District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
District Man Indicted on Carjacking and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Weaver, 31, of Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on carjacking and other charges stemming from the September 10, 2023, carjacking and kidnapping of a D.C. Neighborhood Connect driver, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Weaver was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of carjacking a senior citizen, kidnapping a senior citizen, and threatening to injure and kidnap a senior citizen. Weaver was also charged with committing each of these offenses against a taxicab driver.
Weaver is to be arraigned on April 30, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Erik Christian. Weaver faces a mandatory minimum of seven years’ incarceration if convicted of the charge of carjacking and is subject to enhanced penalties for having allegedly committed these offenses against a senior citizen and a taxicab driver.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 13, 2023, at about 3:39 p.m., the victim, a driver for D.C. Neighborhood Connect, picked up Weaver and another individual at 1228 Perry Street NE and drove them to 501 Franklin Street NE, where both passengers exited the vehicle. As the driver began to drive away from the area, Weaver stepped into the middle of street, forcing the driver to bring his vehicle to a stop. Weaver then entered the Neighborhood Connect vehicle, demanded to be driven to 1228 Perry Street NE, and repeatedly threatened to kill the driver of the van.
As the driver approached the intersection of 7th Street NE and Monroe Street NE, the driver stopped and exited the vehicle, and ran to a nearby police vehicle to seek assistance. Weaver then entered the driver’s seat of the Neighborhood Connect vehicle and drove to 1228 Perry Street NE, where he was apprehended by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. Weaver has been in custody since his arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
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.
Two-Year Anniversary of Whole-of-Law Enforcement Approach to Combatting Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves joined Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Saul of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Executive Assistant Chief Jeff Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), to update the public on the process they put in place two years ago to review every firearms arrest in the District of Columbia, looking at data about the person arrested and data about the firearm they possessed to determine whether they should be prosecuted in U.S. District Court or in D.C. Superior Court.
The office and our partners refer to this effort as, “Project Safe Neighborhood” (PSN). In the two years since this PSN process was put in place, the office has accepted 127 firearms cases for federal prosecution.
Among the cases accepted as part of PSN:
- the average age of the defendant was 30 years old;
- 38% had gang or crew affiliations;
- 21% had a previous homicide arrest;
- 54% had a previous robbery arrest;
- 52% were suspects in previous shootings;
- 22% were arrested with a machine gun conversion device;
- 13% were arrested with a privately made firearm;
These cases continue to make their way through the criminal justice system, with over 50 defendants having already been sentenced or found guilty after either a trial or a guilty plea.
“The work we have done between this Project Safe Neighborhood effort and our other efforts have collectively taken hundreds of drivers of violence out of our community over the last couple years,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This group of law enforcement partners has spent a substantial amount of time identifying those driving violence within our community and developing investigations designed to hold them accountable so we can remove them from our community. Removing this many drivers of violence has an impact on community safety.”
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is one of our most valued partnerships to date. The program frequently offers an immediate solution to swiftly removing prohibited possessors of firearms from our communities.” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kailimai, “If a prohibited person is encountered by ATF or one of our partnering agencies and happens to meet the agreed upon criteria, the violators will be recommended for federal prosecution.”
“Echoing the words of United States Attorney Graves and my colleagues, DEA works diligently to protect the American public by conducting daily investigations and operations to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and criminals that pose a threat to our communities and endanger our citizens,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Forget. “A key strategy to halt this violence is our collaboration with state, local, and federal partners. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an example of our collaborative approach to violence prevention, aimed at protecting the well-being of Washingtonians and beyond.”
“The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in the District through targeted strategies like Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Saul. “Seizing firearms linked to previously convicted felons allows us to promptly remove drivers of gun violence from our communities and prosecute them for their crimes.”
“As our officers work hard day in and day out to remove guns from our communities, collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners is vital to making sure we can hold offenders accountable,” said MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith. “Project Safe Neighborhood is doing just that. Collectively the work of this program and many other initiatives we have with our federal partners and the US Attorney’s Office allow us to make our communities safer by removing the people that are driving gun violence and fear into our neighborhoods.”
Four District Men Charged with PCP Conspiracy and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 21-count superseding indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, charges four Washington D.C. men — Lamont M. Langston, 43; Jamar Bennett, 44; Norman Morris, 43; and Kelvin Sanker, 42 — with distributing and conspiring to distribute mass amounts of phencyclidine (also known as PCP) in the metropolitan region, and with firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, of the DEA Washington Division.
According to court documents, the defendants organized a drug trafficking organization that packaged and distributed multiple kilograms of PCP in the District of Columbia. Jamar Bennett allegedly sold PCP to undercover officers on numerous occasions in 2023 and 2024. The PCP was supplied by Langston, with assistance from Morris and Sanker. Bennett and Morris are also alleged to have dealt fentanyl in the District of Columbia, with Bennett selling large quantities of fentanyl to an undercover officer.
Langston was arrested on February 25, 2024, by MPD officers after fleeing from a police cruiser and discarding a handgun that had been converted into a machinegun with a “giggle switch.” Langston hid from law enforcement in the Watts Branch tributary stream until he was located with help from an MPD helicopter and extracted with an MPD K9. From Langston’s person, coat, and vehicle, law enforcement recovered an AK-style Mini Draco pistol loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition, a water bottle containing an amber liquid that tested positive for PCP, and nearly $10,000 in cash. Langston made his initial appearance in District Court on March 1, 2024.
Bennett was arrested March 6, 2024, and made his initial appearance the same day. During a search of his residence, law enforcement recovered a Ruger LC9 handgun. Today, April 17, Morris was arrested in Anne Arundel County and Sanker was arrested in Washington D.C. Morris and Sanker also made their first court appearances today.
All four defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute PCP. Langston is also charged with using, carrying, and possessing a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Bennett is charged with five counts involving the distribution of fentanyl, and nine counts involving distribution of PCP. Morris also faces a fentanyl distribution charge.
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.
The case is being investigated by DEA and FBI. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Roman of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Transporting and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephen Rattley Johnson, 36, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today of transporting and possessing child pornography. The jury verdict, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, 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.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, on September 21, 2020, and October 1, 2020, Johnson uploaded hundreds of child pornography files to his Google Drive cloud storage account. Google identified 220 of the files as known child pornography and closed Johnson’s account. Consistent with its statutory obligations, Google reported the material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which in turn referred the matter to law enforcement. Investigators obtained the contents of Johnson’s Google account, which included hundreds of child pornography files.
Law enforcement arrested Johnson on October 7, 2021, and searched his then-residence in the H Street Corridor of Northeast Washington. Among other evidence, law enforcement seized his cellphone and the laptop Johnson had used to upload the child pornography. Although Johnson deleted the child pornography from his computer after Google closed his account, digital forensics experts were able to recover artifacts showing that Johnson had downloaded many of the files as early as April 2020 and that he had opened and watched them. Many of the files are videos depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls. In addition, Johnson’s web browser history showed that he had navigated to child pornography online—including several of the files he later uploaded to Google—and evidence from his cellphone showed that he continued to seek out child pornography even after Google closed his account.
The jury found Johnson guilty of five counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On the possession count, the jury further found that the child pornography involved minors under 12 years of age, an aggravating circumstance that doubles the statutory maximum sentence. The Honorable Carl J. Nichols, who presided over the trial, has ordered Johnson detained pending sentencing.
Transportation of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison and a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Possession of child pornography involving minors under 12 years of age carries an enhanced maximum term of 20 years in prison. The offenses also carry potential financial penalties, including mandatory restitution for identified victims. The maximum statutory penalties for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only. The sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Lipes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
The prosecution team received valuable assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit at CEOS, and all of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli and Carolyn Carter-McKinley, former Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Victim–Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar and Jocelyn Bond.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Use of Firearm in Drug Crime Amidst Investigation into StabbingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darnell Lamont Savoy, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which was revealed during the investigation into an October 2022 stabbing that Savoy committed while he was on release and under indictment for the December 2018 near-murder shooting of a 14-year-old boy in Northeast Washington, D.C.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Savoy pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly to the use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Judge Kelly set a sentencing date for August 2, 2024. Savoy faces at least five years and a maximum of life in prison on the charge. A district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Over the federal government’s written and oral objections, in 2021, Savoy was released from custody while awaiting trial in Superior Court on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and related offenses stemming from the 2018 shooting.
According to court documents, months later, on October 11, 2022, Savoy allegedly stabbed a person during an argument and fled the scene. Investigators tracked Savoy to the 3900 block of Southern Avenue, SE. On the morning of October 21, 2022, MPD officers and FBI agents executed a search warrant at an apartment unit where Savoy was staying with a woman and a 3-year-old child. During the search, law enforcement found a plastic bag containing 4.55 grams of an off-white powder, a digital scale with white powder residue, a red cut straw with white powder residue, and a two-pack of naloxone. The powder and the residues tested positive for fentanyl.
