District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – The former Executive Director and the former Director of Operations and Finance of the now-defunct non-profit organization DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation (DC Trust) each pleaded guilty today to one felony charge relating to their personal use of the non-profit’s funds, which were intended for youth scholarship programs.

            Edward Davies, 51, of Columbia, Maryland, and Earl Hamilton, 53, of Riviera Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to credit card fraud. They are to be sentenced on April 7, 2023, by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. The plea agreements call for both defendants to make restitution for their criminal acts.

            The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Region, U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General.

            According to the plea documents, from at least November 2015 to February 2016, Davies and Hamilton perpetrated a scheme in which they obtained and used for personal benefit, DC Trust credit cards and a check card – whose bills were paid for by DC Trust funds. The DC Trust was a non-profit organization, created in 1999, to serve as an intermediary to connect philanthropists, government leaders, youth advocates, and representatives from the business community in order to support programs to benefit the children of the District of Columbia. Davies was the Executive Director and Hamilton was the Director of Operations and Finance. The organization was dissolved in late 2016.

            The diverted funds, provided to the non-profit by the government of the District of Columbia and the U.S. Department of Education, were intended to provide scholarship programs for D.C. youth. According to the plea documents, Davies and Hamilton used DC Trust credit cards and a check card to make hundreds of personal purchases, for expenses such as meals, automobile repairs, and personal travel for themselves, their family members, and their friends. In total, Davies admitted to stealing at least $111,000 and Hamilton admitted to stealing at least $44,000 by using DC Trust credit cards and a check card for personal expenses.

            The D.C. Office of the Inspector General, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Department of Education Office of the Inspector General have been investigating this case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Rakoczy and Diane Lucas, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Amanda Rohde and Lisa Abbe.

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment that was unsealed today charging a former District of Columbia Department of Corrections officer with using unreasonable force.

            According to court documents, former D.C. corrections officer Marcus Bias, 26, pushed a handcuffed pre-trial detainee’s head into a metal doorframe while escorting him within the Department of Corrections on June 12, 2019, causing injury to the detainee.

            Bias faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for his use of unreasonable force, a term of supervised release, and fines. 

            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, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.

            The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.

            Trial Attorneys Anna Gotfryd and Rebekah Bailey of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott are prosecuting the case.

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

WASHINGTON – Rayshonne Marbley, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to an eight-year prison term on charges stemming from a series of break-ins and thefts in Northwest Washington in June 2022.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Marbley pleaded guilty in October 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of second-degree burglary.  The Honorable Michael O’Keefe sentenced Marbley today to an aggregate term of eight years’ imprisonment. Following his prison term, Marbley will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 6, 2022, shortly after 3:00 p.m., Marbley entered an occupied home in the 3000 block of 11th Street NW. The resident’s child was awoken to the sound of her bedroom doorknob being turned and observed Marbley looking at her from another bedroom door. Marbley took various electronics before leaving the house. Marbley then entered another occupied home in the area before being chased out by the resident. Marbley again took various electronics on his way out of the house. A short time later, police were able to locate and apprehend Marbley. In his possession were various electronics taken from the two residences.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of those investigating the cases from MPD.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson and Victim Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams. 

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shalin Nohria, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.

            WASHINGTON –Annabelle Liebsch, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for assaulting a Deputy United States Marshal during a court proceeding in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert Dixon, U.S. Marshal for the U.S. Marshals Service for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

           Liebsch was found guilty by a jury in September 2022, of felony assault of a law enforcement officer. She was sentenced by the Honorable Jason Park to a total of 36 months of incarceration; however, all but 18 months of that sentence was suspended pending the successful completion of an 18-month term of probation that will begin after Liebsch’s incarceration.

            According to the government’s evidence, on May 2, 2022, the defendant was physically present in a Superior Court courtroom, before the Honorable Judge Thomas J. Motley, in a criminal hearing.  At the conclusion of that hearing, Judge Motley ordered that she would remain detained. In response, Liebsch stated that she would like to “defect.”

            She then got up from the defense table and walked towards a door at the back of the courtroom. Judge Motley ordered Liebsch to sit back down. When she refused, a Deputy U.S. Marshal and a Court Security Officer in the courtroom attempted to calm her down and restrain her.  Their efforts continued into a small vestibule immediately behind the courtroom at which point Liebsch repeatedly head-butted the Deputy Marshal, striking the top of his head with such force that it caused a severe laceration that bled profusely.  The Deputy Marshal subsequently had to be taken to a hospital, where five staples were required to close the wound.

            Liebsch has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Marshal Dixon commended the work of those who investigated the case from the United States Marshals Service. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by 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 Specialists Richard Cheatham and Theresa Nelson.   

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Levy and Shakinah Douglas, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Joseph Tamjong, 51, of Lanham, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to defrauding the D.C. Medicaid program out of $733,405. 

            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.

            Tamjong pleaded guilty in the U.S. District  Court for the District of Columbia to health care fraud, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Tamjong faces a likely recommended sentence of between 27 and 33 months in prison. He has agreed to pay $733,405 in restitution and $396,155 in a forfeiture money judgment. The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper, who accepted Tamjong’s guilty plea, scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2023.

            In court documents, Tamjong admitted that between December 2014 and February 2022, he was employed as a Personal Care Aide and/or a Participant-Directed Worker to provide personal care aide services to residents of the District of Columbia who needed assistance performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, and eating. Tamjong admitted that he submitted false timesheets that claimed he provided these personal care services when in fact he did not.

            As part of his scheme, he even caused Medicaid to be billed for approximately 3,400 hours of services that he purportedly provided when he actually was traveling internationally. On 156 separate occasions, he also caused Medicaid to be billed for 24 hours of services that he allegedly provided in one day.

            The FBI, the 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.

            Tamjong is the twelfth former personal care aide since August 2018 to plead 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 and eighth were sentenced respectively to 15 months and 10 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart.

WASHINGTON - Cecil Smith, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years and nine months in prison for fatally shooting a man last year in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Smith pleaded guilty on April 1, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for the sentence of 10 years and nine months in prison. The Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr. accepted the plea and sentenced Smith accordingly. Following his prison term, Smith will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 23, 2021, at approximately 11 p.m., Smith was standing immediately adjacent to a parking lot in the 3900 block of South Capitol Street SE, next to a vehicle along with Harold Castle. Mr. Castle then grabbed a bottle that Smith placed on the hood of the vehicle. Mr. Castle held the bottle in the air and looked at the contents of the bottle. He poured a portion of the remaining contents into his cup, then handed the bottle to the Smith. Smith reached towards his right pocket, turned away from Mr. Castle, and fired a gun towards him. Mr. Castle, 29, struck by the bullet, turned and ran towards the parking lot, where he collapsed and died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

            Smith was arrested on Sept. 1, 2021. 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 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 Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.

            Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A Social Services Representative with the District of Columbia Department of Human Services (DHS), has been charged with falsely claiming District of Columbia residency to obtain D.C. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid benefits, and free tuition for her two children to attend a D.C. Public Charter School.

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

            Michia Pardlow, 29, of Arlington, Virginia, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia with first-degree fraud, first-degree theft, and false statements in connection with applying for and obtaining District of Columbia resident benefits. She was arrested on Nov. 22, 2022, made her initial court appearance later that day, and was released pending trial.

            According to court documents, Pardlow, from 2016 through at least 2019, was a resident of Arlington, Virginia. The charging documents allege that she submitted signed applications, residency verification forms, and other documents to the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services and Public Charter School Board claiming and verifying District residency.

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

            A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

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

WASHINGTON – Three men, all from Washington, D.C., have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a series of armed robberies and carjackings that took place in Maryland and the District of Columbia over a period of less than two months earlier this year.

            Tyrell Jordan Stewart, 24, Joenathan Nelson, 25, and Azriel Echavarria, 20, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, and various related offenses. The indictment was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Stewart was arrested today and made his initial court appearance this afternoon. Nelson and Echavarria previously were in custody.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Malik Aziz, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Department, and Marcus G. Jones, Chief of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department.

            According to the indictment, the defendants wore dark clothing and often wore masks or other clothing over their faces while committing the crimes. As alleged in the indictment, they used various vehicles, including stolen vehicles, to facilitate the robberies or flee from scenes. The crimes typically took place in the early morning, between 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. In addition to stores, targets included people accosted while in their cars, at work, or on the street.

            The indictment includes charges related to crimes from Jan. 19 through March 4, 2022. They include three robberies at convenience stores, 14 robberies of individuals, an armed carjacking, and three car thefts. On Feb. 18, 2022, for example, four armed robberies were carried out within 95 minutes in Northwest and Northeast Washington. On Feb. 20, 2022, two armed robberies took place within 10 minutes at convenience stores in Rockville and Kensington, Maryland. On March 4, 2022, four armed robberies took place within 35 minutes in Northeast and Northwest Washington.

            Stewart was indicted on a total of 14 charges, including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, six counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, five counts of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, and a firearms offense.

