District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Canadian Sentenced in D.C. to 33 Years in Sextortion Scheme that Targeted 145 Children in the U.S.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 33 years in federal prison in connection with a prolific sextortion scheme that targeted more than 100 children across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Pathmanathan pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
“This defendant spent years methodically hunting children online. He targeted more than 145 victims, some as young as six, and subjected them to horrors no child should ever experience,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The United States will not allow international borders to serve as a refuge for those who prey on children, and I am grateful to our Canadian partners for ensuring this predator faced justice on both sides of the border.”
In addition to the 396-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Pathmanathan to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. The prison term will run consecutively to the 12-year sentence that Pathmanathan is serving in Canada.
According to court documents, Pathmanathan used multiple social media accounts, primarily Instagram and Facebook Messenger, to establish contact with at least 145 young girls and boys. Between at least March 2014 up until the day of his arrest on March 10, 2021, Pathmanathan posed as a teenage boy from New Jersey.
Pathmanathan demanded the minor victims engage in sexually explicit conduct while they participated in video chats with him. He directed them to expose their genitals, and to engage in sexual acts with dogs, siblings, and other relatives. In almost all the video chats with his minor victims, Pathmanathan sent the children images of adults engaged in sexual acts to show them how to do what he was requesting.
Pathmanathan recorded his victims’ sexually explicit conduct and saved the files on his desktop computer. Some of the victims were as young as six years old. When the minor victims would decline to continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct or blocked Pathmanathan’s social media accounts, he threatened to send images to the children’s friends or family.
On Oct. 27, 2022, Pathmanathan pleaded guilty to similar offenses in Canada, and was later sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The Department of Justice is grateful to the Toronto Police Service and the Crown Operations Office, Ministry of Attorney General (Canada) for their invaluable assistance.
This case was investigated by the FBI Houston Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division secured the temporary surrender of Pathmanathan from Canada.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
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Former Department of Justice Contractor Sentenced to Prison for $1.3 Million Cell Phone Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison in connection with his theft of more than 4,800 government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
King pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to one count of mail fraud. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered King to serve two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,319,172.85 in restitution. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 24 months.
“King’s theft of thousands of government phones was a brazen betrayal of the public trust that drained taxpayers of more than a million dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He then squandered the stolen money on gambling, luxury vacations, and a high‑end vehicle. He will now be required to repay the very funds he siphoned from the American taxpayer and serve a prison sentence for his crimes. "
Between 2021 and 2025 King worked as an information technology contractor for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ). During that period, he defrauded DOJ out of more than $1.3 million by successfully requesting that DOJ order thousands of mobile devices that the Department did not need.
After the phones were shipped to King at DOJ, he sent them to phone reselling businesses. In total, the businesses paid him more than $1.3 million for the phones. He spent the proceeds on a variety of things, including gambling at MGM casinos and on FanDuel, vacations, private school tuition, and a down payment on a $92,000 Range Rover SUV.
The scheme came to light when a private citizen in Kentucky contacted the DOJ in late August 2025 noting that she had learned that an iPhone that she had purchased online belonged to the Department.
King acknowledged that his scheme caused the Department of Justice to suffer an actual loss of more than $1.3 million because of fees that it paid AT&T for the unnecessary phone lines and phones.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcD.C. Man Charged by Federal Indictment in Armed Robbery of U.S. Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
paris_simmons_indictment.pdfWASHINGTON – A three-count indictment filed May 22 charges Paris Simmons, 26, in connection with the alleged January 2026 armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service carrier, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Simmons, of the District of Columbia, is charged with postal robbery, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He is currently being held at the District’s Central Detention Facility.
“An armed robbery of a postal worker is a brazen act that endangers not just the victim, but every member of the community whose mail and financial information can be exploited through a stolen arrow key,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “A single key can unlock hundreds of mailboxes along a carrier’s route, giving criminals access to checks, personal data, and entire clusters of residential mail. Those who commit violence against letter carriers and attempt to profit from these crimes will be met with aggressive federal prosecution.”
On Jan. 12, 2026, about 4:55 p.m., Simmons parked his vehicle near the corner of 16th and Hamlin Street, NW, exited his vehicle and waited on the sidewalk. About 4:57 p.m., a U.S. Postal Service carrier who was delivering mail in the area walked west on Hamlin Street and turned south onto 16th Street.
Simmons allegedly approached the postal carrier from behind and shoved an object into the carrier’s back. According to the indictment, Simmons then threatened to shoot the carrier and demanded the carrier’s postal arrow key. Simmons fled the area with the victim’s arrow key.
Postal arrow keys, which provide access to mailboxes, mail collection boxes and apartment buildings, can be used in furtherance of financial crimes, such as bank fraud, check fraud, identity theft, and other criminal schemes.
Law enforcement arrested Simmons on Jan. 18, 2026.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The matter is being prosecuted by the Federal Major Crimes Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Sixty-Nine Count Indictment Returned Against Alleged Mass Shooter Who Opened Fire at a Bus StopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Del Cid-Morales, 18, of the District of Columbia, was indicted this week on 69 charges in connection with a January 2026 mass shooting, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Del Cid-Morales is charged with Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Aggravated Assault While Armed, and related counts. The indictment includes multiple enhancements for committing crimes of violence against Metro Transit passengers. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled a detention hearing for July 10.
According to the Government’s evidence, on Jan. 22, 2026, about 5:40 p.m., Del Cid-Morales allegedly sexually assaulted a juvenile victim on a bus which led to a physical altercation between them. When the bus arrived at a stop a short time later, the juvenile victim and her group of friends exited the rear of the bus and Del Cid-Morales exited from the front.
As Del Cid-Morales exited the bus, he allegedly drew a handgun, racked the slide, and fired five rounds into the crowd of more than 15 people who were standing at the bus stop near 16th Street NW and Missouri Avenue NW.
Five people were struck by gunfire. Three of the victims had been with the juvenile victim on the bus. One victim was waiting at the bus stop to go home. The last victim was taking an evening walk. After allegedly firing into the crowd, Del Cid-Morales fled on foot.
Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office and the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.
Charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for the 2021 Stabbing Death of a Mother at Southeast Gas StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tywan Morris, 30, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison in the 2021 murder of a woman at a Southeast gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A Superior Court jury found Morris guilty on Nov. 12, 2025, of one count of second-degree murder while armed. In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, the Honorable Michael Ryan ordered Morris to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at 5:03 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2021, Danielle Stuckey, 27, and her 12-year-old child walked through the BP gas station at 2801 Alabama Avenue SE to a nearby bus stop.
A short time later, Morris pulled into the gas station with his girlfriend and child and parked. While Morris was pumping gas, the victim approached him, and a brief argument ensued between the victim, Morris, and Morris’s girlfriend.
Despite the victim walking back to the bus stop, Morris retrieved a knife with brass knuckles attached. Initially, Morris gave the knife to his girlfriend. The girlfriend attempted to stab the victim. Morris then retrieved the knife and charged at the victim. The victim attempted to back away, but Morris pursued her. He tripped her to the ground and kicked her in the head. While the victim was on the ground, Morris stabbed her in the left thigh transecting her femoral artery and vein and killing her. Morris then fled the scene with his girlfriend.
Morris was arrested the same day. He has been in custody since November 2023.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Daniel Bromwich who prosecuted the case.
2021 CF1 005953, 2023 CF2 008570
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Felon Who Crashed ATV into a Car, Fled Police, Sentenced to 48-Months for Possession of ‘Ghost Gun’Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Sidney Rogers, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison in connection with the unlawful possession of a ghost gun while fleeing police on an all-terrain vehicle through a busy Southeast Washington neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rogers pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 48-month prison term, Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered Rogers to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 57-month prison term.
According to court papers, on June 4, 2025, at about 5:56 p.m., a Metropolitan Police Department officer observed Rogers operating a black and neon yellow ATV through the intersection of Morris Road SE and Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE in violation of traffic laws. When the officer approached, Rogers accelerated the ATV forward, crashing it into a parked vehicle before fleeing on foot with a firearm in his waistband.
Image of Rogers running from officers with a firearm in his waistband.
During the foot chase, Rogers dropped a loaded magazine containing 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which scattered across the street near a bus stop at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE and W Street SE. Officers apprehended Rogers and recovered a loaded ghost gun, a privately manufactured firearm bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement.
Police recovered this “ghost gun” from Rogers.
Rogers was on supervised release for a prior firearms offense at the time of the incident. In 2022, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of unlawful possession of a firearm after a similar flight from police in which he drove a vehicle into a cement barrier and discarded a firearm out the window.
Rogers dropped a loaded magazine containing 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which scattered across the street near a bus stop.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
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Jury Convicts D.C. Man of Assaulting Romantic Partner with a FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Makhi Inge, 23, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty today in connection with his assault on the mother of his child in October 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A Superior Court jury found Inge guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Prior Conviction), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Obliterated Serial Number), and Carrying a Pistol Without a License.
According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 26, 2025, Inge went to the victim’s apartment in Northwest to see her and his son. Inge argued with the victim and punched her. The victim attempted to de-escalate the situation and briefly left the apartment. When she returned, Inge started another argument and insisted the victim owed him money. Inge then pointed a firearm at the victim and told her that he would have shot her if she was not holding his son. The victim pleaded with Inge to allow her to leave to go to an ATM to pay him.
Once Inge allowed the victim to leave, she took her son and went to the corner store where she asked the clerk for help and called 911. While the victim was on the phone with the 911 operator, Inge came to the store, took the boy, and headed back to her apartment. The victim pretended to go back with Inge but then waited in an alleyway for police. When police arrived, they went to the victim’s apartment where they found Inge and the victim’s son. After searching the apartment, police found Inge’s firearm that he had hidden in the victim’s laundry.
Inge has previous convictions for multiple felony offenses and crimes of violence involving firearms. Inge faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 21, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Cotter and Monisha Rao.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcBelarusian Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Exporting U.S.-Sourced Aviation Components to RussiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Yana Leonova, 33, a Belarusian citizen most recently residing in Russia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with procuring and illicitly exporting numerous avionics and other aircraft equipment from the United States to Russia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Leonova, aka “Yana Liavonava,” pleaded guilty before the Honorable Loren L. AliKahn to violating the Export Control Reform Act. Following the plea hearing, Judge AliKahn scheduled sentencing for Aug. 10, 2026.
“Anyone who thinks they can exploit U.S. supply chains to arm our adversaries should look carefully at what happened to Yana Leonova,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Leonova used shell companies, false paperwork, and foreign intermediaries to conceal the unlawful export of U.S.-origin aircraft components to Russia. Investigators traced the scheme across multiple jurisdictions and brought her to justice. There is no distance far enough to protect those who threaten our national security interests.”
“No matter where you are, the FBI will not stop to ensure you face justice when you violate U.S. laws,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Berkebile of the Kansas City, Mo., Field Office. “Today’s actions in federal court ensure that the defendant will be held accountable for their actions in skirting our laws for their own benefit. We thank all parties and partners involved in this case and commend their efforts to ensure justice has been done.”
According to court documents and admissions during the plea hearing, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in May 2022, Leonova and her U.S. and Armenian co-conspirators illicitly procured aircraft components from U.S.-based distributors.
Leonova and her co-conspirators repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the aircraft components ordered by Leonova by submitting false information on documents.
Using companies located in Armenia and elsewhere, Leonova and her co-conspirators transshipped the components to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce, in violation of federal law. In addition, Leonova, her former Russian employer, and her co-conspirators caused payments in U.S. dollars to be transmitted from foreign bank accounts to bank accounts in the United States.
The exported items were for use on private aircraft operated or maintained by Leonova’s former employer, a company identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List for engaging in or enabling activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
In November 2025, Leonova was extradited to the United States from France in connection with this case.
This case is being investigated by FBI Kansas City and BIS/OEE Atlanta and New York. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma Dinan Ellenrieder and John W. Borchert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Significant assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart D. Allen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Further significant assistance on the extradition was provided by French authorities and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. The Department expresses deep appreciation for the support of our French allies.