In a blue jacket that contained Savoy’s ID and credit card, investigators discovered 27 zip baggies with an off-white powder weighing a total of 7.3 grams, 29 blue pills stamped M30, 16 red zip baggies containing an off-white powder weighing nearly 5 grams, and $473 in U.S. currency. The powders tested positive for fentanyl.
In a hall closet, on top of a dryer, officers discovered a loaded, unregistered, semi-automatic Glock 30, loaded with 24 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition. DNA testing linked Savoy to the firearm. The fentanyl recovered during the search warrant was found in a common area of the apartment that the three-year-old had access to, which could have led to the death or serious injury of the child.
On March 29, 2024, Savoy and two co-defendants pleaded guilty in Superior Court to their roles the December 28, 2018, shooting of a father and son in the Clay Terrace neighborhood. Savoy was driving when his co-defendant fired 30 shots into an SUV in which the father and son were sitting. The boy was shot nine times, including in the head, abdomen, chest, and back. The father sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and hand. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2024.
The federal case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Long and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Hart and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Rasalam.
The shooting of the boy and his father was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberley Nielsen and Sharon Donovan.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Debt Relief ScamRead the Press Release
Sereika Savariau, 37, of Jamaica, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to creating a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that tricked U.S. victims into paying fraudulent processing fees and disclosing sensitive personal identifying information.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sally Luttrell of the Treasury Department, Office of Inspector General.
Savariau, also known as Sereika Savariau-Goodison, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, which carries a potential penalty of 30 years in prison. The Honorable Amit P. Mehta presided over Savariau’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for September 19, 2024.
As part of her guilty plea, Savariau admitted that from at least June 2016 through September 2018, she and other conspirators created and operated a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that tricked U.S. citizens into paying bogus processing fees and disclosing personal identifying information and identity documents. One of the fraudulent websites said consumers could receive up to $60,000 in government-funded aid to pay their bills. Another claimed consumers could receive up to $25,000 in annual debt relief.
Savariau admitted that through their false representations she and her co-conspirators tried to defraud U.S. victims out of more than $550,000. More than 50 individuals sent money to conspirators because of the scheme, most commonly through Western Union, believing the funds were service processing fees.
Conspirators also fraudulently used some of the victims’ personal identifying information for other illegal purposes. For example, one victim’s information was used to create a PayPal account for use in the scheme. Her information also was used to apply for and obtain an American Express pre-paid credit card. A different victim’s name and address were used to register one of their fraudulent debt relief sites.
Savariau’s conduct directly violated a prior judicial order issued in September 2015 by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton in Case No. 14-CV-1414 that, among other things, permanently restrained her and those working with her from misrepresenting to others that they would reduce substantially consumers’ debts.
Savariau was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021 and extradited from Jamaica to the United States in September 2023.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Savariau.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Louisa Becker and Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman for the District of Columbia.
Former North Korean Official Indicted on Sanctions Evasion, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today charging a former North Korean official serving in Thailand, Myong Ho Ri, with conspiracy to violate U.S. economic sanctions, bank fraud, and international money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen, and Special Agent in Charge Derek Gordon, with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington D.C. Field Office.
According to the indictment, Ri arranged for shipments of goods to North Korea using U.S. dollar wire transfers without receiving a license from the U.S. Treasury Department. Ri is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and 18 counts of international money laundering relating to a scheme to smuggle goods into North Korea from Thailand via Dalian, China.
“This defendant allegedly skirted the sanctions put in place to protect our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “He is also alleged to have thwarted U.S. banking laws, so that he could conduct business for North Korea, a foreign government that is determined to unlawfully expand its nuclear program. Working with our partners, we will make every effort to bring to justice the people who put this country at risk, no matter where in the world they operate.”
“As alleged, this defendant deliberately circumvented U.S. sanctions by using front companies to deceive American banks as he smuggled goods into North Korea,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will be relentless in pursuing those who violate sanctions and advance North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.”
“Today’s announcement exposes a former North Korean official’s efforts to circumvent U.S. sanctions and exploit the U.S. financial system,” said Special Agent in Charge Gordon. “By his actions, Myong Ho Ri, a North Korean official at the time of the suspected activity, not only allegedly committed numerous counts of money laundering but also purportedly conspired with others to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by illegally directing payments through U.S. banks. HSI Washington, D.C. will aggressively pursue criminal charges against those acting on behalf of hostile regimes that threaten the security of the American people. This includes historically hostile nations who attempt to subvert U.S. economic sanctions.”
On March 15, 2016, the President issued Executive Order 13,722 to address the Government of North Korea’s continuing pursuit of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. That and subsequent regulations prohibit the export of financial services from the United States or by any U.S. person to North Korea, including the processing of U.S. dollar wires for transactions conducted overseas.
According to the indictment, beginning around February 2015, Ri used his position as Third Economic and Commercial Secretary in the Embassy of North Korea in Thailand to negotiate contracts on behalf of a North Korean company to ship goods into North Korea from Thailand, utilizing multiple front companies and co-conspirators in Thailand and Malaysia. Ri and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed the intended destination of the goods from banking institutions located in the United States and directed shipments through Dalian, China in order to obscure the true nature of their business. As a result, U.S. financial institutions unknowingly processed multiple U.S. dollar transactions for the benefit of North Korea.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigation’s Washington D.C. Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Tracy Varghese of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Grady.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former North Korean Official Indicted on Sanctions Evasion, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging a former North Korean official serving in Thailand, Myong Ho Ri, with conspiracy to violate U.S. economic sanctions bank fraud, and international money laundering.
According to the indictment, Ri arranged for shipments of goods to North Korea using U.S. dollar wire transfers without receiving a license from the U.S. Treasury Department. Ri is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and 18 counts of international money laundering relating to a scheme to smuggle goods into North Korea from Thailand via Dalian, China.
“As alleged, this defendant deliberately circumvented U.S. sanctions by using front companies to deceive American banks as he smuggled goods into North Korea,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will be relentless in pursuing those who violate sanctions and advance North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.”
“This defendant allegedly skirted the sanctions put in place by the U.S. government in order to protect our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “He is also alleged to have thwarted U.S. banking laws, so that he could conduct business for North Korea, a foreign government that is determined to unlawfully expand its nuclear program. Working with our partners, we will make every effort to bring to justice the people who put this country at risk, no matter where in the world they operate.”
On March 15, 2016, the President issued Executive Order 13,722 to address the Government of North Korea’s continuing pursuit of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. That and subsequent regulations prohibit the export of financial services from the United States or by any U.S. person to North Korea, including the processing of U.S. dollar wires for transactions conducted overseas.
According to the indictment, beginning around February 2015, Ri used his position as Third Economic and Commercial Secretary in the Embassy of North Korea in Thailand to negotiate contracts on behalf of a North Korean company to ship goods into North Korea from Thailand, utilizing multiple front companies and co-conspirators in Thailand and Malaysia. Ri and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed the intended destination of the goods from banking institutions located in the United States and directed shipments through Dalian, China in order to obscure the true nature of their business. As a result, U.S. financial institutions unknowingly processed multiple U.S. dollar transactions for the benefit of North Korea.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigation’s Washington D.C. Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Tracy Varghese of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Grady.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Physician Charged with 28 Additional Counts in Selling Opioid Prescriptions for CashRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 64, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was charged in U.S. District Court yesterday on a 29-count count superseding indictment for illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash. According to court documents, Okafor allegedly distributed oxycodone and promethazine with codeine to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington, D.C.
As part of the conspiracy as charged in the superseding indictment, Okafor would distribute controlled substance prescriptions to co-conspirators whom he knew to be abusing or diverting the medication, in names and addresses requested by his co-conspirators, even when he knew the names or addresses were false. Okafor is alleged to have distributed dangerous and highly addictive controlled substances via medically unnecessary prescriptions to co-conspirators in at least 37 states nationwide and had knowledge that co-conspirators were traveling from the Washington, D.C. metro area to states as far as California, Florida, and Maine to have these illicit prescriptions filled. As part of the conspiracy, Okafor was paid in cash by his co-conspirators for each prescription issued. In addition to the charge of conspiracy, Okafor stands charged with maintaining a drug involved premises, and 26 counts of controlled substance distribution. These 26 counts include distributions to co-conspirators, an actual patient, and undercover law enforcement sources.
The charges were announced April 11, 2024, by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division.
Okafor was previously indicted in March 2023 for distribution of controlled substances outside the legitimate practice of medicine. The superseding indictment unsealed yesterday charges Okafor with a total of 29 counts.