            Nelson was indicted on a total of 21 charges, including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, 11 counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, six counts of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, and a firearms offense.

            Echavarria was indicted on a total of five charges, including conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit carjacking, two counts of armed robbery, and a firearms offense

            Nelson has been detained pending other court proceedings in Montgomery County. Echavarria is incarcerated after pleading guilty in the District of Columbia on April 28, 2022, to a charge of carrying a pistol without a license.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.

            The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lynch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kinskey, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Kyle Alexander Jackson, 25, of Chicago, was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to five years in prison for stalking and unlawfully publishing graphic, sexual images of a woman, and for stalking and threatening witnesses to these offenses.

            This case involves the “Criminalization of Non-Consensual Pornography Act of 2014” a District of Columbia law that codifies the offense of “unlawful publication” and prohibits the publication or disclosure of explicit photos without the consent of the person depicted in them, even if the photos were taken or given to the defendant consensually by the victim. 

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Jackson pleaded guilty on Aug. 4, 2022, to two counts of first-degree unlawful publication, one count of unlawful disclosure, two counts of stalking, and one count of felony threats. He was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Upon completion of his prison term, Jackson will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also will be required to stay away from the victims and is barred from talking about them on social media.

            “Kyle Jackson subjected the primary victim in this case—his ex-girlfriend—to years of torment,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This case demonstrates the importance of the law that expressly prohibits such unlawful publication of explicit photos without consent. Now Kyle Jackson is being held accountable for his reprehensible acts.”

            According to the government’s evidence, Jackson and the victim were romantically involved for a period several years ago while students at a Washington, D.C. area university. After the conclusion of their relationship, in 2018, Jackson showed sexually explicit images of the victim to other individuals, prompting a Title IX investigation. His behavior escalated when, over the course of several months in 2019, he created multiple fake GroupMe accounts, which he used to post the victim’s sexually explicit images. He often impersonated the victim as well, soliciting others to contact her at her social media accounts. In 2020 and 2021, Jackson continued to post the images on GroupMe and began to post them on Kik and other platforms as well. Often, he would then send text messages to the victim from TextNow numbers, pretending to be other individuals who had seen the explicit images on the internet. Jackson also used these numbers to send a variety of harassing and unwanted text messages. At one point in 2021, Jackson mailed sexually explicit images to the victim’s employer.

            In June 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against Jackson for this conduct. While the criminal case against Jackson was pending, he began to harass potential witnesses in the case. In the first several months of 2022, Jackson sent numerous harassing emails, many containing racist and sexist slurs, to these victims. Jackson used the victims’ professional email addresses and contacted their co-workers as well. The conduct eventually escalated to include violent threats of sexual assault and murder. In April 2022, Jackson was arrested in relation to this conduct and has remained held since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Chicago Police Department.

            They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Special Agent Nelson Rhone of the Criminal Investigations Unit; Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan, and Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Lavelle Watts, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 8 ½ years for killing a man in Northeast Washington in September 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Watts pleaded guilty in June 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence between 7 ½ and 9 years. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan accepted the plea and sentenced Watts accordingly. Following his prison term, Watts will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 3, 2019, at approximately 10:50 p.m., the victim, Kailin Middleton, was the front seat passenger in a vehicle that stopped in front of a building in the 900 block of Division Avenue NE. Watts then got out of his vehicle and fired multiple rounds into the passenger side of Mr. Middleton's vehicle. Mr. Middleton and the driver of the vehicle were both shot multiple times. Mr. Middleton, 28, was pronounced soon afterwards at a local hospital.

            Watts was arrested on Dec. 14, 2021. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Grave 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 Grazy Rivera and Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ganjei, who investigated and prosecuted the matter. 

WASHINGTON – Brian Foster, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 14-year prison term 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 August 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of 14 years in prison. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt accepted the plea and sentenced Foster accordingly.  Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release. 

            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 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 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.

WASHINGTON – Donnell Peterson, 46, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 14-month prison term for assaulting a woman last summer at a lounge in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Peterson pleaded guilty in September 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with significant bodily injury. He was sentenced on Nov. 17, 2022, by the Honorable James A. Crowell to a total of 32 months of incarceration; however all but 14 months of that sentence was suspended pending the successful completion of an 18-month term of probation that will begin after Peterson’s incarceration. 

            According to the government’s evidence, on the night of Aug. 3, 2022, Peterson and the victim were both present at a lounge in the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. The two knew one another casually from being patrons at the bar. While at the bar, they became engaged in a verbal argument. Peterson was standing next to the victim, who was sitting on a barstool.  At some point during the argument, the victim stood up in front of Peterson. Peterson then grabbed her by her neck and threw her to the floor.

            While the victim was on the floor, Peterson picked up a barstool and struck her in the head with it. When she attempted to get up, Peterson shoved her toward the bar, causing her head to hit the edge of the bar.  After she had fallen to the floor again, Peterson picked up another barstool and again struck her in the head. The attack caused a large laceration to the head and required hospital treatment. Peterson turned himself in on Aug. 11, 2022.

            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 efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim /Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alec Levy, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Nikko Drake, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for shooting a woman outside a Northwest Washington nightclub, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Drake was found guilty by a jury in June 2022, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and related firearms offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan. Following his prison term, Drake will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at 11:25 p.m. on Jan. 23, 2020, Drake got into an argument with the female victim, who was then 21, outside a nightclub in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW, in the Shaw area. Drake punched the victim, knocking her to the ground.  After a physical struggle, Drake shot her twice at close range in the body. The victim was taken to Howard University Hospital, where she required emergency trauma surgery. She suffered numerous gunshot injuries to the right inner thigh, right hip, stomach, and lower back, and continues to have physical limitations from the injuries.

            MPD officers spotted Drake in the area in response to a look-out and apprehended him within 15 minutes of the offense. 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 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 Alicia Long, Mark Hobel, and Daniel Lenerz; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Fretto Lingwood; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist R. Renee Prather; Lead Paralegal Specialist Tameka S. Garcia; Paralegal Specialists Crystal L. Waddy and Debra McPherson; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez; Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist Maisha Treadwell.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Nicole G. H. Conte, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Two members and associates of the 18th Street gang operating within Washington, D.C. were sentenced today to over five years each in prison for their roles in an attack on rival gang members on the platform of the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro station on Sept. 17, 2019.

            Christopher Molina-Garcia, 21, and Christian Figueroa-Gutierrez, 22, both of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty earlier this year in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering – assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful possession, brandishing, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. The pleas were contingent upon the Court’s approval.  Molina-Garcia’s plea called for a 5 ½-year prison term, and Figueroa-Gutierrez’s plea called for a range of 60 months to 72 months in prison. The Honorable Randolph D. Moss accepted the pleas and sentenced Molina-Garcia to 5 ½ years in prison, and Figueroa-Gutierrez to 5 years and 4 months in prison. Following their prison terms, each will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            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, Robert Dixon, U.S. Marshal for the U.S. Marshals Service for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Michael Anzallo, Chief of the Metro Transit Police Department, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the government’s evidence, Molina-Garcia and Figueroa-Gutierrez were members of associates of the international criminal street gang known as 18th Street, which operates in the District of Columbia, and other jurisdictions both within the United States and internationally.  The 18th Street gang engages in a variety of criminal activities to include acts of assault, robbery, kidnapping, murder, and firearms trafficking. The 18th Street gang is particularly violent because members are required to commit acts of violence to further the interests of the gang.

            On Sept. 17, 2019, at approximately 3:31 p.m., Molina-Garcia and Figueroa-Guiterrez went to the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station in Northwest Washington as part of a group of 18th Street gang members. Metro station surveillance captured the defendants as they engaged in an altercation with another group of rival gang members on the train station platform. The 18th Street gang members began to run towards the rival gang members and Molina-Garcia was seen pulling a large knife out of his waistband while Figueroa-Gutierrez pulled out a meat cleaver from his backpack. The rival gang members then pulled out a set of weapons of their own. Another 18th Street gang member then pulled a handgun from his backpack and fired two gunshots towards the rival crew. The two gangs immediately dispersed as a Metro train pulled into the station.  The defendants admitted to participating in the attack in order to gain entrance to, or to maintain or increase their position in the 18th Street gang.

            Molina-Garcia was arrested on May 11, 2021, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Figueroa-Gutierrez was arrested on May 10, 2021, in Irving, Texas. They have been detained ever since.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets Task Force.  The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from the District of Columbia area.  The United States Marshals Service, the Metro Transit Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department also provide valuable collaboration and assistance in the investigation.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack F. Korba, Gilead Light, and Christopher Marin, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Latoya Wade.

WASHINGTON – Devon Kelly, 43, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm, and other property-related offenses involving multiple domestic violence incidents against the same victim on March 14, 2022, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Kelly was found guilty by a jury on Nov. 15, 2022, of second-degree burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of second-degree theft, and two counts of destruction of property following a five-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for Jan. 13, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of March 14, 2022, Kelly drove to his ex-girlfriend’s house in Southeast Washington, stole her front license plate, backed his car into her car, causing damage, and then drove away. Later that day, while his ex-girlfriend was at work, Kelly returned to her home, rammed his car into her garage, entered the garage, and then unsuccessfully tried to force his way into her locked home with a knife. Kelly then stole his ex-girlfriend’s surveillance video camera and drove away.

