District of Columbia

British American Tobacco (BAT) and its subsidiary, BAT Marketing Singapore (BATMS), one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tobacco products based in the United Kingdom, has agreed to pay combined penalties of more than $629 million to resolve bank fraud and sanctions violations charges with U.S. authorities, arising out of the companies’ scheme to do business in North Korea through a third-party company in Singapore, in violation of the bank fraud statute and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Separately, charges were unsealed today in the District of Columbia against a North Korean banker and Chinese facilitators for their roles in facilitating the illicit sale of tobacco products in North Korea.

According to court documents, BATMS pleaded guilty to a criminal information filed in the District of Columbia charging BAT and BATMS with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to violate IEEPA. BAT entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) related to the same charges.

Specifically, in 2007, BAT spun off its North Korea sales to a third-party company, issuing a press statement that it was no longer involved in North Korea tobacco sales. In reality, BAT continued to do business in North Korea through the third-party company and BATMS maintained control over all relevant aspects of the North Korean business. Between 2007 and 2017, BAT and BATMS ran the payments for the tobacco sold to North Korean entities through the third-party company, resulting in approximately $418 million of U.S. dollar cash and correspondent banking transactions from North Korea to the third-party company in Singapore – money that was then passed on to BATMS and BAT. To make these payments, North Korean purchasers used front companies so that U.S. banks – which processed the transactions – would not know about the connection to North Korea. Pursuant to the DPA and plea agreement, BAT and BATMS will pay a total of $629 million in penalties and fines.

“British American Tobacco and its subsidiary engaged in an elaborate scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions and sell tobacco products to North Korea, allowing funds to illegally flow into the coffers of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s action, which involves the largest North Korean sanctions penalty in the history of the Justice Department, should serve as a clear warning to companies everywhere about the costs and consequences of violating U.S. sanctions.”

Today, the Department of the Treasury also announced a civil enforcement action against BAT and BATMS.

“Companies that seek to profit from circumventing sanctions by obscuring their involvement will be discovered and will pay a price,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “For years, BAT partnered with North Korea to establish and operate a cigarette manufacturing business and relied on financial facilitators linked to North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction proliferation network in the process of enriching itself. Firms that deal with blocked persons, even indirectly, will be held accountable for actions which undermine the integrity of the U.S. financial system.”

Separately today, a federal court in the District of Columbia unsealed charges against a North Korean banker, Sim Hyon-Sop, 39, and Chinese facilitators, Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, both of Liaoning Province, in connection with a multi-year scheme to facilitate the sale of tobacco to North Korea.

“The United States is steadfast in its commitment to enforcing sanctions and withholding revenue for dictator Kim Jong-un,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The charges unsealed today illustrate that the Department of Justice will hold North Korean facilitators accountable for their illegal efforts to prop up the North Korean regime and assist it in obtaining funds to develop nuclear weapons.”

According to court documents, between 2009 and 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to purchase leaf tobacco for North Korean state-owned cigarette manufacturers and used front companies and false documentation to cause U.S. financial institutions to process at least 310 transactions worth approximately $74 million that they otherwise would have frozen, blocked, investigated or declined, had they known the transactions were connected to trade with North Korea. The transactions resulted in an estimated up to nearly $700 million in revenue for the North Korean manufacturers, one of which was owned by the North Korean military.

As alleged in the indictment, cigarette trafficking, including in counterfeit cigarettes, generates significant revenue for advancing North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs, including its nuclear weapons, which North Korea has been developing since at least 2006. Counterfeit cigarettes are a major source of income to the North Korean regime, as smuggled tobacco products are estimated to garner revenue of up to $20 on every $1 spent in cost.

In conjunction with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State is announcing a reward of $5 million for defendant Sim, and a reward of $500,000 for defendants Qin and Han, for information leading to the capture of these three charged defendants. On April 24, the Department of the Treasury designated defendant Sim as a Specially Designated National, preventing him from accessing the U.S. banking system.

“The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to investigate North Korea’s evasion of sanctions placed on its government,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This illegal conduct and the levied penalties show how serious of an offense it is to assist the North Korean regime to the detriment of the international community. To those contemplating similar actions, be forewarned: the full force of the FBI and its federal law enforcement partners will find you.”

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Phoenix Field Office handled both investigations, and HSI Colorado partnered in the investigation on the individuals. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Wasserman, Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia, is prosecuting the cases. Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section partnered on these matters.

This case is part of a larger Justice Department strategy for countering nation-state threats, including the ongoing efforts of North Korea to evade sanctions and use the U.S. financial system to engage in illicit trafficking. Trial Attorney David Recker, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Grady, and former FBI Special Agent David F. Williams, former FBI Special Agent Joy Gallante and former FBI Intelligence Analyst Nick Carlsen all participated in prior phases of the multi-year investigation.

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

WASHINGTON – Crystal R. Mathis, the former president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1812, was sentenced to 12 months, suspended, and three years of probation for embezzling funds from the union.  The sentence was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Mark Wheeler, Director of the Washington District Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.

            Mathis, 51, of Cheverly, Maryland, pleaded guilty in February 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree theft. She was sentenced by the Honorable Errol R. Arthur, who also ordered her to pay more than $10,000 in restitution to the union and ordered three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, Mathis used her position as president of a local union of federal employees of the U.S Agency for Global Media to improperly access the union’s bank account between December 17, 2019, and June 21, 2021. During that period, Mathis made more than 35 separate unauthorized purchases, withdrawals or bill payments to fund personal vacations, dinners, and expenses.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and District Director Wheeler commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Bleiberg and Brian P. Kelly, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Nicco Young, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Nicco Young pleaded guilty in January 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich also ordered 36 months of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, the defendant entered the 7-Eleven, at 1700 17th Street, NW, at 10:30 a.m., on February 23, 2022, armed with a firearm. He approached and pointed the handgun at a store employee. The defendant then forced the employee to empty the cash register and had the employee lay down on the ground. The defendant took the money from the cash register and fled the store. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They 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 former Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Frey who indicted and prosecuted the case as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.

WASHINGTON – British American Tobacco (BAT) and its subsidiary, BAT Marketing Singapore (BATMS), one of the world’s largest manufacturer of tobacco products, has agreed to pay penalties totaling more than $629 million to resolve bank fraud and sanctions violations charges with U.S. authorities, arising out of the companies’ scheme to do business in North Korea through a third-party company in Singapore, in violation of the bank fraud statute and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In addition, charges were unsealed in the District of Columbia against a North Korean banker and Chinese facilitators for their roles in facilitating the illicit sale of tobacco products in North Korea.

            According to court documents, BATMS pleaded guilty to, and BAT entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with, a criminal information charging BAT and BATMS with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to violate IEEPA. Specifically, in 2007, BAT spun off its North Korea sales to a third-party company, issuing a press statement that it was no longer involved in North Korea tobacco sales. In reality, BAT continued to do business in North Korea through the third-party company and maintained control over all relevant aspects of the North Korean business. BAT ran the payments for the tobacco sold to North Korean entities through the third-party company, resulting in approximately $415 million of U.S. dollar banking transactions from North Korea to the third-party company in Singapore – money that was then passed on to BATMS and BAT. To make these payments, North Korean purchasers used front companies so that U.S. banks, which processed the transactions, would not know about the connection to North Korea.

            “The United States is steadfast in its commitment to enforcing sanctions and withholding revenue for dictator Kim Jong-un,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.  “The charges unsealed today illustrate that the Department of Justice will hold North Korean facilitators accountable for their illegal efforts to prop up the North Korean regime, and assist it in obtaining funds to develop nuclear weapons.”

            “British American Tobacco and its subsidiary engaged in an elaborate scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions and sell tobacco products to North Korea in violation of U.S. law,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With today’s action, which involves the largest settlement payment in the Department’s history, these entities have been held to account.”

            “The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to investigate North Korea’s evasion of sanctions placed on its government,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This illegal conduct and the levied penalties show how serious of an offense it is to assist the North Korean regime to the detriment of the international community. To those contemplating similar actions, be forewarned: the full force of the FBI and its federal law enforcement partners will find you.”      

            Separately, on April 25, 2023, a federal judge in the District of Columbia unsealed charges against a North Korean banker, Sim Hyon-Sop, 50, and Chinese facilitators Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, both of Liaoning Province, in connection with a multi-year scheme to facilitate the sale of tobacco to North Korea.

            Between 2009 and 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to purchase leaf tobacco for North Korean-owned entities, and used front companies and false documentation to cause U.S. financial institutions to process at least 310 transactions worth approximately $74 million that they otherwise would have frozen, blocked, investigated, or declined, had they known that the transactions connected to trade with North Korea. The transactions resulted in an estimated nearly $700 million in revenue for North Korean entities, and ultimately, for the government of North Korea.

            In conjunction with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State is announcing a reward of $5 million for defendant Sim, and a reward of $500,000 for defendants Qin and Han, for information leading to the capture of these three charged defendants.

            Additionally, today, the Department of the Treasury also announced a civil enforcement action against BAT and BATMS.

            This case is part of a larger Department of Justice response to the ongoing efforts of North Korea to evade sanctions and use the U.S. financial system to engage in illicit trafficking. As alleged in the indictment, trafficking in tobacco products generates revenue for advancing North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs. North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons since at least 2006 and financed these activities through illicit trade, including trafficking of tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes, which North Korea has engaged in since at least 1992. North Korea counterfeit cigarette production capacity is estimated to exceed two billion packs a year. Counterfeit cigarettes are a major source of income to the North Korean regime and may be the single most lucrative item in the North Korean portfolio, as smuggled tobacco is estimated to garner revenue as much as $20 on every $1 spent in cost. North Korean tobacco sales are alleged to flow back to the North Korean government, including to slush funds designed to sustain the loyalty of a core of party elite and to underwrite weapons development programs.

            If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for the lead charge, bank fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The cases are being investigated by the FBI Phoenix Field Office.  HSI Colorado partnered in the investigation on the individuals, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Wasserman, Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers, and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section partnered on these matters. Trial Attorney David Recker, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui and Michael Grady.

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

WASHINGTON - Decondi Mayo, 46, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Decondi Mayo pleaded guilty in September 2022, in the United States District Court, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. In addition to the seven year prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman ordered three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 29, 2021, at approximately 3 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Crime Suppression Team were on patrol in the 2200 block of Bryan Place, S.E., Washington, DC. The officers observed the defendant reaching into the passenger side window of a blue Nissan Maxima with Maryland paper tags. The defendant looked in the officers’ direction as they pulled into the block and he immediately separated himself from the vehicle and continued to look back over his shoulder at officers. Shortly thereafter, the defendant walked up concrete steps toward a boarded up and uninhabitable home located at 2212 Bryan Place, SE. Officers parked, exited their vehicles, and observed the defendant continually pressing his right arm against the right side of his jacket as if he was attempting to secure an object on the front of his person. An officer then observed the defendant discard a pistol from his front waistband area. The defendant was subsequently arrested and found with a magazine with ten live rounds. The recovered firearm that the defendant tossed was a 9mm Glock 26 with one round of ammunition in the chamber and sixteen rounds in the magazine.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting SAC Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from Project Safe Neighborhood from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They 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 U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, former Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Regan, former Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin Ann Vaillancourt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Cervi who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Two federal indictments, unsealed today in the District of Columbia, charge a North Korean Foreign Trade Bank (“FTB”) representative for his role in money laundering conspiracies designed to generate revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, through the use of cryptocurrency. A third indictment charges one of the co-conspirators in a separate scheme.