If convicted, Okafor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the DC-Office of Inspector General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). The Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division provided valuable assistance and served an Immediate Suspension Order (ISO) on Okafor’s DEA registration because it was determined that he posed an imminent danger to public health and safety due to the volume of unlawful distribution of opioids.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey and Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Indicted on Charges He Killed His Girlfriend’s HusbandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keyon Slaughter, 27, of Waldorf, Maryland, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with the December 2022 murder of Dana Bailey, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The indictment charges Slaughter with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, first‑degree felony murder while armed, first-degree burglary while armed, and related firearm offenses, including illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted person, punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
According to the government’s evidence, in the morning hours of December 5, 2022, Slaughter entered the apartment that his girlfriend shared with her husband, Dana Bailey, Jr., in Southeast, Washington, D.C. Bailey had learned of his wife’s affair with Slaughter earlier in 2022. Slaughter confronted and shot Bailey once in the chest, killing him. Slaughter then fled the scene and traveled to North Carolina. Before Bailey died, he identified Slaughter as the murderer to a responding officer by Slaughter’s nickname, “Papi.” At that time, defendant was on supervised probation for a 2019 conviction for armed robbery in Charles County, Maryland. Slaughter was arrested in this case in July 2023 and has been detained pending trial since his arrest.
This case is being investigated by members of MPD’s Homicide Branch. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from Target Retail Store in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Brandon Goodwin, 38, 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 March 28, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Brandon Goodwin is to be arraigned on May 1, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 28, 2024, Brandon Goodwin took store merchandise without paying from the Target store in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Mr. Goodwin was arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Mr. Goodwin 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 39 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 Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaskin.
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
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft for Theft from CVS Retail Store in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Melvin Dykes, 61, 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 February 23, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Dykes is to be arraigned on April 30, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 23, 2024, Dykes took merchandise without paying from the CVS store in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Dykes was located and arrested after investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Dykes 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 39 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 and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Cotter.
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.
Indictment Filed in Murder of Visiting Teacher Near UniversityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamie Macedo, 22, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on charges of first degree murder while armed, attempted armed robbery, and firearms offenses in relation to the July 2023 shooting death of Maxwell Emerson, a visiting teacher, during a robbery that ended on a university campus in Northeast D.C., announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
The indictment, filed on April 10, 2024, in the Superior Court, also charges possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The defendant will be arraigned on Friday, April 12, 2024.
According to documents filed with the court and the government’s evidence, on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Mr. Emerson, who was in Washington, D.C. for a conference at the Library of Congress’s Teacher Institute, was approached by the defendant at 7:32 a.m. outside the Brookland-CUA Metro Station. Mr. Emerson was captured on video walking away from the Metro station a few minutes later with his hands raised and with the defendant following him. Macedo forced Emerson toward a small park area near 611 Alumni Lane. Just before 8 a.m., Mr. Emerson sent a snapchat message attempting to inform a family member he was being robbed at gunpoint. Surveillance video captured Macedo closing in on Mr. Emerson who was seated on a park bench. Macedo attempted to grab personal property from Mr. Emerson and a struggle ensued during which Macedo shot Mr. Emerson in the abdomen. Mr. Emerson died as a result of the gunshot wound.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Interrante.
Father and Daughter Charged in Fraud Scheme that Allegedly Exploited a Vulnerable AdultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Linda Laird, 59, and her father, James Blizzard, 80, both of Cordova, Maryland, are charged in a five-count indictment, unsealed today, with conspiracy to commit Social Security fraud and theft of public money, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, and fraud in the first degree against a senior citizen. The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The defendants appeared in District Court today and were released pending trial.
The indictment was returned on April 9, 2024, by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to court documents, beginning in November 2017, Laird and Blizzard conspired and engaged in a scheme to deceive the Superior Court of the District of Columbia into appointing them as co-guardians and co-conservators of a vulnerable adult. At the time, the vulnerable adult was 81 years of age and suffered from severe cognitive impairments that rendered her incapacitated and required her to reside in a nursing home located in Washington, D.C.
While the vulnerable adult resided in the nursing home, Laird and Blizzard were required, in part, to act as fiduciaries and apply the vulnerable adult’s money towards her support, care, habilitation, and treatment. Instead, the indictment alleges, Laird and Blizzard used their authority as co-guardians and co-conservators to redirect U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits intended for, and checking account funds belonging to, the vulnerable adult to their personal bank accounts for their own benefit. In total, Laird and Blizzard diverted more than $21,000 in Social Security benefits and obtained over $85,000 from the vulnerable adult’s bank account for their personal use. Laird and Blizzard did not use these funds to pay for the vulnerable adult’s care.
This case is being investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Carjacking and Robbery Charges Filed Against Three Men in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 14-count indictment, filed in U.S. District Court, charges three District men in a spree of armed carjackings and commercial gunpoint robberies within Washington D.C. and suburban Maryland in March of 2024. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Kanard Bishop, 26, Edward LeRoy Brown, 24, and Khalil Boyd, 18, are charged with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (aka “Hobbs Act” robbery); carjacking; using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and aiding and abetting.
According to court documents, the defendants targeted fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and package delivery vehicles, and would work together to arrange for a car to be used to commit the robberies, either by carjacking or arranging the use of an associate’s vehicle. The indictment, filed April 10, 2024, alleges that on March 17, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report of an armed carjacking of a Mercedes Benz on the 4300 block of Southern Ave., SE, in which the perpetrators took the victims’ car, phones, wallet, and cash.
It is further alleged that, between 3 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on March 20, 2024, law enforcement received numerous reports of attempted armed robberies and carjackings including: around 3 a.m., at a McDonald’s restaurant in Capitol Heights, Maryland, where two masked, armed suspects climbed through a drive-thru window and attempted to open the register by pressing random buttons but were unsuccessful; less than an hour later, a carjacking on the unit block of 35th Street, NE, in which the owner of the car reported that three armed gunmen had just taken his 2018 Dodge Durango; at 4:11 a.m., an armed robbery at a Denny’s Restaurant on the 4400 block of Benning Road in which the employee couldn’t open the cash register so the gunmen ripped the register off the counter and fled; at 4:59 a.m., an attempted armed robbery at McDonald’s on the 7700 block of Landover Road, Landover, Maryland, in which one of the gunmen attempted to climb through the drive thru window but was pushed back out by the cashier; at 5:03 a.m., at a 7-Eleven on the 7500 block of Landover Road, where two armed gunmen entered and demanded cash; and at 5:26 a.m., a robbery at a 24hr market on the 5200 block of Marlboro Pike, District Heights in which the gunmen stole money and retail products.
On March 27, 2024, at 8:47, Prince George’s County police were called to Brooks Drive in District Heights, Maryland, for a reported carjacking of a 2022 Dodge Challenger. At 12:09 p.m., two men robbed a FedEx delivery truck at Burns and G Streets, SE. The armed men took several packages from the interior of the truck, robbed the FedEx employees of their personal belongings, and fled. The robbery was captured on surveillance cameras mounted inside and on the exterior of the truck.
On March 28, 2024, detectives working with the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Carjacking Interdiction Unit were conducting surveillance on a carjacked 2022 Dodge Challenger in District Heights. The Challenger stopped directly in front of a Game Stop store on the 5700 block of Silver Hill Road. Two men, later identified as Bishop and Brown, aka “Shiesty,” exited the vehicle. A man later identified as Boyd, aka “Lil Bill,” was behind the wheel. As detectives prepared to conduct a tactical block of the Challenger, they realized that two men were committing a robbery of the Game Stop. Detectives moved in shouting loud verbal commands. Bishop and Brown fled through the emergency exit at the rear with their firearms displayed. Detectives caught Bishop after a short foot pursuit. They recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22 at the scene. Brown ran with a gun in his hand. A detective fired at Brown, striking him in the lower torso. Detectives recovered a .40 caliber “ghost gun” loaded with nine rounds. Boyd led police on a chase which ended after he crashed and tried to flee on foot.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington’s Violent Crime Task Force and the MPD Carjacking Task Force with significant assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Jackson and Omeed Assefi, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Toth.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Superseding Indictment Charges Two District Brothers in Fentanyl Conspiracy, Distribution, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jevaughn “Ledo” Mark, 32, and his brother Angelo Mark, 30, were charged yesterday in a 17-count superseding indictment for participating in a conspiracy that distributed large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in the metropolitan area. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jevaughn Mark is currently being held on charges that include eight counts of unlawful distribution (of fentanyl, cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin) and distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl between January 10, 2024, and March 13, 2024. The charges stem from six controlled purchases in which undercover DEA and MPD taskforce officers (UC-DEA/MPD) contacted Jevaughn Mark and purchased narcotics. In each instance, the UC-DEA/MPD agents requested to buy “Special K” or ketamine from Jevaughn Mark. In every instance, Jevaughn Mark supplied a mixture of fentanyl and other substances, including heroin, but not ketamine.