            Two days later, Kelly’s vehicle was found in Alexandria, Virginia, and police officers recovered the missing license plate and surveillance video camera, as well as a shotgun. Kelly was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of a firearm-related felony offense. Kelly was arrested on March 24, 2022.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton, Lisa Kreeger-Norman, and Amy Zubrensky; Paralegal Specialists Cynthia Muhammad, Renee Prather, ReShawn Johnson, and Tiffany Jones; Victim/Witness Advocate Roger Dickerson; Victim/Witness Service Coordinators Katina Adams-Washington, LaJune Thames, and Maenylie Watson, and Criminal Investigations Unit Special Agent Nelson Rhone.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sellinger and Sara Hanson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Mekhi Truesdale, 20, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a series of armed robberies that took place during the fall of 2020 in Northwest Washington.

            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 August 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia., to two counts of armed robbery. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of eight to 10 years in prison, consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe accepted the plea and sentenced Truesdale accordingly yesterday. Following his prison term, Truesdale will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            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:

            -- 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. He was sentenced yesterday to 54 months in prison, with all but two years suspended on the condition that he successfully complete three years of supervised probation.

            -- 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.  He was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  

            -- Jada Winder, 20, of Greenbelt, Maryland. She pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving stolen property involving the transfers from victims’ accounts. She was sentenced in August 2022 to 360 days of incarceration, but all of that time was suspended on the condition she successfully complete one year of supervised probation. 

            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 sentences, 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.

WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia charging a Washington, D.C. man with contempt and obstruction of justice under federal and District of Columbia law, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced.

            Alexander Hamilton, 28, was arrested today and made his initial appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was released on personal recognizance, with restrictions on social media use, pending a preliminary hearing set for Jan. 11, 2023.

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

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

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

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

            Charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

            The contempt charge is a federal offense, and the obstruction charge is a District of Columbia offense. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

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

WASHINGTON – Rakeem Willis, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of charges stemming from the fatal shooting of three men, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  

            The verdict was returned on Nov. 16, 2022, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The jury found Willis guilty of three counts of first-degree murder while armed and fleeing law enforcement. The Honorable J. Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 26, 2019, at approximately 10 p.m., Willis lured the three victims -- Sean Shuler, 26, Javon Abney, 26, and Tyrik Hagood, 24 -- to a quiet, dead-end street in the 1500 block of Fort Davis Place SE, where they were shot numerous times by gunmen. The three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. A stolen Lexus sedan used in the murders was later found burning just across the Maryland state line off of I-295. 

            Willis was arrested on June 11, 2019, after a vehicle pursuit, and has been in custody since that time.

            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 Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Chief of the Appellate Division; Lindsey Merikas, Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section; Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels; Lead Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Coordinators LaJune Thames and Maenylie Watson; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Spence and Ariel Dean, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A jury in the District of Columbia found former D.C. Metro Transit Police Officer Andra Vance, 48, guilty today of a civil rights violation for his unlawful beating of an unarmed transit rider with a metal baton without legal justification on Feb. 16, 2018.

            In 2019, a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a two-count indictment alleging that Vance violated the civil rights of a victim identified in court documents as “D.C.” by striking and then choking D.C. with a metal baton. Vance was found guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of one count of deprivation of rights involving the beating and acquitted of the second charge alleging the choking.  

            During the week-long trial, the government introduced evidence that the victim, D.C., attempted to use an invalid Metro card to board a train at the Anacostia Metro station. When the card was confiscated by Metro Transit personnel, D.C. became angry. As D.C. complained to Vance, Vance used his metal baton to hit D.C. in the head. As D.C. fled, Vance chased D.C. from the Metro station and continued striking D.C. in the head and neck area. D.C. fell to the ground and Vance climbed on top of D.C., put the metal baton to his neck, and pressed down as D.C. bled onto the sidewalk below. A fellow officer helped to handcuff D.C. and was present when medical personnel responded to treat D.C. for his injuries. At least one fellow officer who witnessed the assault testified that D.C. was not a threat to Vance or anyone else at the Anacostia Metro station.

            “People in the District of Columbia have the right to be free from excessive force at the hands of law enforcement, and that includes transit officers working for the D.C. Metro,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The department will continue to aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who willfully violates the civil rights of our community members.”

            “As members of law enforcement, it is our sworn duty to uphold the law,” said Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “A crime like this betrays that duty and the badge with which the defendant was entrusted. When officers violate the civil rights of District citizens through unreasonable and unjustified violence, we will hold them accountable.”

            “Our commitment to transparency is key in our efforts to support and build trust with the communities we serve,” said Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department.  “We value our partner agencies and appreciate the opportunity to hold this former officer accountable for his actions.”

            Sentencing has been set for March 10, 2023. Vance faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.

            Assistant Attorney General Clarke, U.S. Attorney Graves, and Chief Anzallo made the announcement.

            Trial Attorney Maura White of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A Maryland man has been found guilty by a jury of assaulting two police officers during a demonstration that took place in December 2020 in downtown Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Michael Patschak, 31, of Frederick, Maryland, was found guilty on Nov. 10, 2022, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of two counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of robbery. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2023, by the Honorable Jason Park.

            According to the government’s evidence at trial, Patschak attended a demonstration at 16th and I Streets NW on Dec. 12, 2020. He was wearing a black military-style helmet, ski goggles, and a backpack with a camera mounted upon it. Amidst the chaos of the demonstration, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department conducted several arrests of protesters who were assaulting officers and other demonstrators. At approximately 4:30 p.m., Patschak observed police officers making an arrest, and he injected himself into the confrontation by shoving the main arresting officer. A fight ensued between Patschak and the police officer, and Patschak ripped the Body-Worn Camera (BWC) from the officer’s chest. The camera fell to the ground, and Patschak quickly snatched it up and put it in his pocket.

            Several minutes later, Patschak approached a retreating police line, raising a middle finger and throwing water at the officers. Another MPD officer moved in to arrest Patschak, but Patshak resisted by punching the officer in the head several times. Eventually, officers were able to detain Patschak. During a search at the time of the arrest of Patschak, officers discovered the officer’s still-recording BWC in Patschak’s backpack.

            The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all charges in an indictment.

            The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua L. Hall and Alec Levy of the Case Initiation Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chip Willoughby, Paralegal Specialists Tonya Queen and Theresa Nelson, and Litigation Technology Specialist Maisha Treadwell.

WASHINGTON – Donald Willis, 50, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for assaulting multiple family members attending a housewarming party with an AR-15 rifle and handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Willis pleaded guilty in July 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable William W. Nooter. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Nov. 26, 2021, Willis attended a housewarming party in the 2300 block of Chester Street SE with numerous people, including children. Over the course of the evening, Willis got into an argument with another attendee. In the early morning hours of Nov. 27, 2021, after a brief physical altercation outside the residence, Willis retreated to his car and retrieved a handgun. Willis then fired one round at the home while guests filtered back inside. Armed with the handgun, Willis entered the home and began waving it around and threatening to kill everyone inside. Two house guests, including a 15-year-old boy, wrestled the handgun away from Willis. The juvenile then brought the handgun to his room in the basement.

            Willis returned to his vehicle and retrieved an AR-15 rifle. Willis then fired the weapon as he walked back towards the home. Once back in the residence, Willis found the 15-year-old boy and pointed the AR-15 at him as he demanded the return of his handgun. Willis then made his way upstairs, where he pointed the AR-15 at three additional houseguests who were hiding in a closet. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arrived on the scene and observed Willis leaving the home with the AR-15 in his hands. Officers gave several commands to drop the gun, but Willis ignored their commands and continued to walk toward his vehicle. Officers fired several shots as Willis dropped the AR-15 in the street and fled from the scene in his vehicle. While fleeing, Willis struck a police car before abandoning his vehicle and fleeing on foot. Willis was arrested on Nov. 27, 2021. He has remained in custody ever since. No one was injured by the shots that Willis fired.

            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 Robert Platt, Danielle White, and Yasmin Emrani.

            WASHINGTON –James Clark, Jr., 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 10-year prison term for an early evening armed robbery and assault of a senior citizen in the Columbia Heights area of Northwest Washington last New Year’s Eve, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Clark was found guilty by a jury in August 2022 of robbery while armed of a senior citizen, assault with a dangerous weapon of a senior citizen, and related firearms offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before Judge Michael O’Keefe, who also sentenced the defendant. Following his prison term, Clark will be placed on a period of supervised release. 

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2021, the victim, 77, tried to go into a market at 14th Street and Spring Road NW, but it had closed early on New Year’s Eve. Clark approached the victim, cornered him, and assaulted, threatened, and robbed him at gunpoint as the victim lay on the ground. 