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New York City Felon Sentenced to 77 Months for D.C. Swatting and Carjacking IncidentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thierno Barry, 23, a previously convicted felon who resided in Queens, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 77 months in federal prison in the March 2025 multijurisdictional crime spree that included a high-speed police chase, the swatting of a random Northwest residence and a subsequent carjacking of an elderly couple the same day at Union Station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Barry, aka “Usman Barrie,” pleaded guilty on January 22, 2026, to one count of carjacking, to one count of interstate transport of a stolen vehicle, and to making false alarms and reports. In addition to the 77-month prison term, Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Barry to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 102 months.
“Thierno Barry led police on a 120-mile-per-hour chase while live-streaming the pursuit, filed a false shooting report that sent officers rushing to a sleeping family’s home, and carjacked an elderly couple on their way to the hospital,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This violent and reckless conduct put countless lives at risk. Our office will continue to hold accountable anyone who treats the District as a playground for violence and lawlessness.”
According to court documents, at about midnight on March 31, 2025, Barry was being pursued by Virginia State Police when he drove into the District. During the chase which reach speeds over 120 m.p.h., Barry used his cellphone to post to social media, including an Instagram selfie with the caption “Run or pull over like a ?bitch” at 11:41 p.m. At 11:52 p.m., Barry posted a video narrating the pursuit, saying: “ . . . I’m talking about five state troopers on my a** bro! I swear to god . . .”
Barry abandoned the Volkswagen SUV he was driving in an alley behind 4300 block of Reno Road, NW. Metropolitan Police officers responded to the area at 12:21 a.m., recovered the vehicle, but were unable to locate Barry.
At 1:30 a.m., Barry called 911 and falsely reported to the operator that his ex-husband had shot his wife in the face and chest. He indicated that the shooter had driven away. Barry provided an address on Brandywine Street NW where he claimed the shooting had occurred. At the time Barry made the report, he knew that it was false. A few minutes after Barry made the call, 911 operators attempted to call back the phone number that had made the report but were sent to voicemail. The voicemail mailbox recording stated that the mailbox belonged to “Thierno Barry.”
MPD responded to the address of the reported shooting and made contact with the residents of the house, who were asleep when MPD arrived.
Barry remained in the area until 2:30 a.m., when video footage showed him at the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW boarding a WMATA bus. 3:11 a.m. he switched to another bus in the 2100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
Barry boards the second WMATA bus.
Shortly after getting off of the bus, Barry entered Union Station. Security guards reported that an individual matching Barry’s description was kicked out of station about 3:30 a.m. after making threats to commit a shooting there.
At 3:37 a.m., Barry approached a Buick sedan occupied by an 88-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman who had been stopped directly in front of the station.
Barry approached the driver’s side, then reached into the open window and opened the driver’s side door. Barry ordered the couple out of the car repeatedly, stating “Get out of the car! If you don’t, I’m gonna kill you.” Barry told the victims that he had a gun and held his hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt to imitate a firearm.
Surveillance photo shows Barry behind the wheel of the Buick sedan, as the 88-year-old man (CW-3) attempts to get up from the street where Barry had thrown him to the ground.
The victims told Barry that they could not give him the car because they were on their way to the hospital, but Barry continued to threaten them and demand the car.
With the driver’s door still opened, Barry grabbed hold of the driver’s upper body, physically wrenched him out of the vehicle, and threw him to the ground. Barry stepped over the man and climbed into the driver’s seat. The woman passenger got out of the car. With the doors still open, Barry drove away, eventually reaching a gas station in Greenbelt, Maryland. During that drive, images of the car were captured by a speed camera. Barry only stopped driving after the car suffered a flat tire.
The Greenbelt Police Department apprehended Barry, who initially identified himself as with the alias “Usaman Barrie.”
Barry has two prior felony convictions and has seven other open cases outside of this jurisdiction.
This case was investigated by the MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Greenbelt Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan.
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Maryland Felon Pleads Guilty in D.C. in Possession of a Glock Pistol with an Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rashim Johnson, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today in connection with his possession of a Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol with a 31 round capacity magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Johnson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Judge Mehta scheduled sentencing for October 2.
According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2025, about 12:13 a.m., Johnson was loitering in the middle of the 4800 block of Sherrif Road, NE, when Metro Transit Police Department officers on patrol entered the block. Johnson sprinted away as the officers exited their vehicle. An officer pursued Johnson and observed Johnson take a black object from his waistband and toss it over a chain-link fence bordering a property on the 1000 block of 48th Street, NE. There was no one on the property when Johnson threw the object. The officer apprehended Johnson about 10 seconds later and subsequently recovered a 9mm Glock 19 pistol nearby.
The pistol was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds plus one round in the chamber. Additionally, the firearm was equipped with a laser attachment below the barrel, and the serial number was obliterated. Due to his status as a previously convicted felon, Johnson was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
This case was investigated by officers with the Metropolitan Transit Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, and agents with the United States Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf.
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Judge Hands Killer 10.5 Years in Prison for 2021 SlayingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Khalid Claggett, 42, of Washington, DC was sentenced Friday to 10.5 years in prison for killing 30-year-old Isaac Aull, Jr., on June 11, 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Claggett was found guilty by a D.C. Superior Court jury of one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of offenses committed during release following a trial in February of 2026.
On May 15, 2026, a sentencing hearing was held before Judge Neal Kravitz. Under the DC Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, Claggett’s sentencing range was 10.5 to approximately 33 years. The government requested a 21-year sentence, noting the particular cruelty of Claggett’s actions, but his sentencing was at the bottom end of the guidelines.
On the date of this killing, Claggett was on release for two separate criminal charges. Evidence presented by the government, at sentencing, further showed that Claggett possessed multiple guns while on release, in disregard for court orders prohibiting his possession of a gun.
At trial, the government presented evidence that on June 11, 2021, a preliminary hearing was held in the case United States v. John Young, where Young was charged with the murder of Dewayne Shorter III, who is the brother of Isaac Aull, Jr. After viewing the preliminary hearing virtually, Mr. Aull and another male went to the parking lot of Walgreens located at 1401 Rhode Island Avenue and shot at a car belonging to Young’s brother, Richard Young. Khalid Claggett, who was a close friend of John Young, was sitting in the passenger’s seat of the car at the time. After shots hit the car, Claggett exited the car and ran after Mr. Aull and his friend to the 1600 block of Franklin Street. While on Franklin Street, Claggett fired six shots at Mr. Aull, causing a bullet to lodge in the back of Mr. Aull’s head. Mr. Aull fell into the street and was unarmed, and unable to move. Claggett then left the scene.
In the intervening time, an ambulance had arrived at Franklin Street and was parked in front of Mr. Aull. Dash camera video from the ambulance showed that Claggett changed his appearance – putting on a mask, removing his sweatshirt, and retrieving a new gun – drove back to Frankin Street, and attempted to shoot at the unarmed Mr. Aull. At that point, Claggett’s gun jammed and he walked away. Once he was able to fix the jam in his gun he returned to where Mr. Aull lay helplessly, stood directly above him, and fired seven shots into his body.
Claggett was arrested on June 25, 2021, and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Daniel Seidel, who prosecuted the case.
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District Drug Dealer Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for PCP TraffickingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Norman Morris, 45, a career drug dealer residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that distributed PCP and fentanyl in the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Morris, aka “Fibble,” was found guilty by a federal jury on June 3, 2025, of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the 121-month prison term Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Morris to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 240 months.
“Norman Morris helped fuel the distribution of dangerous narcotics, including PCP and fentanyl, throughout the District of Columbia for years. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that individuals who profit from poisoning our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “I commend the DEA and FBI for their relentless work dismantling this trafficking operation and helping make our neighborhoods safer.”
According to court documents and testimony at trial, the DEA and the FBI began a criminal investigation in September 2023 of local PCP and fentanyl distributors, a group that included Morris and co-defendants Lamont M. Langston, Kelvin Sanker, and Jamar Bennett.
Morris conducted drug transactions outside of the residence he shared with his mother on the 200 block of 58th Street NE, Washington, DC. One regular customer of the Morris’s testified that Morris sold him fentanyl “pretty much daily” for an extended period going back to the pandemic. The transactions were monitored by law enforcement from November 2023 to March 2024. During this same period, Bennett and Langston were observed meeting at Morris’s residence to exchange suspected narcotics and cash.
During the investigation, Bennett sold more than two kilograms of PCP to undercover officers over the course of nine transactions. The PCP was supplied by Langston and was stored and prepared by Sanker at Sanker’s home. Morris also retrieved 32 ounces of PCP from Sanker at the request of Langston after Langston was arrested with PCP and two firearms. Sixteen ounces of the PCP retrieved by Morris was sold to an undercover officer by Bennett.
Morris, Bennett and Langston exchanging PCP outside Morris’ home on Nov. 14, 2023.
Morris has several prior drug convictions for distribution, possession with intent to distribute, and attempted distribution of cocaine and heroin. He also has a prior conviction for escape.
Bennett, 46, of the District, pleaded guilty Apr. 11, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was also sentenced to 121 months in prison.
Sanker, 44, of the District, pleaded guilty Oct. 22, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute PCP and was sentencing to 65 months in prison.
Langston, 45, of the District, pleaded guilty Dec. 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP and was sentenced to 138 months.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Goumenis of the Washington Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, DEA’s Washington Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Roman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel.
PCP seized during the investigation of the drug trafficking organization.
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U.S. Attorney Pirro Announces New Enforcement Measures Targeting Teen TakeoversRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced a more aggressive enforcement approach to address “teen takeover” gatherings that threaten public safety in the District of Columbia.
“Teen takeovers have disrupted neighborhoods, forced businesses to close temporarily, and diverted valuable law enforcement resources from the residents of the District,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These incidents have become increasingly common in areas such as Navy Yard and NoMa and are often accompanied by criminal conduct, including assaults, robberies, fights, and other disorderly behavior. Even with the juvenile curfew being enforced by Mayor Muriel Bowser, there is still action that must be taken immediately. The D.C. Council refuses to deal with the problem, and their lack of action creates an extremely dangerous situation for the people of the District and the teens themselves. Law abiding taxpayers should not subsidize chaos caused by parental neglect. Parents do your job, or we will do ours.”
As part of this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will increase enforcement of existing laws addressing parental responsibility when minors engage in criminal conduct in the District. Under the District’s curfew law and D.C. Code § 22-811 (Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor), adults who facilitate, enable, or knowingly permit a minor to engage in delinquent acts may face criminal penalties of up to six months of incarceration. Charges may be pursued regardless of whether the juvenile is separately prosecuted.
The Office will work with its Metropolitan Police Department partners to seek parental citations when a minor’s curfew violation is connected to a takeover-related incident. These enforcement actions may include mandatory parental notification, court-ordered parenting classes, or family counseling as part of the resolution of the case.
Two District Men Sentenced for 2024 Daytime Shooting of over 15 Rounds in Southeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vance McIlwain, 34, and Kenneth Johnson, 33, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to ten years and six years in prison, respectively, for charges stemming from a daytime shooting in a residential neighborhood in southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
McIlwain pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on March 16, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, Judge Jason Park sentenced McIlwain to serve ten years of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Co-defendant Johnson also pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to six years of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On November 8, 2024, at about 3:50 p.m., McIlwain and Johnson were captured on CCTV conspiring to shoot the victim. Inside of an apartment building hallway, Johnson was captured on video passing a cross-body bag to McIlwain, which contained a gun. They both made their way to the apartment building’s entryway landing. McIlwain stepped out of the building and removed the gun from the bag but then returned to the entryway and handed the gun to Johnson. Johnson re-racked the gun and gave it back to McIlwain. McIlwain walked down the alley, turned the corner, and began firing over 15 rounds of ammunition at the victim, who was sitting on a front porch. McIlwain shot the victim seven times, including in the chest, the lower back, and the knee. He was transported to the hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries and survived. A stray bullet also went into a neighbor’s house, and another was found on the front porch.