After obtaining an indictment against Jevaughn Mark, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence in connection with his arrest. From his residence, agents recovered two firearms, cocaine, fentanyl, approximately $38,000 in U.S. currency, body armor vests, and drug trafficking paraphernalia. The same day, law enforcement also executed a search warrant at another residence tied to Jevaughn Mark, in which they located his brother, Angelo Mark. From Angelo Mark’s bedroom, law enforcement recovered seven firearms, 900 rounds of ammunition, dozens of pills, cocaine, fentanyl, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and approximately $50,000 in U.S. currency. Based on the evidence, both brothers were indicted in the current superseding indictment.
Both brothers are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine in the superseding indictment. Separately, Angelo Mark is charged in the superseding indictment with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful possession of a firearm after having previously been convicted of an offense punishable by a term exceeding one year. Jevaughn Mark’s additional charges in the superseding indictment include possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful possession of a firearm having previously been convicted of an offense punishable by a term exceeding one year.
The case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department with the collaboration on the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Coley, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously Convicted Maryland Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Raymon Edward Dandridge, 39, of Harwood, Maryland, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to distributing more than 20 videos depicting adult men sexually abusing toddlers and infants. The plea agreement 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).
Dandridge already is serving a sentence for possession of child pornography on a 2022 conviction out of Ann Arundel County, MD. Today, Dandridge pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth in Washington D.C. to a federal count of distribution of child pornography. Judge Lamberth scheduled sentencing for September 18, 2024.
According to court documents, Dandridge, aka “D4ALL” and “Ray Gozeinu,” communicated with an undercover FBI agent on April 26, 2023, over an encrypted messaging service. During the chat, Dandridge sent the undercover agent 20 videos depicting the sexual assaults of prepubescent children. Later, Dandridge agreed to meet the undercover agent and the undercover agent’s purported 8-year-old daughter “to play with her” on the afternoon of Friday, April 28, 2023. Law enforcement arrested Dandridge when he arrived at the Washington D.C. location for the meet-up.
When he is sentenced, Dandridge will face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on the distribution of child pornography charge, due to his prior conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in cooperation with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division. 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.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Caroline Burrell and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Larson.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
District Man Indicted on Two Counts of Felony Murder and Other Related ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Corde Fitzhugh-Clingman, 23, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today on two counts of felony murder and other related charges stemming from the July 8, 2021 slaying of 24-year-old Muntsier Sharfi and the April 25, 2022 slaying of 26-year-old Zekariya Elmi, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced. Fitzhugh-Clingman was also indicted on charges involving the attempted armed robbery of Mr. Sharfi, Mr. Elmi, and another individual.
Fitzhugh-Clingman was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, on multiple charges of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder), with aggravating circumstances, attempted armed robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license.
Fitzhugh-Clingman is to be arraigned on April 12, 2024, at a hearing before the Honorable Anthony Epstein. He faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted of the charges.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
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.
D.C. Man Charged with Aggravated Assault while ArmedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Owusu-Sakyi, 47, of Washington, D.C., was charged today in Superior Court with aggravated assault while armed for shooting a woman on April 5, 2024, in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. The defendant is held pending a preliminary hearing on Friday.
According to court documents, the victim was in the 1700 block of Fairlawn Avenue SE when Owusu-Sakyi approached her from behind and shot her once in the arm. After shooting the victim, the defendant said that he thought she was someone else, and told her to call 911 before he fled the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital to treat her gunshot wound. Police subsequently obtained a warrant for Owusu-Sakyi’s arrest.
These charges were brought as a result of the D.C. Council’s Secure DC Omnibus Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, that went into effect last month. The change in the law recognizes all gunshot wounds as serious bodily injury.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Roberts.
Charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two District Men Arrested in Takedown Operation, Indicted in the February Kidnapping and Robbery of a Virginia ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia charging Jaevonn Archer, 20, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and Timothy Williams, 30, of Maryland, with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping in the February 25, 2024, abduction of a Virginia-based man.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, 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.
Agents with the FBI arrested Archer and Williams early this morning at two separate residences in Maryland. In addition, Malik Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., a previously convicted felon, was arrested at a third location and faces a related firearms charge in U.S. District Court.
As part of the takedown operation, law enforcement searched five residences in and around the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. Numerous firearms, vehicles, narcotics, and proceeds from the February 25, 2024, kidnapping were recovered. The arrests follow a coordinated takedown operation led by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance from the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Arlington County Police Department. Assistance was also provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of Maryland.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin F. Song and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes 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.
Thousands of Machine Guns and Sniper Rifles and over 500,000 Rounds of Ammunition Seized En Route from Iran to Yemen Transferred to Ukrainian Armed ForcesRead the Press Release
On April 4, the United States transferred over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, and RPG-7s, and over 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces. These armaments were seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from four flagless vessels in the Arabian Sea enroute from Iran to Yemen, where sanctioned groups including Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directly support the Houthi movement. The Department of Justice then filed a civil forfeiture action against the seized munitions, resulting in a Dec. 1, 2023, order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia transferring title to the United States.
“With this weapons transfer, the United States government is both disrupting Iran’s destabilizing efforts and supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s brutal, unprovoked invasion,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to use our legal authorities, including forfeiture, to support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.”
“As we see Russia and Iran engaging in conduct to undermine global security, the Department of Justice is taking deadly weapons out of the hands of terrorists and putting them into the hands of Ukrainians defending their homeland,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen. “We will continue to use the full reach of our authorities to disrupt the Iranian government’s efforts to undermine stability and to support the Ukrainian people’s stance against tyranny.”
“Civil forfeiture remains an important tool in our efforts to stop or disrupt terrorist organizations like the IRGC,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Its use in this case demonstrates the power of our counter-threat financing actions to strip legal control of assets from bad actors. We are proud to have been able to work with CENTCOM in this matter, and through them to further the efforts of partners like the Ukrainian armed forces in their fight to maintain freedom.”
According to court documents in the civil forfeiture action, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command seized the weapons from four interdictions of stateless dhow vessels: two from 2021 and two from 2023. These interdictions led to the discovery and seizure of four large caches of conventional weapons, including long arms and anti-tank missiles, and related munitions – all of which were determined to be primarily of either Iranian, Chinese, or Russian origin.
This action followed the government’s successful March 2023 forfeiture action against over one million rounds of ammunition en route from Iran to Yemen, which were also transferred to the Ukrainian armed forces. These forfeiture actions addressed the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems and components by sanctioned Iranian entities that directly support military action by the Houthi movement in Yemen and the Iranian regime’s campaign of terrorist activities throughout the region. The forfeiture complaints alleged sophisticated schemes by the IRGC to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that pose grave threats to U.S. national security.
The HSI Washington Field Office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in conducting the seizures.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen, Brian P. Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Anna D. Walker for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys S. Derek Shugert and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division litigated the case, with support from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela De Falco.
Remaining Munitions Seized En Route from Iran to Yemen Transferred to Ukrainian Armed ForcesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Apr. 4, the United States transferred more than 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s and more than 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces. The transfer constitutes enough materiel to equip one Ukrainian brigade with small arms rifles and will help Ukraine defend against Russia’s invasion. These armaments had been seized by U.S. Central Command naval forces from four flagless vessels in the Arabian Sea enroute from Iran and destined for Yemen, where sanctioned groups including Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directly support the Houthi movement. The Department of Justice then filed a civil forfeiture action against the seized munitions, resulting in a Dec. 1, 2023, order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia transferring title to the United States.
“With this weapons transfer, the United States government is both disrupting Iran’s destabilizing efforts and supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s brutal, unprovoked invasion,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to use our legal authorities, including forfeiture, to support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.”
“Civil forfeiture remains an important tool in our efforts to stop or disrupt terrorist organizations like the IRGC,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Its use in this case demonstrates the power of our counter-threat financing actions to strip legal control of assets from bad actors. We are proud to have been able to work with CENTCOM in this matter, and through them to further the efforts of partners like the Ukrainian armed forces in their fight to maintain freedom.”
According to court documents in the civil forfeiture action, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command seized the weapons from four interdictions of stateless dhow vessels: two from 2021 and two from 2023. These interdictions led to the discovery and seizure of four large caches of conventional weapons, including long arms and anti-tank missiles, and related munitions – all of which were determined to be primarily of either Iranian, Chinese, or Russian origin.
This action followed the government’s successful March 2023 forfeiture action against over one million rounds of ammunition en route from Iran to Yemen, which were also transferred to the Ukrainian armed forces. These forfeiture actions addressed the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems and components by sanctioned Iranian entities that directly support military action by the Houthi movement in Yemen and the Iranian regime’s campaign of terrorist activities throughout the region. The forfeiture complaints alleged sophisticated schemes by the IRGC to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that pose grave threats to U.S. national security.
The HSI Washington Field Office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in conducting the seizures.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen, Brian P. Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Anna D. Walker for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys S. Derek Shugert and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division litigated the case, with support from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela De Falco.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Gun and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Diandre Caesar, 30, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a Superior Court jury of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict follows a five-day trial.