            Clark was identified from surveillance footage of the robbery and a nearby convenience store. He was arrested on an arrest warrant in April 2022.  He has been in custody 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 former Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Braskich, Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson and Kelly Brown, Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez, Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialists Charlie Bruce and Ron Royal. 

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Prins and Colin Cloherty, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison on a federal charge of distribution of child pornography.

            Akiva Bernstein, 22, pleaded guilty in March 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper. Upon completion of his prison term, Bernstein will be placed on eight years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a victim depicted in the images that he distributed. Bernstein also must register as a sex offender following his release from prison. 

            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.

            According to the government’s evidence, in November of 2020, Bernstein used a mobile messaging application to communicate with an individual who he believed was a father with access to a young child. Bernstein attempted to set up a meeting with the individual and child. In the process, he forwarded the agent 12 videos, at least nine of which depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. On Dec. 2, 2020, Bernstein agreed to meet the individual and child for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts and contacts. He was arrested.

            Following his arrest, Bernstein provided consent for law enforcement to search his cellphone, which had approximately 40 videos depicting sex acts with minor children.

            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 sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar, who prosecuted the case, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Stauss, who provided valuable assistance.

WASHINGTON – Jose Gonzalez Pacheco, aka Jose Gonzalez, 48, and Kenneth Demetrius Harris, aka Kenneth Vann, 43, both of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from their roles in an armed robbery in Northeast Washington.

            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).

            Pacheco and Harris each pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of threatening to kill or injure a victim.  They are to be sentenced on Feb. 16, 2023, by the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper.

            As part of their pleas, Pacheco and Harris admitted that on the afternoon of July 16, 2021, they entered a male victim’s apartment in the 1400 block of New York Avenue NE, knowing that he operated an illegal marijuana “dispensary” from that location. They intended to rob him of marijuana and cash. Upon entering the apartment, Pacheco and Harris – both of whom were armed with 9mm semi-automatic handguns – discovered that the victim’s wife, female friend, and infant child were also in the apartment.

            The male victim attempted to wrestle Harris’s gun away, at which point Harris choked and punched the male victim. While Harris had the male victim in a headlock, Pacheco pointed a handgun at the male victim’s wife, friend, and infant child and told the male victim to calm down before someone got hurt. When the male victim relented, he, his wife, and his friend were bound and gagged with duct tape and zip ties, and the infant child was placed in a baby swing.  The male victim was able to remove the duct tape from his mouth and call for help, and a neighbor called 911. MPD officers responded to the scene and arrested Pacheco and Harris before they could escape. Both defendants have been detained without bond since their arrest.

            In announcing the pleas, 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 to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Genevieve de Guzman and Teesha Tobias. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Dr. Robert M. Cao, 39, of Lafayette, Louisiana, and previously of Falls Church, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to five felony counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance outside the scope of his professional practice.  As detailed in court documents, the charges pertain to Cao prescribing various narcotic pain medications in the months and days leading up to an overdose death in Virginia last year.

            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 Kevin Davis, Chief of the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Department.

            The Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Feb. 22, 2023.

            According to court documents, Cao is a physician who was licensed to practice medicine in the District of Columbia and Virginia.  As part of his guilty plea, Cao admitted that on at least five occasions in 2021, he knowingly and intentionally wrote a man identified in court documents as “V.C.” prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, Schedule II controlled substances with a high potential for abuse.  Cao provided the narcotic prescriptions to the victim without having any doctor-patient relationship with him, without any physical examination, diagnosis, or treatment plan, and knowing that the victim had no medical condition that would necessitate such prescriptions.

            On May 31, 2021, first responders were dispatched to a Fairfax, Virginia residence in response to a 911 call for assistance regarding “V.C.,” after his girlfriend found him cold and non-responsive. He was pronounced deceased under suspicious circumstances.

            A subsequent autopsy report documented the cause of death as acute combined oxycodone and ethanol poisoning. On the nightstand next to where “V.C.” was found were prescription bottles, including one containing Percocet (a brand name of the narcotic analgesic oxycodone/acetaminophen) pills filled on May 23, 2021.  Cao was the prescribing doctor listed on the bottle.

            Court filings also detail text message exchanges between Cao and “V.C.,” including discussions about Cao prescribing narcotic pain medications to “V.C.” in exchange for agreeing to give Cao a kickback of some of the pills he had prescribed, and meetings between the two, including a meeting in a parking lot on the night before the man’s death so Cao could get a portion of the narcotic pills from “V.C.” 

            As detailed in court documents, Cao took several steps to avoid detection from law enforcement and regulatory authorities. For example, he advised the victim not to create a paper trail, and to fill the prescriptions at times when they were least likely to be questioned by pharmacies.  Cao also hid the pad that he used to write the man prescriptions, which Cao took from a District of Columbia cosmetic office where he previously worked, at his home inside a hollowed-out container made to look like a diary. 

            After learning of the victim’s untimely death, Cao created fraudulent backdated medical records to make it appear that Cao had provided legitimate prescriptions to the victim as part of a lawful doctor-patient relationship.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne P. McNamara and Christine Macey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of criminal charges against seven leaders of five Haitian gangs, including gang leaders involved in the armed kidnappings of 16 U.S. citizens in the fall of 2021. 

            “When a U.S. citizen is kidnapped abroad, the Justice Department will bring to bear the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to ensure their safe return home and to hold accountable those responsible,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As these charges demonstrate, we are committed to working alongside our interagency and international partners to disrupt these kidnapping-for-ransom schemes that endanger the lives of American citizens and that fuel the violent gangs harming the Haitian people.”

            Among the charges unsealed today were federal indictments charging three Haitian nationals with conspiracy to commit hostage taking and hostage taking for their roles in the armed kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in Haiti in the fall of 2021. The victims were Christian missionaries serving near Port-au-Price, Haiti, and most of them were held captive for 61 days before escaping. The group included five children, one as young as eight months old at the time of the kidnapping.

            Contemporaneous with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State is announcing a reward of $3 million ($1 million per each of the three defendants charged in the kidnapping of the missionaries) for information leading to the capture of the three defendants, who are believed to be in Haiti. The reward is being offered under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

            Those three defendants, who are charged in separate indictments filed in the District of Columbia, include Lanmo Sanjou, aka Joseph Wilson, 29 and Jermaine Stephenson, aka  Gaspiyay, in his late 20s, both current leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang, and Vitel’homme Innocent, 36, leader of the Kraze Barye gang. The 400 Mawozo gang, which operates in Croix-des-Bouquets area to the east of Port-au-Prince, claimed responsibility for the missionaries’ kidnapping. The Kraze Barye gang operates in the Torcelle and Tabarre areas of Haiti. According to the indictment, Innocent worked together with 400 Mawozo in the hostage taking.

            In addition to the indictments for the kidnapping of the missionaries, the Department of Justice announced charges against four other Haitian nationals who are leaders of three other gangs for two other kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Haiti.

            “The charges unsealed today are a reminder of the FBI’s ability to reach criminal actors overseas when crimes are committed against U.S citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, with our federal and international partners, will continue to pursue anyone who targets Americans for hostage taking or other violent crimes – wherever they are.”

            “We stand with the people of Haiti, whose country has been ravaged by violent gangs impacting every facet of society,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We are committed to using all tools available to prosecute these gangs in order to disrupt their unlawful activities in Haiti and bring justice for our victims.”

            “FBI Miami has extraterritorial responsibility for the Caribbean, Central and South America,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Miami Field Office. “When crimes against U.S. Citizens occur in Haiti and throughout this region, we will not relent. The FBI’s full investigative capability will be brought to bear to identify those responsible.”

            The investigation involving the Oct. 16, 2021, kidnapping of the missionaries has also led to additional charges. Two alleged leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang previously were charged with the crimes. Joly Germine, aka Yonyon, 30, and Jean Pelice, aka Zo, 27, were charged by superseding indictment in July 2022. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges.

            According to court documents, Germine, who was in a Haitian prison at the time of the kidnapping, directed and asserted control of 400 Mawozo gang members’ kidnapping operations, including ransom negotiation for the hostages’ release. One of the gang’s stated goals in holding the hostages was to secure from the Haitian government Germine’s release from prison. Germine is alleged to have been in regular contact with other 400 Mawozo leaders about the hostages’ kidnapping, captivity, and ransom. Two of the hostages were released on or about Nov. 20, 2021, and three more were released on or about Dec. 5, 2021. The remaining hostages escaped captivity on or about Dec. 16, 2021. 