Following the attack, McIlwain ran back to the apartment building and handed the gun to Johnson. McIlwain then continued to run from the scene. Johnson entered one of the apartment units. Johnson was found inside the apartment unit and was arrested. McIlwain was arrested about an hour and a half later in the area. Both have been in custody since their respective arrests.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, especially the Seventh District Special Mission Unit. They also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Rudolf and Amanda Claire Hoover, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for March 2025 Shooting and March 2025 CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keon Preston, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court today to eight years in prison for his participation in an armed carjacking which took place on March 23, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“It is only by the grace of God that the victim in this case is still alive. These violent teen criminals fired over 30 rounds at the victim and it’s a miracle that this was not a homicide,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Their shooting and carjacking spree shows their lack of regard for human beings, and one wonders whether they should be a part of a civilized society.”
Preston pleaded guilty on September 19, 2025, to assault with intent to kill, possession of a machine gun, and carjacking. His co-defendant, Mekhi Greene, 19, who was seventeen years old at the time of the carjacking and charged under Title 16, pleaded guilty the same day to carjacking. The Honorable Judge Deborah Israel sentenced Preston to eight years of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised probation. Greene is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on the afternoon of March 23, 2025, in the 4600 block of G Street Southeast, Preston and two other unidentified suspects fired approximately 30 rounds at a victim as the victim exited his house to walk towards a bus stop. Although the victim was not hit, multiple rounds struck the victim’s house and car.
Later that evening, Preston, Greene, and two unidentified suspects, approached the 3500 block of East Capitol Street, Northeast, wearing masks and dark clothing, and carjacked a victim at gunpoint. After Metropolitan Police Department officers attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, the vehicle abruptly pulled into a dead end on the corner of 33rd Street Southeast and C Street Southeast and the defendants fled on foot. Officers recovered two illegal firearms from the vehicle, one of which had an automatic conversion switch. Preston and Greene were arrested at the scene and have been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 13.5 Years in Prison for Burglary and Robbery Charges including Stealing the Victim’s DogRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jeffrey Birth, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 and a half years in prison in connection with the January 3, 2025, robbery of a victim in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Following a jury trial, Birth was found guilty on March 10, 2026, on six counts, including burglary, robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery, unlawful possession of ammunition, and contempt. On March 31, 2026, Birth pleaded guilty to three additional counts of possession of a controlled substance, contempt, and a violation of the Bail Reform Act for failing to appear in court.
In the early morning of January 3, 2025, Birth, who was barred from the apartment building, knocked on the door of a resident inside 1221 M St. NW. When the occupant opened the door, the defendant pushed his way inside and threatened to kill the occupant. Birth demanded money and, when the occupant did not give him money, Birth took phones, a wallet, an iPad, and the occupant’s dog before leaving. Several hours later, MPD officers located the dog in an apartment linked to Birth. A search of the apartment revealed several debit cards in the occupant’s name and two mobile phones belonging to the occupant. When Birth was arrested, he was found in possession of bullets for an unlicensed handgun.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Nickolas Reck and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kraig Ahalt, who prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Shooting at His Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Manley, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for shooting his 32-year-old girlfriend in April 2025, while she sat in her car, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Today’s sentence cannot undo the pain the victim has endured, but it sends a clear message that acts of violence against intimate partners will be met with serious consequences here in the District,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Our office is committed to standing up for survivors and ensuring that justice is served.”
Manley pleaded guilty on December 16, 2025, to one count each of assault with intent to kill while armed, unlawful discharge of a firearm and destruction of property. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe ordered Manley to serve the 10-year prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Manley and the victim were in a romantic relationship for several months. On April 11, 2025, the victim was sitting in her car in front of her residence when the defendant approached her vehicle and shot at her through the driver’s side window. This was not the only time that Manley was violent towards her. On other occasions, he destroyed her property, shot at her apartment building, and repeatedly returned to her residence in violation of a court-issued stay away.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Hinerfeld and Ariel Lieberman, who prosecuted the case.
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Maryland Man Sentenced in D.C. in Connection with Multi-Kilogram Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Marcus Devonta Williams, 47, of Brookeville, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in connection with his role as the Washington, D.C.-area distributor in a large-scale cocaine trafficking conspiracy that funneled multi-kilogram quantities of the drug from New York into the Washington metropolitan area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Marcus Williams played a central role in a cocaine trafficking pipeline that moved multi-kilogram quantities of dangerous drugs from New York into the Washington metropolitan area,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He distributed cocaine to re-sellers throughout the region and profited substantially from that criminal activity. Today’s sentence reflects the serious harm caused by large-scale drug trafficking and demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who flood our communities with illegal narcotics.”
Williams pleaded guilty before Judge Amir H. Ali on Feb. 4, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In addition to the 70-month prison sentence, Judge Ali ordered Williams to serve five years of supervised release and to pay a $150,000 money judgment. Federal prosecutors had requested a 78-month prison term.
According to court papers, beginning in the summer of 2024, the FBI investigated a large-scale cocaine conspiracy operating in the Washington, D.C., area, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. Williams served as the D.C.-area point person for the conspiracy, receiving multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine transported from New York by co-defendant Daryl Smith-Winfree. Williams then distributed it to re-sellers and individual buyers throughout the region.
Between February and April 2025, law enforcement made four controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams. During that same period, surveillance documented Williams meeting with Smith-Winfree in Wilmington, Delaware, in a manner consistent with drug supply transactions.
On March 24, 2025, GPS tracking data placed Williams' vehicle in a Walmart parking lot in Wilmington, where surveillance footage showed Smith-Winfree's vehicle pull alongside. Williams entered Smith-Winfree's vehicle briefly, then returned to his own truck carrying a brown paper bag.
The following day, Williams met co-defendant Tavon Valentine Lee in a Silver Spring, Maryland, parking lot. Lee entered Williams' vehicle empty-handed and departed two minutes later carrying a brown paper bag, which he deposited in a trash receptacle. Law enforcement recovered the bag, which contained packaging consistent with a kilo of cocaine, cocaine residue on cutting and mixing instruments, and a parking receipt bearing Williams' vehicle's license plate number. Montgomery County police stopped Lee shortly after and recovered about 257 grams of cocaine and a loaded firearm from his vehicle.
Later that day, law enforcement stopped Williams and recovered more than $33,000 in cash from his vehicle. On June 3, 2025, federal agents executed search warrants at Williams' Brookeville, Maryland, residence and a construction trailer associated with him, recovering about five to six ounces of cocaine, about $31,000 in cash, a money counter, and drug packaging materials. That same day, Howard County police stopped Smith-Winfree en route to resupply Williams and recovered about three kilograms of cocaine hidden in his vehicle.
The $31,000 in cash recovered from Williams’ residence.
A warrant for Smith-Winfree's iCloud account revealed digital ledgers tracking cocaine quantities supplied to Williams totaling 5.5 kilograms between January and February 2025. Williams agreed he was accountable for at least five kilograms of cocaine.
Smith-Winfree, 44, pleaded guilty on January 28 before Judge Ali to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and was sentenced to 96 months in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, and the Arlington County Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and Michael L. Barclay.
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Jury Finds D.C. Man Guilty of First-Degree Sexual Abuse Against Two VictimsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Spears, 34, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury for charges stemming from the sexual abuse of two different women, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Spears was found guilty of six counts of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of felony threats, and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse. The verdict was returned today, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for July 21, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2024, Spears went on a single date with the first victim. They ended up back in the defendant’s storage unit, where he was living. Inside the storage unit, the defendant threatened to kill the victim and her children if she left. Spears told her that he planned to force her into prostitution and that he had law enforcement in his pocket, even showing her a fake police badge. The defendant forced the victim to spend the next three days with him, walking her all over the District of Columbia. The defendant twice sexually assaulted the victim inside his storage unit. He later took her to Virginia and kept her in a motel room. Eventually, the victim’s family was able to learn the defendant’s identity and track him to the motel room, where they rescued her and took her to the hospital.
On July 26, 2024, the second victim met Spears when they were both at a services provider for homeless individuals. The defendant promised to help the victim get some shoes. When the victim ran into Spears the next day, he started to follow her around and refused to leave her tent when she asked him to. Eventually the defendant started threatening her, telling her that he was connected to law enforcement and that he had people who would harm her if he told them to. For the next five days, Spears refused to let the victim out of his sight. He repeatedly sexually assaulted her, including in her tent and at a storage facility where she rented a unit. Eventually, the victim was able to call 911 and escape from the defendant.
Spears was arrested on September 9, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Swanson and Sarah Roessler.
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Sex Offender Who Had Been Deported to Mexico Sentenced to 30 Months for Illegally Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Saul Castillo-Crespo, 28, an illegal alien from Mexico and a previously convicted sex offender, was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Saul Castillo-Crespo committed a brutal sexual assault against a defenseless woman on the streets of the District, was deported after serving his sentence, and then illegally returned to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He apparently believed that using a new name would make him invisible. He was wrong. Following his prison sentence, he will again be deported.”
Castillo-Crespo pleaded guilty on Jan. 8, 2026, before U.S. District Court Timothy J. Kelly to one count of unlawful re-entry of a previously deported alien. In addition to the 30-month prison sentence, Judge Kelly ordered Castillo-Crespo to serve three years of supervised release and to submit to any deportation order.
According to court papers, on May 7, 2017, Castillo-Crespo encountered a woman in the early morning hours on a sidewalk near Lafayette Square in downtown Washington. The woman was extremely intoxicated and unable to walk on her own. She told Castillo-Crespo she wanted to go home. Instead, Castillo-Crespo hailed a cab and took her to his apartment building in the 1700 block of Seventh Street NW.
Once inside, the woman refused to enter Castillo-Crespo’s fourth-floor apartment and repeated that she wanted to go home. Castillo-Crespo carried her to a staircase and sexually assaulted her. The assault was captured on the building’s surveillance cameras.
In August 2017, Castillo-Crespo was convicted in D.C. Superior Court and sentenced to five years in prison for the kidnapping and sexual assault.
In January 2023, Castillo-Crespo was deported to Mexico. Two years later, he illegally re-entered the United States in March 2025 and failed to register as a sex offender as required by law.
On June 27, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Castillo-Crespo on unrelated charges. Although he initially identified himself to officers using the alias “David Crespo,” law enforcement fingerprinted him after his arrest, which confirmed his true identity. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also confirmed that his fingerprints matched those of a previously deported alien.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter.
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D.C. Man Found Guilty of Murdering Father of Four in Deanwood Neighborhood in 2020Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamil Whitley, 38, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court, for charges related to the shooting death of 32-year-old Kevin Redd in the alley behind 4722 Jay Street, Northeast, on June 11, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Whitley was found guilty by a jury on May 12, 2026, after a nearly month-long trial, on one count of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 11, 2020, at approximately 1:36 a.m., the victim, Kevin Redd, dropped off at the Shell Gas Station located at 4321 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE. According to gas station surveillance video, three minutes earlier the defendant had arrived at the gas station as the rear passenger of a four-door, white vehicle. The surveillance video, that had no audio, captured the two men speaking. Eventually, Whitley returned to the rear passenger area of the white vehicle and was driven from the gas station while Mr. Redd remained.
Thirteen minutes later, the defendant returned to the gas station driving an older two-door, white vehicle with a sunroof and tinted windows. Whitley was wearing the same clothes, but his face was now covered with a surgical mask. The defendant exited the vehicle and approached Mr. Redd. The defendant returned to his car with Mr. Redd following behind him. As Whitley entered the driver’s door, he quickly pulled a small object from his pants. Then, Mr. Redd entered the passenger door and before he could fully close it, the defendant sped off causing a vehicle to swerve to avoid hitting him. Just over a minute later, a residential security camera captured the defendant’s vehicle entering the alley leading to the rear of 4722 Jay Street, N.E., where within seconds two gunshots rang out. Approximately 17 seconds later, a business security camera captured the defendant fleeing the alley and the area. Subsequently, Sixth District police officers responded to the alley where they found Mr. Redd suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. At the time of Mr. Redd’s murder, he was a father of three with a fourth child born within weeks of his murder.
Whitley was arrested on August 25, 2021, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle D. Jackson and Negar Kordestani.
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Indictment Charges Four District Men in Spree of Convenience Store ATM Robberies Using Jaws of LifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 27-count Indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging four men in connection with a conspiracy that used the “Jaws of Life” to commit robberies of convenience store ATMs in Maryland and the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jeff Crews, 35, David Walker, 40, Maurice Roots, 35, and Kevin Bing, 31 – all residents of the District of Columbia – are charged with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery) and an array of other counts relating to stolen vehicles.
“Violent, organized crews who treat our neighborhoods as targets and use rescue tools designed to save lives to instead tear open ATMs and terrorize businesses will be met with relentless prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This indictment reflects a sustained law enforcement effort to dismantle a coordinated robbery ring that endangered employees, destroyed property, and repeatedly struck communities across Maryland and the District of Columbia.”
According to the Indictment, the conspiracy operated during the first three months of 2025. Members of the conspiracy acquired a “Jaws of Life” – the powerful hydraulic rescue tool typically used by first responders to extract victims from the wreckage of car crashes – and used it to tear open automated teller machines and steal the cash inside them.
The men acquired stolen vehicles, wore masks, and executed most of the robberies during the early-morning hours. They would meet at a predetermined location, transfer their robbery tools into the robbery vehicle, and drive to the targeted convenience store. After arriving at the convenience store, members divided up tasks. One member sometimes remained in the vehicle as a getaway driver. At least one other member was tasked with subduing the store employees, as another attempted to destroy the store’s surveillance video and network equipment. Another used the “Jaws of Life” tool or other levering tool to rip open the ATM and remove its cassettes containing the cash.
On Jan. 3, 2025, members of the conspiracy robbed an ATM on the 9900 block of Greenbelt Road, Lanham. On Jan. 4, 2025, members of the conspiracy robbed stores on the 6000 block of Sandy Spring Road, in Laurel, and the 900 block of Chillum Road, Hyattsville. On Jan. 7, 2025, members robbed a store on the 7700 block of Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro. On Jan. 8, 2025, members of the conspiracy attempted to rob an ATM on Route 3 in Gambrills. On Jan. 12, 2025, members of the conspiracy ignited and burned a black Lexus sedan, which had been used to facilitate a robbery.
On Jan. 22, 2025, members robbed an ATM in a store on the 7400 block of Annapolis Road, Hyattsville. On Jan. 29, 2025, members robbed a store on the 11000 block of Cherry Hill Road, Beltsville, and robbed an ATM inside a store on the unit block of Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro.
On Feb. 1, 2025, members robbed an ATM within a store on the 7900 block of Good Luck Road, Lanham. On Feb. 6, 2025, members robbed an ATM on the 6100 block of Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill. On Feb. 19, 2025, members robbed an ATM in a store on the 11000 block of Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, On Feb. 22, 2025, members robbed an ATM in a store on the 9400 block of Lanham Severn Road, Lanham.
On Feb. 28, 2025, members robbed an ATM on the 1000 block of Crain Hwy N, Gambrills, and robbed another ATM on the 600 block of University Boulevard, Silver Spring. On March 11, 2025, members robbed a store on the 6500 block of Coventry Way, Clinton, and struck another ATM the same day on the 8900 block of Rhode Island Avenue, College Park.
On March 19, 2025, members of the conspiracy attempted to rob an ATM at a store on the 9500 block of Ruby Lockhart Boulevard, Bowie, before they robbed an ATM on the 5200 block of 3rd St. NE, Washington D.C. Later that day, members burned a silver Lexus sedan which had been used to facilitate a robbery.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Greenbelt Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Three Sentenced for Spree of Armed Robberies of Luxury Watches in Summer of 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darryl James, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday, May 1, 2026, to 15 years in prison for his participation in a spree of armed robberies of luxury watches and other goods in the Summer of 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
James pleaded guilty to three counts of armed robbery, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. His two co-conspirators, Isaiah Boyd, 24, and Issac Ingraham, 20, were sentenced on February 13, 2026 for their participation. Boyd pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of attempted robbery, while Ingraham pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.
According to the government’s evidence, in the Summer of 2024, there were a number of similar-style armed robberies that were committed in busy nightlife areas of the Northwest quadrant of the District of Columbia, fitting a similar modus operandi: a stolen car would pull up to a pedestrian or make a U-Turn before pulling up to a pedestrian, one or more masked men would jump out of the car and brandish a gun, and one or more of those men would rob a luxury watch at gunpoint. James participated in at least eight of these armed robberies, culminating in the last one on July 26, 2024, when James led law enforcement on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle throughout the District, ultimately discarding stolen property and two handguns along the way. James, Boyd, and Ingraham were able to flee successfully that day, but James was arrested about two weeks later with another handgun. Law enforcement eventually identified Boyd and Ingraham as being participants, alongside James, and they were arrested in December 2024 and January 2025, respectively. All three have been detained since their arrest.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
2024 CF3 008088, 2024 CF3 012630, 2025 CF3 001859
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced in Navy Yard Firearm Flight CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Phil Darkwah, 32, a previously convicted felon, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition during a police foot chase in the Navy Yard neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Darkwah pleaded guilty on Nov. 14, 2025 before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Darkwah to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 37-month prison term.
According to court papers, on May 6, 2025, at about 4 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers conducting mobile traffic enforcement in the Navy Yard area observed a black BMW sedan without a required front license plate and initiated a traffic stop in the 100 block of I Street SE.
Before officers could approach, Darkwah exited the passenger side and ignored commands to remain in the vehicle. He then fled on foot, clutching his waistband as he ran.
Officers pursued Darkwah toward an apartment building in the 800 block of New Jersey Ave. SE. Surveillance footage captured images of Darkwah discarding an object consistent with a firearm into a planter near the building’s entrance. A civilian witness subsequently located the firearm and directed officers to it.
Police recovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock 27 handgun from the planter. DNA testing later linked Darkwah to the gun’s magazine.
Darkwah previously was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in June 2023 in connection with a 2022 shooting in Fairfax County, Virginia, that killed another person. He had been released from custody in April 2024 and was on probation at the time of this offense.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative, in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan.
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Former Walgreen’s Store Manager Sentenced for Her Role in Seven Inside-Job Drug Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – London Teeter, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 32 months in prison for her role in a series of seven inside-job robberies of the Chinatown drug store where she was employed as a store manager, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Teeter pleaded guilty Feb. 13, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery). In addition to the 32-month prison term, Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Teeter to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 100-month prison sentence.
“London Teeter was a key architect of a seven-month scheme that repeatedly turned her own workplace into a crime scene,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The sentencing guidelines called for 87-to-108 months. This sentence, which is significantly lighter, does little to protect the citizens of the District.”
According to court documents, Teeter, and three co-conspirators devised a scheme to carry out armed robberies of the Walgreens store in Chinatown nearly once a month, beginning in July 2023, when either she or her co-conspirator were working. As a store manager, Teeter knew the timing of cash transfers within the business. In each robbery, a masked gunman entered the store, forced an employee into the manager’s office or accessed the manager’s office using a code provided by Teeter or her co-conspirator. The gunman then robbed the employees and fled through a rear exit. Teeter and her co-conspirator took turns pretending to be the victim manager on duty, knowing that the robberies would be captured on internal surveillance.
The robberies occurred on July 18, 2023, Aug. 2, 2023, Sept. 2, 2023, Nov.10, 2023, Dec. 4, 2023, Jan. 9, 2024, and Feb. 11, 2024. Teeter was present in the manager’s office and pretended to be the victim of a robbery during the July 18, 2023, and Jan. 9, 2024, robberies.
In response to the robberies, the Chinatown Walgreens hired armed Special Police Officers to protect the business. Teeter was aware that armed Special Police Officers would be present during the robberies and that a co-conspirator robbed the officers of their firearms during the robberies that occurred on Dec. 4, 2023, and Feb. 11, 2024.
In the plea agreement, Teeter admitted that the co-conspirators stole and split at least $28,983. She also acknowledged that she reviewed surveillance footage from the Aug. 2, 2023, robbery during which a co-conspirator briefly placed his firearm on a chair Teeter acknowledged that she sent a co-conspirator a text message stating: “the vid looks so bad,” “idk why he put the gun down,” and “he can’t do it next time [not gonna lie].”
Law enforcement arrested Teeter on Feb. 22, 2024. During the search of her home that preceded her arrest, law enforcement recovered a loaded Glock 45 pistol loaded with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Co-defendant Michael Robinson, 35, who was also a Walgreen’s store manager, was sentenced to 147 months in prison. Co-defendant Kamanye Williams, 26, who acted as the gunman, was sentenced to 198 months. Gianni Robinson, 28, who is Michael Robinson’s nephew, was sentenced to 126 months.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance from the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin.
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Eleven Men Charged in D.C. in Federal Indictment Targeting Transnational Methamphetamine and GBL Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
gblxmeth_indictment_redacted.pdfWASHINGTON - Eleven defendants are charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in connection with a sprawling, transnational drug trafficking organization that imported massive quantities of methamphetamine from California and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) from South Korea for distribution in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere along the East Coast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order.
“This long-term investigation peeled back the layers of a sophisticated drug trafficking empire—one that recruited well-educated operatives, laundered its proceeds through sham beauty companies, and flooded our streets with two of the most dangerous and lethal drug combinations available,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “As part of President Trump’s Homeland Security Taskforce and its whole-of-government approach, this case reflects the coordinated efforts of law enforcement and national security partners across jurisdictions and borders. From a storage unit in Northeast Washington to a warehouse in Seoul, we followed the supply chain end-to-end—and we’ve shut it down.”
“Drug traffickers only care about making a profit and living ‘the good life.’ This investigation started after a fatal poisoning of a DMV resident. The DEA, alongside federal, state, and local partners, are committed to a safer capital,” said Christopher Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge- DEA Washington Division. “The operation highlighted today by Judge Pirro removed dangerous individuals and poisonous substances from the streets and serves as a great example of our partnership, as well as a testament to our collective efforts to protect American citizens.”
“Today's announcement demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation’s commitment to disrupting the illicit flow of money that enables narcotics traffickers to launder millions in illegal proceeds,” said Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington D.C. “IRS-CI special agents will continue to proactively leverage our knowledge and unique skills for the betterment of our communities. Whether it is money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act violations, complex financial fraud, or leveraging our tax authority, we will continue working alongside our federal partners to take criminals off the street and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.”
“This investigation disrupted a drug trafficking network that was allegedly pumping highly addictive, dangerous drugs into our Nation’s Capital,” said Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C. “Working alongside our federal, local, and global partners, we traced the supply chain from an international parcel to a local distributor, and ultimately to a broader transnational criminal organization. It cannot be overstated: every drug seizure means less poison on our streets and in our neighborhoods. Together with our Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) counterparts, HSI will not allow criminals to profit by endangering our communities, undermining our safety, or threatening our livelihoods.”
The indictment charges Artemio Jacobo-Magana, Aaron James Landry, Matthew Thomas Kent, Colton Keet Huthsing, Rene Alexander Acosta, Joshua Glen Taylor, Robert David Fitch, Michael Robert Spitzer, Scott Patrick Morgan (aka “Scotty Rox”), and Kenneth Harold Archer with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine (actual), and a detectable amount of GBL.
Three defendants — Spitzer, Morgan, and another individual — are additionally charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with their drug trafficking activity. Kent also faces three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) for specific transactions in the District of Columbia. A twelfth defendant, Gregory Wallace, is separately charged by complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and GBL, and with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Chief Judge James E. Boasberg is presiding over the case. All defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years to life in prison.
According to court documents, from at least January 2023 through April 2026, the defendants and their co-conspirators operated a multi-layered drug trafficking network stretching along the Northeast Corridor from New York City to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. The conspiracy had active expansion efforts underway into Chicago, Florida, and Southern California. The organization sourced methamphetamine in California and imported GBL from South Korea, distributing both substances to an established customer base while actively recruiting new markets.
The conspiracy operated with a defined division of labor. Upstream suppliers sourced narcotics in bulk; regional distributors stored, repackaged, and moved product; and downstream distributors sold to customers while collecting and concealing proceeds. Members used encrypted messaging applications, coded language, commercial parcel services, stash locations, and shell business entities to facilitate and conceal operations. The conspiracy accepted drug payments through peer-to-peer payment platforms and laundered the funds through business accounts designed to disguise the proceeds as legitimate income.
The Drug Combination: Meth and GBL
GBL is an industrial solvent with legitimate commercial applications as a paint remover, adhesive, and nail polish remover. When illegally sold for human use, it is a Schedule I controlled substance. The body rapidly metabolizes GBL into GHB, one of the most pervasive date rape drugs currently available. GBL is sometimes called “Liquid Ecstasy” and is abused as a euphoria-inducing club drug. GBL has a dangerously narrow safety margin: a small increase in dosage can produce unconsciousness, seizures, slowed heart rate, severe respiratory depression, coma, or death.
The organization distributed methamphetamine and GBL together for simultaneous consumption in a poly-drug combination known as “sexchem.” The pairing is considered lethal and unpredictable. The investigation identified that local D.C.-based distributors were selling the drugs together as party drugs, compounding the risk to users.
The Network: From Seoul to the Northeast Corridor
The GBL supply chain traced back to South Korea, where a businesswoman and exporter, Sohyeon An, was shipping GBL in enormous quantities to destinations in Australia, Europe, and the United States. To facilitate the importation, members of the conspiracy established sham beauty product companies in New York and Washington, D.C. and used the companies to import GBL from South Korea at a rate of about 600 liters per month at the organization’s peak. The conspiracy falsely declared the shipments of GBL shipments as cleaning solutions and beauty supplies. On multiple occasions, U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted the shipments.
Working with South Korean law enforcement, U.S. prosecutors and agents traveled to Seoul to identify GBL exporters and disrupt the supply chain at its source. That bilateral cooperation resulted in the arrest of five South Korean nationals by South Korean authorities and, in September 2025, the seizure of approximately 1.5 metric tons of GBL — the largest domestic seizure of a controlled substance ever recorded in South Korea.
Methamphetamine, sourced in California, was shipped in distribution-weight quantities across state lines using commercial parcel services including UPS and the U.S. Postal Service, with shipments coordinated through encrypted applications. Nearly all methamphetamine seizures in this case exceeded 90% purity.
The D.C.-Based Defendants
According to court documents, Matthew Thomas Kent, 40, served as a primary distributor in the District of Columbia, acquiring multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine and kilogram quantities of GBL for redistribution from stash locations in Northeast Washington, D.C. Kent was arrested in March 2024 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, where law enforcement recovered approximately 480 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle. In June 2024, agents executed a search warrant at his residence in Northeast D.C. and recovered approximately 210 grams of methamphetamine and a Glock 9mm pistol.
Kent continued trafficking after his arrest: in April 2025, he directed a controlled purchase of approximately 221 grams of methamphetamine, which tested at 98% purity, at his residence in the District. In July 2025, he was found at Union Station in possession of approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine at 97% purity that he had transported from Philadelphia by train. A drug ledger shared between Kent and co-defendant Huthsing, recovered from Kent's phone, included a transaction record, written in coded language, detailing the narcotics the two were allegedly trafficking.
Colton Keet Huthsing, 30, of Washington, D.C., operated as a distributor and organizer, coordinating with other members to obtain and distribute methamphetamine and GBL, maintaining drug ledgers, and directing subordinate participants. Following the September 2025 South Korean seizures and arrests, Huthsing attempted to fill the resulting void in the U.S.-based GBL market by incorporating a shell corporation and importing bulk quantities of GBL from abroad. In February 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted a parcel destined for Huthsing’s Washington, D.C. apartment. The package contained more than six kilograms of GBL. Law enforcement searched Huthsing’s apartment on April 29, 2026, and recovered large quantities of narcotics, packaging materials, a money counter, multiple digital scales, and flight records reflecting international travel to Switzerland and other destinations.
Joshua Glen Taylor, 47, of Washington, D.C., was a supplier and redistributor of large quantities of methamphetamine in the District of Columbia. Financial records for Taylor obtained over the course of the investigation reflect hundreds of thousands of dollars in transactions consistent with narcotics trafficking. Agents arrested Taylor on April 29, 2026, at a hotel in Short Pump, Virginia, where approximately a half pound of methamphetamine and a half ounce of fentanyl were recovered from his room.
Also charged as members of the conspiracy were Robert David Fitch, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland; Michael Robert Spitzer, 52, of New York City; Scott Patrick Morgan, 44, of New York City; Kenneth Harold Archer, 46, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Rene Alexander Acosta, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland; Aaron James Landry, 39, of Los Angeles; and Artemio Jacobo-Magana, 26, of Santa Ana, California.
The Takedown
On April 29, 2026, law enforcement arrested eight of the East Coast-based defendants and executed search warrants across eight federal judicial districts, including the District of Columbia, the District of Maryland, the Eastern District of Virginia, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of New York, and the Southern District of Florida.
This morning, May 7, 2026, law enforcement arrested two California-based defendants, Jacobo-Magana and Landry, and executed two additional search warrants in Central District of California.
During the two takedowns, law enforcement recovered approximately 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, about 24 kilograms of GBL, additional narcotics including cocaine and pills, and more than $150,000 in cash.
Over the full course of the investigation and prior to takedown, law enforcement seized more than 35 kilograms of high-purity methamphetamine. Agents recovered about 800 kilos of GBL in the United States, one of the largest seizures of GBL in the East Coast. More than 1.5 metric tons of GBL was seized in South Korea.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; HSI Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C.; IRS-CI Asst. Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Hearn of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and Assistant Inspector in Charge Charles Wickersham of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Homeland Security Investigation Washington Field Office; the DEA New York Division Office; the DEA Seoul Country Office; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Metropolitan Police Department and Arlington County Police provided valuable assistance.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, George P. Eliopoulos, and Solomon S. Eppel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) Section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Washington D.C. comprises agents and officers from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, IRS Criminal Investigations and others with the prosecution being led by the United States 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.
GBL seized by investigators at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
GBL seized by investigators in Seoul, South Korea.
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‘GothFerrari’ Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Role in Massive Cryptocurrency HeistRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Marlon Ferro, 20, of Santa Ana, California, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 78 months in prison in connection with his role in a sprawling social engineering conspiracy that stole well over $250 million in cryptocurrency from victims across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Marlon Ferro served as the criminal enterprise’s instrument of last resort. When his co-conspirators couldn’t deceive victims into handing over access to their cryptocurrency or hack their way into digital accounts, they turned to Ferro to break into homes and steal hardware wallets outright,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This scheme blended sophisticated online fraud with old-fashioned burglary to drain victims of millions of dollars in digital assets. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: cryptocurrency fraud is not a victimless, consequence-free crime carried out safely behind a screen—it is serious criminal conduct that will lead to federal prison.”
Ferro, aka “GothFerrari,” pleaded guilty on Oct. 17, 2025, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization. In addition to the 78-month prison sentence, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Ferro to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2.5 million in restitution.
According to court documents, a multi-year federal investigation uncovered a social engineering enterprise that defrauded victims of more than $250 million in cryptocurrency between late 2023 and early 2025. Members of the enterprise — based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and abroad — played specialized roles that included database hacking, target identification, fraudulent phone calls, money laundering, and residential burglary.
Members and associates of the social engineering enterprise used stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars which were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 up to over $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals for travel, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of exotic cars, ranging in value from $100,000 up to $3,800,000.
The conspiracy’s operatives typically targeted individuals believed to hold significant cryptocurrency holdings. Its members manipulated victims into surrendering access to their digital wallets through elaborate fraud schemes. When victims stored their cryptocurrency in hardware wallets, physical devices that cannot be accessed remotely, the enterprise turned to Ferro.
In February 2024, Ferro traveled to Winnsboro, Texas, broke into a victim’s home, and stole a hardware wallet containing about 100 bitcoin, at the time valued at more than $5 million. He then laundered the stolen funds through cryptocurrency exchanges.
After relocating to California in early 2024, Ferro connected with enterprise members and ingratiated himself with his co-conspirators, including the leaders of the racketeering conspiracy, offering his residential burglary services for future cryptocurrency thefts.
Surveillance photo of Ferro after he used a brick to break into a victim’s home in New Mexico.
In July 2024, Ferro flew to New Mexico, where he surveilled a residence for several days, positioning a cell phone outside the home to monitor the victim’s movements. When co-conspirators tracking the victim’s location through his iCloud account indicated he had left, Ferro broke into the home by smashing a window with a brick and searched for the target hardware wallet. He was captured on the victim’s home surveillance camera.
Ferro was not only the enterprise’s burglar, he was also a key money launderer. He used fraudulent identification documents obtained from a foreign national to open a digital payment card account at a geo-blocked platform, allowing enterprise members to spend stolen cryptocurrency at retail locations and nightclubs in Miami and elsewhere. He purchased more than $255,000 in designer clothing on behalf of his co-conspirators using stolen funds.
One of the Hermès Birkin bags Ferro obtained for a co-conspirator's girlfriend.
After a leader of the conspiracy was arrested and jailed in September 2024, Ferro continued to assist him from the outside. He collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency from other enterprise members, converted it to cash through illicit exchanges, and used the proceeds to pay the conspiracy leader’s attorneys. Ferro also arranged the purchase and shipment of Hermès Birkin bags for the co-conspirator's girlfriend.
Ferro was arrested on May 13, 2025, and found to be in possession of two firearms and a fake identification document.
Law enforcement recovered this 9mm black rifle from Ferro.
The Glock 19 9mm pistol that law enforcement recovered from Ferro.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Howland and David Liss. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Hart provided valuable assistance.
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Texas Man Charged in Shooting at Secret Service Agent Near the Washington Monument on the National MallRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, was charged today in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in connection with a May 4 shooting near the Washington Monument on the National Mall in which a civilian bystander was struck by gunfire, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“We will prove this defendant carried an illegal firearm into the heart of Washington, D.C., opened fire at Secret Service officers near a crowded intersection, and shot an innocent bystander who was simply crossing the street with his family,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will pursue the most serious charges available against anyone who brings gun violence to our streets, particularly when that violence unfolds steps from the seat of our government and the path of the Vice President of the United States.”
Marx faces three federal charges: assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court papers, on May 4, 2026, about 3:40 p.m., a plainclothes U.S. Secret Service agent observed a man, later identified as Marx, appearing to conceal a firearm on the right side of his body near 15th Street and Madison Drive NW. The agent alerted the Secret Service Joint Operations Center and requested uniformed backup.
At the same time, the motorcade for Vice President J.D. Vance was departing the White House, passing through the area of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW.
Uniformed Secret Service officers responded and located Marx along the path of the Vice President's motorcade. As officers approached, Marx walked toward a group of civilians crossing the street.
Officers issued verbal commands. Marx fled east on Independence Avenue SW. As officers pursued him, Marx drew a firearm from his waistband while running through the crosswalk toward bystanders.
When Marx reached the sidewalk, he turned and fired at one of the pursuing officers. A civilian witness standing behind the officer was wounded in his leg. Officers returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper abdomen.
Marx collapsed at the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW, where officers rendered aid. He was identified through a Texas driver's license found on his person. Law enforcement also identified aliases including Patrick Michael and Michael Zavici. Marx was transported to George Washington University Hospital. While in the ambulance, he allegedly made statements to officers including “F--- the White House” and “Kill me, kill me, kill me.”
Investigators recovered a Sig Sauer P365 handgun loaded with 9mm ammunition from the area where Marx fell. Law enforcement confirmed Marx does not hold a license to carry a handgun in the District of Columbia.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of 2022 Vehicular Homicide and AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Spiro Stafilatos, 38, of Silver Spring, MD, was found guilty today by a jury in D.C. Superior Court, for the vehicular death of pedestrian, Shuyu Sui, in December 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Stafilatos was found guilty of one count each of second-degree murder, aggravated assault while armed and fleeing. The Honorable Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2026.
According to court documents, at approximately 4:28 p.m., on December 30, 2022, Stafilatos was driving a dark Buick LeSabre sedan along the 700 block of 14th Street, NW, near the White House. Uniformed U.S. Secret Service agents, on mountain bikes, observed that the vehicle’s front tag was missing and the Maryland hard tag in the rear had no sticker. The Buick was then observed turning right into the 1400 block of G Street, NW and proceeded to the 700 block of 15th Street, NW, where it stopped and let a passenger out. Officers positioned themselves behind the vehicle and ran the tags through dispatcher, who advised that the tag belonged to a 2016 Chevrolet.
As officers approached the vehicle, identified themselves, and made contact with the defendant, they advised Stafilatos of his infraction, to which the defendant asked if he was going to get a ticket. Officers asked for the defendant’s license, which he did not provide. Also, during the stop, officers noticed what they believed to be an open beer container to the right of the driver. While conducting the traffic stop, the officers noticed that the vehicle was still in drive and instructed Stafilatos to put the car in park. Instead, the defendant fled the scene, travelling north on 15th Street, NW before turning onto the 1400 block of New York Avenue, NW. As the vehicle entered an intersection on a solid red traffic signal, it was struck by another vehicle who was driving on a green traffic signal and the impact caused the Buick to rotate counterclockwise and strike two pedestrians, who were walking nearby in the crosswalk. Both pedestrians were thrown and fell into the road in the middle of New York Avenue, NW. Both victims were transported to local hospitals. Despite all life-saving measures, one victim, Shuyu Sui, was pronounced dead at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. The second victim, Jiahui Wang, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where she was treated for trauma to the body and head.
Stafilatos was transported to Howard University Hospital for complaints of pain in the head and back. He was placed under arrest and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Carter and Will Lawrence.
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DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.”
“DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.”
“DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.”
The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program.
DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP.
The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible.
The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022.
The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility.
The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.”
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.”
“DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.”
The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program.
DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP.
The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible.
The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022.
The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility.
The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Iron PursuitRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. More than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort.
The operation commenced April 1 and ended April 30. The Administration for Children and Families recognizes April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.”
“Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.”
Victims recovered include a 10-year-old from Utah who was flown from Cuba to home and the child’s biological mother. The child was supposed to be on a camping trip with a transgender parent, partner, and another child. The group instead flew from Canada to Mexico and then to Cuba; concerns existed that the 10-year-old child was taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery. FBI Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted with the recovery of the children, providing crisis support and stabilization.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, and possessing, distributing, or receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Some of the alleged offenders include:
- A Columbus, Ohio, man who pleaded guilty to creating AI-generated obscene material of adults and children and to cyberstalking exes;
- A District of Columbia man charged with producing child pornography;
- A New York man charged with sexually exploiting a child; and
- A Pennsylvania man and former felon charged with sexually exploiting a child and illegally possessing a gun.
This effort follows three other successful operations last year. Operation Relentless Justice, concluded in December 2025, resulted in the rescue of 205 children and arrests of 293 offenders. Operation Enduring Justice, concluded in August 2025, resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. And Operation Restore Justice, concluded in May 2025, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders.
The FBI’s VSD assisted victims during Operation Iron Pursuit and provided services such as forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of Murder After a Bar FightRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Lowe, 42, of Montgomery Village, MD, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury today for the April 2024 murder of 43-year-old Kenneth Goins at a D.C. bar in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Lowe was found guilty on one count each of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior felony conviction). According to the expected sentencing guidelines range, Lowe faces a potential maximum sentence of 33 years in prison for these crimes. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2026, before the Honorable Todd Edelman.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, at approximately 1:10 a.m. on April 27, 2024, Lowe and the victim were inside of Desperados Burger and Bar, located at 1342 U Street, NW. The defendant went to the bar. Once there, he came up behind Mr. Goins and struck him in the head with a bottle. The two began to fight. In the ensuing fight, Mr. Goins started to get the best of the defendant and the defendant shot the victim multiple times, striking him once in the abdomen. The defendant then fled the bar, got on his motorcycle, and drove away. Members of MPD’s Third District were in the area and heard the gunshots. Body camera footage shows a person getting onto a motorcycle in the alley and a person in front of the bar pointing towards the man on the motorcycle yelling “hey, him.” The motorcycles took off and officers followed in their cruisers but lost them during pursuit. Officers attempted to render aid to the victim until EMS arrived on scene. Unfortunately, Mr. Goins died from his injuries.
Lowe was arrested on May 22, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Dinan and Tamara Rubb.
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Indictment Charges Cole Tomas Allen with Attempt to Assassinate the President and Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly WeaponRead the Press Release
cole_allen_indictment_signed.pdfWASHINGTON - A four-count Indictment was issued in U.S. District Court today charging Cole Tomas Allen, 31, with Attempt to Assassinate the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, in connection with the April 25 shooting during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The Indictment returned by the federal grand jury also charges Allen, of Torrance, California, with Assaulting an Officer or Employee of the United States with a Deadly Weapon, with Transportation of a Firearm and Ammunition in Interstate Commerce with the Intent to Commit a Felony, and with Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.
“Today’s indictment underscores a simple truth: there is evidence this defendant intended to assassinate the president, and that he shot a U.S. Secret Service officer after he traversed the country with a cache of ammunition to accomplish his goals,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their swift action to neutralize this threat and prevent the death of the President. The use of violence to register dissent is anti-democratic at its core. We will pursue the maximum punishment available under the law against anyone who travels to the District of Columbia to engage in such acts.”
“As alleged in today’s indictment, the heavily armed defendant rushed security and shot a Secret Service Officer in an attempt to assassinate President Trump— but was stopped thanks to the courageous and immediate response from law enforcement,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under the leadership of President Trump, violent political actors will never win— we will prosecute anyone who engages in these horrific acts to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The facts of this case are clear - Cole Allen traveled to Washington D.C. attempting to assassinate President Trump and senior members of his administration, and attacked federal law enforcement in the process - only stopped by brave security personnel who stood in the way,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We are grateful to our interagency partners for working with us in the investigation to add this additional charge. This FBI has been working 24/7 on this case since the night of the attack, and we will continue to do so until justice is done.”
The 2026 Dinner took place on April 25, 2026, at the Washington Hilton. President Trump was present at the Dinner. Shortly after 8:30 p.m., the defendant approached a U.S. Secret Service (USSS) security screening checkpoint located on the Terrace Level of the hotel and sprinted through one of the magnetometers at the checkpoint and ran in the direction of the stairs leading to the ballroom where the President was located.
As the defendant did so, he fired a Mossberg Maverick 88 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, hitting a USSS officer once in the chest. The USSS officer drew his service weapon and fired five times at the defendant. The defendant fell to the ground, was restrained by law enforcement, and was placed under arrest. The defendant suffered a minor injury to his knee but was not shot.
At the time of his arrest, the defendant was in possession of the Mossberg shotgun with one spent cartridge in the barrel. The defendant also possessed a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol, dozens of rounds of unspent 12-gauge shotgun ammunition and .38 caliber ammunition, two knives, four daggers, multiple sheaths, multiple holsters, needle nose pliers, and wire cutters.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine, Charles Jones, and Adam Barry of the National Security Section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty in Connection with Armed Robberies of Five RestaurantsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - David Andrew Williams, 32, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in connection with the armed robberies of five restaurants in Southeast and Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Over a series of robberies, this defendant used a firearm to terrorize restaurant workers and undermine the safety of our neighborhoods. Today’s guilty plea holds him accountable and brings a measure of justice to the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities and prosecute violent offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
Williams pleaded guilty before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and to carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Sept. 1, 2026.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, at about 6 p.m., Williams entered a Subway restaurant on the 3200 block of Pennsylvania Ave. SE. He approached an employee at the cash register, pulled a handgun out of his bag and ordered the employee to “open the drawer.” Another employee opened the register and handed Williams approximately $100 in cash. Williams then grabbed the till from the employees and poured the loose coins into a Subway cookie bag before leaving the restaurant.
On Dec. 29, 2024, about 2:17 p.m., Williams returned to the same Subway restaurant. As he approached the cash register, he reached into a bag slung over his shoulder and drew a handgun. An employee handed Williams a box with cash. The employee poured out some change, but Williams put the firearm back into his bag and left without taking the change.
On Dec. 30, 2024, Williams was wearing a surgical mask when he entered Manny & Olga’s Pizza, drew his handgun and demanded cash. Williams took all of the money from the cash register and walked out of the store.
On Jan. 14, 2025, he struck the Chipotle restaurant on the 3200 block of Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Williams pointed the pistol at an employee while stating, “You need to open the cash register.” Another employee came to the register and opened it for Williams, who grabbed money and fled out of the restaurant.
On Feb. 3, 2025, Williams robbed the Dunkin Donuts on the 800 block of Quincy St. NW. He entered the restaurant, drew a gun, and demanded money from the register. Williams took money from the register tray and left the store. Later that evening, Metro Transit Police officers arrested Williams on a Largo-bound Blue Line train. Officers recovered a black 9 mm ghost gun, with ammunition loaded in the magazine, from the bag Williams carried.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Metro Transit Police, and the FBI Washington Field Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Husband Found Guilty of Strangling His Wife in Argument over Laundry DetergentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Johnny Gregory, 42, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury today for charges stemming from strangling his wife in January 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gregory was found guilty of one count of strangulation. The Honorable Deborah Israel scheduled sentencing for July 31, 2026.
“Today’s guilty verdict reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions. He chose violence, and he will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office is committed to supporting survivors of domestic violence and prosecuting these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the government’s evidence, on January 5, 2026, Gregory and his wife got into an argument over laundry detergent. Gregory pushed his wife to the ground, punched her several times in the face, put his knee on her chest, and strangled her with two hands. The victim lost consciousness and urinated on herself. She was taken to a local hospital and treated for her injuries. The victim’s 15-year-old daughter was present at the time of the assault.
Gregory was arrested on January 6, 2026, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Friedman and Charles Klug.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 30 Months for Drunk Driving Crash with Loaded Gun and Intent to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Curtis Nathaniel Suber, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison in connection with unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm while driving drunk and carrying drugs he intended to sell, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On Nov. 26, 2025, Suber pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Suber to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 46-month prison term.
According to court papers, about 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2025, MPD officers observed a silver vehicle speeding through an intersection in the 1300 block of Florida Avenue NE. Officers followed and found the vehicle crashed into a residential apartment building. The vehicle’s airbags had deployed, and smoke was rising from the car. As officers approached, Suber stepped out holding a half-empty bottle of Hennessy.
Officers recovered a loaded Glock .45 with 23 rounds in the magazine wedged between the driver’s seat and the center console. Suber’s backpack contained marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, oxycodone, and ecstasy, along with a set of digital scales and $4,200 in cash. Suber tested positive at the time of arrest for cocaine, amphetamines, and fentanyl.
Suber had been convicted in 2023 of carrying a pistol without a license and had completed a term of supervision for that offense just over a year before his arrest in this case.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Three Plead Guilty in Kidnapping, Violent Armed Robbery of Two Female Victims Lured for a ‘Babysitting’ JobRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cierra Charity Lee, 20 and Kayvon Edwards, 21, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with the Oct. 20, 2025, kidnapping and armed robbery of two female victims in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Lee and Edwards pleaded guilty to kidnapping and armed robbery before Judge Christopher R. Cooper. Co-defendant Robynn Danielle Bynum, 18, of Fort Washington, Maryland, pleaded guilty on Apr. 16, 2026, to the same counts. Judge Cooper scheduled Lee’s sentencing for August 4; Edwards for September 10. A date for Bynum’s sentencing is pending.
“They lured these women with the promise of a babysitting job, but instead subjected them to a terrifying kidnapping and armed robbery involving a knife and duct tape,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This was a calculated effort, directed by Edwards from jail, to intimidate and silence a witness connected to a rape case. Such conduct shows a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of others. Our office will continue to hold accountable those who resort to violence and coercion to obstruct justice.”
According to court documents, a U.S. Park Police officer responded on Oct. 20, 2025, at about 11:45 p.m. for a report of a stabbing in the 3200 block of Minnesota Avenue SE. The officer found two victims. One had been stabbed several times in her back. The second had knife wounds on her right wrist.
Investigators determined that the victims were attacked earlier that night at a residence near Suitland Parkway and Stanton Road SE. The victims went to the residence for a “babysitting job” when two individuals escorted them into a basement and attacked them. Bynum stabbed Victim 1 multiple times in the back and injured Victim 2 during the assault.
Lee and Bynum then forced both victims into a bathroom where they bound them with duct tape. While the victims were restrained, Lee questioned Victim 1 about a rape case pending against Edwards in Prince George's County. Lee and Bynum then searched the victims' pockets and stole their phones and car keys.
Lee and Bynum then led the victims to a car and told them they were being driven to Pennsylvania. A flat tire scuttled those plans. The assailants abandoned the car and the victims, who were able to escape and seek help.
MPD officers later found the victims' car parked in the 3200 block of M Street SE. Officers noted blood stains and pieces of duct tape on the back seat and observed that the front passenger tire was flat.
Investigators determined that Edwards, who was awaiting trial for rape at the time and held in Prince George's County, orchestrated the attack through a series of monitored phone calls. On those calls, Edwards asked Bynum about her driving abilities, warned her about getting caught by the police, and pleaded with Bynum to not let him down. Additionally, Edwards directed Lee to restrain Victim 1, ensure she could not flee, and silence her as a witness. Lee assured Edwards that Victim 1 would drop the charges and not appear in court.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Coercing and Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Gallina, 34, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to coercing and enticing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gallina pleaded guilty before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 24, 2026. The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.
“This case is a stark reminder of the grave harm caused by those who exploit and manipulate minors for their own purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The defendant’s actions were calculated, predatory, and deeply damaging. My office remains committed to holding offenders accountable and to protecting vulnerable children from abuse, coercion, and exploitation in all forms.”
According to court documents, in July 2024 Gallina communicated with a minor child using text messages and several different mobile applications.
During these conversations, Gallina instructed the minor child to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of herself. The minor child produced those images and sent them to Gallina.
Gallina discussed meeting the minor child in person and told her that her family could not know about their relationship. Gallina told the minor child, “[b]eing a minor, I could get into a lot of trouble for doing that. You would have to stop contact with ypur (sic) family.”
Gallina then posted a solicitation on a fetish website which included sexually explicit images of the minor child and sought to arrange sexual encounters between the minor child and adult men in the D.C. area. Several men responded to Gallina’s post and one of the men met the minor child in the District of Columbia and had sex with her.
Gallina told the minor child that he wanted to see a video of her sexual encounter with the adult man and gave her specific instructions for what he wanted her to say and do during the sexual encounter. When the minor child was not able to record her sexual encounter with the stranger, Gallina told her that he was “disappointed.”
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen Shinskie.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of Armed Carjacking and Armed Robbery of Army VeteranRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Miquel Beasley, 23, of Maryland, was convicted yesterday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for an armed carjacking and armed robbery that took place in March 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Beasley was found guilty of one count of armed carjacking, one count of armed robbery, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was indicted in D.C. Superior Court on February 5, 2025. The Honorable Errol Arthur scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on March 22, 2024, the victim, a 62-year-old Army veteran, met up with Beasley in the 3900 block of First Street SE to purchase marijuana. Beasley entered the victim’s car from the passenger side and once in the vehicle he produced a black handgun, put the handgun to the victim’s head, and demanded that the victim exit his car. The victim got out of his car, and Beasley got into the driver’s seat and drove away.
He was arrested on January 30, 2025, and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Alexander Cook and Samuel Ison.
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Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Saleem Price, 46, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to failing to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2026.
According to court documents, in 2017, Price was convicted of first-degree child sexual abuse and required to register as a sex offender. Following his incarceration in that case, Price was required to remain in a transitional living placement in Baltimore, Maryland. In November 2024, Price absconded from that placement. Price ultimately settled in Washington, D.C.
In March 2026, law enforcement found Price living at an address in the District. Since absconding from the transitional living placement, Price was not registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia, even though he was required to do so due to his prior conviction.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 87 Months in Trafficking Nine Firearms, Including to Buyer Who Said He Was ‘At War’Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Brandon Smith, 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison for conspiring to traffic at least nine firearms to a prohibited buyer over the course of six months, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Brandon Smith was already on supervised probation for a violent felony when he chose to traffic firearms, and he continued even after being told the buyer intended to use them for violence,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Over the course of six months, he arranged the sale of at least nine guns—including one with an obliterated serial number—to a prohibited individual. This was not a momentary lapse in judgment, but a sustained and deliberate effort to arm someone who could not legally possess firearms. My office remains committed to holding accountable those who endanger our communities by trafficking illegal guns.”
On Jan. 9, 2026, Smith pleaded guilty before Judge Howell to conspiracy to commit trafficking in firearms. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 108-month prison term.
According to court papers, beginning in November 2023, ATF opened an investigation after a confidential source reported that Smith, then on supervised probation for a violent felony, was actively advertising firearms for sale by texting photographs of guns to prospective buyers, including individuals with prior felony convictions.
During the next six months, Smith sold or arranged the sale of nine firearms to a buyer on six separate occasions. During the transactions, Smith sold his own personal carry firearm on multiple occasions when a supplier failed to deliver, then purchased a replacement for himself afterward.
In early January 2024, as Smith and the buyer discussed an upcoming transaction, the buyer told Smith he needed the firearms because he was “at war” after his cousin had been killed. Smith proceeded with the sale. The buyer had also told Smith he was serving a criminal justice sentence at the time of the transactions. Smith acknowledged that he, too, was “on papers.”
Smith arranged a total of six transactions from Nov. 30, 2023, through May 30, 2024, resulting in the sale of nine firearms. At least one of the firearms had its serial number obliterated.
On Oct. 26, 2024, MPD officers conducted a traffic stop on the 1600 block of 16th Street SE and found Smith in the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Officers observed open containers of alcohol and discovered a satchel at his feet. Inside the satchel, in plain view, was a loaded Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun with a round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in the magazine. The bag also contained a bank card and government-issued identification in Smith’s name.
Smith has prior convictions for Simple Assault (2011), Attempted Robbery (2013), and Robbery and Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence (2016), for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was serving a term of supervised probation from the 2016 conviction at the time of the firearms trafficking conspiracy.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan.
Hidden camera photo taken as Smith sold a firearm on Nov. 30, 2023.
The Glock .40 caliber pistol that Smith sold for $900 on Nov. 30, 2023.
The Walther P99 9mm pistol that Smith sold for $900 on Dec. 12, 2023.
The Glock Model 19x 9 mm that police recovered from Smith’s bag on Oct. 26, 2024.
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Romanian Citizen Sentenced in D.C. for ‘Swatting’ Members of Congress, Churches, and Former U.S. PresidentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thomasz Szabo, 27, of Romania, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison for his role as leader of an online swatting ring that targeted more than 75 public officials, four religious institutions, and multiple journalists in a nationwide threat spree, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Szabo, aka “Plank,” “Jonah,” and “Cypher,” pleaded guilty June 2, 2025, to one count of conspiracy and one count of threats involving explosives. In addition to the 48-month prison term, District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Szabo to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 57-month prison sentence.
“Members of Congress, cabinet officials, the heads of federal law enforcement agencies, churches, journalists — Thomasz Szabo and his followers targeted them all with swatting calls and fake bomb threats designed to send armed police to their doors,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This administration will not tolerate attacks on the institutions and individuals who serve this country. Szabo was extradited from Romania to face justice in an American courtroom, and today he has reaped the consequences of his actions.”
“Mr. Szabo deliberately wasted public resources and recklessly put the lives of innocent people at risk for his own amusement,” said Tara McLeese, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. “Today’s sentencing reaffirms that swatting is not a prank, and those that perpetrate this crime will be held accountable. We are thankful to our U.S. and international law enforcement partners as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this case.”
“Swatting is not just a nuisance – it’s extremely dangerous,” said U.S. Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan. “I am proud of our investigators, as well as thankful for our prosecutors and law enforcement partners for their steadfast efforts to ensure justice is served. This shows that we will cross the globe to track threats down.”
“Mr. Szabo’s and his co-conspirators’ incessant swatting attacks created a tremendous drain on law enforcement resources and taxpayer dollars and put innocent civilians in harm’s way,” said Michael Burgwald, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division. “Today’s sentencing is an important step toward ensuring that those who believe swatting is just a prank will be disabused of that notion and making it clear that those who engage in it will face justice.”
“For years, Thomasz Szabo sought to stoke fear and incite panic in victims from afar," said FBI Minneapolis Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "Now, he will spend the next 48 months in a federal prison. The sentence handed down by the Court today serves to demonstrate that the FBI and our partners will track down offenders wherever they may be and hold them responsible for their crimes. We will take all available steps to identify and bring to justice those who put lives at risk by making false threats of violence.”
According to court documents, Szabo was the founder and leader of an online community that, starting in late 2020, engaged in a pattern of bomb threats and “swatting,” that is, falsely reporting an ongoing threat of violence at a victims’ home address for the purpose of provoking a police response there.
As leader of the group, Szabo made false reports to U.S. law enforcement including a threat in December 2020 to commit a mass-shooting at New York City synagogues, and a threat in January 2021 to detonate explosives at the U.S. Capitol and kill the President-elect. Szabo publicized his “swatting” activity to his followers and encouraged them to engage in similar behavior.
Beginning on Dec. 24, 2023, and continuing through early January 2024, subordinate members of Szabo’s group perpetrated a spree of swatting and bomb threats that included, as its victims, at least 25 Members of Congress or family members of Members of Congress; at least six then-current or former senior U.S. Executive Branch officials, including multiple cabinet-level officials; at least 13 then-current or former senior federal law enforcement officials, including the heads of multiple federal law enforcement agencies; multiple members of the federal judiciary; at least 27 then-current or former state government officials or family members of such officials; at least four religious institutions; and multiple members of the media.
During that time period, one of those subordinates bragged to Szabo: “I did 25+ swattings today,” and “creating massive havoc in [A]merica. $500,000+ in taxpayers wasted in just two days.”
Szabo was extradited from Romania in November 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office and Criminal Investigative Division, the FBI’s Washington and Minneapolis Field Offices, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Szabo’s arrest and extradition and assisted with securing evidence from abroad, including through mutual legal assistance requests. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service’s Bucharest Resident Office, Miami Field Office, Syracuse Resident Office, and Springfield Resident Office; the FBI’s Legat Office in Bucharest; the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, the District of South Dakota, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of Illinois, and the Northern District of New York. The Romanian authorities’ assistance was critical to the successful investigation of the case and extradition of Szabo.
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Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Coercing and Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andrew Jacobson, 25, of Great Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to coercing and enticing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
Jacobson pleaded guilty before Judge Rudolph Contreras who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 2, 2026.
According to court documents, between October 2025 and January 2026, Jacobson traveled from Maryland to the District of Columbia at least three times to sexually abuse a minor child. On a fourth occasion, Jacobson lured the minor child to Maryland and sexually abused the child in his Maryland home and filmed that act of sexual abuse.
Jacobson also communicated with the minor child over various messaging applications, where Jacobson would ask the minor child to engage in sexual conduct with him, discuss sexual acts he wanted to perform on the minor child, and even at one point encouraged the minor child to engage in sexual acts for money and offered to post on a messaging app advertising that she was selling content.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Kelley.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Felon Sentenced to 40 Months for Illegal Possession of Two FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kiyel Kearney, 23, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 40 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded revolver in May 2025 when his status as a felon prohibited him from having any firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kearney pleaded guilty Jan. 16, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 40-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Kearney to serve two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 10, 2025, about 11:45 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department, assigned to the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, received a ShotSpotter notification of gunfire in the 1200 block of Harvard Street, NW. Following the gunshots, MPD officers observed a gray Acura sedan occupied by four individuals speeding and disregarding a red light at the intersection of Sherman Ave NW, and Harvard Street NW. Officers saw the vehicle entering the opposing lanes of traffic in the 100 block of Michigan Ave NW. Officers lost sight of the vehicle before it appeared again in the 200 block of Michigan Ave NW. Officers observed the vehicle lose control and crash. The four occupants, including Kearney, exited the car and fled on foot.
MPD officers pursued Kearney as he was observed running with one free hand, with his other hand appearing to be holding his waist area, consistent with preventing a firearm from falling from his body. Following a foot pursuit through the active lanes of traffic on North Capitol Street NW, Kearney slipped, fell to the ground, and surrendered to the officers. An officer searched Kearney and felt a hard metal object and recovered a semiautomatic Glock 33 .357 caliber pistol, with 14 rounds of ammunition in a 15-round capacity magazine.
Police recovered a semiautomatic Glock 33 .357 caliber pistol, with 14 rounds of ammunition in a 15-round capacity magazine.
Firearm and magazine recovered from the defendant.
Additionally, Kearney can be seen in surveillance video interacting with other individuals and appears agitated. Kearney is seen removing a backpack from his body and then retrieving a long gun. Surveillance video shows an unknown individual discharge a firearm with an MPD SUV present. As the defendant is fleeing on foot, at about 1:06 a.m., he shoots the long gun numerous times in the direction of the alley. At least three other individuals are seen discharging firearms as a result of the defendant’s shooting. A bystander was struck in the chin and head by a stray bullet and was taken to the hospital; it is unclear which firearm caused the injury.
MPD crime scene investigators recovered multiple 5.56 shell casing from the area where the defendant was seen firing the long gun.
At the time of this offense, Kearney had a pending case in D.C. Superior Court for a May 12, 2023, felony offense for illegally possessing a firearm in the 3000 block of 14th Street, NW. In that case, Kearney was apprehended by officers while in possession of a Glock 43x 9mm firearm, with one round of ammunition with eight rounds in the magazine.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
It was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Anthony Scarpelli.
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Three-Time Convicted Drug Dealer, 70, Sentenced in Major Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Ronnie Rogers, 70, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 236 months in prison for his role as a key figure in a large-scale conspiracy that imported and distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and other controlled substances in the Washington, D.C., area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rogers pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to a three-count superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin; conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
In addition to the 236-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Rogers to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 248 months in prison.
According to court papers, the Drug Enforcement Administration opened an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was importing and distributing fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, and other controlled substances into the District and elsewhere. The investigation identified Rogers, Wayne Glymph, 49, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, and Samuel Braxton, 57, aka “Fats,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, as key leaders of the organization.
Braxton orchestrated the conspiracy from inside FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, where he was serving a federal sentence, using a contraband cell phone to connect Glymph and Rogers with foreign nationals who supplied kilogram quantities of fentanyl and other drugs. Rogers and Glymph received shipments of drugs, then cut, packaged, and redistributed them throughout the D.C. area. Rogers also had redistributors stationed near drug treatment facilities to exploit people struggling with opioid addiction.
From at least July 2021 through November 2023, when Rogers was arrested, the conspiracy trafficked more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 2 kilograms of fentanyl analogue, more than 236 grams of heroin, more than 500 grams of cocaine, and large quantities of cocaine base. Law enforcement intercepted communications and seized multiple parcels of fentanyl destined for Rogers’s residences, including shipments in August, October, and November 2022, and additional seizures in 2023.
On Nov. 29, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at two residences used by Rogers in Washington, D.C., and District Heights, Maryland, and at a third location used by Rogers and Glymph in Waldorf, Maryland. Officers recovered kilogram quantities of fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, and cocaine base, along with five firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, drug packaging materials, cutting agents, scales, and about $24,500 in cash.
Glymph was sentenced to 162 months in prison on Jan. 14, 2026. Braxton, who led the organization while incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix, was sentenced to 162 months on March 24, 2026.
Rogers has prior federal drug trafficking convictions from the District of Columbia, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland, and served three prior prison terms of more than 10 years each for drug trafficking. He was on supervised release at the time of this offense.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
This operation was supported in part by the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) supplies grant funding and strategic assistance to MCIN member sites. These resources enable the identification, disruption, and dismantling of criminal organizations through enhanced interagency collaboration and data sharing.
Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George's County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff's Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey.
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Deadly Beating Yields Guilty Plea from D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Lewis, 35, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Friday in connection to the deadly beating of 55-year-old Mark Carter, that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. on October 10, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The charges have a sentencing range of 12-15 years of incarceration. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 2, 2026.
The government’s evidence indicates that on October 10, 2022, Lewis confronted the victim, Mark Carter, in an alleyway off Southern Ave SE, regarding an ongoing feud about the victim’s use of a car that belonged to the defendant’s family member. Lewis found Carter with the car in the alleyway. The defendant grabbed Carter and threw him to the ground. Lewis repeatedly punched and kicked Carter in the head and the body until he became unresponsive. The defendant then dragged Carter out into the middle of Southern Avenue SE and fled the scene. The victim succumbed to his injuries five days later on October 15, 2022.
Lewis was arrested on December 7, 2022, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Peter Roman.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Possessing a Loaded Firearm and FentanylRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Lanoix Pierrelus, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 41 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm while also carrying 50 fentanyl pills he intended to sell, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On Aug. 26, 2025, Pierrelus pleaded guilty before Judge Nichols in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 41-month prison term, Judge Nichols ordered Pierrelus to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 51-month prison term.
According to court papers, on Oct. 22, 2024, Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol in a high-crime area observed a group of about eight individuals congregating in the street near a Toyota sedan. When Pierrelus noticed the officers’ approach, he moved quickly toward the rear passenger door of the vehicle, reached toward his groin area, and crouched behind the car. Officers searched the area where he had crouched and recovered a loaded Ruger Model 57 pistol, with a round in the chamber and 21 rounds in the magazine.
When officers searched Pierrelus following his arrest, they recovered a black satchel containing 50 blue pills stamped “M30.” The pills appeared to be oxycodone but were later confirmed by a DEA laboratory chemist to be fentanyl, with a total net weight of about 5.4 grams. Pierrelus admitted he intended to sell them.
Pierrelus was on court-ordered supervision for a prior felony firearm conviction at the time of the offense.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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U.S. Attorney Pirro and Mayor Bowser Announce New Legislation to Provide Additional Protections for Victims of Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Mayor Muriel Bowser, and District public safety leaders announced the Protecting Victims Act of 2026, new legislation aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence. The legislation includes measures to strengthen protections for survivors, enhance accountability measures against offenders, and protect privacy and safety. Although violent crime is down in the District year-to-date, domestic violence-connected assault with a dangerous weapon charges have been increasing, making this bill a timely intervention to protect District residents and reverse a concerning trend.
“Even as overall crime declines, the persistence of domestic violence—and the tragic rise in domestic violence homicides—underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Too often, these cases reflect repeated abuse, where prior incidents or pending charges did not stop further harm. The Protecting Victims Act will help ensure that the most dangerous offenders can be identified, detained when appropriate, and held fully accountable under the law. My office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and community partners to intervene earlier and prevent violence before it escalates. With these additional tools, prosecutors and judges will be better positioned to protect survivors and prevent further tragedy.”
“This legislation is about making sure that survivors are protected and that their safety and privacy are respected. It’s also about making sure that when someone needs help, they can trust that help will be there, and that when someone breaks the law, there are clear and consistent consequences,” said Mayor Bowser. “With the Protecting Victims Act, we want victims and survivors to know that we are here for them, and we want abusers to know that they will face swift and certain consequences.”
The Protecting Victims Act of 2026 builds on ongoing efforts across the District to close gaps in enforcement and ensure that court-issued protections are meaningful, enforceable, and responsive to the realities survivors face.
Key provisions of the Protecting Victims Act of 2026 include:
Strengthening Enforcement of Court Orders to Protect Victims
- Holds offenders accountable for repeated violations of temporary and civil protection orders by punishing repeated violations as felony offenses.
- Improves enforcement of stay away and no contact orders by providing courts with additional tools to enforce serious violations of release conditions, including a presumption that they should securely hold a defendant when they commit a new crime against the same victim.
- Strengthens consequences for violations of post-conviction stay away and no contact orders in misdemeanor intrafamily offenses and misdemeanor sex offenses by making a violation of these orders a felony with penalties consistent with other felony cases.
Strengthening Pretrial Detention of Domestic Violence Offenders
- Provides courts with improved tools to protect victims of domestic violence by detaining abusers who harm them prior to trial, including:
- Creating a new hold for individuals charged with an intrafamily offense who were, at the time of the offense, released pending trial or sentencing in another intrafamily offense case.
- Giving courts the ability to detain offenders charged with an offense against an intimate partner who have a history of domestic violence or were subject to a protection order at the time of the offense.
- Giving courts the ability to detain offenders charged with a repeat violation of a protection order or felony threats against an intimate partner.
Enhancing Accountability for Domestic Violence Offenders
- Updates language in the District’s kidnapping statute to more clearly state what the prohibited conduct is and to capture criminal conduct that the community would recognize as kidnapping. The new statute also provides multiple tiers of liability to address varied factual scenarios of different severity.
- Creates a felony version of unlawful entry to address circumstances in which an offender who has unlawfully entered a private dwelling or property and then commits an assault or a crime of violence. Currently, DC law provides no criminal liability when a person unlawfully enters the home of another without intent to commit another crime, or refuses to leave that home, and then commits an assault or a crime of violence.
- Creates an enhancement for sentencing purposes that applies to violence and threats where the offender knew or consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the victim was pregnant.
- Creates a new offense to address circumstances in which the defendant committed certain offenses in the presence of a child, or where the child witnessed the offense, including by sight, sound, or otherwise.
Protecting Victim and Survivor Privacy and Safety
- Amends the Metropolitan Police Department’s public disclosure requirements by providing protection to individuals who are willing to come forward to law enforcement to report that they have been a victim of or witness to a crime.
“As violent crime continues to decrease, domestic violence related incidents are leading to an increase in Assault with a Dangerous Weapon offenses, and account for 30% of this year’s homicides,” said Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Jeffery Carroll. “MPD has redoubled outreach to domestic violence survivors District-wide. We want all DC residents to know the signs of domestic violence and know the resources offered by MPD and our partners. Most importantly, we want every survivor to know they are not alone.”
Throughout April, MPD has led outreach efforts to highlight domestic violence prevention and resources at more than 20 events across all eight wards, including apartment buildings, places of worship, retail stores, and community centers.
The DC Victim Hotline is available at 844-4-HELP-DC (844-443-5732) and is a 24 hours a day 7 days a week chat- and text-based resource and crisis line for all crime victims in the District of Columbia. Visitors to the hotline receive strength-based and trauma-informed services and referrals in over 200 languages.
Residents and visitors are reminded: if you are in immediate danger, call 911.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro highlighted new efforts underway at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including the creation of the Violent Intimate Partner Emergency Response (VIPER) team, which prioritizes high-risk domestic violence cases and seeks to secure victims’ grand jury testimony as early as possible. This initiative ensures that, at the earliest stages following an arrest, a prosecutor and victim-witness specialist are engaged to support survivors, strengthen evidence collection, and help build cases that do not rely solely on victim testimony. By identifying high-risk cases—including those involving repeated abuse, strangulation, or the presence of children during the offense—VIPER connects victims with time-sensitive resources and supports stronger, more effective investigations. These enhancements are designed to better protect victims, hold offenders accountable, and prevent cases from falling through gaps in the system.
Possession of Glock Nets Felon 30 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Tayon Wright, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison for unlawful possession of a Glock pistol that was discovered after he fled from a car he had crashed following a police pursuit, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Tayon Wright was a felon on supervised probation when he chose to illegally arm himself with a Glock outfitted with a giggle switch — a device that transformed it into an automatic weapon capable of unleashing lethal fire in seconds,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence is a direct message to any others who think they can disregard the law without facing the consequences.”
Wright pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, before Judge Amy Berman Jackson to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Wright to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 33-month prison term.
According to court papers, at about 2:15 a.m. on Nov. 19, 2024, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a pursuit in progress. Prince George’s County Police were chasing a stolen black Audi through Southeast D.C. The Audi lost control on 13th Street SE, struck a curb, and crashed.
Wright, the sole occupant of the vehicle, fled from the Audi on foot. Officers found a black Glock 9mm handgun in the street next to the vehicle. The firearm was outfitted with a switch that allowed it to fire as an automatic, had a round in the chamber, and was surrounded by 21 rounds of loose ammunition. Wright is not considered a suspect in the vehicle theft.
After a brief foot chase, officers arrested Wright. A search of his jacket revealed cocaine base in multiple forms, amphetamines, 15 Oxycodone pills, and $152 in U.S. currency.
Wright had November 2021 felony convictions in Prince George’s County for armed carjacking and possession of a regulated firearm, which made it illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition. He was still on supervised probation for those convictions at the time of this offense.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office,
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman.
Photo of a black Glock firearm equipped with a “giggle switch” that police found in the street next to the crashed Audi. The firearm was surrounded by 21 rounds of loose ammunition.