According to the government’s evidence, at around 1:00 p.m., on June 28, 2022, Caesar got into a verbal argument with the victims, who were trying to drive out of the McDonald’s parking lot on New York Avenue in Northeast Washington D.C. As the victims turned onto New York Avenue NE to leave, with their infant child in a car seat in the backseat, Caesar followed them and, after trying to open the front passenger door, kicked the rear door multiple times. The victims continued driving, at which point Caesar pulled out a firearm and fired at the car several times, striking it at least four times. Police later arrested Caesar on a warrant on August 24, 2022.
The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2024.
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. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Michael Toogun prosecuted the case at trial.
Case of Drive-By Murder on I-295 in 2015 Ends with Murder ConvictionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Oscar Ramos, 35, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today of first degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed for the May 28, 2015 shooting that killed 50-year old Pedro Melendez Alvarado, of Alexandria, Virginia, and wounded 56-year old Miguel A. Rodriguez Carabantes, also of Alexandria, Virginia. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A Superior Court jury returned the verdict after a six-day trial. According to the government’s evidence, Ramos, who is a member of MS-13, was a passenger in a car that was driving on I-295 NB, in Southwest, D.C., near exit 1, when the car he was in pulled alongside another vehicle being driven by Mr. Alvarado who was on his way to work with Mr. Carabantes. The defendant and another passenger in the car with him opened fire on Mr. Alvarado’s car, struck the victims, then pulled away.
The defendant was charged in 2021 after evidence was developed identifying him as one of the shooters. The defendant and Mr. Alvarado are both from El Salvador. The defendant believed Mr. Alvarado was somehow involved in the death of the defendant’s father, years earlier, in El Salvador.
The Honorable Mark Raffinan scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2024.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from MPD, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Justice Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office, the Prince George’s County (Md.) Police Department, the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, the Chelsea, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County (Md.) Fire Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Jacqueline Yarbro who prosecuted the case at trial.
Prison Terms Handed Down to the Trio Involved in Shooting Death of 17-Year-OldRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Trey Prillerman, 19, Nelfy Hernandez, 20, both of Washington, D.C., and Deandre Levy, 22, of Gaithersburg, MD, were sentenced today for their roles in an August 2020 drive-by shooting that claimed the life of 17-year-old Taijhon Wyatt. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Prillerman to 17 years in prison; Hernandez to 13 years in prison; and Levy to eight years in prison.
Defendants Prillerman and Hernandez pleaded guilty, in August of 2023, to second degree murder while armed; Levy pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed. Hernandez, additionally, pleaded guilty to felony assault for assaulting a DYRS guard in a separate incident.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 10, 2020, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the victim, Taijhon Wyatt, was walking with a group of friends in an alley near 9th and Kennedy St., NW. A stolen vehicle driven by defendant Prillerman arrived at the mouth of the alley where defendants Hernandez and Levy opened fire into Taijhon’s group, killing him and wounding another individual who was with him. The three defendants fled the area in the stolen car, which was subsequently recovered outside of Baltimore. Officers arrived a short time after the shooting and discovered the teenager suffering from gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Dennis Clark.
Previously Convicted Killer from Maryland Sentenced to 19.5 Years for Drug Trafficking in D.C. and Discharging a MachinegunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Trenton Robinson, 28, of District Heights, Maryland, was sentenced today to 234 months in prison for his role as an enforcer for a D.C. street crew whose members distributed more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as oxycodone and codeine, and used, carried, brandished, and discharged firearms during their drug trafficking crimes in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
“This drug trafficker used a machine gun to spray bullets in the direction of a car passing through his drug dealing territory,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The hail of gunfire, which injured one person, miraculously did not kill anyone. Federally prosecuting those who, like this defendant, are driving violence is critical to protecting our community.”
"Robinson not only distributed drugs but also used illegal firearms to fend off perceived threats to his co-conspirators and what they claimed as their territory,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott. “His lengthy sentence is the result of coordination between the FBI and our federal and local partners. We will continue to counter violent crime as a team to ensure that we prevail in bringing violent recidivists to justice."
“This individual will learn a costly lesson as he serves a lengthy prison sentence. The usage of machine guns on our streets is sadly something that has gained much more traction since 2020,” said ATF Special Agent in Chargeailimai. “We hope that sentences such as this will serve as a deterrence to others seeking to possess and use illegal firearms more specifically machine gun conversion devices/ switches in our communities. We will continue to work alongside our partners to ensure that individuals like Robinson are held accountable for their actions.”
Robinson, aka “Zulu,” pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson on October 24, 2023, to one count of brandishing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking, and one count of discharging a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. In addition to the 19.5-year prison sentence, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Robinson to serve five years of supervised release.
Robinson, who regularly carried a fully automatic AR-Pistol machinegun, admitted as part of his plea agreement that he discharged that machinegun at the driver of a vehicle passing through the crew’s drug dealing territory on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020. He also admitted that he and his crew possessed between 25 and 99 firearms between June of 2019 and September of 2020.
Robinson committed the charged crimes while he was on supervised parole for second degree murder in Montgomery County. On December 21, 2010, Robinson and an accomplice murdered a 19-year old man while attempting to rob him.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Armed Robbery with a Knife in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevon Lockerman, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today by a Superior Court jury of armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict follows a two-day trial. According to the government’s evidence, on June 15, 2023, the defendant and another man, who was never identified, went into a smoke shop on West Virginia Avenue NE and tried to set up their own business inside, with a scale, a knife, and product they offered for sale. The store’s surveillance footage showed that when the complainant walked in, the defendant and his accomplice try to sell the complainant marijuana without success. The defendant handed a knife to his accomplice as the complainant spoke to the store’s clerk. When the complainant turned to leave the shop, the defendant and his accomplice blocked the complainant’s path. The accomplice gestured toward the knife, which he had tucked in the front of his pants, and the complainant handed the defendant cash. After the two men left together, the complainant turned to the store clerk with tears in his eyes, and told him he had been robbed. Police arrested the defendant roughly three weeks later near the same smoke shop.
The Honorable Erik Christian has scheduled sentencing for June 27, 2024.
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 commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Van Haasteren and Matthew Goldstein, who prosecuted the case.
Indictment Charges 21-Year-Old in Daytime Shooting in Northeast Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Traquon McCalip, 21, of Washington D.C., was arraigned today in U.S. District Court on a six-count indictment charging him in a March 20, 2024, daylight shooting, in the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE, that left another man wounded. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, 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.
McCalip, aka “TwinGlock,” who was previously convicted of a firearm possession offense in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is charged with aggravated assault while armed; two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon; and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, specifically, a Canik TP9SF Elite 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.
On March 20, 2024, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer arrived on the scene of the shooting after hearing gunfire, and McCalip fled in a vehicle. A police pursuit by officers from the Fifth and Sixth districts, with use of FALCON, the MPD Air Support Unit, ultimately led to McCalip being stopped at 1805 Bladensburg Road, NE. A 9mm Canik magazine and additional ammunition was found in the driver’s seat of the car McCalip was driving, and a 9mm Canik handgun was recovered from the scene of the shooting.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section 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.
Drunk Driver Sentenced to Eight Years in Vehicular Assault of Father and ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thaniyyah Veney, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today by the Honorable Jason Park to 96 months in prison for driving a car into a five-year-old girl who was waiting for a bus with her father in July 2023. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Veney pleaded guilty on December 19, 2023, to aggravated assault while armed with a deadly weapon in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, with which Veney agreed, on the afternoon of Saturday July 8, 2023, the five-year-old victim was standing with her father on the sidewalk in the 3200 block of Fourth Street, SE in Washington, D.C. At around 1:00 pm, Veney drove her car into the child and her father, and continued traveling until she struck the front steps of a home. When the vehicle stopped, Veney got out and walked to a nearby alley, leaving the child trapped beneath her car. When firefighters arrived, the child was still trapped under the vehicle. Firefighters had to use a ladder as a lever to enable them to raise the car enough to extract the child. The child was then airlifted to the hospital suffering life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses pointed Veney out to police, who located and arrested Veney hours after the incident,.Veney’s breath was tested and found to contain an alcohol concentration above the per se threshold for intoxication.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Park ordered Veney to serve five years of supervised release and pay $100 to the Superior Court’s Crime Victims Compensation Fund.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Chester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance from Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
District Man Indicted on Enhanced Second-Degree Theft While on Release on Another Case for Retail TheftRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On April 3, 2024, Darryl Robinson, 37, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on three counts of second-degree theft (felony) and GPS tampering stemming from events occurring between February 4, 2024, and March 10, 2024, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Robinson is to be arraigned on April 11, 2024, at a hearing before a Superior Court judge.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 4, 2024, Robinson went into a CVS in Northwest Washington, D.C., took merchandise from the store shelves, and walked out of the store past all points of sale without paying. He then returned on February 9, 2024 to the same CVS and again took merchandise from the store shelves and walked out of the store past all points of sale. On March 5, 2024, Robinson was seen on ring camera taking a package off the front porch of a residence on 10th Street SE, Washington DC. Robinson was arrested on March 10, 2024, with a failed GPS tampering device. All of the offenses were committed while the defendant was on release in another Superior court case.