            Additionally, charges also were unsealed today in cases involving three other Haitian gangs:

•             The leader of the gang Gran Ravine, Renel Destina, aka Ti Lapli, 40, was indicted on charges of hostage taking. Gran Ravine controls areas to the southwest of Port-au-Prince. The indictment charges the gang with kidnapping a U.S victim in February 2021, holding the victim for approximately 14 days, during which time the victim was threatened daily at gunpoint, while his family scrambled to secure funds for release. The victim was finally released on Feb. 16, 2021, after a ransom was paid.
•             A leader of the gang Village de Dieu, Emanuel Solomon, aka Manno, in his 30s, was charged in a criminal complaint for kidnapping a U.S. citizen in January 2021. The Village de Dieu gang controls areas to the southwest of Port-au-Prince. The victim was taken hostage at gunpoint and held for approximately 11 days until his family and friends in the United States sent a ransom payment to Haiti for his release. The gang kept the victim’s car and two phones, and finally released the victim on Jan. 23, 2021. Manno and fellow gang leaders are active on social media, posting about the gang’s exploits.
•             Two leaders of the gang Kokorat san Ras, John Peter Fleronvil and Jean Renald Dolcin, were charged by complaint for kidnapping at gunpoint three U.S. victims in July 2022. Two victims, a married couple, were held for six days and released following a ransom payment made by a family member. A third victim was taken captive the day after the other two U.S. victims and held for approximately six days while a family member negotiated for his release; that victim was also released following a ransom payment to the gang. The victims were all held together at the same location. Fleronvil and other Kokorat san Ras gang members were arrested on Sept. 11, by Haiti law enforcement officials while preparing to cross the border to the Dominican Republic.

            Destina, Solomon, and Dolcin also are being sought.

            The charges 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 FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case with valuable assistance from the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The Haitian National Police also provided valuable assistance.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Jack Korba, and Brittany Keil for the District of Columbia prosecuted the cases with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau Barnes for the District of Columbia.

The Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of criminal charges against seven leaders of five Haitian gangs, including gang leaders involved in the armed kidnappings of 16 U.S. citizens in the fall of 2021. 

“When a U.S. citizen is kidnapped abroad, the Justice Department will bring to bear the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to ensure their safe return home and to hold accountable those responsible,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As these charges demonstrate, we are committed to working alongside our interagency and international partners to disrupt these kidnapping-for-ransom schemes that endanger the lives of American citizens and that fuel the violent gangs harming the Haitian people.”

Among the charges unsealed today were federal indictments charging three Haitian nationals with conspiracy to commit hostage taking and hostage taking for their roles in the armed kidnapping of 16 U.S. citizens in Haiti in the fall of 2021. The victims were Christian missionaries serving near Port-au-Price, Haiti, and most of them were held captive for 61 days before escaping. The group included five children, one as young as eight months old at the time of the kidnapping.

Contemporaneous with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State is announcing a reward of $3 million ($1 million per each of the three defendants charged in the kidnapping of the missionaries) for information leading to the capture of the three defendants, who are believed to be in Haiti. The reward is being offered under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

Those three defendants, who are charged in separate indictments filed in the District of Columbia, include Lanmo Sanjou, aka Joseph Wilson, 29 and Jermaine Stephenson, aka Gaspiyay, in his late 20s, both current leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang, and Vitel’homme Innocent, 36, leader of the Kraze Barye gang. The 400 Mawozo gang, which operates in Croix-des-Bouquets area to the east of Port-au-Prince, claimed responsibility for the missionaries’ kidnapping. The Kraze Barye gang operates in the Torcelle and Tabarre areas of Haiti. According to the indictment, Innocent worked together with 400 Mawozo in the hostage taking.

In addition to the indictments for the kidnapping of the missionaries, the Department of Justice announced charges against four other Haitian nationals who are leaders of three other gangs for two other kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Haiti.

“The charges unsealed today are a reminder of the FBI’s ability to reach criminal actors overseas when crimes are committed against U.S citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI, with our federal and international partners, will continue to pursue anyone who targets Americans for hostage taking or other violent crimes – wherever they are.”

“We stand with the people of Haiti, whose country has been ravaged by violent gangs impacting every facet of society,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We are committed to using all tools available to prosecute these gangs in order to disrupt their unlawful activities in Haiti and bring justice for our victims.”

“FBI Miami has extraterritorial responsibility for the Caribbean, Central and South America,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Miami Field Office. “When crimes against U.S. Citizens occur in Haiti and throughout this region, we will not relent. The FBI’s full investigative capability will be brought to bear to identify those responsible.”

The investigation involving the Oct. 16, 2021, kidnapping of the missionaries has also led to additional charges. Two alleged leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang previously were charged with the crimes. Joly Germine, aka “Yonyon,” 30, and Jean Pelice, aka “Zo,” 27, were charged by superseding indictment in July 2022. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges. According to court documents, Germine, who was in a Haitian prison at the time of the kidnapping, directed and asserted control of 400 Mawozo gang members’ kidnapping operations, including ransom negotiation for the hostages’ release. One of the gang’s stated goals in holding the hostages was to secure from the Haitian government Germine’s release from prison. Germine is alleged to have been in regular contact with other 400 Mawozo leaders about the hostages’ kidnapping, captivity, and ransom. Two of the hostages were released on or about Nov. 20, 2021, and three more were released on or about Dec. 5, 2021. The remaining hostages escaped captivity on or about Dec. 16, 2021. 

Additionally, charges also were unsealed today in cases involving three other Haitian gangs:

• The leader of the gang Gran Ravine, Renel Destina, aka Ti Lapli, 40, was indicted on charges of hostage taking. Gran Ravine controls areas to the southwest of Port-au-Prince. The indictment charges the gang with kidnapping a U.S victim in February 2021, holding the victim for approximately 14 days, during which time the victim was threatened daily at gunpoint, while his family scrambled to secure funds for release. The victim was finally released on Feb. 16, 2021, after a ransom was paid.

• A leader of the gang Village de Dieu, Emanuel Solomon, aka Manno, in his 30s, was charged in a criminal complaint for kidnapping a U.S. citizen in January 2021. The Village de Dieu gang controls areas to the southwest of Port-au-Prince. The victim was taken hostage at gunpoint and held for approximately 11 days until his family and friends in the United States sent a ransom payment to Haiti for his release. The gang kept the victim’s car and two phones, and finally released the victim on Jan. 23, 2021. Manno and fellow gang leaders are active on social media, posting about the gang’s exploits.

• Two leaders of the gang Kokorat san Ras, John Peter Fleronvil and Jean Renald Dolcin, were charged by complaint for kidnapping at gunpoint three U.S. victims in July 2022. Two victims, a married couple, were held for six days and released following a ransom payment made by a family member. A third victim was taken captive the day after the other two U.S. victims and held for approximately six days while a family member negotiated for his release; that victim was also released following a ransom payment to the gang. The victims were all held together at the same location. Fleronvil and other Kokorat san Ras gang members were arrested on Sept. 11, by Haiti law enforcement officials while preparing to cross the border to the Dominican Republic.

Destina, Solomon, and Dolcin also are being sought.

The charges 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 FBI’s Miami Field Office investigated the cases, with valuable assistance from the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The Haitian National Police also provided valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Jack Korba, and Brittany Keil for the District of Columbia prosecuted the cases with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau Barnes for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON - Melvin Wiseman, 19, of Washington, D.C., and Demarco Harris, 20, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to felony charges stemming from carjacking and robbery offenses that took place earlier this year, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Both men pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Wiseman and Harris each pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, stemming from a carjacking and robbery in March 2022. In addition, Harris pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, stemming from a January 2022 armed carjacking and robbery. The Honorable Neal E. Kravitz scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 2, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on March 21, 2022, at approximately 8:20 p.m., Wiseman and Harris approached a vehicle parked in the 2400 block of 20th Street NW, in the Kalorama neighborhood. The vehicle’s owner was saying goodbye to a friend on the sidewalk, while her female friend waited in the car’s passenger seat. Wiseman approached the passenger and ordered her out of the car. When she began screaming for help, Harris climbed across the driver’s seat and put his hands around her neck in an attempt to silence her. Wiseman then pulled the passenger out of the car and threw her to the ground. The men attempted to flee in the vehicle but failed to do so because they could not disengage the parking brake. They then grabbed a purse belonging to the vehicle’s owner and fled on foot. 

            Concerned citizens witnessed the defendants fleeing and called the Metropolitan Police Department. While fleeing, Wiseman discarded his jacket, which contained a hall pass from a school where the defendants were classmates; the pass had been issued in his name earlier that day. Wiseman and Harris also discarded the victim’s purse, but kept her iPhone, which she had stored inside. Harris used the victim’s iPhone for his own benefit, sending the victim’s funds to a Cash App account registered in his own name and using her Lyft account to request a ride from the block on which he lived. The Metropolitan Police Department obtained surveillance footage from the offense location and other evidence.

            The government’s evidence also established that, on Jan. 21, 2022, at approximately 12:15 a.m., Harris requested an Uber ride using an account that was registered to him. Harris and two unidentified associates got into the car’s back seat. Harris directed the driver to a poorly lit residential street in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington. Upon arriving at that location, Harris exited the vehicle, opened the driver’s door, pointed a handgun at the driver’s head, and ordered him out of the vehicle. The driver ran to safety after Harris physically pulled him from the vehicle. After Harris failed to take the vehicle, he and his associates fled on foot with the driver’s cell phone and car keys. 

            Wiseman was arrested on May 11, 2022, and Harris was arrested on May 18, 2022.  They have remained in custody ever since.