            The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr. of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office.

            Sim Hyon Sop (“Sim”), 39, a North Korean national, is charged with conspiring with three over-the-counter (“OTC”) traders, Wu HuiHui (“Wu”), 34, a Chinese national living in Jinan, Shandong, China; Cheng Hung Man (“Cheng”), 59, a Hong Kong British National (Overseas) living in Hong Kong, and an unknown user of the online moniker “live:jammychen0150” (“Chen”), to launder stolen cryptocurrency and use the funds to purchase goods through Hong Kong-based front companies for the benefit of North Korea. Sim directed these payments, which were made in U.S. dollars, through Chen. Chen then recruited Wu and Cheng, both of whom were OTC traders, to find sham front companies and facilitate the payments to avoid U.S. sanctions against North Korea.

            The second indictment alleges a conspiracy between Sim and various North Korean IT workers to launder proceeds of illegal IT development work. The IT workers gained employment at U.S. crypto companies using fake identities and then laundered their ill-gotten gains through Sim for the benefit of the North Korean regime, and in contravention of sanctions imposed against North Korea by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and the United Nations. Those sanctions were imposed to impede the development of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, weapons production, and research and development programs.

            “Today’s indictments reveal North Korea’s continued use of various means to circumvent U.S. sanctions,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We can and will ‘follow the money,’ be it through cryptocurrency or the traditional banking system, to bring appropriate charges against those who would help to fund this corrupt regime.” 

            “The charges announced today highlight the ways in which North Korean operatives have innovated their approach to evading sanctions by exploiting the technological features of virtual assets to facilitate payments and profits, and targeting virtual currency companies for theft,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to work to disrupt and deter North Korean actors and those who aid them by following the money on the blockchain and shining a light on their conduct.”

            “The growing popularity of virtual currencies has provided new and unique opportunities for criminals to engage in illicit transactions, but what has not changed is our commitment to investigating these crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Wheeler. “I am proud of the work that the FBI and partners have accomplished in support of today's indictment.”

            Since 2017, as part of its cyber campaign, North Korean hackers have executed virtual currency-related thefts to generate revenue for the regime, including through the hacking of virtual asset services providers, such as virtual currency exchanges.  A portion of the proceeds from those virtual currency theft and fraud schemes was sent to virtual currency address 1G3Qj4Y4trA8S64zHFsaD5GtiSwX19qwFv, which Sim and his OTC trader coconspirators used to fund payments for goods for North Korea.

            To generate revenue for the regime, North Korea also deploys IT workers to obtain illegal employment in the cryptocurrency industry. According to court documents, North Koreans apply for jobs in remote IT development work without disclosing that they are North Korean in order to circumvent sanctions. These IT workers bypass security and due diligence checks by using fake, or fraudulently obtained, identity documents and other obfuscation strategies to hide their true location from online payment facilitators and hiring platforms. The IT workers request payment for their services in virtual currency and then send their earnings back to North Korea via, among other methods, FTB representatives like Sim.

            ]A third indictment unsealed today in the District of Columbia separately charges Wu with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. According to that indictment, Wu operated as an OTC trader on a U.S.-based virtual currency exchange without a license and conducted over 1,500 trades for U.S. customers, totaling over $800,000.

            A concurrent action was taken today by the Department of the Treasury, sanctioning Sim, Wu, and Cheng.  

            The charge of conspiring to launder monetary instruments is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business is punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison.

            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessica Peck of the Justice Department’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Christopher Tortorice of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela De Falco and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick provided valuable assistance. Significant assistance was also provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, former IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent Chris Janczewski, and former FBI analyst Nick Carlsen.

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

WASHINGTON – Gary Jones, 35, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today at a hearing before the Honorable Marisa Demeo on charges stemming from an incident at a public pool in August 2022. 

            Jones was indicted on April 19, 2023, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on two counts of second degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances; one count of attempted second degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances; and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor, with aggravating circumstances.

            According to a publicly available document, on August 18, 2022, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Jones entered the shower room at the Anacostia Pool. When two children entered the shower area, they observed Jones wearing underwear that exposed his genitals and rubbing his “private part” in front of them. Jones touched one child on the buttocks and attempted to touch the other child as well. The children immediately reported the incident to pool staff, who detained Jones until police arrived. 

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  They also acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan and Paralegal Specialists ReShawn Johnson and Tiffany Fogle. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wash, Kathleen Houck, and LaVater Massie-Banks, who are investigating and prosecuting the case.

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

WASHINGTON - 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 an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department who was involved in the April 2022 fatal shooting of Erica Graham.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of law enforcement and civilian eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, recorded body-worn camera (BWC) footage, recorded doorbell camera footage, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the evidence, on April 23, 2022, at approximately 5:59 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to 830 Crittenden Street, N.W., for a report of gunshots fired. The police would learn during the events which led to the fatal shooting that Erica Graham, who was wearing a ballistic vest and brandishing a firearm, had shot a civilian just moments before the arrival of the police.

            Upon arrival on the 800 block of Crittenden Street, the first police officers on the scene observed Ms. Graham on the porch of a rowhouse holding a handgun. Throughout the incident, the officers made multiple commands for Ms. Graham to place the weapon on the ground, which she refused. Ms. Graham pointed the weapon several times at the officers and pulled the trigger, but it did not fire. The police on the scene made a request on the radio for additional units to respond because an officer needed assistance due to the presence of a person with a gun and continued in their efforts to convince Ms. Graham to place her weapon on the ground. 

            After a few minutes, Officer Simeon Crawford arrived on the scene. Ms. Graham climbed over a short railing to another porch attached to the first residence, and immediately tried to gain access to the second residence while brandishing the handgun. Ms. Graham crouched down, turned, and pointed the weapon at the police again. Officer Crawford fired two shots in reaction.  The first shot missed Ms. Graham. The second shot struck Ms. Graham in the upper torso. Ms. Graham fell to the floor of the porch. The police approached and attempted to provide medical attention as an ambulance was called to the scene. A handgun was recovered from under where Ms. Graham had fallen.      

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Crawford used excessive force under the circumstances.

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.

A United States Capitol breach defendant who allegedly fired several shots towards law enforcement days before his first court appearance has been charged with a federal firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Nathan Donald Pelham, 40, of Greenville, Texas, was charged via criminal complaint by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Toliver on Wednesday, April 19.  

On Tuesday, April 11, Mr. Pelham was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with four misdemeanor counts stemming from his alleged participation in the January 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol building.

On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, an FBI agent informed Mr. Pelham he had been charged by federal prosecutors in DC and instructed him to self-surrender the following Monday, April 17. He agreed to do so.

That evening, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office initiated a welfare check at Mr. Pelham’s residence in response to a call from a relative, who advised deputies that Mr. Pelham had a gun. When they arrived, the house was dark. Deputies activated their emergency lights, and Mr. Pelham’s minor daughter exited the home. For her safety, she was placed into a HCSO patrol car. Shortly thereafter, deputies they heard gunshots emanating from the residence and took cover.

About an hour later, at approximately 9:38 p.m., Mr. Pelham – a previously convicted felon – walked onto the porch and allegedly fired towards several deputies, who could be heard on body-worn camera video noting bullets “whiz” by them. A deputy instructed Mr. Pelham to put his gun down, but he continued to wave it until re-entering his home. At 10:46 p.m., Mr. Pelham again exited the residence and fired multiple rounds.

Law enforcement departed at 12:21 a.m. without any injuries.  

A subsequent search of Mr. Pelham’s home revealed a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and four boxes of ammunition, as well as several 9mm sized holes in the walls.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Mr. Pelham is presumed innocent of all the charges against him until proven guilty in a court of law.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison on the felony gun charge and three years on the misdemeanor charges. He has been ordered detained pending trial in both cases.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation into the firearm incident.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher of the Northern District of Texas is prosecuting the firearms case with the help of Special Counsel Brendan Ballou.

WASHINGTON– A local dentist and dental hygienist, at a dental clinic in the District of Columbia, are charged in an indictment with conspiracy and other charges related to health care fraud.

            Dr. Steven A. Price, 66, of the District of Columbia, and Keidi C. Moore, 37, of Temple Hills, Maryland, were presented yesterday after the indictment was unsealed charging them with conspiracy, health care fraud, false statements related to a health care fraud matter, and wire fraud. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes.

            The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

            According to the indictment, Price operated a dental practice, The Washington Smile Center, in the District of Columbia, where Moore was employed as a dental hygienist. The indictment alleges that, beginning on or about January 1, 2017, and continuing through on or about March 22, 2022, Price and Moore conspired to defraud D.C. Medicaid by filing or causing to be filed false claims for dental services that were not provided to D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries. As part of the scheme, according to the indictment, Price and Moore caused multiple claims for two CDT codes (clinical crown lengthening and space maintainers) to be submitted to D.C. Medicaid, totaling more than $4 million, In some instances, patients were alleged to have been provided more than 30 clinical crown lengthening procedures and more than 20 space maintainers during the relevant period.

            Conspiracy and wire fraud charges carry statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. The health care fraud charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, and the charge of false statements relating to a health care matter carries a statutory maximum of five 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, the Office of the Inspector General for the District of Columbia - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne McNamara.

            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 grand jury in Tampa, Florida, returned a superseding indictment charging four U.S. citizens and three Russian nationals with working on behalf of the Russian government and in conjunction with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to conduct a multi-year foreign malign influence campaign in the United States. Among other conduct, the superseding indictment alleges that the Russian defendants recruited, funded and directed U.S. political groups to act as unregistered illegal agents of the Russian government and sow discord and spread pro-Russian propaganda; the indicted intelligence officers, in particular, participated in covertly funding and directing candidates for local office within the United States.

Additionally, in a separate case out of the District of Columbia, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Russian national Natalia Burlinova with conspiring with an FSB officer to act as an illegal agent of Russia in the United States.

“Russia’s foreign intelligence service allegedly weaponized our First Amendment rights – freedoms Russia denies its own citizens – to divide Americans and interfere in elections in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The department will not hesitate to expose and prosecute those who sow discord and corrupt U.S. elections in service of hostile foreign interests, regardless of whether the culprits are U.S. citizens or foreign individuals abroad.”

“Efforts by the Russian government to secretly influence U.S. elections will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As today’s announcement demonstrates, the Criminal Division is committed to eradicating foreign malign influence from the U.S. political system and helping ensure the integrity of our elections.”

“Today’s announcement paints a harrowing picture of Russian government actions and the lengths to which the FSB will go to interfere with our elections, sow discord in our nation and ultimately recruit U.S citizens to their efforts,” said Acting Assistant Director Kurt Ronnow of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “All Americans should be deeply concerned by the tactics employed by the FSB and remain vigilant to any attempt to undermine our democracy. The FBI remains committed to confronting this egregious behavior and ultimately disrupting our adversaries and those who act on their behalf.”

United States v. Ionov, et al.

According to the superseding indictment returned in the Middle District of Florida, Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, was the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and funded by the Russian government. Ionov allegedly utilized AGMR to carry out Russia’s malign influence campaign. Ionov’s influence efforts were allegedly directed and supervised by Moscow-based FSB officers, including indicted defendants Aleksey Borisovich Sukhodolov and Yegor Sergeyevich Popov.

“The prosecution of this criminal conduct is essential to protecting the American public when foreign governments seek to inject themselves into the American political process,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We thank our partners at the FBI for their tireless investigation of these events and their commitment to ensure justice is done.”

Among other illegal activities, the superseding indictment alleges that Ionov, Sukhodolov and Popov conspired to directly and substantially influence democratic elections in the United States by clandestinely funding and directing the political campaign of a particular candidate for local office in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2019. For instance, the superseding indictment alleges that Popov expressly referred to this effort on behalf of the FSB as “our election campaign,” and Ionov referring to the candidate as the “candidate whom we supervise.” Ionov and Popov allegedly intended that this election interference plot would extend beyond the 2019 local election cycle in St. Petersburg, and subsequently discussed that the “USA Presidential election” was the FSB’s “main topic of the year.”

Moreover, from at least November 2014 until July 2022, Ionov allegedly engaged in a years-long foreign malign influence campaign targeting the United States. As a part of the campaign, Ionov allegedly recruited members of political groups within the United States, including the African People’s Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement (collectively, the APSP) in Florida, Black Hammer in Georgia and a political group in California (referred to in the superseding indictment as U.S. Political Group 3), to participate in the influence campaign and act as agents of Russia in the United States, including the following indicted defendants:

• Omali Yeshitela, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, who served as the chairman and founder of the APSP;
• Penny Joanne Hess, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, who served as the leader of a component of the APSP;
• Jesse Nevel, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, who served as a member of a component of the APSP; and
• Augustus C. Romain Jr., aka Gazi Kodzo, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Atlanta, who served as a leader of the APSP and a founder of Black Hammer in Georgia.

One focus of Ionov’s alleged influence operation was to create the appearance of American popular support for Russia’s annexation of territories in Ukraine. For example, in May 2020, Ionov allegedly sent a request he stated was from “Russia, the Donetsk People’s Republic” – an apparent reference to a Russian-occupied region in eastern Ukraine – to Yeshitela and members of other U.S. political groups to make statements in support of the independence of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, a Russian-backed breakaway state in eastern Ukraine. Ionov later allegedly touted to the FSB that Yeshitela’s video-recorded statement of support was the first time that “American nonprofit organizations congratulated citizens” of the occupied region.

Ionov’s use of the APSP to promote Russian propaganda relating to Ukraine allegedly continued after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On the day Russia invaded Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022, Ionov allegedly emailed Nevel an “URGENT MESSAGE” which contained pro-Russian talking points in support of the invasion. Thereafter, throughout March 2022, the APSP repeatedly hosted Ionov via video conference to discuss the war, during which Ionov falsely stated that anyone who supported Ukraine also supported Naziism and white supremacy, and Yeshitela and another APSP member allegedly made statements of solidarity with the Russian government.

Ionov, Sukhodolov, Popov, Yeshitela, Hess, Nevel and Romain are charged with conspiring to have U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government within the United States without providing prior notification to the Attorney General, as required by law. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel are also charged with acting as agents of Russia within the United States without such prior notification. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan for the Middle District of Florida, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Demetrius Sumner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

United States v. Burlinova

According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint unsealed in the District of Columbia, Russian national Natalia Burlinova, a resident of Moscow, conspired with an FSB officer to recruit U.S. citizens from academic and research institutions to travel to Russia to participate in a public diplomacy program called Meeting Russia. The program was operated by PICREADI, a Russian organization led by Burlinova, funded by the Russian government and devoted to promoting Russian national interests.

“The defendant is accused of subverting our foreign agent notification laws to promote Russian national interests here in the United States, concealing from the public that her recruitment efforts were funded by a Russian security service,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will continue to expose these serious crimes and hold all who perpetrate them accountable.”

The affidavit alleges that the FSB officer provided funding and other support for Burlinova’s foreign recruitment and her efforts to advance Russian interests in the United States. In return, Burlinova provided the FSB officer with extensive information about U.S. citizens who were recruited to attend her programs, including their résumés, passport information, photographs and analyses of their views toward Russia. Burlinova further identified for the FSB officer particular U.S. citizens who, in Burlinova’s view, had expressed positive attitudes towards Russia and were prepared to continue to collaborate. During a recruitment trip to the United States in fall 2018, Burlinova met with U.S. citizens at various universities and research institutions and provided to photographs of her meetings to the FSB officer. The FSB officer used the information Burlinova provided prepare FSB intelligence reports. Burlinova never notified the Attorney General of these efforts or otherwise disclosed to the public that her recruitment efforts were supported and funded by a Russian security service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Emma D. Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

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

WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia charging Russian national Natalia Burlinova with conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation in the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office James A. Tarasca.

            “The defendant is accused of subverting our foreign agent notification laws in order to promote Russian national interests here in the United States, concealing from the public that her recruitment efforts were funded by a Russian security service,” said U.S. Attorney Graves.  “We will continue to expose these serious crimes and hold all who perpetrate them accountable.”

            “The defendant is accused of exploiting academic and research institutions’ commitment to the free exchange of ideas in order to promote Russian interests,” said Special Agent in Charge Tarasca. “The FBI will continue to prioritize counterintelligence because of the importance of protecting our nation’s vital secrets, and we will work with our partners to investigate and stop individuals who hide their work for foreign governments.”

            According to the affidavit in support of criminal complaint, Burlinova recruited U.S. citizens from academic and research institutions to travel to Russia in order to participate in a public diplomacy program called Meeting Russia.  The program was operated by a Russian organization called PICREADI that was funded by the Russian government and devoted to Russian national interests.  Burlinova’s co-conspirator was employed by the Russian Federal Security Service (“FSB”), Russia’s principal security service with counterintelligence and surveillance responsibilities.  The FSB Officer provided funding and other support for Burlinova’s foreign recruitment and her efforts to advance Russian interests in the United States.

            The affidavit in support of criminal complaint states that Burlinova provided extensive information to the FSB Officer about the U.S. citizens that were recruited to attend her programs, including resumes, passport information, photographs, and analysis of their views towards Russia.  Burlinova informed the FSB Officer about particular U.S. citizens who, in Burlinova’s view, had expressed positive attitudes towards Russia and were prepared to continue to collaborate.  The FSB Officer used the information to prepare security service reports.  During a recruitment trip to the United States in fall 2018, Burlinova met with U.S. citizens at various universities and research institutions and provided to photographs of her meetings to the FSB Officer.  Burlinova never notified the Attorney General of these efforts or otherwise disclosed to the public that her recruitment efforts were funded by a Russian security service.

            Burlinova was sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury on July 29, 2022.

            The factual allegations in a criminal complaint are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  The defendant faces up to ten years of imprisonment if convicted.

            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Detroit Field Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Emma D. Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. 

Two international business organizations pleaded guilty and were sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for their participation in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions by sending U.S.-origin goods to Iran.

Taiwan business organization DES International Co. Ltd. (DES), and Brunei business organization Soltech Industry Co. Ltd. (Soltech) each pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. The two companies were each sentenced to pay a fine of $83,769, which is three times the value of the goods unlawfully exported to Iran, and to serve a five-year term of corporate probation. The sentences were issued by U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb.

“The defendant companies, which shared common directors and employees, have pled guilty to obtaining U.S. export-controlled goods for the benefit of the government of Iran and concealing the US origin of those good to facilitate their illicit transfer,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today we are holding them accountable for violating our laws at the expense of U.S. national security.”

“These criminal convictions demonstrate that we will pursue any individual or organization, wherever located, that would violate our sanctions against Iran and thereby threaten our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia.

“HSI will continue to work with our federal and international law enforcement partners to ensure offenders who are violating U.S. export laws and sanctions are brought to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of HSI San Antonio. “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our homeland from all adversaries.

“The defendants in this case took actions that placed profit and economic gain above U.S. national security and global stability,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defence and Department of Commerce (DOC) to hold accountable anyone who would threaten U.S. national security and the safety of the American people.”

“Keeping our nation's sensitive technologies out of the hands of our adversaries is one of our highest priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southwest Field Office. “DCIS, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and our federal partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those that seek to evade U.S. export enforcement laws, putting our war fighters at risk.”

“The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)’s aggressive enforcement of the Export Administration Regulations plays a critical role in protecting U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish of the DOC. “In this instance, our partnership with HSI, DCIS, FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sends the message that violating U.S. export control rules on Iran will not be tolerated.”

According to the plea agreement documents, DES and Soltech, which were affiliatd with one another by virtue of common directors, employees and customers, both procured goods from the United States for the benefit of Iranian government entities and business organizations. In particular, a sales agent for both DES and Soltech helped an Iranian research center obtain U.S. goods without a license from the Department of the Treasury. These goods included a power amplifier designed for use in electromechanical devices as well as cybersecurity software. The companies’ sales agent took steps to conceal the U.S. origin of the goods, including by removing serial number stickers with the phrase “Made in USA” from packages, and by causing the cybersecurity software to be downloaded onto a computer outside of Iran. In addition, the sales agent shared developments regarding this illegal conduct with other employees and directors of DES and Soltech. An arrest warrant issued for the sales agent has not yet been executed.

The FBI San Antonio Field Office, HSI, DCIS and DOC investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – Two international business organizations pleaded guilty and were sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for their participation in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions by sending U.S.-origin goods to Iran.

            Taiwan business organization DES International Co., Ltd. (“DES”), and Brunei business organization Soltech Industry Co., Ltd. (“Soltech”), each pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.  The two companies were each sentenced to pay a fine of $83,769, which is three times the value of the goods unlawfully exported to Iran, and to serve a five-year term of corporate probation. The sentences were handed down by United States District Judge Jia M. Cobb.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves; Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen; Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr., of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) San Antonio Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, of the San Antonio, Texas, Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations at the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos, of the Southwest Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the Department of Defense (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish, of the Dallas Field Office of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement (DOC).

            “We will pursue individuals and organizations, wherever located, who would threaten our national security by attempting to illegally resell U.S. origin goods to Iran,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The U.S. government has many avenues to hold those who break our sanctions and export control laws accountable and will ensure that the penalties for these crimes will be substantially greater than the anticipated profit from these schemes. We thank all of our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to this effort.”

            “The defendant companies, which shared common directors and employees, have pled guilty to obtaining US export-controlled goods for the benefit of the government of Iran and concealing the US origin of those good to facilitate their illicit transfer,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today we are holding them accountable for violating our laws at the expense of US national security.”

            “The defendants in this case took actions that placed profit and economic gain above U.S. national security and global stability,” said FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and Department of Commerce to hold accountable anyone who would threaten U.S. national security and the safety of the American people.”

            “HSI will continue to work with our federal and international law enforcement partners to ensure offenders who are violating U.S. export laws and sanctions are brought to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, HSI San Antonio. “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our homeland from all adversaries.

            “Keeping our nation's sensitive technologies out of the hands of our adversaries is one of our highest priorities," said Special Agent in Charge Mentavlos, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southwest Field Office. “DCIS, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, and our federal partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those that seek to evade U.S. export enforcement laws, putting our warfighters at risk.”

            “BIS’s aggressive enforcement of the Export Administration Regulations plays a critical role in protecting U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish. Dallas Field Office of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement “In this instance, our partnership with HSI, DCIS, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sends the message that violating U.S. export control rules on Iran will not be tolerated.”

            According to the plea agreement documents, DES and Soltech, which were affiliated with one another by virtue of common directors, employees, and customers, both procured goods from the United States for the benefit of Iranian government entities and business organizations.  In particular, a sales agent for both DES and Soltech helped an Iranian research center obtain U.S. goods without a license from the Department of the Treasury. These goods included a power amplifier designed for use in electromechanical devices as well as cybersecurity software.  The companies’ sales agent took steps to conceal the U.S. origin of the goods, including by removing serial number stickers with the phrase “Made in USA” from packages, and by causing the cybersecurity software to be downloaded onto a computer outside of Iran.  In addition, the sales agent shared developments regarding this illegal conduct with other employees and directors of DES and Soltech.  An arrest warrant issued for the sales agent has not yet been executed.

            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Antonio, Texas, Field Office, HSI, DCIS, and DOC.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman and National Security Division Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali are representing the United States.

WASHINGTON – Warrenetta Renee Smith, 56, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to one count of First-Degree Fraud for a payroll fraud scheme in which she stole more than $62,000 from her former employer. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Chief Robert Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.

            According to court documents, Smith, who was employed by a Washington, D.C. small business as an account specialist in the company’s accounting department, used her access to the company’s payroll management system to falsify her own payroll information for at least 84 pay periods between July 2018 and May 2020. To perpetuate the scheme, Smith would compile the weekly payroll information for each of the company’s employees to submit for approval by the company’s CFO. However, after receiving the necessary approvals, Smith altered her own approved regular hours, overtime, or leave in the company’s payroll management system, in order to fraudulently increase her pay for the applicable pay period.

            The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld accepted Smith’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Smith agreed to pay $35,000 in restitution.

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg for investigating and prosecuting the case.

Indictment Alleges the Assembly and Use of Fully Automatic “Ghost Guns”

            WASHINGTON – Four men were arraigned this morning on federal charges, including conspiracy to distribution of marijuana and oxycodone, unlawful transfer and possession of a machinegun, and using, carrying, and possessing machineguns during, in relation to, or in furtherance of drug trafficking.  The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Weddel of the ATF Washington Field Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”).

            The indictment alleges that Eugene Tracy Hill, also known as “Geno” or “Cheese,” Diante Arik Wiley, also known as “Sleez” or “Taybino,” Broadus Jamal Daniels, also known as “Wardy,” and Andre Alonte Willis, also known as “Boogie,” were engaged in a years-long conspiracy to distribute marijuana and oxycodone. It is further alleged that Hill and Willis distributed, possessed with the intent to distribute, or conspired to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. 

            The indictment further alleges that, in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy, and in order to protect the co-conspirators and their drugs, money, and drug-dealing territory, Wiley assembled AR-Pistol machineguns from parts that he bought through online retailers and sold those machineguns to Hill, Daniels, Willis, and others. Since the AR-Pistols that Wiley built were assembled from parts, they had no serial numbers and there was no way for law enforcement to track their possession or sale. Such firearms are defined as “Privately Made Firearm” by ATF but are also referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.

            The indictment alleges that Hill, Wiley, Daniels, and Willis used the machineguns for defense of their territory, and also as currency to trade for drugs or other firearms.  All four men have been detained since their arrest, and law enforcement seized controlled substances and firearms from each of their residences after they were taken into custody.

            If convicted of all charges, each defendant faces a minimum of 30 years in prison.

            This indictment is part of a joint investigation which has resulted in the seizure of two vehicles, 13 handguns, five machineguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, as well as almost 40 pounds of marijuana, dozens of oxycodone pills, and more than $300,000 in cash.

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI, ATF, and MPD. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson and Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman.

            The charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

            WASHINGTON –Anthony Braxton, 47, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury, of assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges in a mid-morning stabbing that took place in November 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Braxton also was found guilty of aggravated assault while armed, stalking, and other offenses. The verdict was returned on April 12, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2023.

            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 in common. 

            Braxton had been ordered by a District of Columbia Superior Court Judge on Oct. 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 verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee 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 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 Advocate 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.

Defendant Faces Ten Year Mandatory Minimum Sentence

            WASHINGTON – Daniel Jahleel Thomas, also known as “dandue,” 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to conspiring to distribute marijuana and oxycodone, illegal possession of a machinegun, and carrying a handgun during or in relation to drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing for August 4, 2023. The crimes to which Thomas pleaded guilty carry a combined mandatory-minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.

            According to court documents, Thomas advertised on Instagram that he had marijuana for sale. On February 25, 2022, MPD officers learned of the advertisement and responded to the location – outside the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments – knowing that Thomas had a court-ordered stay-away from the complex as a condition of a prior gun arrest. The officers saw Thomas standing outside the apartments and approached him. When Thomas saw the officers, he jumped into the back seat of a vehicle operated by a ride share service. As the officers attempted to speak with Thomas about the stay-away order, he resisted and pulled away. During the subsequent struggle, officers discovered a firearm in Thomas’ waistband. The firearm was later determined to be a Glock, Model 19, 9mm handgun loaded with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. The handgun was also fitted with a “giggle switch,” which made the handgun capable of fully automatic fire. 

            Thomas was arrested that afternoon outside the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments in the 4200 block of Blaine Street, Northeast. During a search of the duffel bag he was carrying, officers found four large bags of marijuana, each containing approximately one-pound, as well as 81 pills, each of which contained 30mg of oxycodone.  

            At the time of his arrest, Thomas was under investigation by the FBI for his role in a variety of federal offenses related to firearms and narcotic trafficking. Coordination between the FBI and MPD led to an indictment charging Thomas and two of his co-conspirators with numerous federal offenses. 

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI and MPD. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Meredith Mayer-Dempsey and Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman.

WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion.

            According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent , sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16 years old. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands. 

            Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The plea was announced by 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, and FBI Special Agent in Charged Wayne A. Jacobs the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case.

            Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

            This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion.

According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands. 

Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second‑degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. 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.

Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A doctor made his initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to face illegal distribution of opioids charges.

According to court documents, Dr. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, 63, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, allegedly distributed oxycodone to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington. Okafor allegedly performed only cursory evaluations of individuals, and further solicited and received cash inside the examination rooms of his clinic in exchange for opioid prescriptions.

Okafor is charged with 16 counts of illegal distribution of opioids. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

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, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case, with assistance from the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and DEA.

Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Kilby Macfadden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in late 2018, the NEPO and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Forces have partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout New England and Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, NEPO and ARPO have charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Information about available treatment programs is available as follows:

Maryland patients receiving care from this practice who wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Maryland resources:

• Search for substance use treatment facilities through findtreatment.gov/.
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, a Maryland suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline.
• Public Overdose Response Programs in Maryland supply naloxone and may be found using this list. You can also visit health.maryland.gov/pha/NALOXONE/Pages/Home.aspx to see a locator map. Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid.

District of Columbia residents needing information about mental health or substance use disorder services can call the Department of Behavioral Health 24/7 Access Helpline 1-888-793-4357 or visit www.dbh.dc.gov.

In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359. 

Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death.

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

WASHINGTON – Michael Drummond, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in two felony matters by the Honorable Sean Staples to a combined 100 months in prison for shooting at two women in Southeast D.C. in June 2021, and subsequently possessing a “ghost gun” in July 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. A jury found Drummond guilty on February 10, 2023, of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and related firearms offenses.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 27, 2021, Drummond, a convicted felon who was on both supervised release for a 2020 federal gun and drug conviction and on pretrial release in a pending Superior Court case, shot at two women after having an angry exchange of words with them moments earlier. One bullet slammed into a car door, lodging itself in the rolled-down window inches away from the woman sitting in the front passenger seat. A month later, officers executed a search warrant at Mr. Drummond’s home and found a loaded ghost gun under his mattress.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Kimberly Nielsen, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section, Paralegal Specialists Crystal Waddy and Debra McPherson, Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson.  Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Simmons and Colin Cloherty, who prosecuted and tried the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Gibbons, who initially investigated and indicted the case.

WASHINGTON - A District of Columbia doctor made an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court on charges related to his alleged unlawful distribution of opioids in exchange for cash.  Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 63, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland was arrested yesterday at his medical practice on 16 counts of illegal distribution of opioids.

            The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division.

            According to court documents, Okafor allegedly distributed oxycodone to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington, D.C. Okafor allegedly performed only cursory evaluations of individuals, and further solicited and received cash inside the examination rooms of his clinic in exchange for opioid prescriptions. 

            If convicted, Okafor faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey of the District of Columbia’s United States Attorney’s Office and Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Kilby Macfadden of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.

            The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the DC-Office of Inspector General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). The Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division provided valuable assistance and served an Immediate Suspension Order (ISO) on Dr. Okafor’s DEA registration because it was determined that he posed an imminent danger to public health and safety due to the volume of unlawful distribution of opioids.  

            The Fraud Section leads the New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in late 2018, the NEPO and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force and has partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout New England and Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, NEPO and ARPO have charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

            Information about available treatment programs is available as follows:

            Maryland: Patients receiving care from this practice that wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Maryland resources:

•           Search for substance use treatment facilities through https://findtreatment.gov/ 

•           988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, a Maryland suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline.

•           Naloxone:  Public Overdose Response Programs in Maryland supply naloxone and may be found using this list.

            You can also visit https://health.maryland.gov/pha/NALOXONE/Pages/Home.aspx to see a locator map.  Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid.

            District of Columbia residents needing information about mental health or substance use disorder services, please call the Department of Behavioral Health 24/7 Access Helpline 1-888-793-4357 or visit www.dbh.dc.gov.

            In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359. 

            Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death.

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

Defendant Coerced and Sexually Exploited Three Women in Northwest Washington

            WASHINGTON – Michael Jabaar Wilkins, 39, of Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for a federal sex trafficking conviction stemming from his sexual exploitation of three women, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered 10 years of supervised release.

            Wilkins pleaded guilty on July 21, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

            According to the government’s evidence, between 2011 and 2019, Wilkins separately induced and coerced women to travel from Virginia to the District of Columbia to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial benefit. He took sexually explicit photographs of these women that he used in online advertisements for commercial sex. The activities took place in the Logan Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington. According to the evidence, Wilkins repeatedly physically assaulted two of the women, knocking one of them unconscious in one instance, and causing a severe injury to the woman’s eye.  One of these assaults was captured on a home security camera.  Wilkins also used verbal abuse, threats to harm, and emotional manipulation in order to entice and coerce these women into commercial sex work for his financial gain. and

            Wilkins was arrested on Nov. 5, 2019, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents and local, state, and federal partners. He has been detained ever since. He pleaded guilty less than a week before his trial was scheduled to begin.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and MPD.. They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Victim Witness Program Specialist Yvonne Bryant, Victim Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, and Witness Security Specialist Lesley Slade. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson and Trial Attorney Jessica Arco, from the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Department of Justice, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

            The loss of a life is always tragic but is especially heartbreaking when it involves a child.  On Saturday, March 18th, 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin tragically died after a shooting involving the U.S. Park Police, and we recognize that the body-worn camera footage just released of his death is extremely upsetting.  We extend our condolences to Mr. Martin’s family and friends.  In coordination with the FBI Washington Field Office, the United States Attorney’s Office has opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances leading to Mr. Martin’s death.  That investigation—which we are committed to conducting diligently and thoroughly—is ongoing.  As this is an open matter, we are not able to provide additional comment or release further information at this time. 

WASHINGTON – Rico Griffin, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking network based in Southeast Washington that sold cocaine, crack cocaine, Fentanyl, PCP, and marijuana, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Crime Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Griffin pleaded guilty on January 25, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine base. Griffin was indicted with 16 co-defendants (listed below). All but two of the seventeen defendants have pleaded guilty and received prison terms ranging from 24 months to 114 months based on their criminal conduct and criminal histories.  

            The case stems from an investigation by the MPD Narcotics and Special Investigations Division and the FBI into the “MLK Crew” - a group of individuals who were operating an open-air drug market in and around the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, Washington D.C. The investigation began in response to numerous citizen complaints about rampant drug trafficking and accompanying incidents of violence in the area. In addition to numerous citizen complaints, MPD targeted this area as one of the most notorious in the city in terms of recent shootings and shots fired, as well as for the area’s high numbers of arrests—particularly offenses involving drugs and firearms.

            “Our Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI are focused on the couple dozen blocks across our District that are magnets for violence,” said US Attorney Graves. “There is no doubt that the blocks in which the MLK Mellon Crew operated were among the most dangerous. We know that drug trafficking attracts violence and we saw, after dismantling this crew, a substantial decrease in shooting incidents in the months after the incident. Temporarily breaking the cycle of violence offers a valuable window to restore order and to provide the community the support it needs to heal.”

            “The defendants wreaked havoc on the residents of Congress Heights by running an open-air drug market built on violence, often commandeering local businesses to conduct illegal sales,” said SAC Jacobs. “As this case demonstrates, the FBI through its commitment to partnerships will aggressively pursue data-driven intelligence and public tips to dismantle the violent gangs terrorizing our communities.”

            “There is no excuse for the fear that the MLK Mellon Crew spread across our community,” said Chief Contee. “Their drug trafficking and violence has impacted our entire city. Now, thanks to the tireless work of our officers, detectives, and law enforcement partners, our community can rest easier knowing that these individuals are being held accountable.”

            As part of its investigation, MPD and FBI began conducting surveillance, obtaining search warrants, and making controlled buys of narcotics from suspected members of the conspiracy.

            The investigation revealed that MLK Crew members openly engaged in the sale of various drugs (including PCP, crack, fentanyl, and marijuana) and took over the area and, effectively, some of the neighborhood’s businesses. MLK Crew members would often go into the neighborhood businesses to complete sales and constantly loitered outside of these businesses to engage in sales. As part of its investigation, MPD and FBI obtained video of defendants openly conducting narcotics transactions in these businesses and even displaying firearms. Throughout the case, law enforcement seized at least 10 firearms (many of which were privately manufactured firearms or “ghost guns”) from MLK crew members and/or stash houses and a sizeable quantity of various narcotics. The MLK Crew’s drug trafficking contributed to numerous incidents of drug-related violence in and around the 2900 Block of MLK Avenue, including multiple assaults, shootings, robberies, and murders—most notably, the murder of a six-year-old girl who was the daughter of one of the co-defendants in this case. 

            In July of 2021, a few months after opening the investigation, MPD and FBI arrested 11 initial defendants and seized 10 firearms, along with PCP, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, pills, and over $2,500 in cash. The additional six defendants were charged in September 2021 and were arrested shortly thereafter; however, Rico Griffin, remained a fugitive until January 3, 2023. After his arrest, Rico Griffin quickly pleaded guilty and was sentenced today.

            The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force in partnership with MPD’s Narcotics and Special Investigations (NSID) Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). This partnership targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Park Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Henek and Andy Wang of the of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            The investigation had the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.

DEFENDANT

STATUS

Ricky Lyles, 42, Accokeek, MD

sentenced to 114 months for conspiracy to distribute 16.8-22.4 grams of crack cocaine and possessing a firearm

Nico Griffin, 32, Washington, DC

sentenced to 37 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Dandre Shorter, 28, Washington, DC

sentenced to 37 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Wesley Leake, 32, Washington, DC

sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Leon Lindsay, 37, Washington, DC

sentenced to 57 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Dezmond Cunningham, 28, Washington, DC

sentenced to 48 months conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Divine Chappell, 26, Washington, DC

sentenced to 76 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine

Shawn Wooden, 40, Washington, DC

trial scheduled for October 16

Barry Tyson, 20, Washington, DC

sentenced to 73 months of incarceration for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine

Delonta Chappell, 35, Washington, DC 

sentenced to 48 months for conspiracy to distribute 28-112 grams of crack cocaine

Anthony Graves, 32, Washington, DC

sentenced to 27 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Deshawn Loggins, 21, Temple Hills, MD 

sentenced to 42 months for conspiracy to distribute 28-112 grams of crack cocaine

Kevonte Randall, 25, Washington, DC

sentenced to 46 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine and possessing a firearm

Corenzo Mobery, 40, Washington, DC 

trial scheduled for October 16th.

Rico Griffin, 34, Washington, DC

66 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Shahborne Scales, 32, Washington, DC 

sentenced to 66 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

Luther McDuffie, 35, Washington, DC

sentenced to 24 months for conspiracy to distribute 22.4-28 grams of crack cocaine

            WASHINGTON –A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to bribing a public official to smuggle drugs into the D.C. jail. Andre Gregory, 31, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to one count of bribery.  U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 12, 2023. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Washington Field Office made the announcement.

            According to court documents, in June of 2022, Gregory contacted Keywaune McLeod, 28, via jail telephone. Specifically, Gregory recruited McLeod to act as a conduit outside of D.C. jail to package narcotics and manage payments from the sale of those narcotics from inside the jail. As a part of this conspiracy, McLeod would package and provide drugs to a public official, Beverly Williams, 52, a Correctional Officer working at the jail, who would smuggle them into the facility by concealing them on her body. Once inside the D.C. Jail, Williams would transfer the drugs to Gregory who would then distribute the drugs for a profit. McLeod would accept and manage the proceeds from such distribution using CashApp and make bribe payments to the Williams for the drug smuggling.

            Previously in September and October of 2022, Williams was charged as part of a three-co-defendant complaint, later followed by an indictment. Specifically, McLeod, Williams and Andre Gregory were charged with conspiracy, bribery and smuggling.

            The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, as well as potential financial penalties. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and the District of Columbia 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 – Linwood Douglas Thorne, 51, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in one of the largest seizures of heroin in the District of Columbia’s history.  The sentence, handed down March 31, 2023, by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Divisions, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel, of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

            On March 25, 2022, a jury found Thorne guilty of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and a firearms charge.

            “This sentence should send a clear message to all those who would even consider operating a large-scale drug network: doing so will result in you possibly spending the rest of your life in jail,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We have zero tolerance for those looking to poison our communities with massive amounts of drugs—particularly when the drug trafficking involves firearms.”

            “This joint investigation, which resulted in one of the largest seizures of heroin in our city's history, is a testament to the strength of our federal and local partnerships,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “The Washington Field Office's Safe Streets Task Force remains committed to pursuing criminals who traffic in drugs and guns. Let the defendant's sentence serve as a reminder of the consequences traffickers face for putting people's lives in danger.”

            “Today’s announcement sends an accountability message not only to those who traffic deadly drugs and illegal firearms, but to the families of victims as well.  ATF stands with our law enforcement partners to say, violent acts will cost and will be addressed accordingly,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel. “We reaffirm our commitment to holding those that attempt to destroy our communities responsible for their illegal and dangerous actions.”

            In 2018, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force began investigating Thorne, as a major heroin supplier. On Dec. 19, 2018, the FBI and ATF executed simultaneous search warrants on Thorne’s Maryland business and D.C. residence, finding 44 kilograms of heroin laced with fentanyl; 55 pounds of marijuana; five firearms; and significant drug paraphernalia. In addition to the search warrants, the task force’s investigation—which began in July of 2018—has led to the recovery of eight additional firearms, approximately 1.5 additional kilograms of marijuana, 260 additional grams of heroin, and several firearms magazines and accessories.

            During trial, the government presented over a dozen civilian and law enforcement witnesses, along with digital and business records establishing and corroborating the defendant’s guilt.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and ATF, as well as those from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who were on the Safe Streets Task Force, and the United States Marshals Service. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by joint law enforcement and prosecution partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosen, as well as Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson of the Capitol Siege and Federal Major Crimes Section, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Regan, Samuel Frey, and Andrea Duvall.

The Justice Department today announced the filing of a forfeiture complaint against over one million rounds of ammunition, thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades, and thousands of pounds of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades that the U.S. Navy seized in transit from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to militant groups in Yemen.

“The United States disrupted a major operation by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle weapons of war into the hands of a militant group in Yemen. The Justice Department is now seeking the forfeiture of those weapons, including over one million rounds of ammunition and thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable those who break our laws and threaten our national security.”

“This forfeiture action prevents ammunition and dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands and highlights the importance of our investigative work to deny criminal and terrorist networks their instruments of violence and destruction,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I am extremely proud of the critical investigative role played by Homeland Security Investigations alongside our law enforcement and Department of Defense partners in a collaborative whole-of-government effort.”

“This forfeiture action aims to stop in its tracks yet another attempt by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies to fuel violence and conflict around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will use all our tools, including our jurisdiction to seize and forfeit assets, located abroad, to disrupt the IRGC’s efforts to sow discord.”

“Today’s outcome should serve as a stark reminder to individuals and entities seeking to illicitly traffic in armaments that could potentially be used in a manner that is contrary to our nation’s interests,” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who engage in unlawful weapons proliferation that serves to destabilize communities and countries, and contributes to a range of nefarious activities, including terrorism, organized crime, and violent conflicts.”

According to court documents, on or about Dec. 1, 2022, U.S. Central Command forces seized the weapons from a flagless vessel in the Arabian Sea. The seizure included 1.063 million rounds of 7.62mmx54mm ammunition; 24,000 rounds of 12.7mmx99mm ammunition; 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and 2,000 kg of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades.

The government’s forfeiture action is part of a larger investigation of an Iranian weapons-smuggling network. The network was involved in the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems and components by sanctioned Iranian entities that directly support military action by the Houthi movement in Yemen and the Iranian regime’s campaign of terrorist activities throughout the region. The forfeiture complaint alleges a sophisticated scheme by the IRGC to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that pose grave threats to U.S. national security. 

This forfeiture action is a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated effort to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime and are merely allegations.

The HSI Washington Field Office and the DCIS Mid-Atlantic Field Office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in conducting the seizure. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen, Brian P. Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Anna D. Walker for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case, with support from Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela De Falco.

The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department today announced the filing of a forfeiture complaint against more than one million rounds of ammunition, thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades, and thousands of pounds of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades that the U.S. Navy seized in transit from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to militant groups in Yemen.

            “The United States disrupted a major operation by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle weapons of war into the hands of a militant group in Yemen. The Justice Department is now seeking the forfeiture of those weapons, including over one million rounds of ammunition and thousands of proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable those who break our laws and threaten our national security.”

            “This forfeiture action aims to stop in its tracks yet another attempt by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies to fuel violence and conflict around the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will use all our tools, including our jurisdiction to seize and forfeit assets, located abroad, to disrupt the IRGC’s efforts to sow discord.”

            “This forfeiture action prevents ammunition and dangerous weapons from falling into the wrong hands and highlights the importance of our investigative work to deny criminal and terrorist networks their instruments of violence and destruction,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I am extremely proud of the critical investigative role played by Homeland Security Investigations alongside our law enforcement and Department of Defense partners in a collaborative whole-of-government effort.”

            According to court documents, on or about December 1, 2022, U.S. Central Command forces seized the weapons from a flagless vessel in the Arabian Sea. The seizure included 1.063 million rounds of 7.62mmx54mm ammunition, 24,000 rounds of 12.7mmx99mm ammunition, 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and 2,000 kg of propellant for rocket-propelled grenades.

            “Today’s outcome should serve as a stark reminder to individuals and entities seeking to illicitly traffic in armaments that could potentially be used in a manner that is contrary to our nation’s interests,” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the investigative arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who engage in unlawful weapons proliferation that serves to destabilize communities and countries, and contributes to a range of nefarious activities, including terrorism, organized crime, and violent conflicts.”

            The government’s forfeiture action is part of a larger investigation of an Iranian weapons- smuggling network. The network was involved in the illicit trafficking of advanced conventional weapons systems and components by sanctioned Iranian entities that directly support military action by the Houthi movement in Yemen and the Iranian regime’s campaign of terrorist activities throughout the region. The forfeiture complaint alleges a sophisticated scheme by the IRGC to clandestinely ship weapons to entities that pose grave threats to U.S. national security. 

            This forfeiture action is a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated effort to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime and are merely allegations.

            HSI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office are leading the larger investigation of the Iranian weapons-smuggling network, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Central Command Forces in conducting the seizure.

            The case is being litigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen, Brian P. Hudak, Rajbir S. Datta, and Anna D. Walker and National Security Division Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert are litigating the case, with support from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Angela DeFalco.

            On December 1, 2022, U.S. authorities seized: 

Alt. text: Picture displays large amount of ammo subject to forfeiture spread across a gray surface. 1.063 million rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition: 24,000 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition; 6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades; and 2,000 kg (800 boxes/2,500 g) of propellant used to launch rocket-propelled grenades.

1.063 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition

24,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition

6,960 proximity fuses for rocket-propelled grenades (see pdf)

2,000kg (800 boxes/2,500g) of propellant used to launch rocket propelled grenades (see pdf).

Defendant Posed as Young Girl to Target Victim

            WASHINGTON –Christopher Young, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 26 years in prison on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and second-degree child sexual abuse for abusing a minor child, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Young pleaded guilty on Aug. 23, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Amit P. Mehta ordered 15 years of supervised release and ordered Young to register as a sex offender.

            According to court documents, Young used a messaging application to reach out to a 10-year old child in June 2019 pretending to be a young girl. In the messages that Young exchanged with the victim, he blackmailed her for the purpose of sexually abusing her. While pretending to be a young girl, Young messaged the victim, stating that if the victim did not engage in sexual acts with Young, embarrassing photographs of the victim would be disseminated to the victim’s family. Young also photographed his sexual abuse of the victim. One of these photographs was recovered from Young’s e-mail account.

            The victim reported the abuse to her mother and Young was arrested on July 23, 2019. He has been in custody since his arrest.

            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.

            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, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, as well as the MPD’s Narcotics and Special Investigation Division, Human Trafficking Unit.  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 – Jacob David Dockter, 28, of Taft, California, was sentenced today to 140 months in prison for distribution of child pornography, followed by 120 months of supervised release.

            On May 28, 2020, a law enforcement officer was acting in an undercover capacity as part of the Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation (“MPD-FBI”) Child Exploitation Task Force, operating out of a satellite office in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, the undercover officer entered a private online group devoted to the receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Dockter began communicating with the undercover officer via private message on the online platform. Dockter told the undercover officer that he was a 25-year-old man from Southern California and that he had access to a two-year-old female relative. He told the undercover officer that he had taken nude images of this two-year-old relative in the past. Dockter then sent the undercover officer multiple live nude photos of the child, as well as one sexually explicit image.

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

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation commended the work of those who worked on the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD’s Youth Investigations Division. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and April Russo, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen E. Stauss, and Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson.

WASHINGTON – Elvin Cruz (“Cruz”), 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 44 months in prison for aggravated assault, third degree sexual abuse, two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse, and assault, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Cruz pleaded guilty on September 1, 2022.

            According to court documents, on July 10, 2021, Cruz followed his first victim as she was walking to the store. He approached the victim from behind and put his hand in between her legs touching her vagina, without her consent. On July 24, 2021, Cruz followed his second victim as she was walking home from a friend’s house. When she arrived at the front steps of her residence, Cruz shoved her to the ground. Cruz then placed himself on top of the victim and started touching her private area through her shorts while also lifting up her dress. The victim tried to fend Cruz off and defend herself by pushing him away. Cruz continued the assault and began to strangle the victim around the neck area, until the victim blacked out and lost consciousness.

            On August 7, 2021, Cruz approached a third victim by following her and a companion as they were walking home. Cruz followed them for multiple blocks and, after being noticed by the companion, ran up to the victim and grabbed her private area without her consent. Cruz then continued to try to grab the victim while her companion tried to fend him off. Less than an hour following this assault, Cruz approached a fourth victim, whom he followed while she was walking home. Upon observing Cruz following her, the victim sped up but the defendant started running and caught up to her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind. The victim managed to break free and eventually run away and call 911.

            In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Judge Milton Lee ordered six years of supervised release and ordered Cruz to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Over the government’s objection, Judge Lee sentenced Cruz pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Lezlie Richardson and Tracey Hawkins the Victim/Witness Specialist assigned to this matter, and paralegal Tiffany Jones. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Crocetti, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Russian National Fraudulently Obtained Entry to the United States Using Brazilian Alias to Attend a University in the District of Columbia and Obtain Information

            WASHINGTON – Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov (“Cherkasov”), 37, a national of the Russian Federation who operated as an “Illegal” agent for a Russian Intelligence Service (“RIS”) under the Brazilian alias of Victor Muller Ferreira, was charged today for acting as an agent of a foreign power, visa fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and other charges stemming from his illegal activities in the United States. Cherkasov started acting as an Illegal agent in 2012 in Brazil using the Ferreira name, and he moved to the United States in 2018 after obtaining admission to a graduate school program at a University 1, a university located in the District of Columbia. Cherkasov is currently incarcerated in Brazil on fraud charges.     

            According to a Criminal Complaint filed on March 24, 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, between 2012 and April 2022. Cherkasov acted as an illegal agent of a RIS using a Brazilian cover identity. In October 2017, Cherkasov maintained his cover as a Brazilian national to apply to graduate programs in the United States, including University 1, and he obtained admission to University 1 at the behest of the RIS. Using that same fraudulent cover, Cherkasov fraudulently applied for, and obtained, a visa to enter the United States in 2017. In March 2018, Cherkasov obtained admission to University 1, and again fraudulently applied for, and obtained, a student visa to enter the United States. According to the complaint, after entering the United States, Cherkasov fraudulently opened bank accounts at a U.S. bank under the Brazilian alias Victor Muller Ferreira  and obtained a U.S. driver’s license from the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Cherkasov further made connections to persons of interest in the United States and maintained communications with his RIS handlers. While in the United States, Cherkasov obtained information about U.S. persons that he passed to his RIS handlers. Cherkasov obtained his graduate degree using the fraudulent Ferreira identity from University 1, and left the United States in or about May 2020.  Cherkasov continued his activities for the RIS after leaving the United States, and he continued to use his connections from University 1 to obtain information about U.S. foreign policy to provide to the RIS in 2021 and 2022. Cherkasov attempted to obtain employment at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, in April 2022. After being turned away by Dutch officials, Cherkasov returned to Brazil where he was arrested on fraud charges stemming from his use of the false Ferreira identity.

            “When foreign adversaries, such as Russia, send undercover operatives into the United States, we will find them and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” said US Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “Such adversaries seek to operate in secret to undermine our national security in ways that could jeopardize the safety of our citizens. With our partners in the FBI, we will root out anyone who intends to do harm to the United States and bring them to justice.”

          “For years, Cherkasov worked as an illegal agent for a Russian intelligence service and committed fraud against the United States,” said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Today’s criminal complaint is a result of the hard work, determination, and collaborative efforts of the FBI and our international partners in a complex investigation holding him accountable for his attempts to collect intelligence on the United States at the behest of the Russian government.”

            This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and coordinated by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal S. Chawla and Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case, with support from Paralegals Michael Watts and Mariela Andrade.

WASHINGTON – Kristina Ann Ballard, 53, of Largo, Florida, was sentenced today to three years in prison for embezzling more than $270,000 from her former employer, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.

            In March 2022, Ballard pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth ordered that she serve three years of supervised release and pay $271,465.86 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.

            Ballard worked for the nonprofit organization between August 2014 and December 2020, at which point she was fired for poor performance. She served as the organization’s Director of Finance. From January 2015 through December 2020, she embezzled $271,465.86.

            Ballard started embezzling from the D.C. non-profit just four days after she was indicted in Arlington County, Virginia, for embezzling from a previous employer. In July 2015, a Virginia court sentenced her to four years of probation. In conjunction with her sentencing in that case, Ballard said she had learned from her mistakes and would “never let [something like this] happen again.” In fact, between the time she was indicted in Virginia in January 2015 and sentenced in July 2015, she had embezzled more than $30,000 from the D.C. employer. Following the imposition of the probationary sentence, Ballard went on to steal approximately $240,000 more from the D.C. non-profit.

            Ballard stole from the D.C. non-profit by wiring organization funds to bank accounts that she controlled, intercepting credit card rewards checks issued to the organization and then depositing them into a bank account she controlled, and fraudulently charging personal purchases on the organization’s credit card. On Nov. 5, 2020, she used the organization’s credit card to pay $24,694 in restitution to the Virginia court for her prior embezzlement scheme.

            Ballard concealed her fraud from the D.C. employer by listing various beneficiary names on wire transfers and creating fake invoices, often using fake company names. She also forged the Executive Director’s signature on the credit card rewards checks before she deposited them.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart and former Paralegal Specialist Angeline Thekkumthala.

WASHINGTON – Edward Brown, 60, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for slaying of 71-year-old man in an apartment building in Northwest Washington announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Brown was found guilty of first degree-murder while armed and second-degree murder while armed arising from the same set of facts. Each charge also carried a senior citizen enhancement. The verdict followed a trial in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rainey Brandt.

            Brown was arrested on February 27, 2018. He has been in custody ever since.

            On the morning of Feb. 5, 2018, the Metropolitan Police Department was called to an apartment in the 2300 block of 11th Street NW for a report of an unconscious person. They discovered the victim, Michael Mahoney, inside his apartment, fatally stabbed in the neck. Brown, who was temporarily staying in the apartment, was the last person to be seen on video surveillance going into and out of the apartment before Mr. Mahoney’s body was discovered by his concerned and vigilant senior friends.

            Brown was arrested Feb. 27, 2018. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S Attorneys John Giovannelli, Sharon Donovan, Daniel Lenerz, and Jeffrey Wojcik; former AUSA Puja Bhatia, Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera, Kelly Blakeney, and Stephanie Siegerist; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce; Katina Adams-Washington, LaJune Thames, and Nikiya Burnette of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; former Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, sand Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Trigoso and Prava Palacharla, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Darnell Sterling, 57, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 27 years in prison on charges stemming from the murder of his girlfriend, whose body has never been recovered, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Sterling was found guilty on October 3, 2022, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder and a related charge of contempt. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan ordered five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of July 17, 2020, Sterling fatally attacked the victim, Olga Ooro, 34, inside her apartment in the 300 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW. Ms. Ooro’s body has never been found.  Sterling killed Ms. Ooro while her seven-year-old son was asleep, in the apartment, in his own bedroom.  He cleaned up the crime scene and left the building.  He then returned the next night and used Ms. Ooro’s keys to enter the building and retrieve the body from a hidden location.  He then loaded the body into his car and disposed of it.

            Ms. Ooro was reported missing after her son was found wandering the apartment building. 

            At the time of the murder, Sterling was under a court order to stay away from Ms. Ooro, following his arrest for assaulting her on April 20, 2020. Sterling was arrested in the murder case on July 23, 2020. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI, the Maryland State Police, the Ocean City, Maryland, Police Department, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, and Bode Technology.  They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth; former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Maenylie Watson, Tonya Jones, and Katina Adams-Washington, of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Maisha Treadwell, and Intern Ahna Halpern.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Kristian Hinson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Shaka Haltiwanger, 23, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder while armed and related charges stemming from a mid-morning shooting that took place on September 10, 2021 in an apartment building lobby in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Haltiwanger was found guilty by a jury on Mar. 22, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. The Honorable Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for May 23, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 10, 2021, just before 11:30 a.m., the victim, Anthony Kelley, 39, arrived at his father’s apartment building at 1400 29th Street SE to take his father—who had suffered a stroke and could not drive—to the grocery store. When Mr. Kelley entered his father’s apartment, he found Haltiwanger on the living room couch.  Haltiwanger had been regularly selling crack cocaine to Mr. Kelley’s father. Mr. Kelley confronted Haltiwanger and physically removed him from the apartment. Haltiwanger and Mr. Kelley continued to argue in the hallway and stairwell of the apartment building until Mr. Kelley separated himself and began to walk away toward the building’s front door. Haltiwanger then removed a 9 mm “ghost gun” equipped with a 50-round magazine drum from his backpack and shot Mr. Kelley once in the back. The gun jammed after the first shot, and Haltiwanger fled the scene. Haltiwanger and others then proceeded to call multiple eyewitnesses to the shooting more than a dozen times using blocked phone numbers while the eyewitnesses were speaking to law enforcement on scene.

            Haltiwanger was arrested in the murder case on September 30, 2021. He has been in custody ever since. At the time of the murder, Haltiwanger was on release in a pending gun and drug case in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Section, and Dan Lenerz of the Appellate Section; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Robert Cephas, Marlon Hernandez, and Lesley Slade; Supervisory Victim/Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity and Grazy Rivera; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.  

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Charles R. Jones, who investigated, indicted, and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A jury found Richard Nduba, 39, of Alexandria, Virginia, guilty of firing multiple shots at a man in August 2022 in Northwest Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. The verdict was returned on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. The Honorable Erik Christian scheduled sentencing for April 21, 2023.

            Nduba, 39, was found guilty following a three-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime of Violence.

            According to the government’s evidence, on August 10, 2022, the defendant argued with the victim, a friend, outside the Walmart on 99 H Street NW around 7:00pm. After the argument, the victim, who is wheelchair bound, went to the 800 block of 1st street NW next to the Walmart’s loading dock area to speak on the phone. The defendant circled the block in his rental SUV until he found the victim. Upon finding the victim, the defendant lowered his window, pointed a black handgun at the victim, and shot at the victim twice. The defendant stopped shooting only after the victim acted as if he had been hit and played dead in his wheelchair. Both shots, however, missed the victim. A bullet hole was later discovered in Walmart’s loading dock door, next to where the victim had been sitting at the time of the shooting.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.  It was investigated, prosecuted. and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Omeed Assefi and Colin Cloherty of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Nielsen and Kathleen Kern, Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson, and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce.

WASHINGTON – Federal law enforcement arrested one member of the conspiracy last month, and two remaining members of the conspiracy, this morning, for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy responsible for bringing thousands of fake blue Oxycodone (M30) pills, containing fentanyl, from California to D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, of the Washington Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Hector David Valdez, 25, of Los Angeles, California, Charles Jeffrey Taylor, 19, of Washington D.C., and Craig Eastman, 19, of Washington D.C., are charged in an indictment with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Valdez was arrested in Los Angeles, California, on March 13, 2023 and was ordered detained by the Central District of California pending his transfer to the District of Columbia. Eastman and Taylor were arrested on March 22, 2023, and made their initial appearance in the District of Columbia this afternoon. They will have a detention hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather on March 28, 2023.

            According to the indictment, from on or about January 2021 to February 24, 2023, Valdez, Taylor, and Eastman conspired together to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.  The indictment further charges Eastman with three additional counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, including one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a protected location (a school and a public housing apartment).

            Valdez was arrested on February 24, 2023, in the Central District of California. During a search of his residence, law enforcement recovered over 4.4 kilograms of blue M30 pills and a half-kilogram brick of powder, which tested positive for fentanyl. Valdez was ordered detained pending trial and is currently being transferred to the District of Columbia for prosecution. This morning, law enforcement arrested Taylor and Eastman inside Taylor’s residence and seized seven firearms while executing a search warrant.

            The conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to life; the possession with intent to distribute charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and the possession within 1,000 feet of a protected location carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year up to 40 years in prison. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The investigation of this case had the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.

            The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles and Riverside Field Offices. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Henek, Andy Wang, and Matthew 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 – The last of three defendants was sentenced Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for illegal sales of opioids on various Darknet markets.  The Honorable John D. Bates sentenced Alex Ogando to 12 years.  Olatunji Dawodu and Luis Spencer were previously sentenced to 12 years and 12 ½ years, respectively.  All three defendants were convicted of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. 

            The Darknet operations pumped kilograms of fentanyl pills into communities across the nation over the course of four years, using Darknet markets including AlphaBay, Dream, Wall Street, and Empire to reach a broad customer base.  The defendants also used encrypted messaging services to communicate with and sell pills directly to customers.  In exchange for cryptocurrency, the defendants sold fentanyl pills that were shipped via the U.S. Postal Service to buyers in the District of Columbia and all 50 states.  The conspiracies relied on sophisticated technology to distribute and profit from a staggering quantity of pills pressed with fentanyl.

            The case was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Crane and Assistant U.S. Attorney Connor Mullin.  The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Hi-Tech Opioid Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents, analysts, and task force partners, including special agents and officers of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and detectives from local assisting police agencies. Additional assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Rhode Island and the Southern District of Florida, the FBI’s Miami and Boston Field Offices, and the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit.

A federal court in the District of Columbia unsealed two indictments yesterday charging multiple defendants with violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for their roles in separate schemes to procure and export U.S. technology to Iran between 2005 and 2013. In connection with this announcement, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated three of the defendants and four entities for their involvement in the procurement of equipment that supports Iran’s ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and weapons programs.

United States v. Paidar, et al.

According to the indictment, between 2012 and 2013, defendants Amanallah Paidar, of Iran, and Murat Bükey, of Turkey, conspired to procure and export U.S. technology for Iran through their companies Farazan Industrial Engineering, in Iran, and Ozon Spor Ve Hobbi Ürünleri, in Turkey. Specifically, Paidar and Bükey exported from the United States and transshipped through Turkey a device that can test the efficacy and power of fuel cells and attempted to obtain a bio-detection system that has application in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) research and use.

Bükey, who was extradited to the United States from Spain in July 2022, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the AECA and IEEPA in December 2022. He was sentenced on March 20 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 28 months in prison, with credit for time served. He will be removed from the United States after completing his sentence. Paidar is a fugitive and remains at large.

United States v. Mahmoudi, et al.

According to the indictment, between 2005 and 2009, defendants Agshar Mahmoudi, of Iran; Bahram Mahmoudi Mahmoud Alilou, of Iran; and Shahin Golshani, of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); conspired to obtain U.S. technology, including a high-speed camera that has known nuclear and ballistic missile testing applications, a nose landing gear assembly for an F-5 fighter jet, and a meteorological sensor system, through their companies Aran Modern Devices Kish Company, in Iran; and Modern Technologies, in the UAE. The defendants are fugitives and remain at large.

“The defendants’ efforts to unlawfully export advanced U.S. technology that could benefit the Iranian regime’s military and weapons of mass destruction research pose a threat to all Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will steadfastly pursue and bring to justice anyone who violates U.S. export laws and harm our nation’s security.”

“With the help of our U.S. agency and international partners, the FBI thwarted an attempt to export advanced, American controlled, technological systems and goods,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI will not stand idly while hostile countries attempt to evade our laws and circumvent U.S. sanctions and we will work tirelessly to stop such activity. This sentencing further illustrates our willingness to reach beyond our borders, to protect American interests, and bring all offenders to justice.” 

“These defendants sought to obtain valuable U.S.-origin goods that could assist Iran’s military and WMD aspirations, and in some instances, they were successful,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and our federal law enforcement partners will zealously pursue those who break these laws and harm our national security interests, regardless of where in the world they operate."

“The sentencing of Murat Bukey and the charging of four others with conspiring to illegally export technologies and goods to Iran demonstrates our determination to hold those who attempt to circumvent U.S. export laws and sanctions accountable,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Export controls exist to protect the security of the United States and its people, and we will aggressively investigate those who threaten our national security by violating these laws. We are grateful to our international partners for their assistance in dismantling this scheme and bringing the defendant to justice.”

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry, Office of Export Enforcement are investigating these cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal S. Chawla for the District of Columbia and Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting these cases, with support from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts and Mariela Andrade. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Bükey’s arrest and extradition.

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

WASHINGTON – Julius Yancey, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for a violent assault, in June of 2022, outside of Union Station. The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 30, 2022, at approximately 2:20pm, Yancey approached the victim outside of Union Station, at 2 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC. The victim was sitting down and looking at his phone when Yancey stabbed him three times with a knife - once in the arm, and twice in the chest – for no reason and without provocation. The victim escaped and ran into Union Station looking for police officers to help him. The defendant followed the victim into Union Station while still holding the knife and stalked after him down two hallways. After about a minute, the defendant was stopped by police officers and the victim collapsed on the floor. The defendant dropped the knife when confronted with police and taken into custody. The victim received emergency medical care by officers at the scene, including an officer putting a tourniquet on his arm to stop the bleeding from the open wound located there. The victim was then transported to the hospital, where a doctor had to stitch up his wounds. At the time of this incident, the defendant was on release in a pending matter for simple assault, attempted threats, and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon in 2021 CMD 006032. The defendant has subsequently been convicted after a bench trial of these offenses, and Yancey was sentenced to 180 days straight time for each conviction, to run concurrently.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee 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 Specialists Tamaya Reid and Kalisha Johnson-Clark, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren “Luca” Winer, Emily Kubo, and Richard Carlton who investigated the matter.

WASHINGTON – A Correctional Officer working at the D.C. jail pleaded guilty today to receiving bribes to smuggle drugs into the D.C. jail. Beverly Williams, 52, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to one count of bribery. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 12, 2023. United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office made the announcement.

            According to court documents, as part of her plea, Williams admitted that, between June and September of 2022, while working as a Correctional Officer at D.C. jail, she accepted bribe payments to smuggle packages containing narcotics into D.C. jail. Williams conspired with Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington D.C., and an inmate in D.C. jail. In return for the bribe payments, Williams would receive packages of drugs from McLeod and smuggle them into the facility by concealing them on her body. Once inside the D.C. jail, Williams would transfer the drugs to the inmate who would then distribute the drugs for a profit. McLeod, who was accepting and managing the proceeds from such distribution, used CashApp to make bribe payments to Williams for the drug smuggling.

            Previously, in September and October 2022, Williams was charged as part of a three-co-defendant complaint, later followed by an indictment. Specifically, McLeod, Williams, and Andre Gregory, 31, who was incarcerated at the D.C. jail’s CDF while awaiting trial, were charged with conspiracy, bribery, and smuggling. All charges as to Gregory remain pending.

            The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, as well as potential financial penalties. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.  

            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.

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

Iranian Agents Tried to Obtain Equipment That Could Be Used in Weapons Programs

            WASHINGTON – A federal court in the District of Columbia unsealed two indictments today charging multiple defendants with violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for their roles in separate schemes to procure and export U.S. technology to Iran between 2005 and 2013. In connection with today’s announcement, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated three of the defendants and four entities for their involvement in the procurement of equipment that supports Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and weapons programs.

United States v. Paidar, et al.

            According to the indictment, between 2012 and 2013, defendants Amanallah Paidar, of Iran, and Murat Bükey, of Turkey, conspired to procure and export U.S. technology for Iran through their companies Farazan Industrial Engineering, in Iran, and Ozon Spor Ve Hobbi Ürünleri, in Turkey. Specifically, Paidar and Bükey exported from the United States and transshipped through Turkey a device that can test the efficacy and power of fuel cells and attempted to obtain a bio-detection system that has application in weapons of mass destruction (WMD) research and use.

            Bükey, who was extradited to the United States from Spain in July 2022, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the AECA and IEEPA in December 2022. He was sentenced yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 28 months in prison, with credit for time served. He will be removed from the United States after completing his sentence. Paidar is a fugitive and remains at large.

United States v. Mahmoudi, et al.

            According to the indictment, between 2005 and 2009, defendants Agshar Mahmoudi, of Iran; Bahram Mahmoudi Mahmoud Alilou, of Iran; and Shahin Golshani, of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); conspired to obtain U.S. technology, including a high-speed camera that has known nuclear and ballistic missile testing applications, a nose landing gear assembly for an F-5 fighter jet, and a meteorological sensor system, through their companies Aran Modern Devices Kish Company, in Iran; and Modern Technologies, in the UAE. The defendants are fugitives and remain at large. 

            “These defendants sought to obtain valuable U.S.- origin goods that could assist Iran’s military and WMD aspirations, and in some instances, they were successful,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and our federal law enforcement partners will zealously pursue those who break these laws and harm our national security interests, regardless of where in the world they operate." 

             “With the help of our U.S. agency and international partners, the FBI thwarted an attempt to export advanced, American controlled, technological systems and goods,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI will not stand idly while hostile countries attempt to evade our laws and circumvent U.S. sanctions and we will work tirelessly to stop such activity. This sentencing further illustrates our willingness to reach beyond our borders, to protect American interests and bring all offenders to justice.” 

            “The sentencing of Murat Bukey and the charging of four others with conspiring to illegally export technologies and goods to Iran demonstrates our determination to hold those who attempt to circumvent U.S. export laws and sanctions accountable,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg, of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Export controls exist to protect the security of the United States and its people, and we will aggressively investigate those who threaten our national security by violating these laws. We are grateful to our international partners for their assistance in dismantling this scheme and bringing the defendant to justice.”

            “Mr. Bukey acted on behalf of a larger network attempting to deliver sensitive U.S. technology into the hands of a hostile nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.  “If we allow such networks to meet with success, they could potentially put the safety of every American at risk. Investigating the illegal exportation of sensitive technology has long been a hallmark of Homeland Security Investigations.  HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to prioritize any investigation into illegal activity that threatens the security of the United States. Working with our federal law enforcement partners, HSI will exhaust all of our resources to ensure the safety of the American people.”      

            The investigation that led to these charges was conducted by the FBI, HSI, and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry, Office of Export Enforcements’ Washington Field Offices, and coordinated by the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal S. Chawla for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case, with support from Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts and Mariela Andrade. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Bukey’s arrest and extradition.

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 –A 19-year-old D.C. resident was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend. He pleaded guilty on December 12, 2022, in front of the Honorable Judge Tonya S.Chutkan.

            According to court documents, the defendant was in a relationship with a fellow high-school student which ended in March 2022.  Following the end of the relationship, from March 2022 until June 2022, the defendant sent his ex-girlfriend, who was 17-years old at the time, a series of text messages threatening her life.  The defendant threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend before killing himself, telling her that if he could not have her, no one would.  The defendant also sent sexually explicit videos depicting his ex-girlfriend to her mother, one of her co-workers, and to one of her friends.  As a result of the defendant’s threats, the 17-year old’s family obtained a civil protection order against the defendant. Despite this protection order, the defendant continued to attempt to contact the minor victim.

            The defendant was arrested in June of 2022, and he has remained in custody ever since.  In addition to the prison term, Judge Chutkan ordered three years of supervised release and ordered the defendant to stay away from the victim.   

            Healthy relationships are important for everyone, especially for teenagers.  Healthy relationships are ones where adolescents can safely feel and express respect for themselves and others. More information is available at https://opa.hhs.gov/adolescent-health/healthy-relationships-adolescence.  Anyone seeking help can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7283.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department commended the work of the FBI agents and MPD detectives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to bribing a public official to smuggle drugs into the D.C. jail. Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty in United States District Court to one count of bribery. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 12, 2023.

            According to court documents, as part of his plea, McLeod admitted that, in June of 2022, McLeod was contacted via jail telephone by an inmate being housed at D.C. Jail. Specifically, McLeod was recruited by the inmate to act as a conduit outside of D.C. jail to package narcotics and manage payments from the sale of those narcotics from inside the jail. As a part of this conspiracy, McLeod would package and provide drugs to a public official, a Correctional Officer working at the jail, who would smuggle them into the facility by concealing them on her body. Once inside the D.C. Jail, the Correctional Officer would transfer the drugs to the inmate who would then distribute the drugs for a profit. McLeod would accept and manage the proceeds from such distribution using CashApp and make bribe payments to the Correctional Officer for the drug smuggling.

            Previously, in September and October 2022, McLeod was charged as part of a three-co-defendant complaint, later followed by an indictment.  Specifically, D.C. Jail Correctional Officer Beverly Williams, 52, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and Andre Gregory, 31, an incarcerated inmate at the D.C. Jail’s CDF awaiting trial, along with McLeod, were charged with conspiracy, bribery, and smuggling.  All charges as to Williams and Gregory remain pending.  A complaint and an indictment are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            The bribery charge to which McLeod pleaded guilty carries a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, as well as potential financial penalties. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.  

            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.

Defendant Was Convicted in Separate Trials

            WASHINGTON – Ronald P. Berton, Jr., 48, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to two life sentences for home invasion sexual assaults committed in 2007 and 2010. Berton was sentenced to life without the possibility of release plus 27 years for a June 2010 home invasion and sexual assault of an adult woman; and to life without the possibility of release for the October 2007 home invasion and sexual assault of another adult woman. Both victims were strangers to Berton.  The sentences, which will run consecutively to each other, were announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            In the case from 2010, Berton was found guilty, in February of 2023, of first-degree burglary, kidnapping, first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to commit first degree sexual abuse, and attempted first degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. In the 2007 case, Berton was found guilty, in March of 2020, of kidnapping and first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances.

            “This sentence helps to ensure that a very dangerous sexual predator will not roam our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This office truly appreciates the courage it took for each survivor to come forward and testify about their ordeal in a courtroom full of strangers, particularly after so many years had passed. Their strength has undoubtedly saved others from falling prey to this serial offender. The people in this office will do everything possible to get justice for victims of sexual assault.”    

            “Every survivor deserves justice, and I’m pleased that, through the hard work of our officers, detectives, attorneys, and other law enforcement partners, our criminal justice system has delivered it to these two women,” said Chief Contee. “The Metropolitan Police Department is committed to closing every case, no matter how long it takes.”

             According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, on June 12, 2010, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the victim was at home sleeping in her ground level apartment in Adams Morgan. Berton, who was a stranger to the victim, entered her home and proceeded into her bedroom where he stood over her. The victim woke up and the defendant restrained her and sexually assaulted her. The victim fought back, ultimately collecting the defendant’s DNA underneath the fingernails of both her hands. After the assault, Berton stole the victim’s phone and fled. The defendant used the victim’s stolen SIM card, which he placed into a different handset, to call an acquaintance five hours later.

            The victim ran to a firehouse immediately after the assault and reported the offenses. MPD responded promptly and a crime scene technician swabbed under her fingernails for possible DNA. The fingernail swabs were tested in 2010 and resulted in a partial DNA profile of the defendant under her left hand fingernails and a more complete profile under her right hand fingernails.

            Berton was developed as a suspect in this case in approximately 2017, when detectives with MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit identified him as the suspect in a 2007 home invasion sexual assault. In that case, Berton had entered the ground level Adams Morgan apartment of a 27 year-old woman who was sleeping. The defendant restrained and sexually assaulted her and then stole her phone and fled. The victim obtained an immediate Sexual Assault Examination and reported the offenses to police. Berton was later identified as the perpetrator of this offense by his DNA profile. He was convicted of the 2007 crimes in a March 2020 trial, in which the jury found him guilty of kidnapping and first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances.

            Berton also has a 2014 rape conviction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Arlington County. In that case, in September 2010, Berton entered the ground level apartment of a woman who was sleeping and sexually assaulted her. After the assault, the defendant stole two cell phones and a laptop and fled. He was later identified as the perpetrator through DNA.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI CAST team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Allen, Dan Lenerz, Nick Coleman, Bryan Han, Chrisellen Kolb, and Sharon Donovan; Lisa Kreeger-Norman, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Paralegal Specialists Cynthia Muhammad, Garcia Clarke, and Tiffany Jones; Lead Paralegal Specialist Michelle Wicker; and Victim/Witness Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington. 

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Kern and Amy Zubrensky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Raymond Glover, 42, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Matthew Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 21, 2023.

            According to court documents, on or about September 21, 2021, HSI agents searched Glover’s home. During the search, a child pornography video was playing, in plain sight, on Glover’s laptop in the living room via an application that allowed sharing of the video screen. Agents observed adult men, on another screen, who appeared to be watching the video via the sharing application. Glover stated that some of the child pornography videos posted in the application chat groups depicted children as young as 5 or 6 years of age. Glover stated individuals also posted links to cloud storage sites which allowed him to gain access to child pornography. During the search warrant execution, agents seized 13 electronic devices, to include two phones, the laptop, and a number of others. Glover’s devices contained over 60 videos and 60 images that meet the federal definition of child pornography. These videos and images were downloaded between the dates of September 27, 2019 and September 21, 2021.

            The charge of receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, plus mandatory restitution, a period of supervised release, and a possible fine. The court will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the relevant factors including the advisory Sentencing Guidelines.

            This case is being investigated by the Washington, D.C. office of Homeland Security Investigations.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Larson and Jocelyn Bond with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance provided by the paralegal Alexis Spencer-Anderson.

WASHINGTON - Travis Littlejohn, 38, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury of the July 5, 2019, shooting of three men and a woman in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. The verdict was returned late in the day on March 10, 2023. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for June 2, 2023.

            Littlejohn was found guilty following a two-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of all charges in the 28-count indictment, including four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and three counts of assault with significant bodily injury, along with related firearms offenses.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the night of July 5, 2019, after getting into a verbal and physical altercation with a group of people gathered in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue NE, Washington, D.C., Littlejohn drove to an apartment two blocks away. Littlejohn drove back to the block minutes later, and after exchanging words with the group again, fired at least seven rounds at them from a semiautomatic firearm from a short distance away. Littlejohn shot four people before two members of the group returned gunfire. Three of the victims suffered significant injuries, but one victim was more seriously injured.

            This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department Detective Kurt Hansen with assistance of Sixth District Officer Keith Cyphers. The case was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Samuel White, and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McCarthy of the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Renee Prather, Debra McPherson & Crystal Waddy, SA Nelson Rhone of the Criminal Investigation Unit, and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.