District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former District of Columbia Fire/EMS Employee Sentenced to Prison for Bribery in Scheme Involving Undelivered GoodsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Louis “Joey” Mitchell III, a former employee of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS), was sentenced today to 34 months in prison for accepting more than $60,000 in payments from a District of Columbia contractor in exchange for directing purchase agreements and orders to the contractor and then falsely certifying that goods that FEMS had paid for had been delivered.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Mitchell, 50, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty to bribery in May 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. Following his prison term, Mitchell will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay a $61,250 forfeiture money judgment and $257,680 in restitution.
Mitchell was a warehouse supply technician at FEMS. In that role, he was responsible for verifying deliveries of goods to the warehouse before the agency would issue payments to the relevant vendors. According to the plea documents, beginning in at least 2016 and continuing through in or about 2020, Mitchell and a FEMS contract administrator engaged in a bribery scheme with a contractor whose company was an approved vendor for supplies.
According to the documents, Mitchell and the contract administrator solicited and received bribes from the contractor on at least seven occasions in exchange for directing purchase orders to the contractor’s company and confirming delivery of and payment for goods that the company did not deliver. In addition, Mitchell, the contractor, and the contract administrator made fraudulent charges on FEMS credit cards, payable to the contractor’s company, and then split the proceeds.
As a result of the bribery scheme, FEMS paid the company approximately $250,000 for goods that never were delivered. Mitchell personally received at least $61,250 in bribes from the contractor.
The FEMS contract administrator, Charity Keys, pleaded guilty in July 2022 to bribery and is to be sentenced on Dec. 2, 2022. In her guilty plea, Keys, 44, of Bowie, Maryland, admitted to a federal bribery charge receiving at least $42,500 in bribes.
Law enforcement opened an investigation into the conduct after FEMS officials discovered procurement anomalies and referred the matter to the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General and the FBI for investigation. Mitchell and Keys were arrested on Feb. 10, 2022.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and D.C. Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Director of Finance Sentenced to 44 Months in Prison for Defrauding Credit Union of More Than $600,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Salusthian Lutamila, the former Director of Finance of the Inter-American Development Bank – IIC Federal Credit Union, was sentenced today to 44 months in prison for an embezzlement scheme in which he stole $610,000 from the credit union.
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 Criminal Division.
Lutamila, 53, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was found guilty by a jury in May 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of 21 counts of bank fraud, theft by a credit union employee, wire fraud, and money laundering. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Following his prison term, Lutamila will be placed on three years of supervised release. During that time, he is barred from working in finance or accounting. He also must pay $76,069 in restitution and an equal amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, from November 2016 through April 2019, Lutamila worked at the credit union, first as the Controller and then as the Acting Chief Financial Officer. Shortly after finding out that he was not being promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer, Lutamila began embezzling money from the credit union. Specifically, beginning in November 2018 through January 2019, Lutamila stole $610,000.
Throughout the scheme, Lutamila abused and misused his position and employment at the credit union in order to illegally transfer money from internal operating accounts to a previously dormant checking account. Lutamila then abused the authority granted to him as Acting CFO to secretly move that money to an E-Trade account he had opened at the beginning of the scheme.
Lutamila then used the stolen money to pay off his car, increase the balance on his retirement account, and buy stocks. Lutamila’s scheme was discovered only a few weeks before he was set to resign from the credit union when the newly hired CFO identified the fraudulent transfers. Due to the quick actions by the newly hired CFO, the credit union was able to flag the fraud and get back most of the embezzled money.
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’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Mariela Andrade and Michon Tart, and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Jackson and former U.S. Attorney Peter Lallas, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution, Which Resulted in Death of Consumer from VirginiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andrew Cooper, 47, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of distribution of Fentanyl, admitting that he distributed the drug to customers from his residence in Northeast Washington. In the statement of facts in support of the plea agreement, Cooper admitted that he distributed Fentanyl to a female and her male friend, and that the male friend subsequently died from consuming the Fentanyl that Cooper provided.
Cooper also admitted that he distributed approximately 30 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer over five separate transactions.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Kevin Davis, Chief of the Fairfax County, Va. Police Department.
Cooper pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023, by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 235-240 months in prison.
As part of his plea agreement, Cooper acknowledged distributing Fentanyl from his residence in the 1900 block of Capitol Avenue NE, in the Ivy City neighborhood, from February to November of 2021. On multiple occasions, from Feb. 11 to Feb. 16, 2021, he distributed Fentanyl to the female and her male friend, who then traveled to Virginia to consume the drug. On Feb. 16, 2021, the woman came to Cooper’s residence alone. Upon her return to Virginia, she discovered her male friend dead from an apparent overdose. He was in a bathroom, with a syringe containing Fentanyl nearby.
Cooper was initially indicted in November 2021, after law enforcement completed five separate undercover purchases from August to October 2021. When Cooper was arrested on Nov. 10, 2021, law enforcement also executed a search warrant on his residence and recovered $74,430, which were proceeds from Cooper’s narcotics sales, a firearm, and additional narcotics, including Fentanyl. After gathering additional evidence, law enforcement was able to determine that Cooper’s Fentanyl distribution dated back until at least February 2021 and that his distribution resulted in the death of a male victim on Feb. 16, 2021.
As part of its investigation, law enforcement also determined that Cooper maintained a bank account where he kept additional proceeds from his drug trafficking activities and obtained a seizure warrant, resulting in the seizure of an additional $32,650. As part of his plea agreement, Cooper acknowledged that the $74,430 seized from his home and the $32,650 seized from his bank account were drug proceeds and agreed to forfeit the money to the government.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the DEA Washington Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Fairfax County, Va. Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Henek and Solomon Eppel, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Venezuelan National Charged with the July 2022 Hostage Taking of a U.S. National in the Dominican RepublicRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment returned in the District of Columbia was unsealed today, charging Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, a Venezuelan national, also known as “Sebastian,” for his role in the armed hostage taking of a U.S. citizen in the Dominican Republic in July 2022.
Rodriguez Delgado, 28, was arrested on Sept. 10, 2022, in the Dominican Republic by local authorities, and subsequently transferred into U.S. custody, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued in this matter, and he has since been detained. He made his initial appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and was ordered removed to the District of Columbia, where he will face prosecution on the filed indictment.
Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Robert M. DeWitt, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Field Office, made the announcement today.
The indictment is related to the July 30, 2022, hostage taking and robbery of a U.S. citizen, who was on a temporary work assignment in the Dominican Republic. In mid-July 2022, Rodriguez Delgado made contact with the victim using a dating App and later scheduled a dinner meeting on the pretense of a date. On July 30, 2022, Rodriguez Delgado met the victim outside his hotel and picked him up in a vehicle. While on the roadway, Rodriguez Delgado made an abrupt turn to a secluded area, where a second suspect quickly entered the rear of the vehicle and placed the victim in a head lock. Rodriguez Delgado and the second suspect, both armed with knives, threatened the victim and demanded that he request a payment from friends and family to secure his safe release. The victim, in fear for his life, complied with the demand, and ultimately obtained a payment from a family member. Rodriguez Delgado and the suspect also stole personal items from victim, including his cell phone and ATM card. The victim was released approximately two and half hours after being detained and after a ransom payment was made.
Charges in a complaint or indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office with the assistance of the FBI Legal Attaché Office in the Dominican Republic, and with special thanks to the authorities in the Dominican Republic, including the Procuraduría General de la República Dominicana and the Special Division for the Investigation of International Organized Crime (DEICROI) of the National Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack F. Korba of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Owner of District of Columbia Real Estate Company Pleads Guilty to Federal Bribery ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Frederick Silvers, 57, of Washington, D.C., owner of Silvers Realty Management LLC, pleaded guilty today to a federal bribery charge, admitting that he paid a District of Columbia government employee in return for confidential information.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Silvers pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10, 2023.
According to court papers, from July 2016 through June 2018, Silvers admitted to giving more than $2,000 in bribes to a program specialist with the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development in exchange for confidential, un-redacted Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) offer of sale notices. TOPA provides tenants living in the District of Columbia with the right to purchase their residence should the owner decide to sell the property. Under TOPA, tenants are allowed to re-assign their right to purchase to a third party. TOPA requires the owner (seller) to provide the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development with offer of sale notices before the proposed real estate transaction. The offer of sale notices include, among other things, information not released to the public, such as the names of tenants residing at the property.
The D.C. government employee, Dawne Dorsey, 40, pleaded guilty in June 2019 to a federal bribery charge for related conduct.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Azriel Echavarria, 20, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 16 months in prison on a firearms charge, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Echavarria pleaded guilty in April 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced on Sept. 9, 2022, by the Honorable J. Michael Ryan. Following his prison term, he will be placed on years of supervised release.
On March 10, 2022, an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department observed as Echavarria broadcast live footage of himself on Instragram Live as he waved a gun around inside an apartment in the 800 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE. MPD officers placed Echavarria under arrest after he left the apartment and executed a search warrant to recover the firearm, a 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. Police also recovered ammunition and drugs from the apartment, which was not Echavarria’s home or place of business. At the time of the offense, Echavarria was on probation for Maryland convictions of burglary and illegal gun possession. He has been held since his arrest.
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 case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos A. Valdivia, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault at Shaw-Howard University Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Justin Q. Taylor, 23, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to third-degree sexual abuse for attacking a woman earlier this year at the Shaw-Howard University Metro Station, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
Taylor pleaded guilty on Sept. 9, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on Dec. 9, 2022, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr.
According to the facts agreed to by both parties, in the early afternoon of Jan. 28, 2022, Taylor followed a woman down the escalator of the Metro station, in the 1800 block of Seventh Street NW. When they got to the bottom, he grabbed her without warning by the waist and pressed his pelvis against her buttocks as she struggled to get away. The woman fought him off and screamed and Taylor ran back up the escalator and caught a Metro bus a short distance away.
A Metro Transit Police Officer saw Taylor boarding the bus after hearing a description of the attacker. That officer pulled the bus over, finding Taylor on board. Taylor was brought back near the scene, where the victim identified him as the man who had just assaulted her.
At the time of the offense, Taylor was on probation for a similar offense he committed in December 2018. In that case, he attacked a woman after the two had just gotten off a bus.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who handled the case from the Metro Transit Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams and Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Graves commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
High School Rowing Coach Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a High School Student and Possessing Sexually Explicit Material of 17-Year-Old Former StudentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kirkland Shipley, 48, a former teacher and girls’ rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced today to three years in prison for sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a 17-year-old former high school student, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Shipley, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on June 3, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and possession of a sexual performance by a minor. He was sentenced by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan. Following his prison term, Shipley will be placed on two years of probation. He also will be required to register for the rest of his life as a sex offender.
According to the government’s evidence, one of the victims was on the girls’ crew team at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, from 2014 to 2018. Shipley was her head coach from her sophomore year to her senior year, as well as her history and geography teacher. During her sophomore year of high school, Shipley began texting the victim about rowing and personal matters. This continued into her senior year, in which Shipley began to text the victim more frequently and about increasingly personal topics. On at least two occasions in May 2018, prior to this victim’s graduation, he picked the victim up in his car and sexually abused her at his residence in Northwest Washington.
The other victim was on the girls’ crew team at Walt Whitman High School from 2009—2013. Shipley was her head coach from her sophomore year to her senior year. He also was this victim’s history teacher during her junior year. During the spring of the victim’s senior year, Shipley began to message her on GChat more frequently, about rowing and personal matters. A month after her graduation, in July 2013, when the victim was 17 years old, Shipley invited her to his residence in Washington, D.C., and had sex with her. He continued having sex with this victim throughout the summer and after she began college in the fall of 2013. During this time, Shipley possessed sexually explicit photos and videos of the victim, while she was a 17-year-old minor. He also sent this victim photos and videos of his penis and of himself masturbating.