            In announcing the guilty pleas, 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 Specialists Crystal L. Waddy and Alesha Matthews Yette. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L.D. Ans and Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.

WASHINGTON - Devin Gatewood, also known as James J. Williams, 23, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from an armed carjacking and robbery in the Trinidad area of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Gatewood pleaded guilty on Nov. 3, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery, one count of carrying a dangerous weapon, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2023.  At the time of the offense, Gatewood was on probation for an April 2022 misdemeanor firearms conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  The Honorable James A. Crowell IV has scheduled a probation revocation hearing in that case for Jan. 20, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Aug. 28, 2022, Gatewood and an unidentified accomplice approached the victim, who was sitting in his parked vehicle in the 1100 block of Queen Street NE. The victim felt uneasy and got out of his car to make small talk with the men.  Gatewood produced what appeared to be a 9mm handgun and communicated to the victim that he was being robbed.  The victim laid down on the ground, while Gatewood and the accomplice took his iPhone, Apple Watch, car keys, and cash.  Gatewood drove away in the victim’s vehicle, and the accomplice left in a separate vehicle. 

            The victim called the Metropolitan Police Department, which located the victim’s vehicle within minutes.  Police followed behind the vehicle, which came to an abrupt stop.  Gatewood jumped out of the vehicle’s driver’s seat and began to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended.  No firearm was recovered.  Gatewood has remained in custody since his arrest.

            In announcing the guilty 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 L. Waddy.  Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Bernard McCutcheon, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for an incident last summer in which he confronted U.S. Capitol Police officers while in possession of two Molotov cocktails, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and J. Thomas Manger, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.

            At the time of the offense, McCutcheon was on probation in another case in which he threw a Molotov cocktail at a woman who was walking on a street in Northwest Washington.

            McCutcheon pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced by the Honorable Michael O’Keefe to a total of 60 months in prison, but the judge suspended half of that time on the condition that McCutcheon later successfully complete three years of probation.

            According to court documents, on July 6, 2022, at approximately 3:30 p.m., McCutcheon was in possession of two Molotov Cocktails on the steps of 25 Massachusetts Avenue NW when U.S. Capitol Police officers responded to a 911 call. As the officers approached McCutcheon, he backed away from them while holding one of the Molotov Cocktails. During this confrontation, that Molotov Cocktail hit the ground near where the officers were standing.

            McCutcheon then took out the second Molotov Cocktail. While in close proximity to one of the officers, McCutcheon attempted several times to light the white cloth hanging from the bottle. After failing to light the cloth, McCutcheon fled and ran into a nearby bicycle rack, where the second Molotov Cocktail shattered on the ground. In a search at the time of the arrest, officers found a backpack containing a 2-liter soda bottle containing a pale amber liquid consistent with the appearance and odor of gasoline. McCutcheon has been in custody since his arrest.

            In the earlier case, McCutcheon pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon. On the afternoon of April 28, 2021, McCutcheon threw a Molotov cocktail at a woman who was walking near a gas station in the 300 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW. The bottle landed on the victim’s foot and burst into flames, catching her shoe on fire and bruising a toe. Shards of glass from the bottle also cut the victim’s shin. On May 20, 2022, McCutcheon was sentenced to 13 months in prison in this case, with all of the time suspended on the condition that he successfully complete 18 months of supervised probation.

            The Honorable James A. Crowell IV, who presided over the defendant’s earlier case, revoked his probation and sentenced him to the remaining time on his original sentence

             In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Manger commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Capitol Police. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tonya Queen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Omeed A. Assefi, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

             WASHINGTON –Five area men have been indicted on federal narcotics and firearms-related charges stemming from an ongoing investigation into a drug trafficking organization that operated outside a gas station and within 1,000 feet of a school on South Capitol Street.

            The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Washington Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Those charged include Tayion Hamiel-Ward, 25, of Washington, D.C.; Karl Dunn, 45, of Suitland; Brian Williams, 27, of Largo, Maryland; Kurtis Mathes, 33, of Washington, D.C., and DeShawn Barnes, 28, also of Washington, D.C. Hamiel-Ward previously was detained. Dunn, Williams, Mathes, and Barnes were arrested this week.

            The indictment, which was unsealed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, followed an investigation into open-air drug markets operating near a gas station and tobacco store in the 4600 block of South Capitol Street SW. Since at least March 2021, there have been several shootings at these locations, and law enforcement has recovered firearms on the premises. The charges relate to four firearms, magazines, ammunition, marijuana, and more than $79,000 in cash seized from the defendants over the course of the investigation. 

            “Armed drug trafficking and traffickers put ordinary citizens at risk, and that conduct must be held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This indictment is a testament to our strong, collaborative relationship with ATF and other law enforcement partners in dismantling drug operations that threaten public safety.”

            “Today’s announcement is the result of a long-term investigation focused on the illegal use of firearms, narcotics trafficking, and acts of violence in our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Amon of the ATF’s Washington Field Division. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of ATF and our valued law enforcement partners, violent criminals are being held accountable”

            “Operations like this are a great example of our collective and decisive work at all levels – federal, state, and local – to band together and reverse the rise in violent, drug-related crime and ensure public safety. Let me be clear, drug trafficking organizations do not care if they are poisoning and killing people,” said Special Agent in Charge Forget of the DEA Washington Division. “As part of our initiative Operation Overdrive, we are making a difference in our communities, cutting violent crime, stopping violent drug traffickers in their tracks, and keeping our local families safe”.

            All five defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. They also are charged with drug distribution, including charges that the transactions took place within 1,000 feet of a school. Hamiel-Ward, Dunn, and Williams also are charged with using, carrying, or possessing firearms during drug transactions. Mathes and Barnes also are charged with unlawfully possessing ammunition.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the DEA’s Washington Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI, the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service.

            The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison McGuire and Brian Lynch, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

WASHINGTON – Malik Holston, 20, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder and other charges for the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Holston guilty of two related firearms offenses. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 13, 2018, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Holston and a second assailant – both armed and wearing masks – pursued 15-year-old Gerald Watson through the parking lot area near buildings in the 2900 block of Knox Place SE. Mr. Watson ran inside a multi-unit apartment building, followed by Holston, while the second gunman waited outside. Inside the building, Holston cornered Mr. Watson at the top landing and shot him 16 times with a .40-caliber revolver. Holston and the second gunman then fled the scene. Mr. Watson was taken to a hospital, where he died from the injuries.

            The shooting took place shortly after Mr. Watson returned home from school and headed outside to play basketball. Within about five minutes of leaving home, the shooting occurred.

            Holston was arrested on Dec. 18, 2018, and has been in custody since that time.

            The second assailant was himself killed by gunfire on Sept. 10, 2019.

            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 Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Special Agents Durand Odom and Mark Crawford of the Criminal Investigations Unit; Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert and Kelly Blakeney; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen; Witness Security Coordinators Marlon Hernandez-Quijano, Maenylie Watson, La June Thames, and Katina Adams-Washington; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez; Chrisellen Kolb, Chief of the Appellate Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Curt, Daniel Lenerz, and Peter Roman.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Liebman and Andrea Coronado, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Four area men were found guilty by a federal jury today of murder and other charges in the kidnapping of a Maryland man whose body was found in June 2018 in an alley in Southeast Washington. The victim had been shot numerous times and his hands were still bound with zip-ties.

            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).

            Darin Moore, Jr. 29, of Bowie, Md., Gabriel Brown, 33, and John Sweeney, 29, who are all from Washington, D.C., were found guilty following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death, first-degree murder while armed, and felony murder. James Thomas Taylor, 33, also of Washington, D.C.., was found guilty of kidnapping resulting in death and felony murder.  A mistrial was declared on the remaining two counts in the indictment against Taylor.  All four defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 19, 2018, the victim, Andre Simmons, Jr., 28, from Bowie, Maryland, was abducted at gunpoint in Maryland, bound with zip ties, and forced into a vehicle by Moore and Sweeney. During the following few hours, several ransom calls were made from Taylor’s phone to Mr. Simmons’ family, who delivered $7,000 in cash to a drop location as instructed by the kidnappers. The money was subsequently picked up by Brown.

            Just over an hour after the ransom payment, at about 6:25 a.m. on June 20, 2018, the defendants shot Mr. Simmons 19 times and left his zip-tied body in an alley off the 600 block of Atlantic Street SE.  The four men then met up in Capitol Heights, Maryland, to divide up the proceeds of the ransom demand.

            Moore was arrested on June 20, 2018. Brown was arrested on June 27, 2018, Taylor was arrested on Aug. 17, 2018, and Sweeney was arrested on Jan. 14, 2019. All have been in custody since their arrests.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD’s Homicide Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Department, and the U.S. Marshal Service.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman, Laura Crane, and Will Hart, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  Paralegal Specialist Genevieve De Guzman also assisted in the prosecution.