Robinson 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 the 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 37 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 Rana Wahdan.
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.
District Man Charged with Armed Robbery and Carjacking Ordered Detained Pending TrialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Alan Hines, 36, of Washington, D.C., was ordered to be detained pending trial today, after the Honorable Heide Hermann found probable cause supported the carjacking and armed robbery charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith.
According to the government’s evidence at the preliminary hearing, Hines approached the first victim’s car on March 27, 2024, while she was at the pump of a gas station on Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast Washington, D.C. The defendant first tried to get into her car and, when he found the door locked, he asked the victim for money. She indicated she had none. Due to the victim’s proximity to her car, the doors unlocked automatically, and the defendant got in the driver’s seat. The victim jumped into the passenger seat and tried to stop the defendant, but he began to choke her. While choking the victim, the defendant put the car in reverse and took the victim’s phone from her hands. The victim freed herself and got out of her car. The defendant then abandoned his effort to take the car when he couldn’t drive it.
An MPD detective responding to that complaint recognized the defendant as the suspect in an armed robbery at the same gas station several days earlier. In that case, the defendant had also walked up to a driver at a gas pump and asked for money before robbing him. The defendant grabbed that victim’s debit card from the pump and, when that victim struggled with the defendant over the card, the defendant threatened the victim with a knife.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Yarbro of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Child Rapist Sentenced to 110 Months in String of Armed Robberies of Commercial Business in Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Daniels, 37, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 110 months in prison for a series of six armed robberies that struck a dry cleaner, a vape shop, a liquor store, and mobile phone stores in the District during early 2022.
The sentencing was announced by 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 Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Daniels pleaded guilty on December 12, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to a charge of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as a Hobbs Act robbery) In addition to the 110 month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered Daniels to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution of $1,539.
According to court documents, Daniels targeted a variety of commercial businesses between January 28, 2022, and February 13, 2022. Disguised in a mask, Daniels robbed the following businesses at gunpoint:
- January 28, 2022, Capitol Hill Cleaning Emporium, 1100 block of E. Capitol Street, SE
- January 30, 2022, Serv U Liquors, 1900 block of 9th St., NW
- January 31, 2022, Boost Mobile, 1700 block of Columbia Rd., NW
- February 7, 2022, Simple Mobile, 3100 block of Mt. Pleasant St., NW
- February 10, 2022, Havana Tobacco and Vape, 600 block Pennsylvania Ave., SE
- February 13, 2022, Boost Mobile, 3720 Georgia Ave., NW
Daniels was arrested April 4, 2023, in Washington D.C. His prior convictions include multiple robberies, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a BB gun, an assault while he was incarcerated, and most recently, the second-degree rape of a 12-year-old girl in Maryland for which he is currently serving an 18-year sentence.
This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Madhu Chugh.
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ICYMI: We’re on InstagramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia expanded its social media reach, launching an account on Instagram. You can follow us at USAO_DC.
“Social media continues to dominate our communications channels,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “We are hopeful this expansion will help us reach more people in our community - to educate them about who we are as well as about the important work we do.”
The office Instagram account features photos: related to cases, marking important events, illustrating our work in the community, as well as video messages from the U.S. Attorney and other members of the office. This account is the latest effort to keep the public informed of our work and engaged with us:
- Instagram: @usao_dc (https://www.instagram.com/usao_dc/)
- X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_DC (https://twitter.com/USAO_DC)
- YouTube: @USAO_DC (https://www.youtube.com/@USAO_DC)
- Facebook: USAODC (https://www.facebook.com/usaodc/)
District Men Charged with Armed Carjacking and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Patterson, 40, of Washington, D.C., was ordered held pending trial following a preliminary hearing today for an armed carjacking and armed robbery that occurred on June 11, 2023. Patterson’s codefendant, Jimmy Johnson, 43, was arrested on March 28, 2024. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the government’s evidence at the preliminary hearing, on June 11, 2023, the victim was trying to pull into the Kenilworth Market and had driven into an adjacent alley when he saw the driveway block. The alley also had a sign blocking the victim’s path, prompting him to get out to move the obstruction. At that point, Patterson started speaking with the victim, and then punched the victim twice and pushed him to the ground. Patterson then entered the victim’s car and rummaged through it before calling over the three other men who robbed the victim of personal property and tried to take his car. The victim fought off his attackers and they ultimately retreated. The victim subsequently identified Patterson and a second man, Jimmy Johnson, as two of the four attackers.
Patterson was arrested on February 28, 2024. Today, Magistrate Judge Heide Herrmann ordered Patterson held pending trial and set a status conference for April 9, 2024. Johnson is scheduled to appear for a detention and probable cause hearing on April 9, 2024.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gimenez of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Pleads Guilty to the Shooting Death of a Woman in Her Apartment in April 2020Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Karlos Kinney, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the April 2020 shooting death of 25-year old Resha Blount and also to assault with significant bodily injury for the November 2022 attack on inmate Jordan Jones while detained at the DC Jail, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 21, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, just prior to the homicide, Resha Blount, of Washington, D.C., had invited Kinney to her home for the purpose of purchasing marijuana from him. They had known each other from previous such occasions. During this meeting in her home, a dispute arose over the quality and price of the marijuana. When the argument escalated and Ms. Blount demanded that the defendant take his belongings and leave, Kinney pulled out a gun and shot Ms. Blount. Ms. Blount suffered four gunshot wounds and died on the floor of her apartment.
While detained at the DC Jail and awaiting trial on the homicide case, Kinney attacked inmate Jordan Jones with a sharp object, wounding him in the upper torso area. Mr. Jones had to be transported to Howard University Hospital and treated there due to the severity of his wounds.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the homicide and assault cases from the Metropolitan Police Department and the D.C. Department of Corrections. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman, Sara Hanson, and Jin Park, who investigated and prosecuted the homicide case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sabena Auyeung, who indicted the assault case, and Katrenia Shelly, who prepared the assault case for trial.
Career Offender Sentenced to 84 Months for PCP TraffickingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Harold Johnson, 41, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for trafficking more than one kilogram of PCP, a dangerous hallucinogenic drug, within Washington, D.C.
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, Special Agent in Charge Jarod A. Forget of the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Johnson, aka “Hump,” pleaded guilty on December 15, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb to seven counts of distribution of phencyclidine (PCP). In sentencing Johnson, Judge Cobb also ordered five years of supervised release on completion of his prison term.
According to court documents, Johnson primarily operated on the 2600 block of 14th Street, NE, in the District’s Park Morton area. Between September 2022 and February 2023, law enforcement conducted seven undercover purchases from Johnson, buying a total of approximately 50 ounces (over 1 kilogram) of PCP and 15 grams of fentanyl from him.
On August 25, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Johnson in his Maryland home. Federal and state law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence where they seized $4,840 in cash, three bottles of an unknown liquid, a SIG Sauer P365 handgun with 9 mm ammunition with one round in the chamber and a Taurus 9mm handgun that was found under a mattress in a bedroom.
This investigation was 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 case was investigated by the FBI Washington Division, the DEA, and MPD's Violent Crime Suppression Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Shehzad Akhtar.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Life for Repeatedly Raping a Girl Under His CareRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Clark, 67, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced today to life in prison for sexually abusing a young girl entrusted to his care.
The sentence, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 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 Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Clark pleaded guilty on October 11, 2022, to a federal count of coercion and enticement of a minor. In addition to the life prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Clark to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
In a related case, on March 30, 2023, Clark pled guilty Charles County, Maryland, to one count of sexual abuse a minor/continuing conduct, and one count of sexual abuse of a minor. On December 7, 2023, the defendant was sentenced in Charles County, Maryland, to a term of 45 years in prison.
According to court documents, in June of 2017, Clark targeted a child under the age of 17 beginning in June 2017, subjecting the girl to repeated rape and sexual abuse for five years. Despite being a “father-figure” to this girl, and despite having helped raise the victim from early childhood, Clark sexually abused the girl between 170 and 200 times. The sexual abuse occurred both at the victim’s residence as well as Clark’s residence in Maryland.