Shipley was arrested on Aug. 24, 2021.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson and Paralegal Specialist ReShawn Johnson.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Felice Roggen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison for Murder of a Senior Citizen in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Tyrone Williams, 52, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 31 years in prison for first-degree felony murder of a senior citizen and other charges in a mid-day attempted robbery that took place in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Williams was found guilty by a jury on June 8, 2022, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The jury also found him guilty of attempted robbery of a senior citizen. He was sentenced by the Honorable Marisa J. Demeo to 30 years in prison on the murder charge and an additional year for committing the offense while on supervised release. A two-year sentence for the attempted robbery runs concurrently with the other time. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release. At the time of the murder, he was on supervised release for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the government’s evidence, at 11:45 a.m. on March 29, 2020, Bobby Poole Jr. 81, was walking home after going on his daily mile-long walk to a convenience store. On his way home, in the 900 block of Eastern Avenue NE, Mr. Poole was knocked down by Williams and a second unknown assailant. The two went through his pockets. Mr. Poole hit his head on a metal fence during the robbery, suffering brain injuries. He died on May 6, 2020, from complications of blunt force trauma to the head
Surveillance video from the convenience store shows Williams had been casing Mr. Poole and the convenience store and following him afterwards. The attack is not shown on video, but a civilian witness, who had just run into Williams at the store, saw Williams and the second assailant fleeing the area where Mr. Poole was found. Williams was located at the convenience store afterwards and is identified through surveillance video.
Williams was arrested on March 29, 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 acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Chimnomnso Kalu, and Daniel Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Lead Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling and Litigation Technology Specialist Paul Howell.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Ganjei and Ariel Dean, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 11½ Years in Prison for Killing Man on Busy Street in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome Alexander, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 11 ½ years for killing a man in December 2019 in a busy commercial shopping area in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Alexander pleaded guilty in June 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 9½ to 14 years. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan accepted the plea and sentenced Alexander accordingly. Following his prison term, Alexander will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 19, 2019, shortly before 4 p.m., Alexander, armed with an illegal firearm, approached Richard Washington on a pedestrian-filled sidewalk in front of a variety store in the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. Mr. Washington had shopped inside the store and was walking back to his car in a parking lot. Alexander attempted to force Mr. Washington to give him his property. As Alexander walked towards him, Mr. Washington tried to walk away, but Alexander continued to follow him.
Mr. Washington kept trying to create separation between himself and Alexander and told Alexander that he didn’t have anything. Alexander, however, continued to stalk Mr. Washington, who eventually swung his arm at Alexander, but his arm did not connect and thus, did not strike Alexander. Others on the street began to run away from the two as Alexander, with his right hand still in his right coat pocket, continued towards Mr. Washington. As Mr. Washington walked away from Alexander in front of the windows of the store, Alexander took out his firearm and shot Mr. Washington in the torso. Alexander then sprinted towards Benning Road NE, and fled. Shoppers and pedestrians ran in fear at the sound of the shooting, running across the busy intersection on Minnesota Avenue, and away from the perceived danger. Some stayed to call for help. Mr. Washington, 28, died from his injuries later that day.
Alexander was arrested on Dec. 31, 2019. He has been detained ever since.
Mr. Washington, at 6’8” in height, was known as Big Rich to his Morehouse College Football teammates, where in 2012 and 2013 he donned the number 74. To his family and friends, he was a gentle giant and beloved family member.
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 worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Coronado and Melissa Jackson, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Fatal Stabbing of Woman in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Carl Jones, 45, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend earlier this year in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jones pleaded guilty on Sept. 8, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter and carrying a dangerous weapon. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of seven to nine years in prison. The Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr. scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 27, 2022, at approximately 12:38 a.m., Jones went to the apartment of his girlfriend, Ladonia Boggs, in the 1500 block of Benning Road NE. Jones, who did not reside at the apartment, got into an altercation with Ms. Boggs over the death of their nearly two-month-old baby, which took place in May of 2021. During the altercation, he fatally stabbed Ms. Boggs with a knife. He then dragged her body to the front door of her apartment unit. Jones temporarily left the apartment at approximately 1:55 a.m. to throw a trash bag from the apartment into a nearby dumpster. Then, at approximately 2:52 a.m., he used Ms. Boggs’s cellphone to call 911, reporting that a male with a knife chased a woman into her house. Jones then left the apartment building before police officers arrived.
Ms. Boggs, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene. Jones was arrested on April 27, 2022. He has been detained ever since.
At the time of her death, Ms. Boggs was awaiting court proceedings following her indictment on a charge of tampering with physical evidence in the baby’s death. She was accused of disposing of the baby’s body in a dumpster. Ms. Boggs had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In announcing the plea, 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 efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Cruelty to Animals for Attack on Cat That Caused Traumatic Brain InjuryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Thomas, 30, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to a charge of cruelty to animals for retaliating against his romantic partner by beating her pet cat to the point of inflicting traumatic brain injury and a broken pelvis, among other injuries.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Chris Schindler, Vice President of Field Operations, Humane Rescue Alliance.
Thomas pleaded guilty on Sept. 7, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Frederick H. Weisberg sentenced him to 150 days in jail.
According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 18, 2021, officers responded to an apartment in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street NW, based on reports of a domestic violence incident in progress. When officers arrived, they found Thomas hiding in a closet. He told police that he “killed” the cat to retaliate against his partner for locking him out of the apartment that his partner owned. Thomas admitted he picked the cat up by his neck and slammed him on a cement tile floor, before pouring old grease on the cat and throwing him in a trashcan.
Police found the cat alive, but severely injured and unable to walk or stand. A veterinarian who examined the cat explained that he suffered fractures to his pelvis. The cat also suffered bleeding from the nose, hemorrhaging of the eye, effusion in the abdomen, and traumatic brain injury. The doctor explained that injuries of this severity are only typically found in animals who have been struck by a motor vehicle or have fallen from a great height. The cat later died.
Thomas was arrested on the day of the incident.
The Humane Rescue Alliance submitted a victim impact statement highlighting the studied link between animal abuse and domestic violence. In homes where there is domestic abuse, it’s not just the people who are at risk; animals are often targeted as well. Domestic violence victims concerned about the safety of their animals can have their service provider call the Humane Rescue Alliance 24/7 for help at 202-723-5730.
In announcing the plea and sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Chief Contee, and Vice President Schindler commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Humane Rescue Alliance.
They acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Sabrina Hudgens and the Litigation Technology Unit. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel Hampton, who prosecuted the case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Dinan and Monisha Rao, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Goldstein, who investigated the case.
District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Terrell Roberson, 31, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.
Roberson entered the guilty plea on Sept. 6, 2022, the day his trial was to begin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. No sentencing date was set. Roberson faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, followed by up to lifetime supervised release. In addition, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in September 2015, Roberson used his personal email account to distribute a video depicting the rape of a prepubescent child. Roberson distributed the video to a man who was previously prosecuted and who lived in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York, in exchange for access to cloud storage accounts containing child pornography. For the next 14 months, they exchanged dozens of emails with log-in information for cloud storage accounts associated with child pornography and discussed their sexual interest in children.
HSI discovered the online activity in 2019 after receiving a tip from the Norfolk, Virginia, Police Department. The police department had received a report from a citizen who stated that she discovered child pornography on her husband’s cellphone. Subsequent investigation led to the discovery of Roberson’s communications. HSI agents were able to locate and interview Roberson, who admitted to communicating with the other man and sending him child pornography.
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 and Acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Norfolk Police Department. Finally, they commended the work of Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo, of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Miranda, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for 2022 Slaying on I-295 and 2020 AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Johnson, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for killing a woman on Interstate 295 in February 2022 and for threatening a different woman with a gun in 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Johnson pleaded guilty in June 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree murder, carrying a pistol without a license, and assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 13 ½ to 22 years. The Honorable Robert Okun accepted the plea and sentenced Johnson accordingly. Following his prison term, Johnson will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence in the 2020 assault, Johnson messaged the victim, the mother of his infant child, on Aug. 31, 2020, stating that he wanted to see her. As the victim drove toward her house with their daughter in the backseat, Johnson followed in his vehicle. As they approached a narrow, residential street in Northeast Washington, Johnson swerved in front of her and forced her to stop. He then exited his vehicle, loaded a handgun, and pointed it at the victim, demanding that she give their daughter to him. The victim was able to maneuver her car away from Johnson and she fled to safety with the child.
Separately, in the 2022 murder, Johnson picked up Passion Pleasant and drove with her down I-295 on the morning of Feb. 5, 2022. Johnson was wearing a GPS ankle monitor as a condition of his release in the previous assault case. At some point during the drive, Johnson produced a firearm and shot Ms. Pleasant five times in the chest, fatally wounding her. She left the vehicle and collapsed on the shoulder of the highway, where she was assisted by several passing motorists. Ms. Pleasant, 32, and a mother of six children, succumbed to her injuries on the highway and died a few minutes later.
Johnson was arrested on the scene of the murder on Feb. 5, 2022. He has been detained 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 acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Amy Trotto, Forensic Child Interview Specialist Tracy Owusu, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak, Robert Platt, Yasmin Emrani, and Eliot Folsom, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Schemes to Defraud Small Business Pandemic Relief Programs Relief Programs and the Archdiocese of WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Gaughan, 44, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for carrying out a series of financial schemes. In one, he embezzled more than $438,000 from the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., where he was previously employed as Assistant Superintendent. In the other, he fraudulently obtained more than $2.1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Darrell Waldon, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office, Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, and Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region.
Gaughan, who used the alias of Richard Strauski, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to three counts: one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in the PPP and EIDL case, and one count of wire fraud in the case involving the Archdiocese. He was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay restitution, and the amount will be determined at a later date.
“For a decade, Kenneth Gaughan stole money meant to help needy people, businesses, and organizations, starting with a scheme defrauding his own employer and later looting government COVID-relief efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “He went to great lengths to conceive, carry out, and conceal his crimes. Now, he will be facing the consequences of his greed with confinement in a federal prison.”
“Kenneth Gaughan is facing the consequences for defrauding his employer for years and then enriching himself with taxpayer funds meant to help businesses and employees at a time of crisis,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Waldon. “Instead of enjoying his ill-gotten yacht, new car and home, he will now be serving his sentence in prison thanks to our IRS-CI and law enforcement partner investigators. We will continue to pursue CARES Act fraud and bring these criminals to justice.”
“This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable those who attempt to defraud pandemic-related assistance programs designed to aid businesses and employees in these challenging times,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sobocinski. “We will continue to collaborate with our partners to combat this self-serving type of fraud. I want to thank our partners at the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General, for their efforts in bringing Kenneth Gaughan to justice.”
“Those that commit fraud against SBA’s programs will be brought to justice and held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Special Agent in Charge McCall-Brathwaite. “OIG remains committed to rooting out bad actors and protecting the integrity of SBA programs every day. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”
Scheme Involving the Archdiocese of Washington:
In his guilty plea, Gaughan admitted defrauding the Archdiocese of Washington of more than $438,000. Gaughan began working for the Archdiocese as its Director of Counseling in 2008 and was later promoted to Assistant Superintendent. In his role, Gaughan was responsible for recruiting and acting as the point of contact for contractors who provided various services to the Archdiocese. These included contractors that could help the Archdiocese implement anti-bullying, crisis intervention, and professional development programs at the approximately 95 Catholic schools overseen by the Archdiocese in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Gaughan also obtained invoices for services from contractors and provided those invoices, along with requests for payment and supporting documentation, to his superiors for approval.
Beginning in at least June 2010 and continuing through April 2018, Gaughan caused the Archdiocese to pay invoices manufactured by Gaughan purportedly for anti-bullying and crisis intervention programs, as well as for software used to send mass messages to Archdiocese students and families. To execute the scheme, Gaughan concealed his ownership and control of three companies, including by submitting forms using an alias. Gaughan then transmitted fraudulent invoices for these companies and persuaded the Archdiocese to issue checks for services that Gaughan knew the companies did not provide as represented. Gaughan opened virtual and private mailboxes to receive the checks issued to pay for the fraudulent invoices. He deposited the checks into the bank accounts he controlled and converted the money to his personal use.
Scheme Involving Government Programs:
According to court documents, Gaughan subsequently carried out his scheme targeting federal funds from at least March 2020 through August 2020. The PPP loans were created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These forgivable loans were to be used by businesses and organizations for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The EIDL loans, part of a program run by the Small Business Administration, also were designed to help businesses and organizations facing hardship.
In Gaughan’s case, he used funds from the two programs, in part, to purchase a $300,000 yacht, a $1.13 million rowhouse, and a $46,000 luxury sports sedan.
According to the government’s evidence, in the course of his scheme, Gaughan sought over $2.7 million in PPP loans on behalf of nine companies. Some of the applications were submitted in his own name, and others were in the name of another individual. Gaughan received approximately $2.1 million in PPP and EIDL funds through applications to SBA lenders for the companies, which falsely purport to register emotional support animals. Gaughan made false representations to receive the loan funds, including forged paperwork and bank records.
Gaughan then used a portion of the loan proceeds to purchase a 2020 Cruisers Yachts 338 CX 33-foot watercraft, a 2020 Kia Stinger, and a rowhouse in Northeast Washington.
Gaughan was arrested in both cases on Aug. 11, 2020.
At the time of Gaughan’s arrest, the government obtained a warrant authorizing the seizure of the yacht, the Kia Stinger, Gaughan’s investment account, and Gaughan’s bank accounts. The government also filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the home Gaughan purchased with his fraudulently obtained proceeds. Additionally, the government filed a lis pendens on that property to give proper notice of the forfeiture litigation and to prevent the sale of the property prior to the resolution of this case.
The matter involving the Archdiocese of Washington was investigated by the FBI. The PPP and EIDL matters were investigated by the IRS-CI, FBI, and SBA-OIG.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Macey of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Collins of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Bernstein, formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. They were supported by Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart and Quiana Dunn-Gordon, Victim-Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling. The seizure and forfeiture matters were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvind Lal, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Grisier, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Brantley, and Senior Attorney Advisor James S. Alexander of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
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On May 17, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
District Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Killing Man Stopped at Traffic LightRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Barry Marable, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for firing a gun in a busy area of Northeast Washington and fatally wounding a 22-year-old man whose car was stopped at a traffic light.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Marable pleaded guilty on Nov. 19, 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Neal E. Kravitz. Following his prison term, Marable will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Oct 24, 2018, just before 6 p.m., the victim, Roger Thomson Marmet, known as Tom to his family and friends, was driving home from a job with the non-profit So Others Might Eat (SOME). Mr. Marmet was driving down 17th Street NE and stopped for a light at 17th and Bladensburg Road NE.
Marable, meanwhile, was in the same area. He saw a man at a nearby gas station who he believed had assaulted him about one week earlier. Marable removed a firearm from his pocket and pointed it towards the gas station. He fired four times from an alley – with two sidewalks and four lanes of traffic between him and the other man, who was unarmed. One of these shots struck Mr. Marmet, who died less than an hour later. No one else was hit by the gunfire.
Marable was arrested on Dec. 28, 2018. 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 work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Deputy Chief Sharon Donovan, of the Office’s Homicide Section, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, and Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert, Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberley C. Nielsen and Gauri Gopal, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former CEO of Souktel, Inc., Agrees to Pay $100,000 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former Chief Executive Officer of Souktel, Inc., Jacob Korenblum, has agreed to pay the United States $100,000 to resolve allegations that he knowingly caused employees of the company to submit false claims to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in Souktel’s performance of grants and contracts to provide customized technology platforms on aid projects in developing countries.
The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Vanessa Freeman for the USAID Office of Inspector General.
“Companies and individuals that do business with the federal government have a responsibility to have controls in place to prevent overbilling and charge only for the work that is actually performed,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This case underscores our resolve to work with USAID and other partners to promote accountability and protect taxpayers’ money. It also underscores that companies that discover and disclose their wrongdoing and cooperate in the government’s investigation will be in a far better position than those that fail to disclose their wrongdoing.”
“USAID-funded organizations must ensure that invoices submitted to the government for payment reflect actual work performed on a project,” said USAID OIG Special Agent in Charge Freeman. “USAID OIG, using its global investigative resources, will continue to work with the Department of Justice to hold accountable those who compromise the integrity of important U.S. foreign assistance programs.”
Souktel was a digital consulting firm based in Delaware, with offices in Washington, D.C., Toronto, Canada, and Ramallah, West Bank. Beginning in 2013, the firm was awarded USAID-funded sub-grants and sub-contracts to design and build software programs for mobile phones, used to reach aid workers and beneficiaries in developing countries. In 2019, Souktel self-disclosed to USAID OIG that it had made significant overbillings to USAID prime implementers on several of its projects. The company dissolved in 2021.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and USAID OIG determined that between February 2014 and January 2017, Souktel submitted at least 55 invoices that contained false or speculative labor hours for its staff. Specifically, despite being under cost-reimbursement awards and required to bill USAID only for labor hours incurred, Souktel, at the direction of its CEO, Jacob Korenblum, submitted fabricated timesheets to five prime awardees to support false or speculative labor hours of its staff while working on USAID-funded projects.
Korenblum cooperated with the investigation and agreed to settle the matter prior to a determination of liability in a civil case. Under the settlement agreement, he agreed to pay $100,000 on top of slightly more than $90,000 that Souktel paid as reimbursement to USAID after its self-disclosure.
The investigation in this matter was conducted by USAID OIG and Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Truong of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder While Armed in 2021 Slaying in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brian Foster, 40, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing a man in Southeast Washington while the victim sat in his car, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Foster pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 14 years in prison. He is to be sentenced on Oct. 28, 2022, by the Honorable Rainey R. Brandt.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 18, 2021, at approximately 12:40 p.m., the victim, Anthony Mitchell, 44, parked his car in the 3700 block of First Street SE. Shortly thereafter, Foster and two friends got into a nearby car and started smoking marijuana and PCP while listening to music. After about eight minutes, Foster got out of the car, walked over to where Mr. Mitchell sat in his car on First Street, pulled out a handgun, and, at around 12:58 p.m., shot Mr. Mitchell twice, through the closed door of Mr. Mitchell’s car. The shots hit Mr. Mitchell in the left side of his face and in his left arm, left lung, and spine, killing him. Foster then walked back to his own car, got in, and drove away, passing Mr. Mitchell’s car on the way.
Foster was arrested on Oct. 26, 2021. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, 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 efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist and Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Roman and Deputy Chief Laura Bach of the Homicide Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Matthew Stitt-Johnson, 31, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of second-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances for abusing three minor children.
The announcement was made by 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).
Stitt-Johnson pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2023. Stitt-Johnson faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 68 ½ years.
According to the government’s evidence, Stitt-Johnson sexually abused three children, an eight-year-old, a five-year-old, and an eight-month-old infant, between 2015 and 2020. Stitt-Johnson took videos of his sexual abuse of the five-year-old child and the eight-month-old infant. While the five-year-old and her sister reported the abuse to their mother, the abuse was not reported to law enforcement agencies. In 2021, law enforcement officers received a tip that Stitt-Johnson downloaded child pornography from a cloud-based service and subsequently executed a search warrant on his home, recovering two cell phones belonging to Stitt-Johnson.
Videos depicting the sexual abuse of the five-year-old victim and eight-month-old victim were discovered in his cell phones, along with 13,000 images of child pornography. Stitt-Johnson distributed the images of his sexual abuse of children in Internet forums dedicated to trading child pornography, particularly trading images of the rape and torture of infants and toddlers, and actively sought out and distributed other child pornography images over a two-year period.
Stitt-Johnson was arrested on Dec. 17, 2021. He has been in custody since.
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 MPD’s Youth and Family Services Division (YFSD), Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Alexis Spencer-Anderson and Daniel Haines, Victim/Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant and Tracy Owusu, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Platt and Janani Iyengar.
Two District Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Armed Kidnappings Using Blindfolds and Zip TiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Taheed Ebron, 21, and Nathan Coleman, 29, both of Washington, D.C., have been sentenced to prison terms for kidnapping two men at gunpoint over a five-day period in August 2021 and using blindfolds and zip ties to restrain their victims.
The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Both defendants pleaded guilty in April 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of armed kidnapping. Ebron also pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license in a separate firearm case. The guilty pleas were contingent upon the Court’s approval. Ebron’s plea called for an agreed-upon sentence of 10 to 12 years in prison, and Coleman’s plea called for eight to 10 years in prison.
The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz accepted the pleas and sentenced the defendants accordingly. Ebron was sentenced today to 10 years in prison. Coleman was sentenced on June 24, 2022, to a 9 ½-year prison term. Following completion of their prison terms, Ebron and Coleman each will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 24, 2021, at approximately 10:45 p.m., Ebron, Coleman, and a third perpetrator kidnapped a man at gunpoint while he was walking home in the 1300 block of Corcoran Street NW. The defendants pulled the man’s COVID face mask over his eyes as a blindfold and forced him into the rear of Ebron’s silver Nissan Rogue SUV. They demanded that he turn over his cellphone, credit and debit cards, and personal identification numbers (PINs). The defendants then drove the man to multiple ATM locations and used his financial cards to withdraw more than $1,400 from his accounts. They also used the man’s cards and cellphone to make a series of purchases and transactions, including a $1,200 PayPal transfer. Ebron, Coleman, and the third perpetrator eventually released the man from the SUV, forcing him to lay face down on the ground in an alley before driving away.
Just days later, on Aug. 28, 2021, at approximately 3:45 a.m., Ebron, Coleman, and a third perpetrator kidnapped another man at gunpoint near the intersection of 13th and E Streets NE while he was riding an electric scooter on the way to work. After seeing the man, Ebron parked his silver Nissan Rogue SUV in the intersection, and Ebron, Coleman, and the third perpetrator exited the vehicle. The defendants ran toward the man and caught and threw him to the ground. They then hooded him using a drawstring bag and restrained his hands with zip ties that Ebron and Coleman had purchased the previous day. The defendants forced the man into the SUV and demanded his wallet, cellphone, and PINs. They drove him to an ATM and withdrew more than $1,000 from his bank account. Ebron, Coleman, and the third perpetrator eventually released the man from the vehicle, instructing him to run straight ahead and not look back or else be shot. The defendants then used his debit card to make a series of purchases and withdrawals.
A joint MPD and FBI investigation led to Coleman’s arrest on Sept. 6, 2021, and Ebron’s arrest the following day. Both have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from MPD’s Special Investigation Section and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews, and Victim/Witness Specialists Christina Bloodworth and Karina Hernandez. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles R. Jones and Mary L. Dohrmann, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Teenage GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 46-year-old man, formerly of Greenbelt, Maryland, was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children and other charges stemming from sexual abuse that he committed against a minor girl in the District of Columbia and Maryland over more than two years. The victim was between the ages of 13 and 15 years old at the time.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron of the District of Maryland, State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division
The defendant, who is not named here to protect the privacy of the victim, pleaded guilty in November 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and second-degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances. He was sentenced by the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on supervised release for life. He also must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
In a related case, involving the same victim, the defendant pleaded guilty in June 2022 in Prince George’s County to second-degree rape. He was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison for that offense.
The defendant admitted to sexually abusing a teenage girl, and recording it on a cellphone, but claimed that he was only doing so to “train” the victim to fight off would-be rapists. More than 200 such images and videos were discovered on the defendant’s cellphones. Additionally, when law enforcement took the defendant into custody on March 23, 2020, the victim disclosed that he had raped her earlier that day. He has been in custody ever since.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The FBI 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. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy E. Larson and Angela Buckner of the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth G. Wright and Timothy F. Hagan of the District of Maryland, and Assistant State’s Attorney Niki Holmes, formerly of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County. Assistance was provided by Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant.
Former Senior Executive of Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Evasion ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former senior executive for a defense contractor pleaded guilty in the District of Columbua today to tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2013 through 2015, Zachary A. Friedman, of New York, New York, worked in the United Arab Emirates as a senior executive for a U.S. Department of Defense contracting company. From 2013 to 2015 Friedman evaded taxes he owed to the IRS by providing false information to his tax preparer that underreported the income he earned for each of those years. In total, Friedman concealed approximately $530,000 in income, causing a tax loss to the government of more than $207,000.
Friedman is the fourth defendant associated with the defense contracting company to plead guilty. Charles Squires (February 2022), James Robar (March 2022), and Ronald Thomas (April 2022) all pleaded guilty to tax evasion.
Friedman is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case. Assistance was provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorneys Sarah Ranney and Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Goemaat of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Police Officer Indicted in District of Columbia on Federal Charges of Excessive Force and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Officer Philip Dupree, 38, formerly of the Fairmount Heights Police Department in Maryland, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating a man’s civil rights and obstruction of justice. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves of the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that during the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 2019, Dupree was on duty as a Fairmont Heights Police Officer when he conducted a traffic stop in the District of Columbia. Dupree allegedly detained a man identified as T.S. and then deployed pepper spray in an unreasonable use of force against him. Dupree allegedly obstructed justice by submitting a probable cause statement that offered a false justification for his use of force on T.S.
The indictment was returned in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Dupree faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for his alleged use of unreasonable force. The obstruction of justice charge carries with it a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy of the District of Columbia.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Sex Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Christopher Young, 31, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to 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. The Honorable Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for Dec. 6, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, Young, pretending to be a young girl, reached out to the victim, a 10-year-old child, in June 2019 through a messaging application. 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. Attorneys Jodi Lazarus, Kathleen Kern, Rachel Bohlen, and Janani Iyengar.
Man Pleads Guilty to Burglaries in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Delante R. Pierce, 36, who had no fixed address, pleaded guilty today to felony charges stemming from two break-ins in Northwest Washington last fall, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Pierce pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of second-degree burglary and attempted second-degree burglary. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19, 2022. The charges carry a statutory minimum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and/or a $50,000 fine.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 11, 2021, Veterans Day, shortly after 6 a.m., Pierce entered a restricted area of a hotel in the 1200 block of 22nd Street NW, and stole, among other things, a tool kit. Pierce then entered an occupied residence in the 2100 block of N Street NW. The resident was awakened from his sleep and discovered Pierce standing in his bedroom. Pierce initially claimed he was there to fix a sink, but he then fled the residence with the victim’s Apple Watch and other possessions. He left behind the items he had just stolen from the hotel. A short time later, police were able to locate Pierce in the Adams Morgan neighborhood by tracking the victim’s Apple Watch. Pierce abandoned bags containing the victim’s property and fled the police, but he was quickly apprehended. After being identified by the victim, Pierce was placed under arrest. He has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy. Finally, they commended for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Mental Health and Community Residence Facility Director Accused of Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult and Elderly PersonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Latonja Dashawn Carrera, also known as Latonja Dashawn Martin, 46, of Camp Springs, Maryland, has been indicted on two felony counts and three misdemeanor counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person.
The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
The indictment was returned on Aug. 17, 2022, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to court documents, Carrera was the Administrator for a Mental Health Community Residential Facility (MH-CRF) in Southeast Washington, licensed by the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health. As alleged in court documents, beginning in January 2019, Carrera used the bank account of a MH-CRF resident – a veteran who at the time was 73 years old – to pay for her own personal utility and credit card bills.
In total, Carrera is accused of completing five fraudulent transactions in January and February of 2019 in the amount of $3,090.14 using the veteran’s account, whose sole sources of income were benefits from the Social Security Administration and Veterans Affairs.
Carrera was arrested in December 2020.
Carrera is scheduled to be arraigned before the Honorable Judge Michael K. O’Keefe on Aug. 24, 2022. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who are investigating and prosecuting the case from the Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), and the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the Office of the Inspector General, who is prosecuting the case, and MFCU Special Agent Jonathan Rich, who is investigating the matter. They also recognized the work of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, which initiated this case, and the D.C. Adult Protective Services, which referred this matter for investigation.
Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Burglaries in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrone Edmondson, 49, who had no fixed address, was sentenced today to a five-year prison term on charges stemming from a series of break-ins in Northwest Washington last fall, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Edmondson pleaded guilty in May 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree burglary and attempted second-degree burglary. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a five-year prison term. The Honorable William W. Nooter accepted the plea today and sentenced Edmondson accordingly. Following his prison term, Edmondson will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 11, 2021, shortly after 6:00 a.m., Edmondson entered an occupied home in the 1500 block of Park Road NW through its kitchen window. The resident was awoken by the noise of Edmondson inside his home and called the Metropolitan Police Department. Edmondson sought to take memorabilia and household items, but was apprehended by the Metropolitan Police Department in the home’s entryway. Edmondson was arrested and charged for this offense but was released on his personal recognizance over the government’s objection. On October 21, 2021, between approximately 4:30 and 5:30 a.m., Edmondson entered a garage appurtenant to a home in the 3600 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW. Edmondson took a large number of household goods, which surveillance footage shows he pushed away in a shopping cart.
Edmonson returned to the home in the 3600 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW shortly after 2:00 a.m. on November 3, 2021. The residents were alerted to Edmondson’s presence in their backyard by a surveillance camera and called the Metropolitan Police Department. Edmondson was arrested by responding officers and has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the cases from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.
Member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Charged with Plot to Murder the Former National Security AdvisorRead the Press Release
Note: A video statement from Department officials is available here.
An Iranian national and member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was charged by complaint, unsealed today in the District of Columbia, with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and with providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2021, Shahram Poursafi, aka Mehdi Rezayi, 45, of Tehran, Iran, attempted to arrange the murder of former National Security Advisor John Bolton, likely in retaliation for the January 2020 death of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) commander Qasem Soleimani. Poursafi, working on behalf of the IRGC-QF, attempted to pay individuals in the United States $300,000 to carry out the murder in Washington, D.C. or Maryland.
“The Justice Department has the solemn duty to defend our citizens from hostile governments who seek to hurt or kill them,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This is not the first time we have uncovered Iranian plots to exact revenge against individuals on U.S. soil and we will work tirelessly to expose and disrupt every one of these efforts.”
“Iran has a history of plotting to assassinate individuals in the U.S. it deems a threat, but the U.S. Government has a longer history of holding accountable those who threaten the safety of our citizens,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Let there be no doubt: The FBI, the U.S. government, and our partners remain vigilant in the fight against such threats here in the U.S. and overseas.”
“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, through the Defendant, tried to hatch a brazen plot: assassinate a former U.S. official on U.S. soil in retaliation for U.S. actions,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Iran and other hostile governments should understand that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to thwart their violent plots and bring those responsible to justice.”
“An attempted assassination of a former U.S. Government official on U.S. soil is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to identify and disrupt any efforts by Iran or any hostile government seeking to bring harm or death to U.S. persons at home or abroad. This should serve as a warning to any others attempting to do the same – the FBI will be relentless in our efforts to identify, stop, and bring to justice those who would threaten our people and violate our laws.”
According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2021, Poursafi asked Individual A, a U.S. resident whom Poursafi previously met online, to take photographs of the former National Security Advisor, claiming the photographs were for a book Poursafi was writing. Individual A told Poursafi that he/she could introduce Poursafi to another person who would take the pictures for $5,000-$10,000. Individual A later introduced Poursafi to an associate (referred to in court documents as the confidential human source or CHS).
On Nov. 9, 2021, Poursafi contacted the CHS on an encrypted messaging application, and then directed the CHS to a second encrypted messaging application for further communications. Poursafi offered the CHS $250,000 to hire someone to “eliminate” the former National Security Advisor. This amount would later be negotiated up to $300,000. Poursafi added that he had an additional “job,” for which he would pay $1 million.
Poursafi directed the CHS to open a cryptocurrency account to facilitate payment, but stipulated that the CHS would likely have to carry out the murder before he/she could be paid. He further explained to the CHS that if he/she was paid and the murder was not completed, Poursafi’s “group” would be angry. A later search of one of Poursafi’s online accounts revealed pictures of Poursafi wearing a uniform with an IRGC patch. During their communications, the CHS made several references to Poursafi being associated with IRGC-QF. Poursafi never denied his involvement with IRGC-QF.
On Nov. 14, 2021, the CHS asked Poursafi for help locating the former National Security Advisor. Poursafi subsequently provided the CHS with the target’s work address in Washington, D.C. According to results from the search of one of Poursafi’s online accounts, on Nov. 25, 2021, Poursafi took screenshots of a map application showing a street view of the former National Security Advisor’s office. One screenshot noted that the address was “10,162 km away,” which is the approximate distance between Washington, D.C. and Tehran, Iran.
On Nov. 19, 2021, Poursafi told the CHS that it did not matter how the murder was carried out, but his “group” would require video confirmation of the target’s death. The CHS asked Poursafi what would happen if the killing was attributed to Iran. Poursafi told the CHS not to worry and that Poursafi’s “group” would take care of it.
Poursafi also advised the CHS to communicate about the plot in construction and building terms. For example, when the CHS asked Poursafi to specify how the murder was to be carried out, Poursafi told the CHS that he only asked the CHS to build a structure, but the method of construction was up to the CHS.
On Dec. 22, 2021, Poursafi sent the CHS a photograph of two plastic bags, each of which appeared to contain bound stacks of U.S. currency and a handwritten note beneath them that said, “[CHS’s name] 22.12.2021”.
On Dec. 29, 2021, Poursafi asked the CHS when the murder would be carried out and informed the CHS that his “group” wanted it done quickly.
On Jan. 3, 2022, Poursafi noted he was under pressure from “his people” to complete the murder and that Poursafi had to report any delays. The CHS asked Poursafi how many people were involved. Poursafi told the CHS that he only had to report to one person, but that there was a chain of command to whom his superior reported. That same day, Poursafi expressed regret that the murder would not be conducted by the anniversary of Qasem Soleimani’s death. He stated he was concerned that if it was not carried out soon, the job would be taken from Poursafi and the CHS. Poursafi counseled the CHS that if he/she used a “small weapon,” he/she would have to get close to the target, but if he/she used a “larger weapon,” he/she could stay farther away.
On Jan. 18, 2022, the CHS sent Poursafi publicly available information that suggested the former National Security Advisor might be travelling out of the Washington, D.C., area during the time Poursafi indicated he would like the CHS to carry out the murder. Poursafi told the CHS that he needed to “check something.” Within an hour, he told the CHS that the target was, in fact, not travelling. He then provided the CHS with specifics regarding the former National Security Advisor’s schedule that do not appear to have been publicly available.
On Jan. 21, 2022, Poursafi told the CHS that after successful completion of the first “job,” he had a second “job” for the CHS and informed the CHS that surveillance of the second target was complete. Poursafi said the information was gathered “from the United States,” not “via Google,” indicating someone working on behalf of the IRGC-QF had already conducted pre-operational surveillance on the second target in the United States.
On Feb. 1, 2022, Poursafi told the CHS that if he/she did not eliminate the target within two weeks, the job would be taken from the CHS. He also informed the CHS that someone checked the area around the former National Security Advisor’s home, and he believed there was not a security presence, so the CHS should be able to “finish the job.”
On March 10, 2022, Poursafi told the CHS he had another assassination job for the CHS in the United States, but to “keep [the former National Security Advisor] in the back of your mind.” Approximately one month later, Poursafi encouraged the CHS to accept this offer, explaining that if it was done successfully, Poursafi would be able to ingratiate himself with his “group” and regain the tasking to murder the former National Security Advisor.
On April 28, 2022, the CHS told Poursafi that he/she would not continue to work without being paid. Poursafi agreed to send the CHS $100 in cryptocurrency to a virtual wallet the CHS created earlier that day, to prove payment could be made. Later that day, the cryptocurrency wallet received two payments totaling $100.
If convicted, Poursafi faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 for the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, and up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 for providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot. Poursafi remains at large abroad.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough provided assistance in the case.
Member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Charged with Plot to Murder the Former National Security AdvisorRead the Press Release
Defendant Worked on Behalf of the IRGC to Hire Persons in the United States to Carry Out the Murder, Likely in Retaliation for the January 2020 Death of Qasem Soleimani
WASHINGTON – An Iranian national and member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was charged by complaint in the District of Columbia with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and with providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2021, Shahram Poursafi, aka Mehdi Rezayi, 45, of Tehran, Iran, attempted to arrange the murder of former National Security Advisor John Bolton, likely in retaliation for the January 2020 death of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) commander Qasem Soleimani. Poursafi, working on behalf of the IRGC-QF, attempted to pay individuals in the United States $300,000 to carry out the murder in Washington, D.C. or Maryland.
“The Justice Department has the solemn duty to defend our citizens from hostile governments who seek to hurt or kill them,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This is not the first time we have uncovered Iranian plots to exact revenge against individuals on U.S. soil and we will work tirelessly to expose and disrupt every one of these efforts.”
“Iran has a history of plotting to assassinate individuals in the U.S. it deems a threat, but the U.S. Government has a longer history of holding accountable those who threaten the safety of our citizens,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Let there be no doubt: The FBI, the U.S. government, and our partners remain vigilant in the fight against such threats here in the U.S. and overseas.”
“Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, through the Defendant, tried to hatch a brazen plot: assassinate a U.S. official on U.S. soil in retaliation for U.S. actions,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Iran and other hostile governments should understand that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to thwart their violent plots and bring those responsible to justice.”
“An attempted assassination of a former U.S. Government official on U.S. soil is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to identify and disrupt any efforts by Iran or any hostile government seeking to bring harm or death to U.S. persons at home or abroad. This should serve as a warning to any others attempting to do the same – the FBI will be relentless in our efforts to identify, stop, and bring to justice those who would threaten our people and violate our laws.”
According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2021, Poursafi asked Individual A, a U.S. resident whom Poursafi previously met online, to take photographs of the former National Security Advisor, claiming the photographs were for a book Poursafi was writing. Individual A told Poursafi that he/she could introduce Poursafi to another person who would take the pictures for $5,000-$10,000. Individual A later introduced Poursafi to an associate (referred to in court documents as the confidential human source or CHS).
On Nov. 9, 2021, Poursafi contacted the CHS on an encrypted messaging application, and then directed the CHS to a second encrypted messaging application for further communications. Poursafi offered the CHS $250,000 to hire someone to “eliminate” the former National Security Advisor. This amount would later be negotiated up to $300,000. Poursafi added that he had an additional “job,” for which he would pay $1 million.
Poursafi directed the CHS to open a cryptocurrency account to facilitate payment, but stipulated that the CHS would likely have to carry out the murder before he/she could be paid. He further explained to the CHS that if he/she was paid and the murder was not completed, Poursafi’s “group” would be angry. A later search of one of Poursafi’s online accounts revealed pictures of Poursafi wearing a uniform with an IRGC patch. During their communications, the CHS made several references to Poursafi being associated with IRGC-QF. Poursafi never denied his involvement with IRGC-QF.
On Nov. 14, 2021, the CHS asked Poursafi for help locating the former National Security Advisor. Poursafi subsequently provided the CHS with the target’s work address in Washington, D.C. According to results from the search of one of Poursafi’s online accounts, on Nov. 25, 2021, Poursafi took screenshots of a map application showing a street view of the former National Security Advisor’s office. One screenshot noted that the address was “10,162 km away,” which is the approximate distance between Washington, D.C. and Tehran, Iran.
On Nov. 19, 2021, Poursafi told the CHS that it did not matter how the murder was carried out, but his “group” would require video confirmation of the target’s death. The CHS asked Poursafi what would happen if the killing was attributed to Iran. Poursafi told the CHS not to worry and that Poursafi’s “group” would take care of it.
Poursafi also advised the CHS to communicate about the plot in construction and building terms. For example, when the CHS asked Poursafi to specify how the murder was to be carried out, Poursafi told the CHS that he only asked the CHS to build a structure, but the method of construction was up to the CHS.
On Dec. 22, 2021, Poursafi sent the CHS a photograph of two plastic bags, each of which appeared to contain bound stacks of U.S. currency and a handwritten note beneath them that said, “[CHS’s name] 22.12.2021”.
On Dec. 29, 2021, Poursafi asked the CHS when the murder would be carried out and informed the CHS that his “group” wanted it done quickly.
On Jan. 3, 2022, Poursafi noted he was under pressure from “his people” to complete the murder and that Poursafi had to report any delays. The CHS asked Poursafi how many people were involved. Poursafi told the CHS that he only had to report to one person, but that there was a chain of command to whom his superior reported. That same day, Poursafi expressed regret that the murder would not be conducted by the anniversary of Qasem Soleimani’s death. He stated he was concerned that if it was not carried out soon, the job would be taken from Poursafi and the CHS. Poursafi counseled the CHS that if he/she used a “small weapon,” he/she would have to get close to the target, but if he/she used a “larger weapon,” he/she could stay farther away.
On Jan. 18, 2022, the CHS sent Poursafi publicly available information that suggested the former National Security Advisor might be travelling out of the Washington, D.C., area during the time Poursafi indicated he would like the CHS to carry out the murder. Poursafi told the CHS that he needed to “check something.” Within an hour, he told the CHS that the target was, in fact, not travelling. He then provided the CHS with specifics regarding the former National Security Advisor’s schedule that do not appear to have been publicly available.
On Jan. 21, 2022, Poursafi told the CHS that after successful completion of the first “job,” he had a second “job” for the CHS and informed the CHS that surveillance of the second target was complete. Poursafi said the information was gathered “from the United States,” not “via Google,” indicating someone working on behalf of the IRGC-QF had already conducted pre-operational surveillance on the second target in the United States.
On Feb. 1, 2022, Poursafi told the CHS that if he/she did not eliminate the target within two weeks, the job would be taken from the CHS. He also informed the CHS that someone checked the area around the former National Security Advisor’s home, and he believed there was not a security presence, so the CHS should be able to “finish the job.”
On March 10, 2022, Poursafi told the CHS he had another assassination job for the CHS in the United States, but to “keep [the former National Security Advisor] in the back of your mind.” Approximately one month later, Poursafi encouraged the CHS to accept this offer, explaining that if it was done successfully, Poursafi would be able to ingratiate himself with his “group” and regain the tasking to murder the former National Security Advisor.
On April 28, 2022, the CHS told Poursafi that he/she would not continue to work without being paid. Poursafi agreed to send the CHS $100 in cryptocurrency to a virtual wallet the CHS created earlier that day, to prove payment could be made. Later that day, the cryptocurrency wallet received two payments totaling $100.
If convicted, Poursafi faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 for the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, and up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 for providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot. Poursafi remains at large abroad.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough provided assistance in the case.
District of Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies for Role in Series of Crimes in Fall 2020Read the Press Release
Three Others Earlier Pleaded Guilty in the Investigation
WASHINGTON – Mekhi Truesdale, 19, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to two counts of armed robbery for his role in a series of armed robberies that took place during the fall of 2020 in Northwest Washington, admitting to two crimes in a 10-day period. He is the fourth defendant to plead guilty to charges involving multiple robberies.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Christopher Stock, Acting Chief of the U.S. Park Police, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Truesdale pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of eight to 10 years in prison, consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe scheduled sentencing for Oct. 7, 2022
According to plea documents, on Oct. 22, 2020, at approximately 9:45 p.m., a woman was walking in the area of Belt Road and Harrison Street NW when Truesdale and an accomplice approached her. Truesdale told the woman he had a gun and demanded her cellphone and phone passcode. He lifted his sweatshirt to reveal a black semi-automatic handgun. The woman handed over her cellphone, passcode, and wallet. About 45 minutes later, the cellphone was used to transfer $500 to Truesdale via a Venmo account. The next morning, an unsuccessful attempt was made to transfer more than $12,000 to various Venmo accounts held by Truesdale and others.
Another robbery took place on Nov. 1, 2020. At approximately 1:05 a.m., a man and woman were getting into a vehicle that was parked in the 1400 block of 22nd Street NW. Truesdale and an accomplice approached them and demanded their cellphones, phone passcodes, wallets, and keys. The accomplice pointed a silver revolver, and the man and woman turned over their cellphone, wallets, and keys. The woman also turned over her Apple AirPods. Truesdale and the accomplice then ordered the man and woman to get into the car, which they locked using the stolen car keys. They then fled. Less than 15 minutes later, $20 was transferred from one of the victims’ accounts and an attempt was made to transfer another $50.
Three others pleaded guilty on July 13, 2022, to charges in the investigation, and all are awaiting sentencing. They include:
- William Bell, 20, of Washington, D.C. Bell pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of attempted robbery for two hold-ups on Oct. 17, 2020, and Oct. 21, 2020. The first took place near the intersection of 22nd Street and Virginia Avenue NW, and the second in the area of the 1200 block of W Street NW.
- Dave Harding, 20 of Washington, D.C. Harding pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of robbery, for two hold-ups, both on Oct. 31, 2020, including one at Fort Reno Park and another in the 3100 block of P Street NW.
- Jada Winder, 19, of Greenbelt, Maryland. She pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property involving the transfers from victims’ accounts.
Truesdale was arrested in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 5, 2020, following a foot chase in the Georgetown area. Bell was arrested Nov. 30, 2021, in San Luis Obispo, Calif., by the U.S. Marshals Service. Harding was arrested on April 8, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Winder was arrested in Greenbelt on Nov. 24, 2021.
This case was investigated by MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force, and the U.S. Park Police. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metro Transit Police Department and the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Acting Chief Stock, and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of those investigating the case from MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office, and USPP, as well as for the assistance of the Deputy U.S. Marshals involved in locating the defendants. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Debra McPherson and Alesha Matthews Yette.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Charles R. Jones who investigated and prosecuted the case, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter who investigated the case prior to indictment.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to Prison Term for July 4, 2020 Slaying of 11-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Daryle Bond, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Davon McNeal on July 4, 2020, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Bond pleaded guilty in February 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon term of 7 ½-to-9 ½- years in prison. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the plea and sentenced Bond accordingly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release. The sentence was consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines.
Three other men, also from Washington, D.C., were sentenced on June 3, 2022, for their roles in the crimes. All pleaded guilty in February 2022 to voluntary manslaughter while armed. Carlo General, 22, was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Marcel Gordon, 27, was sentenced to 10 years, and Christen Wingfield, 24, was sentenced to a 9 ½-year prison term.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 4, 2020, at approximately 9:15 p.m., General, Gordon, Wingfield, and Bond were congregating at a barbeque near the cul-de-sac in front of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. Cedar Street is a long road that ends in a cul-de-sac. The entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street intersects diagonally with a street that is known as the “alley.”
Near the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street, Davon McNeal – 11 years old – was exiting a vehicle and walking towards a basement apartment in the Frederick Douglass Garden Apartment Complex. At a certain point, General, armed with a firearm with a laser sight, started running towards the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street and fired his weapon towards the alley. Surveillance footage shows Davon running towards the basement apartment and falling after General fired his weapon.
Approximately six seconds later, Gordon, while running behind General, fired his weapon in the same direction. Bond, also armed with a firearm, ran towards the entrance of the 1400 block on a sidewalk on the side of the apartment building, along with Wingfield, who was armed with a firearm as well and running on the road.
All four defendants gathered in front of the apartment building and looked down the alley. The group subsequently ran in the direction of a playground with guns drawn. Bond, General and Gordon all fired their firearms as they were running away.
An autopsy concluded that Davon’s death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
General was arrested on July 30, 2020. Bond was arrested on July 10, 2020. Wingfield was arrested on July 11, 2020. Gordon was arrested on Sept. 1, 2020. All have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, former Victim/ Witness Specialist Marcia Rinker, Victim/ Witness Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar, Stephen Rickard, and Jack Korba, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Adeyola, who provided valuable assistance.
Former School Principal Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Embezzling $175,000 Meant for Student Activities and ServicesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former school principal was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for stealing at least $175,000 from an association that raises funds from parent contributions and fundraisers to provide school-related services and activities to students. She used the money for personal purposes, including to qualify for a home mortgage loan.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Matthew R. Stohler, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Bridget Coates, 49, of Falls Church, Va., was the principal of St. Thomas More Catholic School in Southeast Washington at the time her criminal activity began, in 2012, until she resigned in 2018. She pleaded guilty on April 4, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of wire fraud. She was sentenced by the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich. Following her prison term, Coates must complete three years of supervised release. She also must pay $175,000 in restitution to the Archdiocese of Washington and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to court documents, from June 2012 through December 2017, Coates devised a scheme to steal from the school’s Home School Association, an organization affiliated with the school that supported student services and activities. As the school principal, Coates had access to the Home School Association’s checks and could use her discretion to pay expenditures for only school-related purposes. Coates, however, betrayed the trust and authority placed in her and engaged in a pattern of purchasing personal goods and services with the funds. Over the time period, she wrote approximately 66 unauthorized checks and deposited at least $175,000 into her personal bank account. Among other things, she used the funds to purchase designer fashion from luxury brands and to help her qualify for a home-mortgage loan.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Stohler, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nestler and Marco Crocetti, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
U.S. Justice Department Seeks Seizure of Boeing 747 Cargo Plane Grounded in ArgentinaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice transmitted a request to Argentinian authorities today to seize a Boeing 747-300M cargo plane following the unsealing of a seizure warrant in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The warrant, which was issued on July 19, 2022, alleges that the U.S.-made plane is subject to forfeiture based on violations of U.S. export control laws related to the unauthorized transfer of the plane from Mahan Air, an Iranian airline affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a designated terrorist organization, and Empresa de Transporte Aéreocargo del Sur, S.A. (EMTRASUR), a Venezuelan cargo airline and subsidiary of Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos, S.A (CONVIASA), a Venezuelan state-owned company.
In 2008, the Department of Commerce issued, and has since periodically renewed, a Temporary Denial Order prohibiting Mahan Air from, among other things, engaging in any transaction involving any commodity exported from the United States that is subject to the Export Administration Regulations. As alleged in the seizure warrant, in or around October 2021, Mahan Air violated the Temporary Denial Order and U.S. export control laws when it transferred custody and control of the Boeing aircraft to EMTRASUR without U.S. Government authorization. Additional violations of U.S. export control laws subsequently occurred between February and May 2022 when EMTRASUR reexported the aircraft between Caracas, Venezuela; Tehran, Iran; and Moscow, Russia, without U.S. Government authorization.
Further, as alleged in the seizure warrant, in June 2022, Argentinian authorities detained the flight crew of the Boeing aircraft, including five Iranians. The registered captain of the aircraft was identified as an ex-commander for the IRGC and a shareholder and member of the board of Iranian airline Qeshm Fars Air. Argentinian law enforcement also searched the aircraft and found a Mahan Air flight log documenting the aircraft’s flights after the unlawful transfer to EMTRASUR, including a flight to Tehran, Iran, in April 2022. Mahan Air was designated in 2011 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) for providing material support to the IRGC-QF, and Qeshm Fars Air was designated in 2019 for being controlled by Mahan Air and for providing material support to the IRGC-QF.
In addition, CONVIASA, EMTRASUR’s parent company, was designated by OFAC in 2020, and its fleet was blocked pursuant to Executive Order in 2019. Concurrent with today’s action, the Department of Commerce issued a Temporary Denial Order denying the export privileges of EMTRASUR for 180 days with the possibility of renewal.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate transactions that violate our sanctions and export laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Working with our partners across the globe, we will give no quarter to governments and state-sponsored entities looking to evade our sanctions and export control regimes in service of their malign activities.”
“The seizure of this aircraft demonstrates our determination to hold accountable those who seek to violate U.S. sanctions and export control laws,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will aggressively seek to prevent sanctioned entities from gaining access to America-made items or profiting from their illegal transfer. Working with our federal and international partners, we will be unflagging in our efforts to bring to justice those who violate these sanctions and to seize assets where appropriate and lawful.”
“Today’s coordinated actions target the unlawful transfer of an Iranian cargo plane to a Venezuelan airline and the airline’s subsequent operation of that plane in violation of our rules,” said Assistant Secretary of Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. “We will continue to take significant and direct enforcement action against foreign airlines operating U.S.-origin aircraft in violation of U.S. export controls.”
“This seizure demonstrates the FBI’s persistence in using all of our tools to hold the Iranian Government and affiliated individuals and companies accountable when they violate U.S. laws,” said Acting Assistant Director of Counterterrorism Kevin Vorndran of the FBI. “The FBI, along with our international partners, will continue to seek out those individuals who contribute to the advancement of Iran’s malign activities and ensure they are brought to justice, regardless of where, or how, they attempt to hide.”
This matter is being investigated by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s Miami Field Office and the FBI Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajbir Datta of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Camacho of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Abraham of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the seizure and investigation, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in working with the Argentinian authorities.
A photograph of the TARGET Aircraft from Sept. 6, 2019 with the Mahan Air livery and logo. A photograph of the TARGET Aircraft from Jan. 23, 2022 with the EMTRASUR livery and logo.Justice Department Officials Join Citywide Kick-Off for National Night Out CelebrationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today joined community and law enforcement partners in celebrating National Night Out, with U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. attending the District of Columbia’s kick-off event in Northeast Washington.
Community organizers, neighbors, and law enforcement turned out for the event at Lincoln Park and at other locations throughout the city. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) organized the events in each of the District of Columbia’s seven police districts. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., who leads the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, was among numerous law enforcement and government officials who joined U.S. Attorney Graves in commemorating the night in the District of Columbia.
“Our mission in law enforcement is to serve the community, and the best way to do that is by working together with people at the neighborhood level across the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Tonight is a special evening to recognize the importance of these ties and to demonstrate that all of us are determined to make our city a safer place.”
“Keeping communities safe is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Polite. “Law enforcement is most effective when it has the trust of the communities that we serve. Events like National Night Out lead to meaningful and positive engagement between law enforcement and the community, and strengthens those bonds.”
Across the nation, senior Justice Department officials and U.S. Attorneys are taking part in a Department-wide effort to bring attention to events that build stronger community-police relations. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland attended events in Baltimore, while Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco attended National Night Out events in Charleston, S.C.
Established in 1984 from a Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance grant, the goal of National Night Out is to build relationships with and between communities and law enforcement. National Night Out promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live. In most areas of the country, the program occurs annually on the first Tuesday of August.
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Carrying Out Conspiracy to Impersonate Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from a scheme in which he pretended to be a federal law enforcement officer for a range of purposes, including to secure a series of apartments in which he then failed to pay rent. He also used the ruse to promote his security company and ingratiate himself with actual officers.
Arian Taherzadeh, 40, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a superseding information charging him with a federal conspiracy offense and two District of Columbia offenses: unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device and voyeurism. A sentencing date has not yet been set. He is to appear Nov. 2, 2022, for a status hearing before the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. As part of his plea agreement, Taherzadeh has agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigation.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Tira A. Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge, Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
According to plea documents, Taherzadeh created a business entity called United States Special Police LLC (USSP), which was described as a private law enforcement, investigative, and protective service based in Washington. The company was not associated in any way with the United States government or the District of Columbia. As the scheme unfolded between December 2018 and April 2022, Taherzadeh falsely claimed to be, among other things, a Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security, a member of a multi-jurisdictional federal task force, a former United States Air Marshal, and a former Army Ranger. He used these false claims to recruit others to USSP, under the guise that it was part of a covert federal law enforcement task force, defraud owners of three apartment complexes into providing him with multiple apartments and parking spaces for his supposed law enforcement operations, and ingratiate himself with members of federal law enforcement and the defense community.
Taherzadeh and others used assumed law enforcement personas, false and fictious federal law enforcement supervisors, and the company to obtain leases for multiple apartments in three complexes in the District of Columbia. These apartment buildings sustained more than $800,000 in losses from unpaid rent, parking, and associated fees. In one such apartment, Taherzadeh maintained and possessed an unlicensed gun with five fully loaded large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, containing a total of 61 rounds of ammunition.
In furtherance of his scheme, Taherzadeh and others obtained law enforcement clothing, paraphernalia, equipment, and an identification-making device. This included, among other things, police patches and badges, tactical gear and equipment, police lights, a Sig Sauer P229 firearm, a Glock 19 9mm handgun, large quantities of ammunition, concealed carry holsters, surveillance equipment, and unlicensed long gun components including a firearm barrel, weapon stock attachments, foregrips, a magazine cartridge and scope.
According to the plea documents, beginning as early as the spring of 2020, Taherzadeh began falsely identifying himself as a Special Agent to employees of the U.S. Secret Service. For instance, he falsely claimed to two Secret Service employees that he was in a gang unit. He told another that he was part of a covert task force. Taherzadeh also provided these Secret Service employees with tangible and intangible gifts. For instance, Taherzadeh provided one employee and his wife with a generator and a doomsday/survival backpack. He provided another employee with a rent-free penthouse apartment for approximately one year, worth approximately $40,200. He provided a third employee with a rent-free apartment for approximately one year, worth an estimated $48,240, as well as a drone, a gun locker, and a Pelican case. According to the plea documents, he did so to ingratiate himself with Secret Service employees because it deepened their relationship and furthered his ability to impersonate himself as a federal law enforcement officer.
Finally, Taherzadeh installed surveillance cameras outside and inside his apartment in one of the complexes. Among other places, he installed, maintained, and utilized cameras in his bedroom. He used these cameras to record women engaged in sexual activity. Taherzadeh then showed these explicit videos to third parties.
Taherzadeh and a co-defendant, Haider Ali, 36, also of Washington, D.C., were arrested on April 6, 2022. Ali has pleaded not guilty to charges filed against him in an indictment. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Joshua S. Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
Valuable assistance has been provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice and Paralegal Specialists Chad Byron, Quiana Dunn-Gordon, and Lisa Abbe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Kathleen Campbell and Evan Turgeon of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
District of Columbia Man Found Guilty of Animal Cruelty Involving Dogs Kept at His ResidenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jaquan Jackson, 35, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of charges stemming from animal abuse in which he failed to provide proper veterinary care for two dogs, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jackson, who was sentenced on July 28, 2022, was found guilty by a judge earlier this month of two counts of animal cruelty. The verdict on July 20 followed a three-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable John M. Campbell sentenced Jackson to a total of 360 days in jail but suspended all but 90 days of that time on the condition that he successfully complete five years of probation.
The judge ordered the forfeiture of all animals seized by law enforcement, a 10-year ban on owning or possessing animals, and $52,372.66 in restitution.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 11, 2018, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department went to Jackson’s residence in the 3500 block of Brothers Place SE and found one dog deceased and hanging from a fence. Further examinations showed that the dog had extensive, mature heart worms and intestinal parasites, and that it had not eaten in approximately a day and a half. On July 26, 2018, officers found a second dog with extensive scarring on its head, face, and forelimbs consistent with dogfighting. This second dog also had untreated fractures in both front paws, several broken teeth, an open and infected wound with bone visible that required digital amputation, mature intestinal parasites, and a canine tooth embedded in its forelimb. Blood tests found that this dog suffered from Babesiosis, a rare blood infection found in breeds associated with dog fighting. In a search of the premises where the dogs resided, law enforcement found paraphernalia associated with dog fighting: a break stick, slat mill, neck weights, scales, make-shift veterinary supplies like antiseptic for horses, fish antibiotics, medicated feed, IV bags, and a skin-stapler.
Jackson was arrested on Jan. 24, 2019.
In announcing the plea and sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Humane Rescue Alliance and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Sabrina Hudgens and Wanda Trice and Victim/Witness Coordinator Maenylie Watson.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton and Matthew Goldstein, who prosecuted the case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Dolin, Stephanie Dinan, and Noah Simmons, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Gilmore, who previously assisted in the investigation and prosecution.
District-Based Financial Services Professional Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Insider TradingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – George Haywood, 69, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of insider trading, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
Haywood pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 9, 2022.
“Insider trading undermines faith in our financial markets and harms ordinary investors who play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “George Haywood placed himself above the law by using information to which he had privileged access to cheat the market and other investors. Our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of the financial markets.”
“Mr. Haywood put himself and his own financial interests above the rule of law,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “The FBI will not stand by while individuals attempt to abuse access to non-public information. I’d like to thank those who investigated this case and who work every day to ensure individuals are held accountable for damaging the integrity of our financial markets.”
According to court documents, Haywood is a District of Columbia-based financial services professional who managed investments on behalf of his family and friends. On Jan. 22, 2020, at approximately 9 a.m., Neurotrope, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company (now known as Synaptogenix) announced that it was being awarded a $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health following positive clinical trial results for a medicine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. This resulted in an increase of its stock price to a high of $3.85 per share.
Later that day, at approximately 12:50 p.m., Haywood spoke to a representative of Neurotrope by telephone. The person offered to share material non-public information relating to Neurotrope with Haywood so long as Haywood agreed not to execute or attempt to execute any stock trades with the information. Haywood agreed to receive material non-public information, subject to these conditions. The representative then informed Haywood that Neurotrope would issue a registered direct offering later that day and invited him to participate in it. The offering was expected to cause Neurotrope’s stock price to fall.
Immediately after receiving material non-public information, Haywood sold or attempted to sell shares of Neurotrope worth over $328,701.16, despite having agreed to receive the information, and not to execute or attempt to execute any stock trade with it. Based on the daily closing price of $1.42 per share, Haywood avoided a loss of at least $179,297.18 on the sale of those shares between the time he received the material non-public information, and the time the registered direct offering was announced to the public.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and John Borchert.
A parallel civil enforcement proceeding was filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office, under the direction of Norman P. Ostrove: https://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2022/lr25440.htm
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Killing Man in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Washington, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 14-year prison term for confronting and killing a man at his ex-wife’s apartment in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Washington pleaded guilty in April 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 14-year prison term, consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the plea and sentenced him accordingly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Washington and his ex-wife had divorced in 2019 after less than a year of marriage. His communications with her made clear that he wanted to reunite, but she rejected that plan. On Oct. 24, 2019, Washington drove to his ex-wife’s apartment in the 900 block of 21st Street NE. He crept into the apartment about 5:10 a.m., and confronted the victim, Alie Labay, who was there with Washington’s ex-wife. The two men tussled, and Washington shot Mr. Labay three times. Mr. Labay, 32, who was unarmed, suffered gunshot wounds to the chest, back and arm. He died a short time later.
Washington fled the apartment after the shooting. He was arrested on Nov. 26, 2019. 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 work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Amy Trotto and former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker. Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Prava Palacharla, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Stephen K. Bannon Found Guilty by Jury of Two Counts of Contempt of CongressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephen K. Bannon was found guilty by a jury today of two counts of contempt of Congress stemming from his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the United States Capitol.
Bannon, 68, was found guilty of one contempt count involving his refusal to appear for a deposition and another involving his refusal to produce documents, despite a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“The subpoena to Stephen Bannon was not an invitation that could be rejected or ignored,” said Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “Mr. Bannon had an obligation to appear before the House Select Committee to give testimony and provide documents. His refusal to do so was deliberate and now a jury has found that he must pay the consequences.”
“The tenets of our government rely upon citizens adhering to the established rules of law. Lawful tools, such as subpoenas and other legal orders, are critical in our system of government,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Mr. Bannon was found guilty of contempt by a jury of his peers for his choice to ignore a lawful subpoena. The FBI will continue our sworn duty to investigate those who have committed violations of our laws and hold them accountable for their actions."
On Sept. 23, 2021, the Select Committee issued a subpoena to Bannon. In its subpoena, the Select Committee said it had reason to believe that he had information relevant to understanding events related to Jan. 6, 2021. The subpoena required him to appear and produce documents to the Select Committee on Oct. 7, 2021, and to appear for a deposition before the Select Committee on Oct. 14, 2021. Bannon refused to appear to give testimony as required by subpoena and refused to produce documents in compliance with a subpoena.
Bannon, formerly a Chief Strategist and Counselor to the President, has been a private citizen since departing the White House in 2017. He was indicted on the contempt charges on Nov. 12, 2021.
Bannon is to be sentenced on Oct. 21, 2022. Each count of contempt of Congress carries a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of one year in jail, as well as a fine of $100 to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
New York Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in $4 Million Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Evans, 35, of New York, N.Y., was sentenced today to five years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging fraud, extortion, and money laundering scheme, which involved one of his brothers pretending to be a New York mobster to get a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his Washington, D.C., employer. Evans is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in the case.
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.
Evans pleaded guilty in April 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to interference with interstate commerce by extortion. He was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. In addition to the prison term, Judge Sullivan ordered that Evans serve three years of supervised release. Consistent with his plea agreement, Evans also must pay $4,217,542 in restitution and $777,955 in a forfeiture money judgment.
In April 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Evans, his common-law ex-wife Gina Russell, his brothers Tony John Evans and Corry Blue Evans, and his parents Archie Kaslov and Candy Evans, on various charges.
According to the government’s evidence, as part of the scheme, a New York woman conspired with Robert Evans, Russell, Tony John Evans, Corry Blue Evans, and Kaslov to extort money and gold bars from a Maryland man, which caused the man to embezzle funds from his employer between January 2017 and March 2017. The man converted embezzled funds to cash and gold bars. He delivered the money and gold bars to New York drop-off locations, including a hotel room, believing the funds were going to mobsters to whom the New York woman owed money. At one point during the scheme, Tony John Evans spoke to the man on the phone and threatened him by asking if he needed to remind the man where his kids went to school and where the man lived.
In reality, all of the funds that the man embezzled and delivered to New York went to members of the Evans-Kaslov family. Among other things, Robert Evans arranged the logistics of a $500,000 cash payment, which involved renting hotel rooms, retrieving the cash after the Maryland man delivered it, and taking the cash to a co-conspirator’s residence.
Like Robert Evans, Tony John Evans and Russell pleaded guilty to interference with interstate commerce by extortion. Tony John Evans, 33, was sentenced to five years in prison. Russell, also 33, has not yet been sentenced.
Kaslov, 55, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and admitted to driving family members around New York with cash obtained from the scheme, selling gold bars for cash, and traveling to Texas to purchase a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead for more than $300,000 in cash. In April 2022, Judge Sullivan sentenced Kaslov to 30 months in prison.
Candy Evans, 53, pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion or misleading conduct. As part of her guilty plea, she admitted that once the FBI launched its investigation, she counseled the New York woman whom the Maryland man met on Backpage to lie to people, including the FBI. In November 2017, she also instructed Russell to lie to the FBI. In April 2022, Judge Sullivan sentenced her to a year and a day in prison.
Charges remain outstanding against Corry Blue Evans, 29, who has pleaded not guilty.
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’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division. They expressed appreciation for assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Arvind Lal, who assisted with forfeiture issues, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Oliver McDaniel and Melissa Goforth Koenig, who assisted with restraining funds that Candy Evans attempted to dissipate between the date of her guilty plea and sentencing, Forensic Accountant Bryan Snitselaar, and former Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi, Brittany Phillips, Stephanie Frijas, Kristy Penny, and Joshua Fein.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kent for investigating and prosecuting the case.
Former Federal Employee Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Lee Peksa, a former federal employee, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for repeatedly connecting his cellphone to a wireless network at the Library of Congress and searching for, downloading, and viewing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and J. Thomas. Manger, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.
Peksa, 56, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty in December 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of receipt of child pornography. He was sentenced by the Honorable Richard J. Leon. Following his prison term, Peksa will be placed on 20 years of supervised release. He also will be required to pay $47,000 in restitution to victims depicted in the child pornography he received and possessed. He also must register as a sex offender for at least 15 years.
According to court documents, Peksa was a sheet metal mechanic who worked for the Architect of the Capitol at the Library of Congress. On various dates, between Oct. 11, 2018 and July 29, 2019, he used his cellphone and the public wireless network at the Library of Congress to access websites that contained images and videos of child pornography. He did so in areas including a bathroom, his office, and a breakroom. Additionally, Peksa used his personal laptop, cellphone, and WiFi service to access similar materials at home.
Peksa’s conduct came to light after the Library of Congress network security operations center notified investigators of web traffic on the Library of Congress public wireless network of browsing associated with child pornography and the sexual exploitation of children. In July 2019, Capitol Police seized Peksa’s cellphone and laptop. The cellphone had 199 images that showed minor boys and girls exposing their genitals and/or engaging in sexual activity. The laptop had 215 files that depicted young girls being sexually abused and assaulted.
Peksa was arrested on Oct. 21, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the U.S. Capitol Police. 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 sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Manger commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the U.S. Capitol Police. They also acknowledged the assistance provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialist Kenny Nguyen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Armed Invasion of Northeast Washington BusinessRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Heard, 45, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for barging into a business in Northeast Washington with two loaded firearms, and then holding a female employee against her will for more than an hour.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Heard pleaded guilty in February 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of kidnapping and a related firearms offense. He was sentenced on July 19, 2022, by the Honorable Richard J. Leon. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2020, at approximately 3 p.m., Heard kicked in the office door of a landscaping business in the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road NE. At the time, he was illegally armed with two loaded semi-automatic pistols, even though he was barred from having guns because of a prior felony conviction. Upon entering, he saw a female employee in the office; two other employees ran out of the building. Heard told the remaining employee that she could not leave. For more than an hour, he intentionally held her against her will. The Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene after receiving an emergency call.
Heard called 911 as the MPD officers surrounded the business and said that he would release the employee if officers backed off. Heard eventually placed the guns in a bag and then put the bag in a file cabinet. Heard then smoked a PCP laced cigarette before walking out of the building, when he was arrested. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, 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 also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Teesha Tobias, and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Two District Men Found Guilty of Conspiracy, First-Degree Murder, and Participation in a Criminal Street Gang in 2017 SlayingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Quincy Garvin, 22, and Saquan Williams, 20, both of Washington, D.C., have been found guilty by a jury of conspiracy, first-degree murder while armed, participation in a criminal street gang, and other charges for a brazen shooting into a courtyard that took place in September 2017 in the Potomac Gardens area of Southeast Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdicts were returned today and on July 13, 2022, following a six-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert Okun presided over the trial. At sentencing, both defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes. Judge Okun set a status hearing for Sept. 9, 2022. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the government’s evidence, between May 2017and October 2017, the defendants and others were members of a criminal street gang operating in the area of Wellington Park, within Washington, D.C. Garvin, Williams, and others were involved in a number of “beefs” with individuals from other areas of the city.
Thus, on Sept. 10, 2017, at approximately 6 p.m., as the victim, Carl Hardy, was standing outside in the Potomac Gardens neighborhood, Williams, Garvin, and two others circled the Potomac Gardens neighborhood three times looking for individuals to target. On the fourth trip around the block, the vehicle stopped, and the driver paused to allow Garvin, Williams, and one other man to exit the vehicle armed with multiple weapons, to include an assault rifle. Garvin, Williams and the third shooter opened fire on the crowded courtyard, firing over 30 rounds and striking Mr. Hardy. The group then fled the scene.
Mr. Hardy, 24, was transported to the hospital where doctors operated multiple times in their efforts to save him. Ultimately, on Oct. 1, 2017, Mr. Hardy succumbed to his injuries. Shortly after Mr. Hardy’s death, arrest warrants were obtained for Williams and Garvin charging them with the murder.
A homeowner who lived across the street from the shooting had a surveillance system with audio and high-definition video that captured the shooters as they ran back to the vehicle immediately after the shooting. This video was instrumental in investigating and prosecuting the case. This prosecution reflects the value of the District of Columbia’s Private Security Camera Incentive Program, which encourages residents to install security cameras to assist law enforcement.
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, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sellinger, Daniel Lenerz, and Sharon Donovan; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Lead Paralegal Specialists Sharon Newman and Meridith McGarrity; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Witness Security Specialist Ashli Tolbert; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators LaJune Thames and Maenylie Watson; and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Jackson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Timmer, who investigated and indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Lindsey Merikas who tried the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Terrell Armstead, 31, formerly of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion and a related firearms offense.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew 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).
Armstead was found guilty in March 2020, following a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. In a related case, he pleaded guilty in September 2019 to conspiracy to resell firearms illegally, and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Honorable Amit P. Mehta sentenced Armstead to 23 years in prison on the sex trafficking charge, and sentenced him to a concurrent 10-year prison term on the firearms charges. Following his prison term, Armstead will be placed on 20 years of supervised release. Armstead was also ordered to pay $28,644 in victim restitution.
A second defendant, Anthony Gray, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of transportation of minors, related to his activities with Armstead. Gray, 39 of Cheverly, Maryland, was sentenced on July 13, 2022, to 10 years in prison for his role in the crimes. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release following his prison term and ordered to pay $15,000 in victim restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, from March 2015 until September 2019, in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and elsewhere, Armstead trafficked several young women for commercial sex, including one who was only 16 years old. He was found guilty of a charge involving an adult woman. He used social media to lure this victim across the country based on false promises of fantastic success and financial comfort and security. Instead, after three months of being forced to work in Armstead’s commercial sex enterprise for his profit, she left the Washington, D.C. area with nothing.
Armstead operated his enterprise by recruiting young women as commercial sex workers, then advertising them in online forums (like Backpage.com), having them work in strip clubs to meet “customers,” and coercing them to engage in commercial sex on “the blade,” the track in downtown Washington, D.C. Armstead promoted himself on social media, purporting to live a life of luxury with the money he took from the women in his commercial sex enterprise. He controlled and manipulated the victims, including by threats of force; brandishing various weapons, including large automatic weapons; taking and controlling all the proceeds from their commercial sex work; limiting their contact with friends and family, such as smashing a cellphone; and by controlling their access to transportation and even their own identification documents.
During the course of the investigation into Armstead’s activities, law enforcement determined that Gray joined Armstead in bringing victims to hotels in Alexandria, Virginia and Lusby, Maryland in March 2015, for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex. On one of these occasions, Gray took pictures of two of the victims and then posted these pictures as advertisements online, offering them for commercial sex. Gray determined who the clients could be and the prices that could be charged.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department, including Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, the Witness Security Section of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit, and former Paralegal Specialist Kenny Nguyen.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Larson and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenya Davis, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Justice Department Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics and Use FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven Phillips, Jr., 28, of Washington D.C. was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for his role in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute narcotics and a related conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Phillips was the fifth defendant to plead guilty for his role in the charged conspiracies.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Phillips is one of more than a dozen individuals arrested as part of a joint FBI/ATF investigation which resulted in the seizure of more than 34 pounds of marijuana, 16 firearms, and more than $270,000 in cash.
Phillips, who utilized the street nickname “33,” pleaded guilty on April 12, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as oxycodone and codeine. As part of his plea agreement, Phillips admitted to participating in a separate conspiracy to use, carry, and possess firearms. Phillips was sentenced by the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson. Following completion of his prison term, Phillips will be placed on four years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in approximately June 2018, and continuing through April 2021, Phillips and his co-conspirators maintained drug dealing territory on Trenton Place SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. – a territory they defended by carrying, and discharging, firearms at perceived rivals. As part of his role in the conspiracy, Phillips distributed narcotics in street-level transactions and served as an armed defender of the co-conspirators’ drug dealing territory. Phillips encouraged his co-conspirators to pool their money to buy as many firearms as possible for use in defending their territory and, as part of the conspiracy possessed and trafficked in firearms which he sold and offered for sale to his co-conspirators and others. As part of his sentence, Phillips agreed to forfeit a Glock, Model 45, 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a high-capacity magazine, and 31 rounds of ammunition, all of which were seized from the defendant.
Phillips was arrested on Sept. 3, 2020. He has been detained ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Special Agent in Charge Patterson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and ATF. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Genevieve de Guzman, Kim Hall, and Teesha Tobias. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case, with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin Vaillancourt and Christopher Berridge.
Maryland Man Indicted for Bias-Motivated Assaults of Men in Northwest Washington ParkRead the Press Release
Update: On September 27, 2024, Mr. Pruden was acquitted on all charges at trial.
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael Thomas Pruden, 48, formerly of Maryland, with five counts of assault on federal land, one count of impersonating a federal officer, and a hate crimes sentencing enhancement alleging that Pruden assaulted four of the victims because of their perceived sexual orientation.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono for the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that on five separate dates from 2018 to 2021, Pruden went after dark to Meridian Hill Park, a.k.a. Malcolm X Park, informally known in the Washington, D.C. community as a meeting place for men seeking consensual sex with other men, and assaulted five men with a chemical irritant. Before spraying the men, Pruden pretended to be a Park Police officer, shined a flashlight in the victims’ faces, and gave the victims police-style directives. The indictment alleges that Pruden assaulted four of the victims because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.
Pruden was arrested today in Norfolk, Virginia. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years for each assault count and a three-year statutory maximum sentence for impersonating a federal officer. The hate crimes sentencing enhancement increases the range of the potential sentence for the assault counts.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police and the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Risa Berkower for the District of Columbia.
If you believe that you were a victim of, or witnessed, a similar assault in Meridian Hill Park, please call the FBI tip line, 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
For more information and resources about the Justice Department’s work to combat hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Prosecuting bias-related crimes is critical to keeping our community safe. When one member of a group in the community is the victim of a bias-related crime, all members carry with them a fear that they, too, may be targeted because of who they are. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) is committed to enforcing both federal and local hate and bias-related crime laws.
For more information:https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/hatebias-related-crimes
Licensed Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Medicaid in Scheme Involving Personal Care ServicesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Susan Engonwei Tingwei, 44, of Silver Spring, Md., a licensed attorney, was sentenced today to 10 months in prison for defrauding the D.C. Medicaid program out of more than $100,000 in a scheme involving false claims about personal care services.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Tingwei pleaded guilty in November 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to health care fraud. She was sentenced by the Honorable Carl J. Nichols. Following her prison term, she will be placed on two years of supervised release. She also must pay $131,656 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
In court documents, Tingwei admitted that at various times between 2016 and 2018, she was employed by two different home health agencies in the District of Columbia. The home health agencies employed her to assist D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries in performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, and eating.
Tingwei was supposed to document the care that she provided to Medicaid beneficiaries on timesheets and then submit the timesheets to the home health agencies, which would in turn bill Medicaid for the services that she rendered. As part of her guilty plea, Tingwei admitted that she submitted false timesheets claiming to provide services that she did not actually render.
Tingwei earned her Master of Laws degree from the University of Maryland in May 2017. She was admitted to the New York state bar in February 2018 and the Maryland state bar in January 2020.
On 118 occasions between August 2016 and May 2017, Tingwei submitted timesheets claiming that she worked as a personal care aide in Washington, D.C., during the same hours when she either was scheduled to attend law school classes in Baltimore, or when she should have been traveling to or from Baltimore related to her law school program. For example, Tingwei submitted timesheets claiming that she provided services to two beneficiaries on April 13, 2017, one from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the other from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Records show Tingwei’s key card swiping in at the University of Maryland’s law school campus at 5:30 p.m. and swiping out at 9:29 p.m. Cell phone records also showed her cell phone being in Baltimore between 8:03 a.m. and 9:31 p.m. that day.
Tingwei admitted that her fraud scheme began no later than August 2016 and continued through September 2018. She acknowledged successfully defrauding the D.C. Medicaid program out of $131,656.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who defraud the D.C. Medicaid program.
Since August 2018, 11 former personal care aides have pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicaid in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Six of those aides were sentenced to 13 months in prison; a seventh was sentenced to serve 15 months.
The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud.
If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General hotline at (800) HHS‑TIPS [(800) 447-8477] or the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at (800) 724-TIPS [(800) 274-8477].
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Simmonds, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart and former Paralegal Specialists Angeline Thekkumthala and Brittany Phillips.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves Welcomes 600 Youths to 12th Annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” SummitRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations welcomed more than 600 youths at the 12th Annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence Youth Summit,” held on July 8 at Catholic University and streamed virtually.
The event focused on a variety of subjects, including gun violence prevention, human trafficking, teen dating violence, opioid awareness, and mental health, The summit also featured a speed networking session for youth to connect with mentors in various professions. The summit was comprised of dynamic speakers, entertainment, and information and resources.
Since the U.S. Attorney’s Office hosted its first Youth Summit in 2011, thousands have participated in the activities. The event is a part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood Program, a nationwide effort to reduce violent crime.
This year’s partners included Black and Missing Foundation Incorporated, D.C. Prevention Centers, East River Family Strengthening Collaborative, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), the D.C. Department of Employment Services Summer Youth Employment Program, the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute, the Metropolitan Police Department, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health, Phil More Fit Fitness, Drug Free World, the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project, The TraRon Center, the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks all of those who participated and looks forward to many future events on behalf of youths in the District of Columbia.
Haitian Gang Member Charged with Hostage Taking for Kidnapping of 16 U.S. Missionaries in Fall 2021Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Jean Pelice, a Haitian national, also known as “Zo,” with hostage taking for his role in the armed kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in Haiti in the fall of 2021. The victims were Christian missionaries serving in Haiti and most of them were held captive for 61 days before escaping.
Pelice, 27, a member of the 400 Mawozo gang, was transferred into U.S. custody on May 16, 2022, on the basis of an arrest warrant in the matter and has since been detained. He made his initial appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and John J. Bernardo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Field Office, made the announcement today.
The charges brought today are related to the Oct. 16, 2021, kidnapping of 17 Christian missionaries near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sixteen of the kidnapping victims were U.S. citizens, including five children, one as young as eight months’ old. According to the complaint, Pelice, along with other 400 Mawozo gang members, used firearms to guard the missionaries during their captivity. 400 Mawozo made ransom demands for the release of the missionaries, and one of the gang’s stated goals in holding the hostages was to secure from the Haitian government release of Joly Germine, a 400 Mawozo leader, from prison. Two of the hostages were released on or about Nov. 18, 2021, and three more were released on or about Dec. 5, 2021. The remaining hostages escaped captivity on or about Dec. 16, 2021.
Germine, 29, also known as “Yonyon,” was indicted in the District of Columbia on May 10, 2022, on a charge of conspiracy to commit hostage taking. He has pleaded not guilty.
Charges in a complaint or indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Union Officer Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement Scheme That Generated More Than $500,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former union officer pleaded guilty today to conspiring to steal more than $500,000 from the labor organization, using the money for parties, trips, furniture, and other personal expenses.
Attia Little, 43, of Temple Hills, Maryland, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy and one count of theft from a labor organization. She is to be sentenced on Nov. 4, 2022, by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. Under federal sentencing, she faces a likely range of 30 to 37 months in prison and potential financial penalties. The plea agreement calls for Little to pay restitution.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and Mark Wheeler, District Director, Washington District Office, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Little was the operations manager of the Property Services Division of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), headquartered in Washington, D.C. As part of her duties, she managed administrative support, booked reservations for SEIU employees, and paid vendor invoices for union-related purchases. She had a work-issued credit card and access to third-party discount travel booking platforms that were to be used for union business only.
A co-defendant, Melba Norris, was a close associate of Little’s, and had no affiliation with the union. According to plea documents, between November 2015 and October 2017, Little used her access to the credit card and travel booking platforms to embezzle approximately $503,600 from SEIU. In total, she kept approximately $460,900 in SEIU funds for herself, and Norris kept approximately $42,700.
Among other things, Little used the SEIU credit card to purchase personal items, including purchases for a baby, personal parties hosted at her residence, personal travel, furniture, watches, clothing, and video games. She also used the credit card to purchase gift cards for personal use. Little also used the credit card to pay funds to a company that she created and companies created and controlled by Norris, even though no work was performed.
Norris, 36, of Powder Springs, Georgia, pleaded guilty in May 2022 to charges of conspiracy and theft from a labor organization. She is to be sentenced on Oct. 7, 2022.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Springer, and District Director Wheeler commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Labor Department’s Office of the Inspector General and Office of Labor-Management Standards. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed M. Baset, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.