WASHINGTON – Kesha Honesty, 48, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a four-year prison term for assaulting her neighbor with a hammer last spring in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Honesty pleaded guilty in August 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with a dangerous weapon. She was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2022, by the Honorable Jason Park. Following her prison term, she will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on May 21, 2022, at approximately 6:40 p.m., Honesty assaulted the neighbor with a hammer outside an apartment building in the 5100 block of Fitch Street SE. The victim was hospitalized for almost four months and underwent approximately 10 different surgeries and procedures. She is now partially paralyzed on the left side of her body and will require assistance for the remainder of her life.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Amy Trotto, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randle Wilson, Andrea Antonelli, and Cameron Tepfer, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Delonte Mitchell, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for attacking his then-girlfriend, a child, and a dog at a home in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Mitchell pleaded guilty in June 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to assault with significant bodily injury, second-degree cruelty to children, and cruelty to animals. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 42 to 70 months. The Honorable Michael Ryan accepted the plea and sentenced Mitchell accordingly. After his prison term, Mitchell will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 27, 2019, at approximately 3 a.m., Mitchell returned to a home he shared with a woman and child in the 2700 block of Douglas Road SE. The woman had told Mitchell that she wanted a break from their relationship. Enraged, Mitchell struck her several times in her face with his fists, causing one of her eyes to swell shut. He also struck the child in the face and body. He then picked up the woman’s dog and threw the dog in the air, towards the ceiling. The dog fell to the floor and died from its injuries.

            Mitchell was apprehended in Maryland on Nov. 21, 2019. He was brought to the District of Columbia in March 2020, and he has been in custody ever since.

            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 expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Washington Humane Society and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Kenechukwu Okocha, Deputy Chief of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones and Victim/Witness Advocate Lu Lan.

            Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Galloway, Eric Nguyen, and Eliot Folsom, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Landrell Lemont Jordan, Jr, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman in January 2006 in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Jordan pleaded guilty in March 2022, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of attempted first-degree sexual abuse while armed with aggravating circumstances. The plea, which contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 10 to 12 years. The Honorable Robert Okun accepted the plea and sentenced Jordan accordingly. Following his prison term, Jordan will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for life and as a gun offender for seven years.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 27, 2006, at approximately 1 a.m., the victim was walking home after waiting tables at a restaurant in Dupont Circle. Jordan walked up behind her in the area of Ninth and T Streets NW, brandished a gun, and forced her into an alley. He stole her cash and jewelry and then raped her at gunpoint.

            Jordan was a stranger to the victim. The victim made an immediate report to police and obtained a sexual assault exam at an area hospital.

            Jordan was developed as a suspect in this offense by MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit in April 2020. Evidence in the case was tested in 2006 but did not yield a sufficient male DNA profile to identify the offender. Cold case detectives linked the defendant to the attack by new DNA testing.

            When detectives identified Jordan as the perpetrator of this case in 2020, the investigation revealed that Jordan had been convicted of attempted robbery in 2012 in D.C. and two felony firearms offenses in 2013, one in D.C. and the other in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit and Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit, and detectives and officers from the Third District. They also acknowledged the efforts of those handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Cynthia Muhammad and Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins.

            Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Buckner, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Kern and Amy Zubrensky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Marcel Jackson, 35, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to fatally stabbing a man earlier this year in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Jackson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District Columbia to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon term of 9 ½-to-11 ½ years in prison. The Honorable Marisa Demeo scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on May 8, 2022, at approximately 11:25 p.m., Jackson approached the victim, Antonio Jones, in the 2800 block of Hartford Street SE, with two knives in both of his hands. He stabbed Mr. Jones multiple times and stood over his body for a short period of time. Then he walked away.

            Mr. Jones, 22, suffered at least 27 stab wounds to his body, and died at the scene.

            Jackson was arrested on May 10, 2022. 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 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 and Victim/Witness Specialist Amy Trotto.

            Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves today announced the appointment of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and Joshua S. Rothstein to lead the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 8, 2022, general election.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aloi and Rothstein, of the Office’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section, will be responsible for overseeing the Office's handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

             “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence.  The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

            The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur.  The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

            Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).  

            The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.

            In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aloi and Rothstein will be on duty in the U.S. Attorney's Office while the polls are open. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aloi can be reached by the public at 202-252-7212.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rothstein can be reached by the public at 202-252-7164.

            In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day.  In the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office can be reached at 202-278-2000.

            Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .

            Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

WASHINGTON – Lloyd Patterson-Ross, 21, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a nine-year prison term for fatally shooting a man last year at a gas station in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Patterson-Ross pleaded guilty in June 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 years in prison. The Honorable Marisa Demeo accepted the plea and sentenced Patterson-Ross accordingly on Oct. 21, 2022. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 22, 2021, at approximately 10:15 p.m., Patterson-Ross was at a gas station in the 4600 block of South Capitol Street SE along with the victim, Dawaan Saunders. Mr. Saunders, who was armed, along with another individual attempted to rob Patterson-Ross and his associates.  The robbery attempt failed, and Mr. Saunders attempted to flee. He ran across the street to another gas station but dropped his firearm as he was running. He then attempted to enter a vehicle but was unsuccessful.

            Patterson-Ross subsequently picked up the firearm on the ground and chased Mr. Saunders. He then shot Mr. Saunders, causing him to fall.  Patterson-Ross then fled. But after seeing Mr. Saunders attempt to get back up, he came back and shot him multiple times at close range. Mr. Saunders, 30, was shot 14 times and subsequently died. 

            Patterson-Ross was arrested on Dec. 20, 2021. 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 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 and Victim/ Witness Specialist Karina Hernandez.

            Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Stephen K. Bannon was sentenced today to four months of incarceration and ordered to pay a fine of $6,500 on 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 by a jury on July 22, 2022, of one contempt count related to his refusal to appear for a deposition and another count related to his refusal to produce documents in response to 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.

            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.

            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.

WASHINGTON – Corey Keelin Bridges, 28, of Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a pair of attacks on residents of an apartment building in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Bridges pleaded guilty on Oct.19, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count each of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault, and lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Bridges will be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2023, by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. In addition to facing a prison term, Bridges will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

            According to the government’s evidence, Bridges assaulted residents of an apartment building in the 1400 block of E Street NE, on separate occasions. On May 4, 2022, at approximately 5 p.m., Bridges accosted a minor in the hallway of the building. He tried to pull down the minor victim’s sweatpants and pulled down his own shorts, exposing himself. The minor victim escaped into her apartment. On June 4, 2022, at about 4 p.m., he knocked on the door of an apartment in the same building and, when the resident opened the door, Bridges held a knife and a screwdriver to the victim’s stomach. The victim managed to avoid injury.

            Bridges was arrested on June 4, 2022, and he remains in custody.

            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 work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. Valdivia, Jared English, and Crystal Gaines, who investigated and prosecuted the matters.

WASHINGTON – Delante R. Pierce, 36, who had no fixed address, was sentenced today to a five-year prison term on charges stemming from two break-ins in Northwest Washington in the fall of 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Pierce pleaded guilty in August 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree burglary and attempted second-degree burglary. He was sentenced by the Honorable Michael O’Keefe.  Following his prison term, Pierce will be placed on three years of supervised release.  

            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 sentence, 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 the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia today released the following statement about legislation to change the D.C. Criminal Code:

            When the D.C. Criminal Code Reform Commission (CCRC) indicated that it was ready to submit its final recommendations to the D.C. Council, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, which was a member of the CCRC advisory group, voted to move those recommendations forward. The recommendations comprised a once-in-a-century effort to modernize the D.C. Criminal Code. We voted to move forward—even though we had serious concerns about a number of recommendations—because the modernization was sorely needed, and we expected that we would have the opportunity to continue to engage on those recommendations that gave us concerns. We testified in great detail about those concerns before the D.C. Council as summarized here (https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/us-attorneys-office-testifies-hearing-revised-criminal-code-act-2021), and we have raised those concerns with our fellow community members and community leaders, including elected officials.

            The bill that is being moved forward today in the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety represents an improvement over what the CCRC recommended and addresses several of our most significant concerns. We thank all of the D.C. elected officials who listened to our concerns, particularly Council member Charles Allen, whose leadership has been critical to moving this once-in-a-century effort forward.

            We still have concerns with multiple aspects of this bill and believe that some provisions, while well-intentioned, could undermine community safety and impede the administration of justice in our courts. Despite these concerns, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia supports this bill proceeding to mark-up. Once again, our support for this bill moving forward does not mean that we agree with every provision in the massive overhaul. To the contrary, there are provisions with which we strenuously disagree, including the provisions referenced in our comprehensive testimony that continue to appear in this version of the bill. But the D.C. Criminal Code is in dire need of an update, and there is much in this bill that would help. We also recommend that the bill move forward because it is our hope that Councilmembers will continue to listen to our concerns as this bill moves forward—just as they did before introducing today’s version of the bill. 

            It is our sincere desire that, as this bill progresses, the provisions that give us the greatest concerns from a community safety perspective will be addressed.

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned a two-count superseding indictment charging a 10th defendant, Herb Geraghty, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with conspiracy against rights and FACE Act offenses in connection with an alleged reproductive health care clinic blockade in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2020.n alleged reproductive health care clinic blockade in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2020.

            The original indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 24, alleges that the nine defendants – Lauren Handy, Jonathan Darnel, Jay Smith, Paulette Harlow, Jean Marshall, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, William Goodman and Joan Bell - engaged in a conspiracy to create a blockade at the reproductive health care clinic to prevent the clinic from providing, and patients from receiving, reproductive health services. Several of the defendants traveled from other states to participate in the blockade, including Idoni, of Michigan; Smith and Hinshaw, of New York; and Harlow and Marshall, of Massachusetts.

            According to the superseding indictment, as part of the conspiracy, Geraghty communicated with Handy to plan the blockade. Handy made lodging arrangements for her co-conspirators from Michigan, New York and Boston, and she obtained a monetary donation to pay for an Airbnb reservation for herself and Geraghty. According to the indictment, Geraghty and several co-defendants traveled from out-of-state to Washington, D.C. to participate in the clinic blockade.

            The superseding indictment further alleges that Handy, Smith, Harlow, Marshall, Hinshaw, Idoni, Goodman, Bell and Geraghty forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains and ropes. Once the blockade was established, Darnel live-streamed footage of his co-defendants’ activities. The indictment also alleges that all 10 defendants violated the FACE Act by using a physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because they were providing or obtaining reproductive health services.

            If convicted of the offenses, the defendants each face up to a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $260,000.

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

            The case was investigated by the FBI Washington, D.C., Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division and the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section for the  U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

WASHINGTON – William Whitaker 21, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder for his role in the slaying of a man in January 2020 near a Metro station in downtown Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Whitaker pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2023, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr.

            According to the government’s evidence, Whitaker used a woman’s Instagram account to message the victim, Malick Cisse, to organize a meeting near the Mount Vernon Square Metro station. Mr. Cisse, 19, arrived at the Metro station, in the 1300 block of Seventh Street NW, at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2020, thinking he was going to meet the woman. Whitaker and other unknown individuals pulled up in a white vehicle and shot and killed Mr. Cisse. Whitaker was a part of the Simple City “Avenue Crew” and the shooting is believed to be related to crew rivalry. He was arrested on May 7, 2020. He has been detained 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 acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth, Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Julia Cosans, Gregory Kimak, and Sarah Santiago, and Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Office’s Homicide Section.

WASHINGTON – Alphonso Owens, 42, formerly of Washington, D.C., has been indicted by grand juries in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, Maryland for two separate home invasion sexual assaults of children that occurred in September and October of 2011.

            The indictments were announced today by Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Aisha N. Braveboy, State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, and Malik Aziz, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.

            On July 27, 2022, Owens was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old child in a home invasion attack that occurred on Oct. 29, 2011. Earlier this week, on Oct. 11, 2022, he was indicted by a grand jury in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old child in a home invasion attack that occurred on Sept. 26, 2011.

            Owens was indicted on multiple felony charges for both attacks. In the District of Columbia, Owens was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. In Prince George’s County, he was charged with first-degree rape, second-degree assault, second-degree sex offense, third-degree sex offense, fourth-degree sex offense, and first-degree burglary.

            Owens was linked to both attacks after an analysis of DNA evidence.

            He was arraigned earlier today on the D.C. indictment in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.

           The charges in the D.C. indictment carry a statutory maximum sentence of life without possibility of release. If found guilty, Owens would also be required to register as a Class A sex offender for up to the remainder of his lifetime.

            The charges in the Prince George’s County indictment carry a statutory maximum sentence of life, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years, and lifetime sex offender registration.

            According to the government’s evidence in the D.C. case, in the early morning hours of on Oct. 29, 2011, the 11-year-old child was sleeping in her family’s ground floor apartment in the Fort Stanton area of Southeast Washington when Owens entered through the victim’s bedroom window. He threatened to kill her if she yelled or screamed. As alleged, Owens sexually assaulted her and then fled back out the window. The victim immediately woke up her mother and reported the assault, and her mother called police.

            Police believed that the offenses in the District of Columbia and Maryland may potentially have been related. Detectives with MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit submitted the D.C. evidence for new DNA testing in 2020. DNA ultimately linked the defendant to both offenses. Owens was a stranger to both juvenile victims and their families.

            Owens was convicted in 2016 of first-degree rape for a home invasion sexual assault that he committed in Baltimore in 2015 for which he is currently serving a sentence of 2x life + 25 years in Maryland.

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

            The District of Columbia case is being investigated by detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit, Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit, Youth Investigations Division, and detectives and officers from the Seventh Police District. Those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office include Paralegal Specialist Cynthia Muhammad, Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, and Forensic Child Interviewer Tracy Owusu.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Suttenberg investigated the D.C. case in 2011, and Assistant U.S. Amy Zubrensky, is investigating and prosecuting the D.C. case. 

            The Maryland case is being investigated by the Sexual Assault Unit of the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Monica Meyers of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County.

WASHINGTON – Mark Bowser, 42, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for fatally stabbing a woman with 47 sharp force injuries in an attack that took place inside the victim’s home in 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).

            Bowser was found guilty by a jury on March 30, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of first-degree murder while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon of a second victim, and a related weapons offense for the knife.  Bowser was sentenced on Oct. 7, 2022, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 20, 2014, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Bowser entered the home and bedroom of the homicide victim, Tracy Womack, as she was laying in her bed to sleep at her apartment in the 4600 block of Benning Road NE.  Bowser attacked Ms. Womack with a knife, stabbing and cutting her 47 times, causing wounds to her face, neck, torso, arms, and hands. Ms. Womack was also found with her pants and underwear pulled down to her thighs. Before fleeing the scene, Bowser lunged with the knife in hand towards a second victim who had come back to Ms. Womack’s  home. Though rushed to a hospital, Ms. Womack, 39, was soon pronounced dead.

            Bowser was arrested the next day and has been in custody since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the 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 Paralegal Specialist Debra Forte, Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth, former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames.

            Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Bradford, who indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jin Park and Dennis Clark, who prosecuted the case.

            WASHINGTON –Charles Clark, 65, of La Plata, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, 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).

            Clark pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable Carl J. Nichols. As part of his plea agreement, Clark will also plead guilty in the Circuit Court in Charles County, Maryland, to sexually abusing the minor victim in Maryland. Following his guilty plea and sentencing in Charles County, Clark will be sentenced in this matter. Clark faces a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

            According to the government’s evidence, Clark sexually abused the minor victim in this matter from the time she was 13 until she was 17. The sexual abuse occurred both at the minor victim’s residence in the District of Columbia as well as Clark’s residence in Maryland. In order to ensure that the minor victim did not report the abuse to her mother, Clark purchased items for the minor victim, including cell phones and clothing. Clark also convinced the minor victim that her mother would not believe her if she reported the abuse. Clark asked the minor victim to send him sexually explicit images of her over Instagram direct messaging. The minor victim responded on one occasion by sending a sexually explicit image of herself. 

            Clark was arrested on April 2, 2021. He has been in custody since.

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

            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 Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division.  They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Buckner, Jocelyn Bond, and Janani Iyengar.

            WASHINGTON –A former FBI agent and a real estate developer were found guilty by a jury today of federal bribery and conspiracy charges.

            The former agent, David Paitsel, 41, and Brian Bailey, 52, a real estate developer formerly based in Washington, D.C., were found guilty following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

            The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

            A sentencing date has not yet been set.

            Bailey, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was found guilty of two counts of bribery and two counts of conspiracy. First, he was found guilty of giving thousands of dollars in bribes to a program specialist with the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) 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 can 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.

            As a second part of the scheme, Paitsel and Bailey were both found guilty of one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy.  Specifically, Bailey paid Paitsel bribes to look up the contact information of the tenants holding TOPA rights, which he did using a database he had access to as an FBI Agent.

            The District of Columbia government employee, Dawne Dorsey, 40, pleaded guilty in June 2019 to a federal bribery charge for related conduct with Bailey.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.  

            The trial of the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Aloi and John Borchert, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Quiana Dunn-Gordon of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Stanley Brown, 29, of Washington, D.C, pleaded guilty today to fatally shooting a man in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Brown pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon prison sentence of 12 years. The Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr. scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2023.

            A second defendant, Emmanuel Taylor, 39, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, stemming from the investigation into the shooting. His plea, also subject to court approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 36 to 54 months. He also is to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 23, 2020, at approximately 10:15 a.m., Brown approached the victim, Jimmy Beynum, on foot in the 1600 block of F Street NE. Brown shot Mr. Beynum multiple times, and then fled the scene. Mr. Beynum, 37, died on Jan. 29, 2020, as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

            The investigation determined that Taylor earlier had left his apartment in Southeast Washington with Brown and dropped him off in the area where the shooting took place. When police searched the apartment six days later, Taylor attempted to jump out of the window and then threw a pistol out of the window.

            In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the officers, detectives and other personnel who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Puja Bhatia, and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Brian Ganjei, who investigated and prosecuted the case.