While the abuse was ongoing, the Clark and the girl would communicate via Instagram direct messaging and the internet. Starting in 2020, the defendant ordered the girl to send sexually explicit images of herself to him, which she did on at least two occasions. Eventually, the girl disclosed the ongoing abuse to her mother, who immediately reported to law enforcement. Law enforcement, with the girl’s permission, then took over her Instagram account and began messaging with Clark. Clark openly acknowledged that he and the girl had been together for five years and that she “gave [him] the most precious thing a woman can give a man.” When asked what that was, Clark responded that the girl gave him her “virginity.” When asked if he was happy he was her “first” at the age of 13, Clark said, “Hell yeah….” Clark was arrested on April 2, 2021. He has been in custody since.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division with assistance from 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.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar, Jocelyn Bond and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Buckner.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Strangulation and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A Superior Court jury issued the District of Columbia’s first strangulation trial conviction finding Jeffrey Strange, 29, of Washington, D.C., guilty of the offense and other charges related to a domestic dispute. The incident took place inside an apartment building in Southeast Washington on Labor Day weekend of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On March 29, 2024, a jury found Strange guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon (a “ghost gun”), and destruction of property. Superior Court Judge Jason Park will schedule a sentencing hearing at a later date. Strange faces a mandatory minimum of three years for unlawfully possessing the firearm with a maximum sentence of 15, and up to five years in prison for strangulation. The sentence will be determined by the court after considering all factors.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11 p.m. on Sep. 3, 2023, Strange began incessantly calling the victim, his former girlfriend, to determine her whereabouts. On Sep. 4, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Strange met the victim outside of their shared residence and began arguing with her until both entered the elevator of their apartment building, where an altercation ensued. The victim was able to get out of the elevator and into the lobby of the building. Strange followed her, continued to strike her, breaking her glasses, and strangling her by putting his hand on her throat and squeezing. The attack left visible injuries to the victim’s lip and face.
The defendant fled the scene after a bystander security guard intervened and the victim called 911. Less than an hour later, he returned to the victim’s residence, assaulted her again, and attempted to discard a firearm in her bedroom closet. Police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department returned to the scene and recovered the firearm. Strange was placed under arrest and has been held in custody since.
The security guard provided surveillance video, that captured a portion of the assault including Strange strangling the victim. The government’s evidence also included DNA evidence linking Strange to the recovered firearm.
This trial marks the first jury trial for felony strangulation since the D.C. Council passed the “Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2023,” designating strangulation as a felony offense.*
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monisha Rao and Richard Kelley, of the Domestic Violence Unit.
*Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”
* Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”
Florida Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography and Voyeurism OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kyle Blanco, 21, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for possessing over 1,000 child pornography files and using his iPhone to surreptitiously record women as they used bathroom stalls at American University, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Blanco pleaded guilty on August 17, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a two-count Information, charging him with possession of child pornography and voyeurism. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Following his prison term, Blanco will serve 10 years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Walton ordered Blanco to pay $5,000 in restitution to an identified victim in one of the child pornography files.
According to court documents, on March 30, 2022, an American University student caught Blanco surreptitiously recording her from an adjacent stall in a gender-neutral bathroom. The victim reported the offense to the American University Police Department, which obtained and executed a search warrant for Blanco’s dorm room. The police seized Blanco’s iPhone and laptop computer pursuant to that warrant. Before law enforcement could search Blanco’s iPhone, however, he remotely wiped it in an effort to obstruct the government’s investigation. Law enforcement was able to search Blanco’s laptop, which contained evidence of additional voyeurism offenses at American University. It also contained over 1,000 media files constituting child pornography, some of which depict adult men raping prepubescent girls.
One week after his initial appearance in this case, Blanco violated his release conditions by downloading an application frequently used to access child pornography anonymously and by clearing the web history on his phone. Judge Walton revoked Blanco’s release conditions, and Blanco self-surrendered to U.S. Marshals in Orlando, Florida, on June 9, 2023. He has remained in custody ever since.
The case was investigated by the FBI–MPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with valuable assistance from the American University Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson.
District Man Arrested in Armed Carjacking from January 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marquis Derby, 19, of Washington, D.C., was arrested yesterday and charged by complaint with armed carjacking and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On April 2, 2024, Magistrate Judge Eric Glover found probable cause for these offenses and ordered that Derby remain held pending a preliminary hearing on April 5, 2024.
According to the arrest warrant, on January 12, 2024, Derby and an unidentified individual carjacked a construction worker at gunpoint when the victim, who was working on a job site in Northeast Washington, D.C., went to retrieve equipment from his truck. As the victim reached into his truck, Derby pressed a firearm into the victim’s back and took the victim’s phone out of his pocket. Derby then demanded that the victim unlock his phone. As he was doing so, a second, unidentified accomplice punched the victim several times in the face and took the victim’s keys. Derby took the victim’s phone and got into an SUV as the unidentified accomplice got into the victim’s truck. When the accomplice was unable to start the victim’s truck, he got into the SUV with Derby, and the two men drove off together.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Arraigned on Armed Carjacking IndictmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Elijah Montgomery, 19, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with armed carjacking and other charges arising out of an October 12, 2023 incident near the corner of Galloway Street and Sargent Road NE, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A Superior Court grand jury returned the eight-count indictment charging Montgomery with armed carjacking, armed robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, fleeing, destruction of property, and first-degree theft. The Honorable Judge Di Toro denied the government’s request that Montgomery be held pending trial, and ordered him released to home confinement pending trial.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2023, Montgomery was driving a stolen Kia Rio with a punched ignition when he pulled up next to and blocked in the victim, who was seated in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle. Two passengers exited the Kia Rio, one of whom pointed a handgun at the victim, and demanded the victim’s cell phone and car keys. The unarmed assailant returned to the Kia Rio and the gunman entered the victim’s car, before fleeing together in the same direction. The vehicles were quickly identified 15 minutes later by the MPD’s Violent Crime Robbery Suppression Unit’s police cruisers and overhead helicopter. Montgomery, who was driving the stolen Kia Rio, fled from police, crashing it in the 2500 block of Benning Road NE. He was apprehended after a brief foot chase. The carjacked vehicle was stopped in Maryland shortly thereafter. At the time the vehicle was stopped, it was being operated by a 13-year-old juvenile.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gimenez.
D.C. Woman Arrested on Carjacking ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Auzsa Beatty, 28, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged with a carjacking that occurred on the evening of March 11, 2024, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Beatty made her initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond, on March 21, 2024, where Judge Raymond found probable cause that Beatty committed the offense of carjacking and ordered that Beatty be held without bond pending trial. The United States is still investigating Beatty’s armed accomplice.
According to court documents, Beatty was a passenger in a car driven by her male accomplice. After her accomplice ran a stop sign and struck the victim’s vehicle, Beatty got out of the car. When the victim got out of his car, Beatty’s accomplice displayed a firearm, causing the victim to retreat from his door. Beatty then got in the driver’s seat of the victim’s vehicle and drove off. Police later recovered the car parked near Beatty’s home.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Carjacker Sent to Prison for 10 YearsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Basil Thomas, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a carjacking and robbery that he committed in Northeast Washington D.C. last year, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
On September 6, 2023, Thomas pleaded guilty in Superior Court to carjacking, robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm. On March 25, 2024, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian sentenced the defendant to 84 months in prison for carjacking, consecutive to 36 months in prison for robbery; with concurrent sentences of 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and 36 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, pursuant to the parties’ plea agreement
According to the government’s evidence, with which the defendant agreed at his plea hearing, on March 3, 2023, at approximately 5:35 p.m., the defendant approached his first victim, put a gun to his neck, and demanded his car keys. The victim reluctantly handed Thomas the keys to his Lexus SUV. Thomas drove that Lexus a short distance away before parking it so he could attempt a second armed carjacking. At approximately, 5:45 p.m., Thomas approached a Toyota SUV that was parked and running in a parking lot near where Thomas parked the Lexus. The second victim was sitting in the passenger seat of his Toyota when Thomas pointed a gun at him through the driver’s side window. Thomas then got in the Toyota, put the gun against the second victim’s head and demanded he get out. When the victim refused, a struggle ensued over the gun and Thomas was shot in the leg.
Thomas fled after being shot, but police were able to identify him and link him to both offenses after he went to a nearby hospital for treatment for his wound. Although the first victim could not identify his assailant, the second victim was able to positively identify him. Police also located the first victim’s Lexus near the second carjacking location. And after the second victim reported the attempted carjacking, police recovered Thomas’s gun and surveillance footage that showed his attempt to carjack the second victim.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Kubo and Alec Levy.
Recipient of Child Pornography Sentenced to Six Years in Prison, 10 Years of Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donte Mintz, 30, of Southeast Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for receiving numerous images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted the rape and torture of real children as young as toddlers.
The sentence, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 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 Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mintz pleaded guilty to attempted receipt of child pornography on June 14, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb. Judge Cobb accepted the guilty plea on April 2, 2024. In addition to the prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Mintz to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. Restitution to Mintz’s victims is to be determined at a later date.
According to court documents, Mintz possessed, received, and distributed child pornography. Specifically, in October 2020, an employee from Dropbox reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that there was suspected child sex abuse material (CSAM) found uploaded to Dropbox servers from Mintz’s account. On November 11, 2020, an employee working for the messaging application, KIK, reported to NCMEC that suspected CSAM had been found on its servers as well. KIK reported the user of two KIK accounts – both utilized by Mintz – sent the CSAM to other users through the chat feature of the application at the end of 2020.
