District of Columbia

Defendants Participated in the Armed Kidnapping and Carjacking of two Victims in the 4400 Block of F Street S.E., Washington, D.C

            WASHINGTON – An indictment, unsealed today, filed today in U.S. District Court, charges six people with kidnapping and carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, with the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Desmond Evans, 18, Ramel Henderson, 19, Kevon Jackson, 23, Delonte Mundaray, 28, Marquette Jackson, 23, and Malik Terrell, 21, all of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area are each charged with two counts of aiding and abetting kidnapping and one count of aiding and abetting carjacking. Melvin Green, 24, also of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is charged with being an accessory after the fact to these offenses.

            According to the indictment, on June 9, 2023, the defendants kidnapped Victim 1. and did willfully transport the victim from the District of Columbia to Maryland. The indictment further alleges that the six defendants kidnapped Victim 2 on that same date. The defendants are also charged with carjacking a black Mercedes SUV from Victim 1 by force, violence and intimidation, with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm during the kidnappings. Green is charged with assisting Mundaray in connection with the offenses.

            The kidnapping charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The carjacking charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The charge of accessory after the fact carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and Safe Streets Task Force, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Thomas Strong, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

Defendants Charged With Multiple Counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and Firearms Offenses

            WASHINGTON – A superseding indictment was unsealed today charging 16 alleged members (named below) of a violent crime ring that committed multiple armed carjackings, armed robberies, money laundering, and firearms offenses. Federal law enforcement arrested eight defendants this morning; the remaining defendants were previously arrested. Charges include conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce (known as Hobbs Act) robbery, interference with interstate commerce by robbery, using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, conspiracy to commit carjacking, and conspiracy to engage in monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity.

            The case was announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai with the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s (Criminal and Cyber Division), Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, Marshal Peter Marketos, of the United States Marshals Service, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the indictment, between January 7, 2022, through January 27, 2023, the defendants conspired in the District of Columbia to commit robberies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida. The robberies targeted jewelry stores owned by Asian Americans. Disguised in dark clothing, masks, and gloves, armed with a gun, one or more of the defendants used various vehicles, including stolen vehicles, to commit and flee from the robberies, including:

            January 7, 2022: Yasini Jewelers in E. Falls Church, VA;

            June 10, 2022: Virani Jewelers in Iselin, NJ;

            September 20, 2022: Sonia Jewelers & Boutique, in Springfield, VA;

            October 25, 2022: Paradise Jewelry Store, in Paterson, NJ;

            November 10, 2022: Baral Jewelers & Gifts, in Harrisburg, PA;

            November 27, 2022: Sara Emporium Jewelry & Boutique, in Springfield, VA;

            December 6, 2022: Kishek Jewelers, in Jacksonville, FL;

            December 22, 2022: Chintamanis Inc., in Franklin Park, NJ;

            January 27, 2023: Princess Diamonds, in Falls Church, VA.

            The indictment further alleges that William Hunter, a/k/a “Ill Will,” conspired to commit carjackings between September 11, 2022 and October 22, 2022, with others. Defendants Wright, Avery Fuller, a/k/a “Deavry Cordell Fuller,” William Hunter, and Franklin Hunter, a/k/a “Gino,” conspired to launder the proceeds of the stolen property.

            "This indictment alleges a conspiracy to engage in a violent armed robbery spree involving commercial establishments throughout the Eastern Seaboard,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “One defendant is also charged with conspiracy to commit carjacking as part of the spree, and others are charged with laundering the proceeds from the robberies. With an increasing number of robbery schemes that cross state lines, collaborative operations like this one are critical to holding accountable those who threaten the safety of our communities."

            “It is devastating that firearm-related violence such as the crimes committed throughout this investigation have become so prevalent within our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai. “We will continue collaborating with our law enforcement partners by holding those individuals who seek to harm innocent people accountable for their actions.”

            “The defendants targeted small businesses along the East Coast, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry from hardworking families,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg. “For the past 20 months, the FBI worked with our partners across state lines to connect the defendants to these heists. Today's indictment is a testament to the strength of our partnerships and the commitment we all share to eradicating violent crime.”

            “We allege these suspects took part in take-over style armed robberies meant to terrify and overwhelm store owners and employees,” said FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy. “Many of the victim businesses are family owned and operated and lost large sums of inventory. The alleged violent and reckless actions of the subjects are astounding; they gave no thought to the people who could have been seriously injured or even killed. We have a message for criminals out there right now who believe these smash and grab robberies work in their favor because they mistakenly believe no one will hold them accountable. That’s not the case here – and it won’t be the case in the future. FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners will make sure if we can charge something federally, we will make that happen.”

            “I want to thank the detectives from MPD and the other agencies involved for their tireless work on this case. This is a prime example of how we, as law enforcement partners, come together as one to hold people accountable for committing crimes in the District of Columbia,” said Acting Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia. “While this investigation took time, the message is clear: If you choose to recklessly disregard public safety in D.C., we, collectively as law enforcement partners, will do everything to find you and hold you accountable.”

 

NAME

AGE

ADDRESS

CHARGES

Andrew Smith aka “Drewso” or “Drew”

 

29

 

Maryland

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Antonio Tate, aka “Motion” or “T-Motion”

 

20

 

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery

 

Avery Fuller, aka “Ace”, “Fully”, or “Fully Ace”

 

28

 

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Davon Johnson, aka “Yb”

30

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Decarlos Hill, aka “Los”

29

Maryland

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Delonte Martin, aka “DD”

25

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery

Franklin Hunter, aka “Gino”

 

29

 

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Hesham Gomaa

45

Virginia

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Jameise Christian, aka “Safe Play”, “Safety”, or “Safe”

 

32

 

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence;

Conspiracy to commit carjacking

Jaylaun Brown, aka “Lil Launy”

21

Washington, D.C.

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery

Keith McDuffie

26

California

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Robert Sheffield, aka “Real Lifaa”

32

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Timothy Conrad, aka “Twin”

32

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

Trevor Wright, aka “Taliban Glizzy”

 

32

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

William Hunter, aka “Ill Will”

28

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence;

Conspiracy to commit carjacking

Lamont Marable

27

Washington, D.C.

Hobbs Act Robbery;

Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery;

Firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence

 

            Federal agents and local law enforcement arrested Smith, Johnson, Hill, Gomaa, Brown, McDuffie, Sheffield, and Conrad this morning; Wright, Hunter, Fuller, Tate, Martin, Brown, Christian, and Marable were already in custody. Search warrants were also executed resulting in the seizure of multiple guns and approximately $300,000 from a safe in one of the residences.

            The superseding indictment also contains a notice of forfeiture and seeks the proceeds of the illegal activities.

            The statutory maximum sentence for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce (known as Hobbs Act) robbery is 20 years; the statutory maximum sentence of Hobbs Act robbery is 20 years in prison; the crime of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years with a maximum possible sentence of life; the statutory maximum sentence for conspiracy to commit carjacking is five years in prison; the statutory maximum sentence for money laundering is 20 years. A federal judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the appropriate sentencing guidelines and other factors.

            This case was investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the FBI’s Washington and Newark Field Offices, the United States Marshal Service, and the Metropolitan Police Department, with substantial assistance from the police departments of: Fairfax County (VA), Falls Church (VA), Franklin Township (NJ), Jersey City (NJ), Paterson (NJ), Middlesex County (NJ), South Brunswick (NJ), Somerset County (NJ), Woodbridge (NJ), Swatara Twp. (PA), the United States Secret Service-Uniformed Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service-Washington Division. Additional assistance was provided by multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices including: the District of New Jersey, Eastern District of Virginia, the District of Maryland, the Central District of California, and the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Andy Wang, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

WASHINGTON – An 18-count indictment, filed today in U.S. District Court, charges Cedae Hardy, 18, of Washington, D.C., with involvement in six separate carjackings throughout Washington D.C. and Maryland and an attempted carjacking in which a victim was shot multiple times. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the indictment, Hardy carjacked victims of their vehicles at gunpoint around the District of Columbia and in Maryland. In four of the carjackings committed in furtherance of a conspiracy with unnamed co-conspirators, Hardy drove the carjacked vehicles to a garage adjoining an apartment complex located at 1326 Florida Avenue, Northeast, Washington, D.C. (the “Florida Avenue Garage”).

            A co-conspirator would contact potential buyers, who in these instances were undercover officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The co-conspirator would arrange a time to meet the undercover officers at predetermined location - usually the Florida Avenue Garage – and complete the sale of the carjacked vehicles. The conspirators and Hardy would then split the proceeds.

            Hardy would communicate with the conspirators via text message. For example, on April 8, 2023, Hardy sent Co-Conspirator 1 a text message stating, “I’m outside now you can be on your way. Let’s get money my boy” and “[]I’m boutta get sum & bring it straight to you.” A few hours later, just 22 minutes after an armed carjacking of a Mercedes Benz SL550 in Hyattsville, Maryland, Hardy arrived at the Florida Avenue Garage in the victim’s vehicle. Co-Conspirator 1 and Co-Conspirator 2 opened the door to the Florida Avenue Garage for Hardy. The victim’s Mercedes was then sold on April 10, 2023 by Co-Conspirator 1 to MPD undercover officers for $1,200.  

            On April 18, 2023, a victim was seated inside his Honda Civic when Hardy opened the passenger door and sat in the victim’s vehicle. Hardy pointed a gun at the victim and began to shout. The victim could not understand Hardy and tried to push him out of his vehicle, at which point Hardy fired multiple shots, striking the victim in the forearm and abdomen. Hardy exited the victim’s vehicle and fled back to Washington, D.C.

            Carjacking carries a statutory maximum sentenced of 15 years in prison. Transportation of stolen goods and sale or receipt of stolen vehicles each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The gun charges carry no statutory maximum and a mandatory minimum of 7 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Gold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

A federal jury convicted five defendants today of federal civil rights offenses in connection with a reproductive health care clinic invasion in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2020. The defendants were each convicted of a felony conspiracy against rights and a Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act offense.

According to evidence presented at trial, Lauren Handy, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia; John Hinshaw, 67, of Levittown, New York; Heather Idoni, 61, of Linden, Michigan; William Goodman, 52, of Bronx, New York; and Herb Geraghty, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and others, engaged in a conspiracy to blockade the reproductive health care clinic to prevent it from providing and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. 

The evidence at trial showed that Smith, Hinshaw, Idoni, Goodman, Geraghty and Handy traveled to Washington, D.C., from various states to participate in a clinic blockade that was directed by Handy and was broadcast on Facebook. The defendants conspired to and did forcefully enter the clinic and block access to the clinic using their bodies, furniture, chains and ropes. Once the blockade was established, footage of the activities was live-streamed. Evidence also showed that the defendants violated the FACE Act by using force and physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and patients, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services.

The defendants each face up to a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $350,000.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The FBI Field Offices in Newark, New York City, Boston and Detroit provided valuable assistance.

The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of New York and Southern District of New York provided valuable assistance.

WASHINGTON – Today, a federal jury convicted five defendants – Lauren Handy, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia; John Hinshaw, 67, of Levittown, New York; Heather Idoni, 61, of Linden, Michigan; William Goodman, 52, of Bronx, New York; and Herb Geraghty, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – of both offenses in a two-count indictment charging them with federal civil rights offenses in connection with an alleged reproductive health care clinic invasion in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2020. The defendants were each convicted of a felony conspiracy against rights and a FACE Act offense.

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

            The defendants each face up to a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $350,000. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who presided over the trial, ordered the defendants immediately detained as required by statute. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

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

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

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

WASHINGTON – Alexander Hamilton, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to contempt and obstruction of justice under federal and District of Columbia law, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced.

Hamilton entered his plea this morning in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable Judge Amy Berman-Jackson, who scheduled sentencing for November 29, 2023.

According to an affidavit in support of the complaint, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) observed a public Instagram account with approximately 10,400 followers posting multiple videos, with sound, that recorded the proceedings within the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Grand Jury room, located at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Personnel from the U.S. Attorney’s office recognized the individual in the video as Hamilton, a grand juror. During a consensual interview with law enforcement, Hamilton admitted to recording grand jury proceedings and posting them to his Instagram Story. Hamilton indicated that he filmed the proceedings using one of two phones that he owns. A forensic extraction of Hamilton’s phone identified videos of live grand jury testimony. Hamilton also sent dozens of messages via text message and Instagram, sharing the videos or discussing his grand jury service. Additionally, Hamilton demonstrated an awareness in numerous messages that he was not permitted to have his cellphone in the room during presentations before the grand jury.

Hamilton had been sworn in as a grand juror on Sept. 9, 2022. During orientation, he took an oath to, among other things, keep secret the information learned during grand jury service. A video, taken on Hamilton’s phone on Sept. 9, 2022, depicts Hamilton recording himself (i.e., a selfie). Specifically, the video shows him standing with his right hand raised as the oath described above was read to him aloud. In the video, Hamilton looks down at the phone and states, “I’m about to lie.” He was arrested on November 17, 2022.

“The secrecy of grand jury proceedings protects the integrity of ongoing investigations, ensuring that grand jurors and witnesses are free from improper influence; safeguarding against the possible destruction of evidence by those investigated; and protecting the privacy of uncharged individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Before serving, grand jurors take an oath to protect this secrecy. Hamilton’s violation of his oath is a crime. We will vigorously prosecute those, like Hamilton, who compromise the integrity of the criminal justice system.”

All grand jurors are instructed that grand jury proceedings are secret and must remain secret permanently unless and until the Court determines that the proceedings or a portion of them should be revealed in the interest of justice. Grand jurors are admonished to preserve the secrecy of the proceedings by abstaining from communicating with family, friends, representatives of the news media or any other person concerning that which transpires in the grand jury room. Moreover, grand jurors are required to place their phones and any other potential recording devices into lockers located in the lobby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office prior to proceeding to the grand jury rooms. The maximum penalty for conspiracy is five years. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.

The contempt charge is a federal offense, and the obstruction charge is a District of Columbia offense. The plea agreement calls for an advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of 6 to 36 months of incarceration. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory range and other statutory factors.

This case was being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department.

The case was being prosecuted by the Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Gold of the Federal Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON - Germaine L. Graham, 41, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of wire fraud related to a fraud scheme against his former employer located in Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

As part of the fraud scheme, Graham made false payroll entries into the company’s payroll processing system, which directed unauthorized payments to himself. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, Graham caused approximately $250,000 in losses to his former employer. U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras accepted the guilty plea. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 2, 2024.

According to the Statement of the Offense, between February 2019 and January 2022, Graham was employed as an office manager with a private architecture firm in the District of Columbia. As part of his duties, he was responsible for the firm’s book-keeping functions, including invoicing and bill paying. He was also responsible for preparing and electronically submitting the firm’s bi-monthly payroll register to an out-of-state payroll processing company. Graham also had access to the firm’s electronic checks and on-line book-keeping program. Graham used his access to the payroll processing system, company checks, and the book-keeping program to steal his employer’s money and to hide the theft.  

In announcing the verdict, Graves and Geist commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, Victim-Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

 

WASHINGTON – Anthony Braxton, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 22.5 years in prison for stabbing a prior romantic partner multiple times in front of their child in November 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Braxton was found guilty by a jury of assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges, following a trial in April 2023 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  

            According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 4, 2017, Braxton went to the home of his former romantic partner in violation of a court ordered stay away. He then approached the woman in broad daylight and stabbed her nearly 30 times with a pair of needle nose pliers in front of their child. 

            Braxton had been ordered by a District of Columbia Superior Court Judge, on October 16, 2017, to stay away and have no contact with the victim. Evidence showed that he violated that order over 500 times between Oct. 16, 2017, and Nov. 4, 2017. 

            The victim received medical treatment for her stab wounds at Howard University Hospital. She ultimately required surgery to save her right hand. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the MPD. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Wolf, Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Coleman and Daniel Lenerz, Pretrial Mental Health Coordinator Jennifer Mika, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Victim/Witness Advocates Shawn Slade and Tracy Owusu, and interns Jessica Wasserman, Julianne Saunders, Molly Patrick, and Kate Dougherty.  

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Brian Yang, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Demarcus Barnett, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed stemming from the shooting of 62-year-old Lasanta Qumar McGill, on June 8, 2023, in the city's Westminster neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            As part of his guilty plea, Barnett admitted that after being robbed by two individuals, he chased after them and fired wildly down the sidewalk. In doing so, he struck and killed McGill, an innocent bystander. Barnett will be sentenced on October 27, 2023, by Judge Maribeth Raffinan.  

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

WASHINGTON – Today, a federal jury found Roberto Adams, 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland, guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled a sentencing hearing for December 8, 2023.

            According to the evidence at trial, Adams, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of at least $18,350.  Adams applied for and obtained PPP loans on behalf of his business SuperKlean LLC, a Maryland Corporation. At the time of the loans, SuperKlean LLC had no employees, no clients, and no income.  Adams spent the funds at casinos in Maryland and at hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, on airfare, hotels, high-end sneakers, and personal debt.  In addition, he spent $12,110 of the stolen disaster relief funds to pay several months of back rent on his personal residence.

            The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, with the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Adams faces a statutory maximum sentence for wire fraud of 30 years in prison and for expenditure money laundering of 10 years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence based on the guideline range and other factors.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the agencies who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Sonalika Chaturvedi, and financial analyst Bryan Snitselaar.

            Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Rothstein and Madhu Chugh, who prosecuted the case at trial.

            On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

            For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

            Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

WASHINGTON – Marquis Funderburk, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other in the neighborhood near Howard University in January 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            A jury found Funderburk guilty of two counts of Robbery While Armed in May 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at about 11:35 a.m., Funderburk and two associates grabbed Victim 1, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. As one man pointed a gun at Victim 1’s stomach the other two went through Victim 1’s pockets, taking his AirPods, iPhone, wallet, and keys.

            About noon the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, Funderburk and three associates grabbed Victim 2, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. Funderburk’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into Victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. Funderburk punched Victim 2 in the face. Then the group proceeded to punch and kick Victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded Victim 2’s account passwords, Funderburk commanded his armed associate to shoot Victim 2.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Defendant Sent Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material to Undercover Officer

            WASHINGTON – Daniel Mahnke, 35, of Manteno, Illinois, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            According to the government’s evidence, in December of 2020, the defendant was using the website Rapey.SU, a social media site where countless users discussed the sexual exploitation of children, bestiality, and hardcore child pornography. During the course of the investigation, Mahnke began communicating with an individual he believed had a child, but who turned out to be law enforcement acting in an undercover capacity (UC).  Believing that he was communicating with a pedophile, Mahnke requested that the UC send him sexually explicit photos of the UC’s fictitious child. Mahnke told the UC that he would send child pornography and, in fact, sent the UC a link containing hundreds of videos and images of child pornography.

            Mahnke was arrested on December 11, 2020, and charged with distribution of child pornography. He has been detained ever since. Mahnke pled guilty on January 6, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell, who prosecuted the case.

            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.

WASHINGTON – Andre Gregory, 31, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for carjacking and unlawful possession of a firearm that occurred in March of 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

            According to the government’s evidence in the Superior Court case, on March 4, 2019, at approximately 8:40 p.m., the defendant and a second suspect pointed firearms at and ran towards the victim, who had just parked his BMW in the 100 block of Wilmington Place, SE.  The defendant and second suspect forced the victim out of his car at gunpoint and ordered the victim to the ground. Gregory stood over the victim as the victim lay on the ground, and kept his firearm pointed at the victim while the second suspect searched the victim.  Then, Gregory entered the victim’s vehicle and opened the trunk so that the second suspect could search through the contents of the trunk.  Having taken the victim’s keys, ID card, and money, Gregory and the second suspect then told the victim that they were taking the victim’s vehicle and that the victim needed to leave.  The victim fled and Gregory and the second suspect then stole the victim’s vehicle. Officers subsequently located the victim’s vehicle in Capitol Heights, MD and returned the vehicle to the victim.

            Gregory was also sentenced today to 42 months by U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich for his role in a bribery scheme. The sentences will run consecutively.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith and Special Agent in Charge Kailimai commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the ATF. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kukowski who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A corrections officer and an inmate were sentenced this week on bribery charges in a scheme that smuggled narcotics into the District of Columbia Central Detention Facility, better known as the D.C. Jail.

            Andre Gregory, 31, of Washington, D.C., who was incarcerated at the time of the bribery offense, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison. Former Corrections Officer Beverly Williams, 52, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced August 21, 2023, to 18 months in prison. The two defendants were charged along with Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington, D.C., who is awaiting sentencing. All three defendants pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

            The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

            “Corrections officers are critical to the safe and orderly operation of our prison system,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Through this bribery and smuggling scheme, in exchange for cash, Beverly Williams betrayed her duty and undermined security and the whole function of the D.C. Jail by bringing drugs to the inmates inside. Inmate Andre Gregory and co-defendant Keywaune McLeod conspired with Williams to pull this off – and all of them profited from her corruption.  Our Office will do everything in our power to eliminate corruption in our prison system, and anywhere in government, and to ensure that crimes like this don’t pay.”

            “Corrections officers are responsible for cultivating a safe and orderly environment for the inmates they guard,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “By conspiring with Gregory and McLeod to smuggle drugs into the D.C. Jail in return for cash, Williams abused her position of power and risked the safety and integrity of the city's correctional facility. The FBI thanks the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services for their partnership throughout this investigation and reaffirms our commitment to holding public servants accountable to the oaths they take and the people they serve.”

             According to the government’s evidence, Williams admitted that while working as a Correctional Officer at the D.C. jail in 2022, she accepted bribe payments of $6,400 to smuggle packages containing narcotics into the facility. Williams received packages of drugs and cigarettes from Keywaune McLeod, Gregory’s cousin, and secreted them into the jail by concealing them on her body. Once inside, Williams transferred the drugs to inmate Gregory, in secure areas where they could not be seen on surveillance cameras. Gregory then distributed the drugs for a profit. McLeod, who accepted and managed the proceeds, used CashApp to make bribe payments to Williams for the drug smuggling. Gregory used jail-issued phones and electronic tablets to communicate with McLeod, using coded language in an attempt to avoid detection of their conspiracy.

            In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered 36 months of supervised release for each defendant.

            Separately, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Robert D. Okun, today, sentenced Andre Gregory to 96 months in prison for an armed carjacking and unlawful possession of a firearm. The sentenced will run consecutively.

            The District Court case against Williams, Gregory, and McLeod was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal and Ahmed Baset with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.

WASHINGTON – A Brazilian national, previously working as a visiting international attorney, is charged by complaint, unsealed today, with insider trading. Romero Cabral Da Costa Neto (Costa), 33, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a licensed attorney in Brazil who had been working as an international visiting attorney in the United States, on a one-year J-1 Visa, at a U.S. law firm (the Law Firm).  Costa was arrested on August 22, 2023, in Washington, D.C., by agents with the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            According to the public documents, Costa is an attorney licensed to practice in Brazil and had been working in the United State for the Law Firm since September 2022. During that time, Costa has executed multiple stock trades in companies represented by the Law Firm. As confirmed by the Law Firm records, Costa accessed internal Law Firm files in advance of public market-moving announcement. 

            According to the complaint, one of these trades involved Company B. Company B is a Seattle-based biotech company represented by the Law Firm. In or around April of 2023, Company C, a Swedish international biopharmaceutical company began negotiations to acquire Company B. Both Company B and C were public companies. Company B’s Board of Directors held several meetings throughout April and into early May discussing transaction prices and terms of the sale. Representatives of the Law Firm attended these meetings and prepared documents relating to these meetings.

            In early May 2023, Company B, whose stock was trading at around $4.80 informed Company C that they would sell to Company C for a price above $9.00 per share. On May 9, 2023, Company C relayed an offer to buy all outstanding common stock in Company B for $9.10 per share. The stock was trading at $4.82 on May 9, 2023. The Board of Directors approved the sale at $9.10 and both Company B and C announced the $1.7 billion transaction in the early morning hours of May 10, 2023. Trading in Company B opened at $8.91 per share on May 10, 2023.

            According to public documents, Costa used two online trading firms to purchase 10,400 shares in Company B on May 9, 2023, for $49,976. Costa then sold his holdings in Company B on May 10, 2023, for $92,635.24, resulting in a one-day investment profit of $42,649.13.

            According to the Complaint, Costa improperly accessed Law Firm files related to Company B in the lead up to this merger. Costa was not assigned to this transaction and had no legitimate reason to access and view these files related to this matter. Costa accessed files over 100 times in advance of the sale.

            The complaint further alleges that on June 2, 2023, Costa purchased stock in Company E – another company that was represented by the Law Firm – one day before Company E went public with information about drug treatment for patients with a specific cancer. The stock rose following the announcement. Costa sold his position on June 5, 2023.

            On June 6, 2023, the Law Firm issued an opinion related to a secondary stock offering on behalf of Company E which had the effect of driving down the value of the stock. Costa was able to purchase shares of Company E immediately before a positive market event and then quickly sell before the subsequent negative market event, profiting by approximately $1,000 from these transactions. According to the complaint, Costa improperly accessed Law Firm files related to this matter in the lead up to the announcements. Costa was not assigned to this matter and had no legitimate reason for accessing these files.

            Costa is again alleged to have improperly accessed Law Firm documents and files related to Company F, another firm client. On June 15, 2023, Company F and Company G announced a merger in an all-stock deal to create a $5.4 billion oilfield services firm. Between June 8, 2023, and June 12, 2023, Costa purchased approximately 7,000 shares of Company G in advance of this merger announcement. He subsequently sold the shares and profited approximately $8,500 from the transactions. Costa was not assigned to this matter and had no legitimate reason to access these files.

            Insider trading carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge also carries potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

            Today, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office, which provided invaluable assistance in this matter, filed a parallel civil complaint charging Costa with securities violations. 

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

WASHINGTON – Stefen Farmer, 52, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for the February 2021 shooting of a man on a sidewalk in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            On March 7, 2023, following a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Farmer was found guilty of aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, and lesser included firearms offenses.

            The Honorable Anthony Epstein sentenced Farmer to 144 months for aggravated assault while armed and 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, with those sentences to run consecutively, for a total of 17 years incarceration. 

            According to the government’s evidence, around 6 p.m. on February 25, 2021, the defendant was sitting in the driver’s seat of a small black SUV parked on the 4400 block of Gault Place when the victim - a longtime friend of the defendant’s - walked up to the car window and started a conversation. Farmer repeatedly asked the victim for money but the victim refused. Farmer then retrieved a gun, stepped out of the car, and shot at the victim from pointblank range three times, as the victim was walking away. Two bullets hit the victim while he was trying to escape the gunfire and he sustained injuries to his hand and leg. Farmer stopped shooting only because a mutual friend of both men pushed him back while he was firing the gun. Three days after the shooting, Farmer sent the victim a Facebook message apologizing “for the inconvenience.” 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department for their work on the case. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Levy and Omeed A. Assefi who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Michael Caldwell, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to stabbing a man to death on June 4, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Caldwell pleaded guilty on August 14, 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The Honorable Marybeth Raffinan accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for October 16, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2023, at approximately 11:30 p.m., the defendant, Michael Caldwell, and the victim, Damien Thompson, engaged in a verbal argument in the street in front of 4305 Halley Ter SE, Washington, D.C. At one point the victim threw a bottle at Caldwell, at which point Caldwell removed a knife from his pants. The two men continued to verbally argue for approximately 45 seconds, at which point the victim attempted to strike Caldwell with a plastic chair. Caldwell lunged at the victim and stabbed him in the chest, causing the victim to fall to the ground unconscious. Caldwell then proceeded to stab the victim eight more times in the torso before walking away from the scene.

            The victim, Damien Thompson, sustained nine stab wounds to the torso and died a short time later. Caldwell was arrested the next day by the Metropolitan Police Department. He has been in custody ever since. 

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez and Lead Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Hall, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Defendant Shot at Officers and Burglarized Residence While Fleeing Police

            WASHINGTON – Tywan Jamad Cummings, 43, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to charges stemming from a May 2020 armed carjacking spree, during which he shot at responding police officers and burglarized a private residence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Cummings pleaded guilty to carjacking; using, possessing, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and assaulting, resisting, or interfering with a police officer with a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 19, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the morning of May 17, 2020, in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C., the defendant pointed an AR-style rifle at a man who was putting air into his tire, taking the vehicle at gunpoint. The defendant then drove the vehicle into Maryland and, only minutes later, carjacked a nurse outside a hospital in Prince George’s County at gunpoint. Later that evening, in the early morning hours of May 18, 2023, multiple Maryland law enforcement agencies (to include the Bowie, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County Police Departments) pursued the defendant—who was by this time driving a different stolen vehicle—into Southeast Washington, D.C.  MPD officers were also on scene to assist.  The defendant crashed the vehicle near a gas station and, while fleeing on foot, opened fire on the Maryland and MPD police officers with a handgun. Shortly after 2:00 a.m., the defendant burglarized an occupied residence and hid in an upstairs bedroom, where he was arrested without further incident. Officers recovered a .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun from the defendant, the AR-style rifle from the stolen vehicle, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. No victim sustained physical injuries during the spree.

            Cummings was arrested May 18, 2020 and has been in custody ever since.

            Carjacking carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  Using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years’ imprisonment—which must run consecutive to the sentence on the carjacking conviction—and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Assaulting, resisting, or interfering with a police officer with a dangerous weapon with a dangerous weapon carries a mandatory minimum term of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment and a $75,000 fine.

            A federal judge will determine the appropriate sentenced after considering the applicable guideline range and other relevant factors.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bowie Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez.

            Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

 

WASHINGTON – Tesfay Teshale, 51, of Springfield, Virginia, was found guilty yesterday by a jury, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of aggravated assault while armed, malicious disfigurement while armed, and assault with a dangerous weapon for an assault that included pouring boiling liquid on the female victim, resulting in second-degree burns on her body, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Pamela Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for October 27, 2023. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for his crimes.

            The defendant and the victim had dated. According to the government’s evidence, when the victim decided to break off the relationship, the defendant stalked, harassed, and assaulted her because he could not handle the rejection. On June 14, 2019, the defendant cornered the victim, punched her multiple times in the face, knocked her down, and, while she was down, poured an urn of boiling liquid onto her. The defendant then left her there, bleeding, badly burned, and in extreme pain. The victim managed to call for help and District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported her to the hospital where she was treated for contusions, abrasions, and bruises to her face, as well as second-degree burns.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Yang, Zachary Horton, Cara Gardner, Emma McArthur, Chimnomnso Kalu, Nick Coleman, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialists ReShawn Johnson, Arielle Okpara, and Veronica Yale, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Cynthia Muhammad, Victim/Witness Advocate Rodgers Dickerson, Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Katina Adams-Washington, Tonya Jones, and Basizette Stribling, and interns Adam Russell, Izzy Metee, and Louis Villacci.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shakinah Douglas and Richard Kelley, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Defendant Collected District Medicaid, Food Stamp, and Public Charter School Tuition, While Living in Virginia

            WASHINGTON – Michia Pardlow, 30, now residing in Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on 39 counts of fraud and other charges stemming from her false claims of District of Columbia residency, from 2016 to 2020, to obtain D.C. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid benefits, and free tuition for her two children to attend a D.C. Public Charter School. 

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Brian Schwalb, Attorney General for the District of Columbia.  This matter was initially discovered by the D.C. Department of Human Services and promptly referred to the D.C. Office of the Inspector General for investigation.

            Pardlow was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of first degree fraud, first degree theft, false statements, and forgery. Ms. Pardlow is to be arraigned on August 23, 2023, at a hearing before the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld. The majority of the indicted charges are felony offenses, carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

            According to court documents in the case, Pardlow was a resident of Arlington, Virginia, from 2016 into 2020. The charging documents allege that she submitted signed applications, residency verification forms, and other documents to the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services and Public Charter School Board claiming and verifying District residency.  The charging documents also allege that in November 2017, she forged a residency verification letter.

            As a result, the documents allege, Pardlow was able to obtain District benefits to which she was not entitled.  Non-District residents are ineligible to receive District SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid benefits. Non-District residents who enroll their dependents in D.C. schools must apply as a non-resident and pay non-resident tuition. Court documents allege that she received more than $149,000 in fraudulent benefits.

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

            This case is being investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General and is being jointly prosecuted by the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Public Corruption Section of the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. 

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves, Inspector General Lucas, and Attorney General Schwalb commended the work of those investigating the case from the Office of Inspector General, including Special Agent Robert Partington.  They acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy. Finally, they commended the work of the late Bayly Leighton, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney detailed from the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, who initially investigated the case, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Simmons, who is investigating and prosecuting the case.

Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier, 55, a dual citizen of Canada and France, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for sending threatening letters, containing homemade ricin (a toxin), in September 2020, to then-President Donald J. Trump at the White House, and to eight Texas State law enforcement officials.

Ferrier pleaded guilty on Jan. 25 to prohibitions with respect to biological weapons in two separate criminal cases. One case was brought in the District of Columbia, and the other was brought in the Southern District of Texas and transferred to the District of Columbia for purposes of plea and sentencing.

According to court documents, Ferrier admitted that she made ricin at her residence in Quebec, Canada, in September 2020. Ricin is a deadly poison made from castor beans. Ferrier placed the ricin toxin in envelopes containing letters she wrote to then-President Trump at the White House and to eight Texas State law enforcement officials.

Ferrier had been detained in the State of Texas for approximately 10 weeks in the spring of 2019, and she believed that the law enforcement officials were connected to her period of detention. In early September 2020, Ferrier used the Twitter social media service to propose that someone should “please shoot [T]rump in the face.” The letters in the envelopes contained threatening language, and the letter addressed to then-President Trump instructed him to “[g]ive up and remove [his] application for this election.” Ferrier mailed each of the threatening ricin letters from Canada to the United States. Ferrier then drove a car from Canada to the Peace Bridge Border Crossing in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 20, 2020, where border patrol officials found her in possession of a loaded firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and other weapons, and arrested her. Ferrier has remained in custody.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director Susan Ferensic of the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate made the announcement.

The FBI Washington and San Antonio Field Offices investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman for the District of Columbia; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rob Jones, David Coronado and David Lindenmuth for the Southern District of Texas; and Trial Attorney David Smith of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier, 56, a dual citizen of Canada and France, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for sending threatening letters containing homemade ricin (a toxin), in September 2020, to the White House and then-President Donald J. Trump, as well as to eight Texas State law enforcement officials.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office David Sundberg, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr., of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office.

            Ferrier pleaded guilty on January 25, 2023, to prohibitions with respect to biological weapons in two separate criminal cases before the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. One case was brought in the District of Columbia, and the other was brought in the Southern District of Texas and transferred to the District of Columbia for purposes of plea and sentencing.

            According to court documents, Ferrier admitted that she made ricin at her residence in Quebec, Canada, in September 2020. Ricin toxin is a deadly poison made from the waste material left over from processing castor beans. Ferrier placed the ricin in envelopes containing letters she wrote to then-President Trump at the White House. She also added it to envelopes she sent to eight Texas State law enforcement officials. 

            Ferrier had been detained in the State of Texas for around ten weeks in the spring of 2019, and she believed that the law enforcement officials were connected to her period of detention. In early September 2020, Ferrier used the Twitter social media service to propose that someone should “please shoot [T]rump in the face.” The letters in the envelopes contained threatening language, and the letter addressed to then-President Trump instructed him to “[g]ive up and remove [his] application for this election.” Ferrier mailed each of the threatening ricin letters from Canada to the United States. Ferrier then drove a car from Canada to the Peace Bridge Border Crossing in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 20, 2020, where border patrol officials found her in possession of a loaded firearm, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and other weapons, and arrested her. Ferrier has remained in custody.

            In addition to the nearly 22-year term of imprisonment, Ferrier was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.  The Court will also issue an order of judicial removal requiring that Ferrier be removed from the United States at the end of her term of imprisonment.

            The investigation was handled by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and San Antonio Field Office. Assistance was provided by the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

            The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Friedman, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Assistant United States Attorneys Rob Jones, David Coronado, and David Lindenmuth, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and Trial Attorneys David Smith and Joseph Kaster, of the DOJ’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section.

            WASHINGTON - Franklin Olaitan, 50, of Beltsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty in federal court, late yesterday, to one count of wire fraud related to the theft of a residence located in Northwest Washington D.C.  As part of the guilty plea, the defendant admitted he caused the filing of a false deed transferring the property, which he immediately resold to a third-party, pocketing the sale proceeds. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the defendant caused over a half-million dollars in loss to the various victims.

            The guilty plea was entered before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled in early 2024 before U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman.

            According to the Statement of the Offense, the property located on First Street N.W. (the “First Street property”), was purchased by Person 1 in 1996. Between about September 2016 through March 2017, while the First Street property was vacant, the defendant forged the signatures of Person 1 and a notary on several documents - including a false sales contract and a false deed - in order to sell the First Street property to a company owned and controlled by him, without Person 1’s knowledge or consent. The defendant executed his scheme to defraud by preparing and presenting to a lender and Maryland settlement company the false and fraudulent documents. Neither the owner of the First Street property nor the notary signed the documents selling the property to the defendant’s company. The defendant provided the false documents to a Maryland settlement company and caused the settlement company to file the false documents with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds. In addition, the defendant caused the settlement company to give him the purported seller’s proceeds check from the purported sale, which he later deposited into another one of his LLC’s bank accounts. After allegedly purchasing the property, the defendant immediately resold the property to a third-party who intended to renovate it. After the third-party buyer spent at least $600,000 renovating the First Street property, they listed it for sale. The true owner of the property then learned that the property had been stolen out from under them.

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Liliana Villamizar, Victim-Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derrick Williams and Veronica Sanchez, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Christopher Howland, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Defendant Previously Served Prison Sentence for Different Theft Scheme

            WASHINGTON – Rhayda Barnes Thomas, 52, of Washington, D.C., a former employee of the D.C. Department of Employment Services’ Project Empowerment Program, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for stealing more than $350,000 from the Project Empowerment Program between May 2015 and April 2018.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

            On May 17, 2023, Barnes Thomas pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ordered restitution in the amount of $356,110.64, three years of supervised release, 360 hours of community service, and ordered Thomas be liable for a forfeiture money judgment totaling $318,415.

            The D.C. government’s Project Empowerment Program provides employment services to D.C. residents who have multiple barriers to employment, such as a history of substance abuse, a history of job cycling (not maintaining steady employment), and either a felony conviction or previous incarceration. One phase of the program consists of subsidized employment, which involves the D.C. government paying the wages of participants while they work at worksites. During this phase, worksites were responsible for entering participants’ work hours into an electronic system used by Project Empowerment. In turn, the D.C. government would then have payments corresponding with those hours issued to accounts associated with participants, usually in the form of pre-paid bank debit cards.

            In 2011, Barnes Thomas pleaded guilty, in federal court in the District of Maryland, to theft involving a federal government program in connection with a scheme to use federal funds received by her school employer to buy technology for herself, her family, and friends. She was sentenced to 27 months in prison for that offense.

            In August 2013, following her release from prison, Barnes Thomas participated in the Project Empowerment Program. She ultimately was hired by the program as a Program Support Assistant in February 2014. From May 2015 through April 2018, she stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the program by reviving 16 former Project Empowerment participants’ profiles and modifying entries in a database to falsely show them as working for a non-profit organization, which was not true.  She also used the name of a former employee from the non‑profit organization to enter and approve time in the database showing individuals as working when they were not. In addition, she ordered or caused to be ordered replacement and new prepaid debit cards on behalf of the former Project Empowerment participants whose profiles she fraudulently revived. As a result of her conduct, she caused the D.C. government to request that Wells Fargo Bank load funds onto those prepaid debit cards, which she controlled.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Inspector General Lucas, and Inspector in Charge Wood commended the work of those who investigated the case from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Criminal Investigations Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the efforts of individuals from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and David Gorman, Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Mariela Andrade, and Amanda Rohde, and former Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Aisha Keys.

WASHINGTON – Jamari Payne, 21, of Washington, D.C., was presented in Superior Court today on the charge of second-degree murder while armed, stemming from the homicide of 57-year-old Bacilio Villatoro, on September 22, 2022, in the Gateway neighborhood, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced. 

            Mr. Payne was arraigned before Judge Shelly Mulkey in D.C. Superior Court, today, where he entered a plea of not guilty. The defendant is accused of firing multiple shots striking the victim in the back. The court heard arguments and found probable cause to believe that the defendant committed second degree murder while armed. The court held the defendant without bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 31, 2023, before Judge Maribeth Raffinan.  

            An arrest on a complaint is merely a formally charged allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            In announcing the charge, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

Defendant Accused of Sexually Assaulting Multiple Victims in Golden Triangle

            WASHINGTON – Christopher Sharp, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been arrested on sexual assault charges against three different victims. Sharp is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia with assault with intent to commit first degree sexual abuse; kidnapping; and misdemeanor sexual abuse. He made an initial appearance in the District of Columbia on August 16, 2023. The Honorable Shelly A. Mulkey has ordered that Sharp be detained pending a preliminary hearing on August 22, 2023. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.

            According to court documents, on August 15, 2023, at approximately 9:40am, Sharp left the George Washington University Hospital. Upon the leaving the building, he encountered an individual standing near the exit. Sharp is accused of smacking the individual’s buttock. Sharp then walked away in the direction of Washington Circle. Around five minutes later, at approximately 9:50am, Sharp encountered an individual walking in the 2100 block of K Street, Northwest. As Sharp and the individual passed each other, Sharp is accused of grabbing the individual’s buttock.

            Around five minutes later, at approximately 9:55am, Sharp encountered an individual near the intersection of 19th Street, Northwest and Eye Street, Northwest. Sharp is accused of approaching the individual from behind, touching the individual’s vagina, and lifting the individual into the air. Sharp then walked several feet forward before sitting down on the pavement, still carrying the individual. Once on the ground, Sharp is accused of pinning the individual to the ground, pulling up her dress, and attempting to sexually assault the individual. The assault ended when bystanders intervened, causing the defendant to release the individual.

            At the time of the alleged offenses, Sharp was on release in a pending case in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in which he was charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse against three additional victims.          

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

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

The Defendants evaded more than $1.35M in Taxes and Spent more than $738K in COVID Relief Funds on a Waterfront Condo, Personal Investments, Vacation, and College Tuition

            WASHINGTON – Gholam “Tony” Kowkabi, 63, and Karen Kowkabi, 64, of Vienna, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court today to tax offenses relating to their failure to pay more than $1.35 million in taxes, arising from their operation of several restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area. Gholam Kowkabi also pleaded guilty to stealing more than $738,000 from the emergency small business relief funds his Georgetown restaurant—Ristorante Piccolo—received during the COVID pandemic. As part of his plea, Mr. Kowkabi acknowledged having spent money, which was intended to help his business, on a waterfront condo in Ocean City, Maryland, as well as personal investments, vacations for his family, and college tuition for his child.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg, of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.

            “This defendant robbed a program intended to help fellow restauranteurs and other small business owners who were struggling to stay afloat amid the devastating economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “He also created an elaborate scheme to hide assets and play a shell game with the IRS so he could avoid paying the more than one million dollars in taxes that he and his business owed. Our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute such frauds."

            “Tax evasion and misappropriation of COVID-19 relief funds undermine the integrity of our tax system and harm honest taxpayers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Washington D.C. Field Office.  “IRS Criminal Investigation remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding tax compliance and pursuing those who attempt to evade their tax responsibilities.”         

            Gholam Kowkabi pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to wire fraud and tax evasion. Wire fraud carries a statutory penalty of 20 years and financial penalties. Tax evasion carries a statutory penalty of five years and financial penalties.

            Karen Kowkabi pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to five counts of willfully failing to pay taxes. Failing to pay tax carries a statutory penalty of one year and financial penalties.

            Sentencing hearings are scheduled for December 1, 2023. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Tax Evasion Scheme

            According to the statements of offense submitted to the Court and admitted by Gholam Kowkabi and Karen Kowkabi, the Kowkabis have owned and operated Ristorante Piccolo in Georgetown since 1986.  The Kowkabis also owned and operated restaurants Catch 15 and Tuscana West in Washington, D.C. From 1998 to 2018, the Kowkabis amassed an unpaid tax balance of $1,351,038.51, including federal income and employment taxes and Trust Fund Recovery Penalties. Gholam Kowkabi admitted to willfully attempting to evade payment of those taxes by concealing assets and obscuring the large sums of money he took from the businesses by, among others, purchasing property in the name of a nominee entity and causing false entries in the businesses’ books and records to hide personal purchases using business bank accounts.  Karen Kowkabi admitted that she willfully failed to pay these taxes as well.

            Gholam and Karen Kowkabi have agreed to pay $1,351,038.51 in restitution to the IRS.

The Scheme to Steal COVID-19 Relief Funds

            Further, from May 13, 2020, to July 27, 2021, Gholam Kowkabi obtained more than more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds including $474,000 from first draw and second draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for $499,900 and a Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) grant for $631,823.28.

            First Draw PPP loans could be used to help fund payroll costs, including benefits, and could also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations. Second Draw PPP loans could be used to help fund payroll costs, including benefits. Second Draw PPP loan funds could also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations. EIDL loan proceeds could be used for working capital to make regular payments for operating expenses, including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, and other ordinary business expenses, and to pay business debt. Restaurant Revitalization Funds could be used for specific expenses including business payroll costs (including sick leave), payments on any business mortgage obligation, business rent payments (not including prepayment), business debt service (not including prepayment), both principal and interest, business utility payments, business maintenance expenses, construction of outdoor seating, business supplies, business food and beverage expenses, covered supplier costs, business operating expenses.

            In these applications and loan agreements, Gholam Kowkabi fraudulently and falsely promised that the PPP, EIDL, and RRF proceeds would be used only for business-related and eligible purposes as specified in the applications. Instead, Gholam Kowkabi used a portion of the PPP funds, EIDL funds, and RRF funds for unauthorized purposes and for his own personal enrichment, including the purchase of a waterfront condo in Ocean City, Maryland for more than $500,000, two joint venture investments totaling more than $237,000 for the construction of homes in Great Falls, Virginia, and more than $78,500 to open Divan Restaurant in McLean, Virginia. Gholam Kowkabi spent more than $11,000 of COVID relief funds on his home mortgage, more than $14,000 on vacations, more than $62,000 on personal legal expenses, more than $20,000 on home improvement, and more than $5,500 on college tuition payments.

            Gholam Kowkabi has agreed to pay $738,657.18 in restitution to the SBA. Gholam Kowkabi has agreed to a money judgment in the amount of $738,657.18 and to the forfeiture of the waterfront condo and the two joint ventures funded with COVID-19 relief funds.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Goldberg, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Carter commended the work of those who investigated the case from IRS-CI. They expressed thanks for assistance provided by the SBA Office of Inspector General during the investigation of this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Goemaat of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section and Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney of the Department of Justice, Tax Division.

# #

            On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

            Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a sergeant from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who was involved in the February 2023 fatality of B.B., a 35-year-old District resident who died after running off the rooftop of an apartment building in Northwest Washington, D.C.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian eyewitness accounts, BWC footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from MPD.

            According to the evidence, at about 4:53 a.m. on February 28, 2023, B.B. was on an apartment building rooftop in the 4500 block of MacArthur Boulevard, Northwest, yelling suicidal thoughts.  A 911 call brought MPD officers, including Sergeant Travis Maguire, to the rooftop.  As documented on their BWC footage, Sgt. Maguire and others spoke with B.B. and attempted to get him away from the edge of the building, ultimately luring B.B. toward them with a cigarette.  In an attempt to incapacitate B.B., Sgt. Maguire discharged his ECD (taser) but it failed to take effect.  B.B. then ran off the roof.

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Sergeant Maguire used excessive force under the circumstances or otherwise willfully violated B.B.’s rights.

Use-of-force investigations generally

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.  To prove civil rights violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary.  Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden.  Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. 

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Michael Dolson, 37, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for the March 14, 2022 stabbing death of Kenneth Thomas, Jr., 42, of Silver Spring Maryland, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  Mr. Thomas was a Howard University graduate with a Masters of Divinity and a licensed Minister.

            Dolson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed on March 24, 2023, in Superior Court in the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sunday, March 13, 2022, Dolson and his companion went to the Cloud Lounge at 1919 9th St., NW. The couple was seated at the back of the establishment, away from other patrons, ordered cocktails and smoked marijuana, despite the club’s rule against the consumption of marijuana on the property. Kenneth Thomas, Jr., approached the couple and asked to sit at the table with them, which he did for an hour and a half. As the evening wore on, Dolson became annoyed with the victim and gestured for Thomas to sit elsewhere.   Thomas did not oblige so Dolson slashed Thomas on the face with a hidden knife he brought into the nightclub. Thomas stood up and Dolson lunged at him, stabbing him in the chest. Dolson and his companion then left the club. Thomas was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Dolson was later arrested on April 5, 2022, and has remained in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark and Victim Witness Service Coordinator, Katina Adams-Washington. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Jose Avelino Felipe, 45, pleaded guilty to stabbing his female roommate in 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Avelino Felipe pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of assault with intent to kill. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for October 22, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on December 4, 2021, the defendant and his wife were living in the same apartment as the victim and her husband. That evening, the defendant and the victim’s husband got into a physical altercation in the home. Both men left the home after the altercation. Shortly thereafter, the defendant returned to the home, where the victim remained. The defendant came to her bedroom and asked whether she would call the police. She stated she would not. Nevertheless, the defendant then stabbed the victim twice with a knife, once in the chest, and once in her left shoulder. The defendant fled the apartment before police arrived.

            Both the victim and her husband required emergency surgery for their injuries. The victim continues to recover from her injuries.

            The Metropolitan Police Department Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended the defendant on May 23, 2023.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Covert who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Jonathan Willis, 37, of North Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Willis pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on March 31, 2022, the defendant began communicating with a 14-year-old minor victim who resided in Washington, D.C. using Snapchat. The defendant offered to pay the victim money in exchange for sexually explicit photographs. Over a two-week period, the defendant sent the fourteen-year-old girl multiple photos of his penis and of himself masturbating, and repeatedly asked her to come to his residence in Maryland to “make love.” The victim refused and reported the defendant’s communications to law enforcement. On May 12, 2022 and May 24, 2022, an undercover officer assumed the victim’s identity on Snapchat. On both occasions, the defendant requested sexually explicit photographs of the 14-year-old girl, sent her photos and videos of his penis, and attempted to persuade her to travel to Maryland for sexual activity.

            In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Randolph D. Moss ordered 10 years of supervised release and ordered Willis to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

           This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Odom commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell, who prosecuted the case.

            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.

WASHINGTON – Haider Ali, 36, of Springfield, Virginia, was sentenced today to 68 months in prison for his role in a fraud conspiracy that included bank fraud and the impersonation of federal law enforcement, in a scheme that bilked more than $750,000 from his victims. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, with the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

            According to court documents, Ali and his co-conspirator, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, of Washington, D.C., impersonated federal officers, using fake identification to rent luxury apartments and cheat the owners out of rent, and to ingratiate themselves with legitimate members of law enforcement. Ali pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, on October 5, 2022, to the federal charges of conspiracy and bank fraud, and to the unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, a District of Columbia offense. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered 36 months of supervised release and restitution of $757,922.66.

            “Deceptions like this do grave damage to the actual agents and officers who are on the street, dealing with the public whose trust is critical to their safety and success,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Fortunately, our law enforcement partners moved quickly to stop this defendant, expose his scam, and uncover his million-dollar bank fraud. As this sentence shows, impersonating a member of law enforcement is a serious offense. Those who pretend for the sake of exerting unlawful authority over the public, or for their own financial gain, will face significant consequences.”

            “Impersonating federal officers is a serious crime. Ali used fake law enforcement credentials to cheat people out of money to fuel his greed and perpetuate his fake persona,” said Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “Thanks to collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, we were able to quickly and effectively dismantle this sophisticated scheme, which not only degraded the operations of real law enforcement but also endangered the safety of the public.”

            According to court documents, Ali and Taherzadeh operated a business called United States Special Police LLC (USSP), which was described as a private law enforcement, investigative, and protective services company, based in Washington. The two men represented themselves to law enforcement as investigators and/or special agents, claiming an affiliation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which was, in fact, not true. The company was not associated in any way with the United States government or the District of Columbia and had never done business with the federal or D.C. governments.

            As the scheme unfolded, Ali falsely claimed at various times that he was a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and/or the U.S. Secret Service. He also falsely claimed that he participated in the capture of the wife of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, that his family had a royal bloodline, and that he had a connection to a senior official in the Pakistani Intelligence Service. Taherzadeh, meanwhile, falsely claimed to be, among other things, a Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security, a member of a multi-jurisdictional federal task force, a former United States Air Marshal, and a former Army Ranger.

            Both men used these false claims to recruit others to join their “task force” or “unit,” which these individuals believed to be part of DHS and federal law enforcement. In furtherance of the scheme, Ali and Taherzadeh ingratiated themselves with employees of the U.S. Secret Service because it provided them with cover and aided in their scheme.

            Ali and Taherzadeh used their assumed law enforcement personas and the business to maintain leases for multiple apartments and parking spaces for supposed law enforcement operations at a luxury apartment complex in Southeast Washington. These units included a penthouse where Ali and Taherzadeh possessed, among other things, a Glock handgun registered to Ali that was loaded with a large-capacity ammunition feeding device, surveillance equipment, law enforcement tactical gear and a machine capable of programming Personal Identification Verification (PIV) cards used to create false credentials. They also used their false identification with law enforcement to obtain security footage in the building, as well as a list of the building’s residents, as well as their apartment numbers and contact information.

            Throughout their tenancy, no rent was paid on the leased apartments or parking garage. This resulted in a loss to the building of $295,277, and to the garage of $7,854.

            Additionally, according to the plea documents, beginning as early as May 2017 and continuing through March 2021, Ali engaged in a bank fraud scheme in which he generated more than $1 million in gross receipts from one or more financial institutions. He used bank accounts that he and others maintained and controlled to falsely and fraudulently execute debit and credit card transactions.

            Ali and Taherzadeh were arrested on April 6, 2022. Taherzadeh pleaded guilty on Aug. 1, 2022, to a federal conspiracy offense and two District of Columbia offenses: unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device and voyeurism. Taherzadeh is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2023.

            Following the pronouncement of the sentence, Ali was ordered remanded to begin his sentence effective immediately.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Joshua S. Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.

            Valuable assistance has been provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice and Paralegal Specialists Quiana Dunn-Gordon, and Lisa Abbe and former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Kathleen Campbell and Evan Turgeon of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

Incidents Occurred in April 2023 as Children Walked to/from Bancroft Elementary

            WASHINGTON – Derrick Jones, 54, pleaded guilty today in two separate cases for masturbating in public, near Bancroft Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant, and then threatening neighbors who asked him to stop, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acing Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  

            Jones pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to eight separate counts in two cases: two counts of attempted threats, one count of threats, two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2023, before the Honorable Sean Staples. As part of his sentence, Jones will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the afternoon of April 3, 2023, Jones was observed by a neighbor masturbating outside of the neighbor’s apartment building, which is located less than a block away from Bancroft Elementary School. The neighbor, who was with her 11-year-old son, was trying to record Jones’s behavior since, according to the neighbor, this was a routine occurrence during the hours when children were walking to and from school. In fact, Jones has three prior convictions for lewd, indecent, or obscene acts in the District of Columbia. When Jones observed his neighbor trying to record him on April 3, he crossed the street in an aggressive manner and threatened to kill the neighbor’s family and their dog.

            Then, on April 6, 2023, a woman was returning home after dropping her nephew off at Bancroft Elementary when she observed Jones outside an apartment masturbating. Jones made eye contact with the woman and continued his behavior. On the morning of April 12, 2023, Jones was again seen masturbating outside of the apartment building as children were being dropped off at school.

            Jones engaged in the same conduct the following day, April 13, 2023, exposing himself and masturbating outside of his building while children were walking by on the on their way to school. A Bancroft Elementary school crossing guard observed Jones, and while another colleague ushered kids to the opposite side of the street out of view, the crossing guard approached Jones and asked him to stop. Jones responded by loudly threatening to “blow y’all up” before going inside and returning with a black duffel bag. Not knowing what was in the bag, the crossing guard became even more alarmed and law enforcement was ultimately flagged down and Jones was taken into custody.

            In addition to these incidents, after the defendant’s arrest, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department further investigated and located additional victims. In pleading guilty, Jones also admitted that between April 1 and April 13, 2023, he exposed himself and masturbated in front of an 11-year-old girl who lived in a neighboring apartment.

            The defendant has been in custody since his arrest on April 13, 2023.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case, and the U.S. Secret Service, who assisted in the defendant’s apprehension on April 13, 2023. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Johnny DaSilva and Tracy Owusu.

            Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jae Friedman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wash, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Justin Taylor, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for sexual assaults in two separate cases, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department. Taylor pleaded guilty in one case on September 9, 2022, to third degree sexual abuse; and pleaded guilty today in the other case to one count of second degree child sexual abuse.  He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, shortly after 9:00 a.m. on January 26, 2022, in the 500 block of 42nd Street, N.E., the defendant followed a 15-year old girl he didn’t know as she was walking to school. As the two of them were walking down a path in a park at that location, the defendant asked the victim if she had ever seen a man’s genitals. When the victim turned around, Taylor was exposing himself and asked the victim whether she wanted to “do something?” The victim began to run away but tripped and fell. Before she could get up, the defendant, still exposed, ran up and grabbed her buttock with his hand, through her clothing, again asking, “Do you wanna do something?” The victim yelled at the defendant, “No. Don’t touch me,” swung her fist at the defendant, and escaped to a friend’s home, where she reported the sexual assault to her friend and her friend’s mother.

            Two days later, in the early afternoon of January 28, 2022, Taylor followed an adult woman he didn’t know down the street-level escalator at the Shaw/Howard University Metro Train Station, located at 1801 7th Street, N.W. When Taylor and the victim got to the bottom of that escalator, the defendant grabbed the victim from behind and by surprise, holding her around the waist so that she could not get away from him. Taylor, while restraining the woman, pressed his penis against the victim’s buttocks. The woman fought back and hollered for help until she was able to escape Taylor’s grasp. Taylor fled up the Metro escalator, left the area and got on a Metro bus. Shortly thereafter, Metro Transit Police removed Taylor from that bus and brought him back to an area near the Metro Station, where the victim identified him as the person who had assaulted her. Taylor was then arrested.

            In 2018, Taylor was charged in a similar case and pleaded guilty to one count of attempted third-degree sexual abuse with force.  He was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was given the benefit of sentencing under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (“YRA”), which he will lose as a result of today’s convictions.  He was also sentenced in that case to seven years of supervised release and was, in fact, released from prison less than three months before committing these offenses. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Chief Smith, and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and Metro Transit Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Garcia Clarke, former Paralegal Specialist Brenda Williams, Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan and Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Roderick Johnson.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Defendant Admits He Diverted Funds to Overseas Bank Accounts

            WASHINGTON - Onwuchekwa Nnanna Kalu, 39, a Nigerian National from Rivers State, Nigeria, pleaded guilty today to stealing $1.25 million from an investment firm located in Boston, through a business email compromise (“BEC”) scam. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Nnanna Kalu pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of wire fraud.  U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled a sentencing hearing for November 29, 2023.  Kalu was arrested in 2022 and has been detained by the Court as a risk of flight.

            BEC scams typically involve a combination of computer intrusion techniques and social engineering in order to misdirect a transfer of funds into a bank account controlled by the fraudsters. According to court documents, Kalu and others conspired to enrich themselves through a BEC scheme that targeted an investment firm located in Massachusetts (Company A), which had invested in 42 companies located in North America, Europe, and Israel. Kalu and other conspirators gained access to the email account of an employee at Company A and, unbeknownst to the employee, the fraudsters installed malware on the employee’s computer that forwarded emails containing certain words like “invoice,” “fund,” “pay,” and “wire,” to an external email account controlled by the fraudsters. Kalu and others then created a spoofed domain name for Company A that differed by one letter, and sent spoofed emails, appearing to be from directors of Company A, to a financial services company located in London, England (Company B). Those spoofed appeals directed Company B to misdirect $1.25 million of wire transfers from Company A’s bank account to bank accounts outside of the U.S. controlled by conspirators. Once the fraudsters transferred the funds to financial institutions outside the U.S., the conspirators transferred some of those funds to bank accounts they controlled in Nigeria. 

            “Business email compromise schemes wreak havoc on companies, governments, and other institutions,” said Graves. “The best way to thwart a BEC scheme is due diligence. Check and double check the email address before responding with any information that could put you or your employer at risk.  Once a breach is identified, we will do everything in our power to identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators no matter where they hide.”

            “Onwuchekwa Nnanna Kalu conspired to steal over $1 million from an investment firm through a business email compromise scheme,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “This case should serve not only as a caution to businesses about the dangers of spoofed emails but also as a warning to cybercriminals about the FBI's dedication to prosecuting fraudsters — even those who operate overseas.”

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office.  He also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant United States Attorney John W. Borchert who investigated and prosecuted the case. 

WASHINGTON – Atawan Mundu John, a.k.a., John Mundu Atawan, 46, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to attempting to tamper with a witness more than nine years ago during a federal healthcare fraud investigation. He was charged via indictment in December 2014 but remained a fugitive until his arrest three weeks ago.

            The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

            In February 2014, a federal grand jury charged Florence Bikundi, who owned and operated a home health care agency, with various offenses related to a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud the D.C. Medicaid program. The defendant was employed by Bikundi’s agency as a personal care aide. After Bikundi was arrested, the investigation into her and others continued. As part of its investigation, law enforcement agents interviewed the defendant multiple times.

            On June 12, 2014, one of the Medicaid beneficiaries who received kickbacks from the defendant to help facilitate the fraud placed a recorded call to the defendant that lasted approximately 18 minutes. During that call, the defendant – fully aware of the active federal investigation – instructed the beneficiary to lie to the FBI about ever receiving money or kickbacks. The defendant admitted on the call that paying money to beneficiaries was fraud.  Law enforcement agents confronted the defendant with the recorded call five days later. Before formal charges were brought against him, the defendant fled the area.

            In December 2014, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Florence Bikundi, her husband Michael Bikundi, Christian Asongcha, five other individuals, and the defendant with various offenses related to the scheme to defraud Medicaid. The defendant was charged with one count of attempted witness tampering. Five of the individuals pleaded guilty to health care fraud, and in November 2015, a jury convicted Florence and Michael Bikundi of multiple offenses after a trial. By June 2016, the Bikundis and five other individuals all had been sentenced while Asongcha, who has never been apprehended, and the defendant remained fugitives.

            The defendant remained a fugitive until July 13, 2023, when he was arrested in Maryland. He has been held without bond since then.

            U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell, who accepted the defendant’s guilty plea, scheduled sentencing for November 3, 2023.  The court will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.

            The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud. If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General hotline at 800- HHS‑TIPS (800 447-8477) or the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at 800-724-TIPS (800 274-8477).

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, and the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Multiple people from the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked on this case, including former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lionel A. André, Anthony Saler, and Michelle Bradford, who tried Florence and Michael Bikundi. The case against Atawan Mundu John is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart.

Defendant Threatened Bank Tellers with Bomb

            WASHINGTON - A Superior Court jury, today, found Mark Stubblefield, 65, of Washington, D.C., guilty on all counts for robbing and threatening to blow up a branch of the Truist Bank, located at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Stubblefield was found guilty of one count of robbery while armed and one count of felony threats. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 17, 2023.

            According to evidence presented at trial, shortly after 2:35 p.m., on October 20, 2022, the defendant disguised himself and walked into the Truist Bank, located at 1369 Connecticut Avenue, NW. He threatened to blow up the bank tellers, putting them in fear for their lives, and demanded a large amount of cash. Around two minutes later, he left the bank with $10,000 in cash. He walked south on Connecticut Avenue, before getting on a Metrobus and donning a D.C. Department of Transportation uniform. The defendant evaded police and escaped that day.

            The government presented surveillance footage from nearby business and the Metrobus. The Metrobus surveillance clearly captured the defendant’s face, which the FBI and Metropolitan Police Department used to find witnesses who identified the bank robber. The government also presented DNA evidence linking the defendant to the crime.

            In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the officers and detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case, as well as members of the prosecution team. They thanked the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Laboratory for providing valuable assistance.  They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including: Special Agent Sean Ricardi, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce, and Paralegal Specialists Debra McPherson and Antoinette Sakamsa, with valuable assistance from AUSAs Paul Courtney and Jessica Ans.

            Finally, they recognized Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. Valdivia and Alec Levy who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A married couple from New York City pleaded guilty today to money laundering conspiracies arising from the hack and theft of approximately 120,000 bitcoin from Bitfinex, a global cryptocurrency exchange.

            Ilya Lichtenstein, 35, and Heather Morgan, 33, were arrested in February 2022, after the government seized approximately 95,000 of those stolen Bitcoin from cryptocurrency wallets in the defendants’ control. At the time of the seizure, the recovered funds were valued at approximately $3.6 billion. Since their arrests, the government has seized another approximately $475 million tied to the hack.

            The pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, of the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York  Field Office made the announcement.

            According to court documents, Lichtenstein used a number of advanced hacking tools and techniques to gain access to Bitfinex’s network. Once inside their systems, Lichtenstein was able to fraudulently authorize more than 2,000 transactions in which 119,754 bitcoin was transferred from Bitfinex to a cryptocurrency wallet in Lichtenstein’s control. Lichtenstein then took steps to cover his tracks by going back into Bitfinex’s network and deleting access credentials and other log files that may have given him away to law enforcement. Following the hack, Lichtenstein enlisted the help of his wife, Heather Morgan, in laundering the stolen funds.

            As part of their pleas, Lichtenstein and Morgan admitted that Lichtenstein, at times with Morgan’s assistance, employed numerous sophisticated laundering techniques, including using fictitious identities to set up online accounts; utilizing computer programs to automate transactions; depositing the stolen funds into accounts at a variety of darknet markets and  cryptocurrency exchanges and then withdrawing the funds, which obfuscates the trail of the transaction history by breaking up the fund flow; converting bitcoin to other forms of  cryptocurrency, including anonymity-enhanced  cryptocurrency (AEC), in a practice known as “chain hopping”; depositing a portion of the criminal proceeds into cryptocurrency mixing services, such as Bitcoin Fog, Helix, and ChipMixer; using U.S.-based business accounts to legitimize their banking activity; and exchanging a portion of the stolen funds into gold coins, which Morgan then concealed by burying them.

            Lichtenstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Morgan pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            Consistent with standard practice in criminal forfeiture cases, there will be a formal process at the conclusion of the case, pursuant to Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, for third-party claimants to submit claims for any seized and forfeited property.

            The investigation was led by IRS-CI Washington, D.C. Field Office’s Cyber Crimes Unit, FBI-Chicago, FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit (VAU), and HSI-New York. The Ansbach Police Department in Germany provided assistance during this investigation.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher B. Brown and Jolie Zimmerman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, along with Trial Attorneys Jessica Peck and C. Alden Pelker of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. Paralegal Specialists Angela De Falco and Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick provided valuable assistance. Significant assistance was also provided by Trial Attorney Christen Gallagher, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Southern District of New York, HSI-Philadelphia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Brooks.

A married couple from New York City pleaded guilty today to money laundering conspiracies arising from the hack and theft of approximately 120,000 bitcoin from Bitfinex, a global cryptocurrency exchange.

Ilya Lichtenstein, 35, and Heather Morgan, 33, were arrested in February 2022 after the government seized approximately 95,000 of those stolen bitcoin from cryptocurrency wallets in the defendants’ control. At the time of the seizure, the recovered funds were valued at approximately $3.6 billion. Since their arrests, the government has seized another approximately $475 million tied to the hack.

According to court documents, Lichtenstein used a number of advanced hacking tools and techniques to gain access to Bitfinex’s network. Once inside their systems, Lichtenstein fraudulently authorized more than 2,000 transactions in which 119,754 bitcoin was transferred from Bitfinex to a cryptocurrency wallet in Lichtenstein’s control. Lichtenstein then took steps to cover his tracks by going back into Bitfinex’s network and deleting access credentials and other log files that may have given him away to law enforcement. Following the hack, Lichtenstein enlisted the help of his wife, Morgan, in laundering the stolen funds.

Lichtenstein, at times with Morgan’s assistance, employed numerous sophisticated laundering techniques, including using fictitious identities to set up online accounts; utilizing computer programs to automate transactions; depositing the stolen funds into accounts at a variety of darknet markets and  cryptocurrency exchanges and then withdrawing the funds, which obfuscates the trail of the transaction history by breaking up the fund flow; converting bitcoin to other forms of  cryptocurrency, including anonymity-enhanced  cryptocurrency (AEC), in a practice known as “chain hopping”; depositing a portion of the criminal proceeds into cryptocurrency mixing services, such as Bitcoin Fog, Helix, and ChipMixer; using U.S.-based business accounts to legitimize their banking activity; and exchanging a portion of the stolen funds into gold coins, which Morgan then concealed by burying them.

Lichtenstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Morgan pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, each of which carries a maximum penalty of five years of in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Consistent with standard practice in criminal forfeiture cases, there will be a formal process at the conclusion of the case pursuant to Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure for third-party claimants to submit claims for any seized and forfeited property.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Chief Jim Lee of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York made the announcement.

The IRS-CI Washington, D.C. Field Office’s Cyber Crimes Unit; FBI Chicago Field Office; FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit (VAU); and HSI New York are investigating the case, with assistance from the Ansbach Police Department in Germany.

Trial Attorneys Jessica Peck and C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher B. Brown and Jolie Zimmerman for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Paralegal Specialists Angela De Falco and Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick provided valuable assistance. Significant assistance was also provided by Trial Attorney Christen Gallagher, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Southern District of New York, HSI Philadelphia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Brooks.

WASHINGTON – Nicole Freeman Smith, 51, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to one felony count and one misdemeanor count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person (FEVA) for stealing more than $133,000 from two elderly District residents suffering from cognitive impairment. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice, of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.

            According to court documents, Smith, who worked as a property manager at several residential buildings for seniors in Washington, D.C., targeted vulnerable building residents to steal thousands of dollars from their accounts and other sources of income after befriending them and gaining their trust. After unduly influencing one victim to provide Smith with access to her financial account information, Smith stole over $94,000 from the victim’s accounts, and attempted to steal $25,000 more. Smith used the stolen funds to pay for personal expenses, including paying off credit card and utility bills, back taxes, and multiple auto loans. Smith further stole more than $38,000 from a second victim, depositing two of the victim’s personal injury settlement checks in Smith’s bank account and keeping the money for herself.

            The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz accepted Smith’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for September 29, 2023. As part of her plea, Smith agreed to pay restitution to the victims and will be prohibited from working or volunteering with elderly or vulnerable adults. 

            This prosecution is part of the Office’s wider efforts to combat crimes against seniors and vulnerable adults. In 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia simultaneously launched initiatives to address the abuse and exploitation of older adults. The Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative at the U.S. Attorney’s Office expanded its response to criminal and civil violations targeting older adults. The initiative has enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to develop and coordinate further its prosecution of these cases and enhance its overall support of older or vulnerable victims. The team consists of experienced prosecutors and victim advocates from across the Office, to include the Superior Court, Criminal, and Civil Divisions, as well as the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. This prosecution is indicative of the continued collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute cases of this kind.

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, and Special Agent in Charge Rice commended the work of those who investigated the case from HUD-OIG. They also cited the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Torabzadeh, on detail from the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute financial crimes cases involving elderly victims, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta joined police departments and local communities across the country yesterday for the 40th annual National Night Out.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. It began in 1984, when the Justice Department awarded a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant to establish National Night Out with the goal of helping foster relationships between communities and law enforcement. Over the past 40 years, National Night Out has partnered with over 17,000 communities and has positively impacted the lives of over 38 million Americans. Most neighborhoods participate in the annual celebration on the first Tuesday of August.

“Everyone in our country deserves to be safe in their communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “National Night Out is an important opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the close partnership between law enforcement and the communities we serve.”

Attorney General Garland participated in National Night Out events in the Philadelphia area – a current BJA Public Safety Partnership (PSP) site. Since its selection in 2021, Philadelphia has worked with local law enforcement agencies, including the Philadelphia Police Department, to reduce violent crime around the city. The Attorney General attended National Night Out events hosted by the Philadelphia Police Department’s 22nd District and Bensalem Township, where he spoke with community residents and law enforcement officials about the importance of community partnership and celebrated the city’s crime reduction efforts. Attorney General Garland was also joined by U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Deputy Attorney General Monaco was in Nashville to highlight how the Justice Department is combatting violent crime through strong partnerships with both law enforcement and community leaders. She attended National Night Out events with U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee and Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Chief John Drake in the Edgehill and East Park neighborhoods. While in Nashville, the Deputy AG attended roll-call at the MNPD precinct that responded to the March 2023 shooting at the Covenant School, to thank the officers for their commitment to public safety. The Deputy AG also visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, where she met with state, local, and federal law enforcement leaders and thanked the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work.

Associate Attorney General Gupta was joined by Director Hugh T. Clements of the Department’s Office for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia at Washington, D.C.’s National Night Out kickoff event at the Rosedale Recreation Center in Northeast D.C. Alongside Pamela A. Smith, the newly appointed Acting Chief of Police for the Metropolitan Police Department, and other local leaders, Associate Attorney General Gupta delivered opening remarks and met with local law enforcement and community members. Washington, D.C. is a current PSP member and has partnered with the Metropolitan Police Department to reduce crime through interagency coordination and community policing techniques.

ATF Director Steven Dettelbach attended National Night Out events in Pleasanton, California, during his visit to the ATF San Francisco Field Division. He joined Pleasanton Police Department Chief David Swing in celebrating the events. 

Many U.S. Attorneys’ Offices also participated in National Night Out festivities around the country to celebrate crime reduction efforts and partnership between local law enforcement and the communities they serve.

WASHINGTON – Mark Thomas Moore, 32, of the District of Columbia, is charged by indictment in a series of armed robberies he is alleged to have committed in the Fall of 2022.

            The indictment, filed yesterday in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Damon Wood, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the government’s evidence, Moore robbed three commercial establishments and a U.S. Post Office, all in Southeast Washington, D.C., at gunpoint, between October 21, 2022, and November 22, 2022.  In addition, Moore held a store employee at gunpoint during one of the commercial robberies and robbed her of her cell phone. 

            Moore was arrested on November 28, 2022, following the robbery of a commercial establishment in Arlington, Virginia, and has been in custody ever since. 

            Moore fled the scene of the November 28 robbery on a distinct bicycle that was identical in appearance to the bicycle he used to flee the D.C. postal robbery.  After this link was established, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service was able to determine that Moore left a fingerprint inside the cash register drawer during the postal robbery.  In addition, a large BB gun and clothing recovered from Moore at the time of his arrest—and additional, unique clothing recovered during the search of a residence associated with Moore—further connects Moore to the string of armed robberies.

            The indictment charges Moore with three counts of interference with commerce by robbery (also known as “Hobbs Act” robbery), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of armed postal robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.   Under the D.C. Code, Moore is charged with one count of robbery while armed, and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.  

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves joined law enforcement partners at Rosedale Recreation Center in Northeast, Fifth District, along with community organizers, and neighbors for National Night Out today.

            "We have no greater partner in our fight against crime than our fellow community members,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “From reporting crime, bearing witness, and providing evidence – including, in this day and age, providing video from private security cameras at their residences. The community has been and will continue to be one of our greatest crime fighting partners. And that’s why National Night Out is so important.”

            This year, hundreds of residents across the District participated in various National Night Out events in their communities. This annual community-building campaign promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer. Established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice, the initiative is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.

            With coordination by local law enforcement and community partners, National Night Out provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together in a positive way, by hosting neighborhood block parties, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, and more fun activities. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.

            For more information, visit https://natw.org/.

WASHINGTON – Federal law enforcement, today, arrested Demarco Diggs, 26, of Aurora, Colorado, for trafficking-in dozens of firearms, including numerous firearms recovered in the Washington, D.C.-area. Diggs is charged by indictment with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and illegally transporting firearms. Diggs will have a detention hearing on August 3, 2023 in the District of Colorado.

            The charges were announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Washington Division, Acting United States Marshal Peter D. Marketos, of the District of Columbia, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the indictment, from on or about June 2021 to March 2023, Diggs engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. The indictment also charges Diggs with illegally transporting firearms into the District of Columbia on or about June and July of 2021.  Finally, the indictment seeks forfeiture of over two dozen firearms, as well as corresponding assorted ammunition, from Diggs. Among the firearms recovered, at least one has been linked to a D.C.-area shooting, and was traced back to Diggs as the purchaser.

            “This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will use every legal tool at our disposal to combat straw purchasing and choke off the dangerous flow of illegal guns into our city,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The message should be clear: unlawfully buying a gun for a prohibited person is a serious federal offense.”

            “Today’s announcement sends a clear message that participating in straw purchasing and firearm trafficking related schemes will have consequences. ATF continues to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who violate firearm related laws are held accountable,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kailimai. “One of our top priorities is to maintain public safety, so that citizens can feel safe in their communities.”

            “The United States Marshals Service for the District of Columbia (D/DC) is proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners in a coordinated effort to keep illegal firearms off the streets of Washington, D.C.,” said Acting United States Marshal Marketos. “We are committed to continue our joint efforts to ensure the apprehension of those individuals who engage in the illegal sales and transportation of firearms and other crimes that lead to violence. This apprehension is a perfect example of the lengths to which the United States Marshals Service will go to make our city safer for the community.”

            The forfeiture allegations represent the firearms recovered in Washington, D.C. as well as additional firearms recovered from a search of Diggs’s residence, and firearms that Diggs had advertised for sale.

            Each charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The sentence will be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

            This case was jointly investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), with assistance from ATF Denver Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement Network (RAVEN). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Wang and Matthew W. Kinskey of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.

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

WASHINGTON – Darrell Jones, 49, of Beltsville, MD, was convicted of all counts stemming from the April 7, 2022 stabbing of Wayne Pitt, at the Anacostia Metro Station, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD). The verdicts were returned yesterday by a Superior Court jury that found Jones guilty of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and carrying a dangerous weapon. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 26, 2023.

            On April 7, 2022, shortly before 7p.m., Darrell Jones arrived at the Anacostia Metro Station with his friend, Wayne Pitt. According to the government’s evidence, the two men were intoxicated as they spent more than an hour the Metro station platform. Jones pulled a folding knife out of his pocket and began attacking Mr. Pitt, driving the victim onto his back and swinging the knife at him 20 times. Mr. Pitt suffered nine stab wounds to his chest, sternum, abdomen and hand, suffering a punctured lung and numerous deep wounds that required immediate surgery. An MTPD officer arrived on scene, drew his weapon, and demanded that Jones drop the knife. Jones attempted to retreat from the officer, and then turned and cocked back his arm with the knife, as if to throw it in the direction of the officer. The officer shot Jones once.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including: Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section Kimberly Nielsen, Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy, Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Simmons and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mullin, who initially investigated the case.

Defendant Sexually Abused a Minor Child Over a Six-Month Period

            WASHINGTON –Mikeale Frazier, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced, on July 25, 2023, to 10 years in prison for first degree child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Sarah Linden, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Frazier pleaded guilty on October 25, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered 10 years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, Frazier sexually abused a fourteen-year-old minor child for approximately six months. When a relative of the minor victim told Frazier to stay away from the victim due to her age, Frazier continued to sexually abuse the minor victim. Frazier also recorded a video of his sexual abuse of the minor victim.

            Frazier was arrested on June 21, 2021, and has been in custody since.

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

            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.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Special Agent in Linden, and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force as well as the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division.  They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.

WASHINGTON – A jury, sitting in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, today found Jonathan Johnson, 35, of Washington, D.C., guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The verdict follows a three-day trial before the Honorable Florence Y. Pan, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for November 15, 2023.

            According to the evidence presented at trial, shortly after 6:00 pm, on Tuesday, December 29, 2020, members of the Metropolitan Police Department patrolling on 13th Street SE, Washington, D.C., saw the defendant crouch behind his car and heard a gun dropped on the concrete curb. MPD Officers approached the defendant and found a gun lying where the defendant was previously bent down. Further examination revealed that the gun was modified with a “giggle” or “selector” switch, which turned the semi-automatic gun into a fully automatic machine gun. In addition, the firearm was loaded with 22 bullets in an extended magazine.

            In announcing the conviction, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Birney, Lauren Renaud, Janani Iyengar, William G. Hart, who investigated the case, and Josh A. Gold and Colin Cloherty who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Medgar Webster Sr., 52, of Washington, D.C., was ordered to pay full restitution to the District of Columbia for defrauding the city and the Metropolitan Police Department of $33,845.59. Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced Webster to six months in jail, suspended, 6 months of supervised probation, and 54 months of unsupervised probation.

            Webster pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023, in Superior Court, to one count of first-degree felony fraud for committing time and attendance fraud on the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to court documents, Webster, a former MPD officer and Vice Chairman of the D.C. Police Union, engaged in unauthorized outside employment at three Whole Foods Market locations in Washington, D.C. between January 2021 and April 2022, while concurrently employed by MPD.  Although employment outside of MPD may be permitted in certain circumstances, Webster never submitted the necessary administrative forms or received the proper authorizations, which are required by MPD, in part, to maintain records of an MPD member’s hours worked throughout the year.

            Acting unchecked during this period, Webster stole more than $33,845 from MPD after billing MPD for regular, overtime and holiday hours that he never worked. In total, Webster worked more than 1,400 hours of outside employment at Whole Foods, of which 514 hours were worked simultaneously with time he fraudulently reported working for MPD. This double-billed time included submissions by Webster for 246.5 hours in overtime pay, at an adjustable hourly rate of $79.67 per hour.

            This fraud prosecution is the result of a partnership between the Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, and MPD Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the matter, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bayly Leighton, on detail from the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute local fraud and public corruption cases.

Defendants Fired 12 Shots at Six Young Men on a Sunday Afternoon

          WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury, today, returned guilty verdict on all counts against Jalen Browne, 22, of Upper Marlboro, MD, for the murders of Jovan Hill and Tariq Riley, on July 25, 2021, on Q Street NW, Washington, D.C. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

          Browne was found guilty of two counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and six counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 13, 2023.

          According to evidence presented at trial, shortly after 3:38pm on Sunday, July 25, 2021, the defendant disguised himself and walked around the 100 block of Q Street, NW, eventually lying in wait to shoot young men enjoying the hot summer day. The defendant, using a backpack to catch his shell casings, fired 12 shots in succession at six young men. Narrowly missing three of his targets, the Defendant hit Jovan Hill, Tariq Riley, and another man in the back. First responders found Jovan Hill and Tariq Riley on the ground. Both men were transported to nearby hospitals, but all life-saving efforts failed; both men died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the back.

            No witnesses provided information regarding the identity of the shooters. The government presented forensic, video surveillance, circumstantial, and motive evidence in securing a conviction on all counts.

            In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of the officers and detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case, as well as members of the prosecution team, including: Charlie Bruce, Zachary McMenamin, and Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarity, Lauren Douglas, and Tasha Harris.  Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Wojcik and Lauren Galloway who prosecuted the case. 

WASHINGTON – Jean Paul Kearney, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 20 years in prison for second degree murder while armed, and other charges, in connection with the April 4, 2021, shooting death of Dontra Harris. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan handed down the sentence on July 18, 2023, and also ordered five years of supervised release.

            Kearney was convicted by a jury of assault on a police officer while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, obstruction of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device); he pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023 to second degree murder while armed..

            According to the Government’s evidence, on April 4, 2021 shortly before 9 p.m., Kearney tailed his childhood friend, Dontra Harris, on a motorcycle. They both pulled over by the side of the road and verbally argued and then went their separate ways. Kearney, who lived nearby, went back home to switch out his motorcycle for his mother’s vehicle. He then drove to the victim’s apartment building and waited for 15 minutes for the victim to return home. When  the victim attempted to enter his building, Kearney ambushed him, and shot him several times in the back. When law enforcement and paramedics arrived on scene, they located the victim near the front of the building and pronounced him dead. On May 13, 2021, when the Gun Recovery Unit executed a residential search warrant in connection with the homicide investigation, Kearney fired multiple times at the officers with an AK-47 assault rifle. Several days later, upon learning that the police had collected his cellphone during the warrant execution, Kearney provided his family member with instructions over the phone on how to remotely erase the contents of his phone.

            Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arrested Kearney on May 13, 2021. He has been in custody since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), commended the work of the MPD officers and detective who investigated the case. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert and Debra Forte, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Victim/Witness Advocates Karina Hernandez and Paola Molina, Supervisory Victim Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Erin DeRiso, who investigated and prosecuted the case.