trafficking crews that have been taking over their neighborhoods through violence and the distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the DEA Washington Division. “Drug trafficking and violence are undeniably connected, and we are addressing this issue directly by taking a strong stance and implementing strict measures to combat the illegal manufacture and distribution of drugs, as well as removing firearms from the streets. Whether it's through increased law enforcement efforts, educational programs, or providing support for those struggling with substance misuse, we are confronting this problem head-on to restore the communities to the residents.”

“The success of these operations would not have been possible without the collaboration, dedication, and support of the officers, investigators, and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department, our federal partners at the FBI and DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The unwavering commitment to upholding the law and protecting our communities is truly commendable,” said Executive Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. “To those who continue to engage in violent crimes, drug sales and the illegal possession and use of firearms: let this serve as a clear message. Your actions bring tremendous harm to our communities, and they will not be tolerated. Operations like these will continue, our investigations are ongoing, and our resolve is steadfast.”

The Trinidad fentanyl trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the DEA’s Washington Division, Metropolitan Police Department, and FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Trial Attorney Gerald A. A. Collins of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance was provided by VCRS Trial Attorneys Christina Taylor and Gaelin Bernstein.

The Carver-Langston fentanyl trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Metropolitan Police Department, FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross-Border Task Force, DEA’s Washington Division, and Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

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

WASHINGTON – Elliot Jacobs, 32, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty after trial of multiple charges arising from a mid-day robbery at a Northeast barbershop, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The Superior Court jury found Jacobs guilty of two counts of armed robbery, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, second degree burglary while armed, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. The jury returned the verdict on May 22, 2024. The Honorable Heidi Pasichow scheduled sentencing for August 16, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, on August 8, 2020, at approximately 12:45 p.m., Jacobs went to the Benning Road Barbershop and asked for a trim. Because of the pandemic, the barbershop did not take walk-in customers, so Jacobs exchanged phone numbers with one of the barbers, who told him to call back in about fifteen minutes. Jacobs called the barber using a three-way call to disguise his number, and the barber told Jacobs that he was ready for him.

            Jacobs returned, sat in the barber chair, and spoke with the barber for several minutes. During their conversation, a second man appeared at the shop, and both Jacobs and that accomplice pulled handguns and pointed them at the two barbers. Jacobs then robbed both barbers before fleeing with his accomplice.

            MPD detectives subsequently used Jacobs’ cellphone number to develop him as a suspect. Jacobs was arrested on August 26, 2020, and he has been held in custody since.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sabena Auyeung and William Lawrence.

WASHINGTON – A jury sitting in Superior Court yesterday found Aaron Jackson, 30, of Washington, D.C., guilty of first-degree murder while armed and carrying a dangerous weapon in the June 2021 stabbing death of Damohn Gill. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  Sentencing is scheduled for August 9, 2024.

           According to the government’s evidence, at 7:50 p.m. in the evening of Thursday, June 24, 2021, the victim, Damohn Gill, 27, of Washington, D.C., pulled into the parking lot of the Orchard Park Apartments with his pregnant girlfriend. Around the same time, the defendant, Aaron Jackson, parked on the street near the parking lot. Both men got out of their cars and hugged on the sidewalk. The men spoke briefly before Jackson pulled out a knife and aggressively approached Mr. Gill.  Mr. Gill raised his hands in the air at which point the defendant grabbed the victim by the throat. Mr. Gill pulled away and attempted to run, but Jackson held onto the victim and proceeded to stab him nine times in the back, face, arm, and abdomen leaving him disemboweled. The defendant then fled the scene. A few days after the murder, Jackson posted to Instagram to brag and sing about killing the victim.

           This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant United States Attorney Peter Roman. It is being prosecuted and tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Wes Faulkner and Marybeth Manfreda.

            WASHINGTON – Law enforcement have five defendants in custody this morning who have been indicted in U.S. District Court in connection with a multi-agency fentanyl trafficking investigation. Three of the defendants, alleged members of a District drug trafficking crew, were charged in a 13-count indictment with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, and heroin. Two of the five in custody, who were arrested this morning, are charged in connection with a separate 13-count indictment on fentanyl distribution and firearms counts.

            The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Law enforcement also executed search warrants at 14 residences in the District and in Maryland and seized 15 firearms, large amounts of ammunition, $126,000 in alleged drug proceeds as part of the operation, and significant quantities of drugs, including suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and xylazine. At least three of the defendants in custody have been indicted on firearms charges. 

            The arrests grew out of a joint investigation into a Trinidad Street crew operating an open-air drug market around 1100 block of Raum Street, NE. From January to July 2023, there have been 59 violent crime incidents and 119 bursts of gunfire in the area. Agents conducted numerous buys of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, cocaine base, and firearms.

            The defendants, who reside in Washington D.C. and Maryland, include:

 

NAME

AGE

AKA

CHARGES

Davon Cunningham

 

34

“Tank”

“Kevin”

 

Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl; 10 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl Analogue; a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base; and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Heroin; Unlawful Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl x 2; Unlawful Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl and Aiding and Abetting; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

Levancie Carr

41

“Locs”

 

Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl; 10 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl Analogue; a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base; and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Heroin

Roosevelt Richardson

 

48

“Rose”

Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl; 10 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl Analogue; a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Cocaine Base; and a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Heroin

Antonio Lucas

 

46

-

Distribution of Fentanyl x 7; Distribution of 10 Grams or More of Fentanyl Analogue x 2; Distribution of N-Propylbutylone; Unlawful Possession of Ammunition by a Felon; Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

Rex Pelote Jr

39

-

Unlawful Possession of Ammunition by a Felon; Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

            This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

            This investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section and Trial Attorney Gerald Collins of the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Christina Taylor and Gaelin Bernstein also provided valuable assistance.

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

WASHINGTON – Karim Clayton, 46, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on April 26, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Clayton was indicted on May 22, 2024, and will be arraigned on May 29, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 26, 2024, Clayton took merchandise without paying from the Nordstrom Rack store located in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Clayton was located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.  

            Clayton has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.

            Since September 1, 2023, including the aforementioned case, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has indicted 45 cases involving a felony second-degree theft charge based on a defendant’s two or more prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Granzotto.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. 

            WASHINGTON –Avery Bost, 29, of Brandywine, MD, was sentenced today to 37  months and Joe Blyther, 29, of Bowie, MD, was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison for participating in the “LA Dank DMV Crew,” a sophisticated conspiracy responsible for bringing hundreds of pounds of marijuana from California to the metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Bost pleaded guilty on October 27, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. Blyther pleaded guilty on November 8, 2023, to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense; Possession of a Machine Gun; and Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon. In addition to Bost and Blyther’s prison sentences, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered both to serve three years of supervised release.

            Eight LA Dank co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various drug trafficking and/or firearms counts. The co-defendants include Abubakr Banire, Kavon Duncan, Joe Blyther, Christopher Akinduro, Isaac Akinduro, Avery Bost, Omar Butler, and Randall Lance, who all entered their pleas in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Christopher Akindkuro was sentenced to 74 months, Isaac Akinduro was sentenced to 41 months, Duncan was sentenced to 71 months, Butler was sentenced to 18 months, and Lance was sentenced 63 months. Banire, the leader of the LA Dank crew, is awaiting sentencing on June 24, 2024.

            The guilty pleas and sentences follow a lengthy investigation led by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  Between May 2021 and December 2021, crew members operated a sophisticated conspiracy to traffic large amounts of high-grade marijuana from California to the DMV area for distribution to customers.

            As part of their distribution scheme, members of the crew relied heavily on mass marketing through three dedicated LA Dank websites, as well as social media platforms like Instagram where individual crew members would advertise the LA Dank brand and LA Dank branded marijuana for sale. Crew members also used rental properties to set up stash houses or points of sale that were used to conduct drug distribution operations for a short period of time before moving on to different locations. 

            The crew is known, and was found to possess numerous firearms, including semi-automatic and fully automatic machine guns, and devices used to convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Certain members of the crew also plead guilty to the possession of firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking operations. In total, approximately 122 pounds of marijuana, 19 firearms, and 10 machine gun conversion devices were recovered.  Three of these nineteen firearms were discovered to be operational machine guns that had been modified with machinegun conversion devices. Seven of these machine gun conversion devices were found in an “LA Dank” branded bag. Two of these firearms were privately made AR-pistol style machine guns, sometimes referred to as “ghost guns.”

            Ledgers and receipts show that the crew trafficked well over 100 kilograms of marijuana into the DMV area for distribution. 

            Blyther specifically plead guilty to one of the pistols equipped with a machine gun conversion device. 

            The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the FBI Washington Field Office, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong. 

WASHINGTON –Heather Idoni, 59, of Linden, Michigan, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months incarceration for her role in a conspiracy that created a blockade at a Washington, D.C. reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

“Using force and intimidation to deprive others of their civil rights is a crime, and rightly so,” said U.S. Attorney Graves.  “This office will continue to defend and protect the right of every citizen to access health care.”

“Federal law is clear: using force, threatening to use force or physically obstructing access to reproductive health care is unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “People have a First Amendment right to communicate their views but they do not have the right to use chains, locks and obstruction to prevent access to reproductive health care facilities. The Justice Department will continue to protect both patients seeking reproductive health services and providers of those services.”   

Idoni is the ninth member of the conspiracy to be sentenced on charges of civil rights conspiracy and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act violations. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced seven other members of the conspiracy.

Another of the defendants, the only one to plead guilty, Jay Smith, 34, of Freeport, New York, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release in March 2023.

As the evidence at trial showed, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. As part of the conspiracy, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman, traveled to Washington, D.C. from various northeast and midwestern states, to meet with Handy and participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook.

According to the evidence, Handy, Hinshaw, and Goodman – along with their co-conspirators – forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes. Once the blockade was established, their activities were live-streamed. The evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using a physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services.

DEFENDANTS

 

NAME

AGE

GUILTY OF

SENTENCE

Lauren Handy

Alexandria, VA

 

30

Found Guilty on August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act

Sentenced
May 14, 2024, to 57 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

John Hinshaw

Levittown, NY

69

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 14, 2024, to 21 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

William Goodman Bronx, NY

54

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 14, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Jay Smith

Freeport, NY

34

Pleaded Guilty March 1, 2023, to Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
Aug. 17, 2023, to 10 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Jonathan Darnel Arlington, Va.

42

Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 34 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Jean Marshall Kingston, Mass.

74

Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Joan Bell

Montague, NJ

76

Found Guilty September 15, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Herb Geraghty Pittsburgh, Pa

27

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced

 May 15, 2024, to 27 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

Heather Idoni Linden, Mich.

59

Found Guilty August 29, 2023, of Felony Conspiracy Against Civil Rights and Violating the FACE Act

Sentenced
May 22, 2024 to 24 Months Incarceration and Three Years of Supervised Release

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office. It was prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of New York; and FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston, and Detroit provided valuable assistance.

WASHINGTON – Saeve Edward Evans, 38, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for firing 14 rounds at a Metropolitan Police Department officer. The officer was not injured. The shooting, in the early morning of August 1, 2023, occurred at 1711 Benning Road, a three-story apartment building in Northeast Washington D.C.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the 10-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Evans to serve five years of supervised release.

            Evans pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on January 29, 2024, to assault on a police officer while armed, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term of over one year.

            According to court documents, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Evans was walking a dog at about 5:25 a.m. around the interior courtyard of the apartment building at 1711 Benning Road, Northeast. An unknown individual walked in front of the building and, unprovoked, Evans pulled out a gun, pointed the gun towards the sky, and fired three times in the air. The unknown individual ran away.

           Three minutes later, at 5:28 a.m., an MPD officer arrived at the scene to investigate the gunfire. The officer, who was wearing a full police uniform and driving a marked MPD cruiser, stood on Gales Place, Northeast, and spotted Evans within the courtyard. Evans yelled at the officer to “come and get it” and then aimed at the officer, fired the gun three times, then moved towards the apartment entrance. Moving up a ramp, Evans pointed his gun at the officer again and fired nine more rounds. The officer returned fire before taking cover behind his police cruiser. Inside the building, Evans climbed the stairs to the third-floor landing and fired two more shots at the officer through large windows. In total, Evans fired 14 rounds at the officer.          

              Additional MPD officers from the Fifth District responded to assist and entered the building on Benning Road. Officers located Evans on the third-floor landing of the apartment building. Before officers placed Evans under arrest, Evans said, “Ain’t no gun, I took it off me.” Officers recovered the firearm on the third-floor landing. DNA evidence further linked the firearm -- a black Springfield XD 9x19 pistol with an empty 16 round magazine -- to Evans. DNA evidence linked Evans to the gun, which was stolen on March 9, 2023, from the state of Texas.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Song and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Cloherty.

Heather Idoni was sentenced today to 24 months in prison following her convictions for federal conspiracy against rights and Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offenses following three separate trials in connection with the blockade of a Washington, D.C., area reproductive health clinic on Oct. 22, 2020.

Previously, Lauren Handy was sentenced to 57 months in prison, John Hinshaw was sentenced to 21 months in prison, William Goodman was sentenced to 27 months in prison, Jonathan Darnel was sentenced to 34 months in prison, Herb Geraghty was sentenced to 27 months in prison, Jean Marshall was sentenced to 24 months in prison and Joan Bell was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

“Federal law is clear: using force, threatening to use force or physically obstructing access to reproductive health care is unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People have a First Amendment right to communicate their views but they do not have the right to use chains, locks and obstruction to prevent access to reproductive health care facilities. The Justice Department will continue to protect both patients seeking reproductive health services and providers of those services.”   

“Using force and intimidation to deprive others of their civil rights is a crime, and rightly so,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “This office will continue to defend and protect the right of every citizen to access health care.”

These defendants, and one, were convicted following three separate trials in 2023. Paulette Harlow is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. Idoni is scheduled to be sentenced in a separate matter on July 30, following conspiracy and FACE Act convictions in an unrelated clinic blockade from Tennessee. A tenth defendant, Jay Smith, was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to a felony FACE Act offense on March 1, 2023.

Evidence presented at trial established that the defendants used force and physical obstruction to execute a clinic blockade that was organized by the group’s leaders, Handy and Darnel. The defendants planned and organized the clinic invasion using social media, text messages and telephone calls, and several co-conspirators, including Hinshaw, Goodman, Geraghty, Marshall, Bell, Harlow, Idoni and Smith traveled from northeast and midwestern states to participate in the blockade. Prior to the clinic incursion, the defendants met with other co-conspirators to plan their crime, which included making a fake patient appointment to ensure the group’s entry into the clinic, using chains and locks to barricade the facility and passively resisting their anticipated arrests to prolong the blockade.

The clinic invasion was advertised on social media as a “historic” event that was live-streamed on Facebook. The defendants’ forced entry into the clinic at the outset of the invasion resulted in injury to a clinic nurse. During the blockade, one patient had to climb through a receptionist window to access the clinic, while another laid in the hallway outside of the clinic in physical distress, unable to gain access to the clinic.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

Prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Antoinette Gilmore, 28, of Washington, DC was convicted yesterday of kidnapping, after a three-day jury trial before the Honorable Errol Arthur in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2024.

            On October 12, 2023, the victim got into an argument on the phone, with his roommate, defendant Gilmore. During the argument, the defendant told the victim she wanted him to move out of her apartment. They agreed that the defendant would pick up the victim from downtown and bring him back to her apartment so that he could remove his belongings. Defendant Gilmore and her cousin went to pick up the victim.

            Once inside the car, the defendant instructed her cousin to punch and beat the victim and take his belongings as the defendant drove. The victim tried to get out of the car, but they locked the doors and trapped him from within. At one point, he was able to get the back door open and escape. At the defendant’s direction, her cousin jumped out and chased the victim down, eventually catching him and dragging him by the collar of his shirt back into the defendant’s car. Once they reached their destination, the victim was pulled out of the car where he managed to break free and ran straight to the Sixth District Police substation where he reported the assault to police.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Hanson and Lauren Miller of the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

WASHINGTON – Kirk Perry, 59, of Lorain, Ohio, and his nephew Jamarea Grant, 30, of Cleveland, Ohio, were arrested this morning on wire fraud and conspiracy charges filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.

            Both defendants are expected to make their initial appearance in the Northern District of Ohio today.

            According to the indictment, from August 2015 through November 2022, Perry, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Program Director, arranged for Grant to be hired by two companies under contract with the USDA Office for Civil Rights. Court documents allege that Grant reported directly to Perry, and the two of them conspired to bill the government for work that Grant did not actually perform. Grant is alleged to have received nearly $400,000 for work he did not do, and, in return, kicked back approximately $125,000 to Perry as part of the criminal scheme.

            If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison for the charged offenses of Money, Property, and Honest Services Wire Fraud, and Conspiracy to Commit Money, Property, and Honest Services Wire Fraud. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided for informational purposes. If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Sensitive Investigations Office (SIO).  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Joshua Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.

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