On Thursday, July 8, 2021, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Mintz’s apartment in Southeast Washington, D.C. During an interview on this same date, Mintz admitted to sharing, uploading, and viewing child sex abuse material. A review of Mintz’s cellular phones and laptop revealed thousands of files containing CSAM, including more than 230 known and identified victims. Mintz was a member of many online communities where he exchanged and discussed sexual abuse material. He then saved his child sexual abuse material to a Dropbox account and to electronic devices that he could access anywhere.
This case was investigated by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Jocelyn Bond, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Buckner.
Federal Government Employee Arrested for Conspiracy to Defraud the District of Columbia to Benefit His Private CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia charging Ifediora Oli with conspiring with others to defraud the District of money, property, and the honest services of one of its employees. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office, Acting Inspector General Kevin B. Muhlendorf of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Inspector General, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Ifediora Oli, 41, was arrested this morning at his home in Silver Spring, MD. According to court documents, in addition to maintaining employment with the federal government, Oli is the Principal for Highbury Global Group, Inc. Oli has a long-term relationship with a person identified as Co-conspirator No. 1., who works at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Beginning in 2018, Co-conspirator No. 1 used his position at WMATA to steer business opportunities to Oli and Highbury. Another person, referred to in the affidavit as Co-conspirator No. 2, worked at WMATA from 2016 to January 2019, as a contract administrator. While they both worked at WMATA, Co-conspirator No. 1 introduced Co-conspirator No. 2 to Oli. Co-conspirator 2 later moved to the District’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP). At OCP, Co-conspirator 2 helped manage District government contracting activities such as advertising, negotiation, price analysis, bid selection, and contract implementation.
In January 2021, OCP began the process of helping the District of Columbia’s Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) hire a vendor to provide DFS with COVID-19 testing supplies. On January 14, 2021, Co-conspirator No. 2 wrote to potential vendors, including Oli, and invited them to bid on the contract, which was ultimately awarded to Oli and Highbury.
The COVID-19 testing supplies contract with Highbury on behalf of DFS was fully executed on February 4, 2021. The total contract amount was $659,099.22. The District of Columbia government ultimately paid Highbury over $630,000 on the COVID-19 testing supplies contract. As the contract was being implemented and ultimately closed out, Oli wired over $140,000 to Co-conspirator No. 1’s personal bank account. Of those amounts, Co-conspirator No. 1 kicked back $15,000 to Co-conspirator 2 in two cash installments, at Oli’s direction.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with the WMATA Office of the Inspector General and District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Plead Guilty in Spree of Approximately Three Dozen Gunpoint ‘Hobbs Act’ Robberies and Attempted Robberies in the District and MarylandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephon Harrigan, 30, and Tavarus Thompson, 30, pleaded guilty this week to their roles in a 2022 spree of approximately three dozen armed robberies and attempted robberies of various commercial establishments, including gas stations, convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, checking cashing businesses, and liquor stores in the District and suburban Maryland.
The pleas were announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Harrigan pleaded guilty on Monday, March 25, 2024, and Thompson pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (also known as Hobbs Act robbery) and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence before U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington D.C. Judge Walton scheduled Harrigan’s sentencing for August 1, 2024, and Thompson’s for June 19, 2024.
Harrigan’s brother, Aaron Harrigan, 28, pleaded guilty on October 3, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery for his participation in four of the robberies. Aaron Harrigan was sentenced to 87 months in prison on September 25, 2023.
According to court documents, the spree began on January 12, 2022, with the gunpoint robbery of a gas station on 18th Street, NE, Washington, D.C. It ended on March 6, 2022, when law enforcement stopped a stolen car at the intersection of 1st Street and Gallatin Street, NW, and its occupants fled on foot. Stephon Harrigan forced his way into a woman’s vehicle and ordered her to drive him away, but the car collided with an unmarked MPD vehicle. Law enforcement then arrested him.
In the interim, Stephon Harrigan and/or Tavarus Thompson, along with, at times, other individuals, entered an additional 34 establishments while armed with at least one firearm. In general, they brandished at least one firearm and demanded money. They generally obtained money or other property of the establishments, as well as, at times, property belonging to individuals in the establishments.
On March 6, 2022, police captured Stephon Harrigan. Tavarus Thompson was arrested in South Carolina on March 18, 2022, and Aaron Harrigan was arrested on March 29, 2022.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Columbia, South Carolina Field Office, and the Mount Rainier, Maryland; Prince George’s County, Maryland; and Montgomery County, Maryland Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kinskey and Andrea Duvall, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Fletcher.
Felony Threats and Stalking Result in Six Year Prison Term for District ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eddie Tibbs, 34, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today to 73 months in prison for stalking, felony threats, felony destruction of property, misdemeanor destruction of property, and a civil protection order violation, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
In addition to the prison sentence, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian ordered Tibbs to serve three years of supervised release and a $500 payment to the fund established by the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation Act.
Tibbs pleaded guilty on January 30, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, Tibbs and the victim are former romantic partners, whose relationship ended in 2020. For over a year, the defendant proceeded to stalk, threaten, and intimidate the victim after their relationship broke up. From 2021 until early 2023, the defendant engaged in criminal conduct which included calling the victim’s phone several times and leaving voicemails insisting on speaking with her. Tibbs also threw rocks through the victim’s bedroom window, vandalized her car, showed up at her job unannounced, and threatened her and her family’s life, through phone calls and texts messages from real and fake phone numbers and emails. Tibbs’ dangerous conduct persisted, even after the victim obtained a civil protection order and was forced to move from her residence.
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 also expressed appreciation for the efforts of all of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Richard Kelley of the Domestic Violence Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Men Plead Guilty to Shooting Father and Minor Son in December 2018Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamal Matthews, Darnell Savoy, and Stefon Freshley, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to the December 28, 2018 shooting of a father and son in the Clay Terrace neighborhood of Northeast, Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, the victims were in their SUV standing along the curb in the 200 block of 54th Street, Northeast, waiting for a friend to arrive so they could leave to attend a WWE wrestling event. As the victims waited, Matthews saw the SUV and mistook it for the same vehicle that shot at him and his cousin three days earlier. Matthews emerged from the Christmas Day shooting physically unharmed, but his cousin was killed.
Upon seeing the victims’ SUV, defendant Matthews immediately called another individual, who then called Freshley. Moments after speaking with that individual, Freshley and Savoy, who were a few blocks away, entered Savoy’s Nissan Altima and drove towards Matthews. Savoy was driving and Freshley was in the front passenger seat when they picked up Matthews at the corner of 54th and Clay Streets Northeast. Matthews got into the back seat of the Nissan Altima. Savoy drove into the 200 block of 54th Street Northeast. As they drove towards and past the victims’ vehicle, Matthews fired approximately 30 shots at the SUV. The minor victim was shot nine times, including in the head, abdomen, chest, and back. The adult victim sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and hand.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberley Nielsen and Sharon Donovan.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day in Prison for Felony Second-Degree Theft for Stealing Multiple Packages after Multiple Prior Theft ConvictionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dayvon Baker, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for one count of felony second-degree theft. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On February 9, 2024, Baker pleaded guilty to one count of felony second-degree theft. At today’s sentencing, Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz sentenced Baker to 12 months and one day in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 17, 2023, the defendant went up to residences in Northwest Washington, D.C. and stole packages that been delivered to residents’ front doors. Baker was indicted on December 20, 2023, on three counts of felony second degree theft. Baker had multiple prior theft convictions, not from the same occasion, and was therefore subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison.
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 Lauren Gaskin, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder for Stabbing of a Man in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Melton, 55, of Washington, DC, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2024, to second degree murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon (knife) for stabbing a man, on January 14, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 14, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, around 9:10 a.m. on January 14, 2020, Melton approached his first victim in the 1800 block of Connecticut Ave. NW. The victim was approached by Melton, on foot, whom he recognized from college, thirty years ago, but did not know the defendant’s name. As they encountered each other, Melton stated, “do you want me to kill you in a church,” to which the victim asked who he was, and at which point, the defendant pulled out a knife from his pants pocket and attempted to stab him. He was able to escape that attack and Melton fled the scene.
Later that same day, at approximately 12:33 p.m., another victim encountered Melton in the 800 block of Vermont Ave., NW. This time Melton stabbed the victim in a vicious attack. When officers arrived at the scene, the victim was able to provide the name of his attacker before he lost consciousness. He was transported to a local hospital and has since recovered from his injuries.
At 2:33 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 2400 block of Virginia Ave., NW, where a man, the same victim who had been attacked by Melton earlier this day, was found suffering from multiple stab wounds to his body. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
This case was investigated by the Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman.