District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics and Use FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Niko Culbreth, 29, of Washington D.C. was sentenced today to.80 months in federal prison for his role in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute narcotics and a related conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Culbreth is one of more than a dozen individuals arrested as part of a joint FBI/ATF investigation which resulted in the seizure of more than 34 pounds of marijuana, 16 firearms, and more than $270,000 in cash.
Culbreth, who utilized the street nicknames “Cucuz” and “Slick,” pleaded guilty on Nov. 1, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, as well as oxycodone and codeine. As part of his plea agreement, Culbreth admitted to participating in a separate conspiracy to use, carry, and possess firearms and to serving in a leadership role of both conspiracies. Culbreth was sentenced by the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson. Following completion of his prison term, Culbreth will be placed on four years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in approximately June 2018, and continuing through September 2020, Culbreth and his co-conspirators maintained drug-dealing territory on Trenton Place SE in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. – a territory they defended by carrying, and discharging, firearms at perceived rivals. As part of his role in the conspiracy, Culbreth not only served as the primary wholesaler of narcotics to his co-conspirators, but he encouraged his co-conspirators to pool their money and buy as many firearms as possible for use in defending their territory. Culbreth further encouraged his co-conspirators to always carry and use firearms in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Culbreth was arrested on Sept. 2, 2020. He has been detained ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Special Agent in Charge Patterson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and ATF. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Genevieve de Guzman, Kim Hall, and Teesha Tobias. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case, with help from Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Vaillancourt and former Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Berridge.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for 2018 Killing of 14-Year-Old in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Allen, 25, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a botched robbery attempt that led to the death of a teenager in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Allen pleaded guilty in December 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree murder while armed and attempted robbery while armed. He was sentenced yesterday by the Honorable Craig Iscoe.
Allen pleaded guilty for his role in committing a botched robbery attempt on Jan. 14, 2018, in the 1700 Block of Minnesota Avenue SE. According to the government’s evidence, Allen was driving a stolen Mercedes along with two other individuals, and the group, armed with a handgun, were driving around searching for victims to rob.
Shortly before 7 p.m., Allen and his accomplices observed 14-year-old Steven Slaughter, who was leaving a 7-Eleven on Good Hope Road SE, accompanied by two of his teenage friends. Allen followed the teenagers to Minnesota Avenue and parked the car facing the victims. One of his accomplices exited the car and brandished the handgun towards Mr. Slaughter while Allen stayed in the car and waited. The accomplice fired multiple shots from the handgun, striking Mr. Slaughter three times, as the other two teenagers ran away. The accomplice returned to the Mercedes, and Allen drove them away from the crime scene. Mr. Slaughter was taken to a hospital, where he died from his wounds.
Allen was arrested on March 5, 2018. He has been in custody since his arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Saunders; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gilead Light, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charge for July 4, 2020 Slaying of 11-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Carlo General 21, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy on July 4, 2020, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
General entered the guilty plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Consistent with the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, General’s plea calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 13 to 16 years in prison. The plea is contingent upon the Court’s approval. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 3, 2022.
Three co-defendants -- Daryle Bond, 20, Marcel Gordon, 26, and Christen Wingfield, 24 – pleaded guilty earlier this month to the same charge. They also are scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2022. Bond’s plea calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 7 ½-to-9 ½- years in prison, Gordon’s calls for 10 years, and Wingfield’s calls for a 9 ½-year prison term.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 4, 2020, at approximately 9:15 p.m., General, Bond, Gordon, and Wingfield were congregating at a barbeque near the cul-de-sac in front of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. Cedar Street is a long road that ends in a cul-de-sac. The entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street intersects diagonally with a street that is known as the “alley.”
Near the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street, Davon McNeal – 11 years old – was exiting a vehicle and walking towards a basement apartment in the Frederick Douglass Garden Apartment Complex. At a certain point, General, armed with a firearm with a laser sight, started running towards the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street and fired his weapon towards the alley. Surveillance footage shows Davon running towards the basement apartment and falling after General fired his weapon.
Approximately six seconds later, Gordon, while running behind General, fired his weapon in the same direction. Bond, also armed with a firearm, ran towards the entrance of the 1400 block on a sidewalk on the side of the apartment building, along with Wingfield, who was armed with a firearm as well and running on the road.
All four defendants gathered in front of the apartment building and looked down the alley. The group subsequently ran in the direction of a playground with guns drawn. Bond, General and Gordon all fired their firearms as they were running away.
An autopsy concluded that Davon’s death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
General was arrested on July 30, 2020. Bond was arrested on July 10, 2020. Wingfield was arrested on July 11, 2020. Gordon was arrested on Sept. 1, 2020. All have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing today’s 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, former Victim/ Witness Specialist Marcia Rinker, Victim/ Witness Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar, Stephen Rickard, and Jack Korba, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Adeyola, who provided valuable assistance.
District Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Exploitation and Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 63-year-old man, of Southeast Washington, was sentenced today to life in prison for federal child exploitation offenses, including production of child pornography, enticement of a minor, and possession of child pornography, as well as multiple counts of first- degree child sexual abuse and first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances.
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).
The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, was found guilty by a jury in October 2021, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendant repeatedly sexually abused his stepdaughter from May 2016 until April 2017. The victim was 12 and 13 years old at the time and living with her mother, younger sister, and the defendant at the defendant’s apartment. The defendant also directed the victim to take photographs of herself constituting child sexual abuse material and to transfer those photographs to the defendant’s cell phones. Additionally, he stored these sexually explicit photographs on his cell phones and computer. These photographs, as well as dozens of text messages to the victim corroborating the sexual abuse, were recovered from the defendant’s electronic devices by law enforcement.
The defendant was arrested in May 2019 and was subsequently detained pending trial.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the FBI-Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The FBI task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and human trafficking.
They also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Specialist Lezlie Richardson, Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Loeb and Andrea Hertzfeld, and Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section Intern David Offit.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Sedky, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for 2008 Killing of Silver Spring ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mason Binion, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for a 2008 murder in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Binion was found guilty in February 2020, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of first-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Marisa J. Demeo.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 21, 2008, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Binion and three other individuals drove the victim, Michael F. Taylor, 21, from a recreation center in Silver Spring to the 600 Block of Emerson Street NW. Binion and Mr. Taylor had arranged for a large purchase of drugs, and Mr. Taylor had given the drug money to a middleman who then took off with the money. Searching for revenge, Binion and his associates drove into the alley, stopped the car in front of a detached garage behind 610 Farragut Street, and then shot Mr. Taylor in the back of the head, killing him.
Binion was arrested on Jan. 24, 2018, was released pending trial, and has been in custody since the guilty verdict.
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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Pearlman; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity; former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gilead Light and Michael Spence, who prosecuted the case.
D.C. Department of Corrections Officer Arrested for Bribery and Smuggling of ContrabandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—A District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer was arrested today on charges alleging that he accepted bribes to bring prohibited items, including weapons and drugs, into the District’s Central Detention Facility (CDF).
Johnson Ayuk, 31, of Bowie, Maryland, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with bribery and providing or possessing contraband in prison, both federal offenses. He was arrested at the CDF and made his initial appearance this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather. He was released on high-intensity supervision pending a preliminary hearing set for March 10, 2022.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Tom Faust, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections.
According to court documents, Ayuk has been a Department of Corrections officer since April 2021, and his only assignment has been at CDF, where he is responsible for maintaining order and security of those housed in the facility. In the charging documents, he is accused of taking part in a smuggling operation in which he accepted money from the un-incarcerated girlfriend of an inmate to bring illicit materials—including knives, drugs, and cellular telephones—into the jail for distribution among inmates.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections’ Investigative Services Branch. This 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. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided valuable assistance.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Nevada man pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Michael Meoni, 44, of Laughlin, Nevada, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Meoni also will be required to register for 25 years as a sex offender. The Honorable Royce C. Lamberth scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18, 2020, Meoni communicated online with a man he believed was the father of an under-aged girl. Unbeknownst to Meoni, the man he was communicating with was an undercover detective working as part of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
In one conversation on Sept. 17, 2020, Meoni asked the man for pictures of his daughter. On Sept. 18, 2020, Meoni initiated contact with the undercover detective and again asked for a picture. The undercover detective asked Meoni what images he had to share, and Meoni provided explicit photos of a young girl, including some in which he also was depicted with the child. In some photos, the child was wearing a diaper.
Meoni was arrested on Sept. 18, 2020. He has been in custody ever since.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from the District of Columbia and northern Virginia. 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 Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the assistance of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar, who is prosecuting the case.
Former Executive Director of the Hawaii Commission Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Embezzling from AmeriCorps and Offering a Bribe in Return for CARES Act GrantsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stacy Higa, 58, a former public official from Hilo, Hawaii, was sentenced in federal court today to 46 months in prison for embezzling from AmeriCorps and also for offering a bribe in return for grants under the CARES Act.
The announcement was made by Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Deborah Jeffrey, Inspector General of AmeriCorps, and Steven Merrill, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Honolulu Field Office.
Higa pleaded guilty in October 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to embezzlement and offering a bribe. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Following his prison term, Higa will be placed on three years of supervised release. He is required to pay $38,642 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment. He also will be required to perform 200 hours of community service.
“This Defendant abused his position of trust when he robbed AmeriCorps, a critical federal program designed to help the most vulnerable Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “His attempt to obtain CARES Act funds through bribery showed a shocking disregard for the critical importance of the program. The Department of Justice will prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, those individuals who choose to abuse their positions of power to enrich themselves at the cost of the American people.”
“Stacy Higa exploited his position of trust to steal AmeriCorps funds from vulnerable communities and schemed to deny his neighbors money needed for pandemic relief,” said Inspector General Jeffrey of AmeriCorps. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable, reflecting the gravity of his offenses.”
“The citizens of Hawai’i deserve a government free of corruption. Stacy Higa’s actions undermine the respect and reputation of all public officials who have the responsibility to uphold the public’s trust,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Merrill. “Today’s sentencing reflects the ongoing commitment and dedication of the FBI to work with our partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who abuse their authorities and hold them accountable.”
AmeriCorps is a federally funded network of national service programs that address critical community needs, such as increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more. AmeriCorps’ national service members commit to service for a set period of time, usually a year, in exchange for a living allowance, funding to be used for college tuition, and other benefits.
From June 2011 until May 2020, Higa, a former Hawaii County councilman and mayoral candidate, served as the Executive Director of the Hawaii Commission for National and Community Service, the state service commission responsible for administering AmeriCorps programs in Hawaii. From February 2018 through his resignation from the Commission, Higa embezzled more than $38,000 in AmeriCorps funds by signing and authorizing contracts and purchase orders between the Hawaii Commission and two companies that he owned or controlled, without disclosing his control of the companies. Higa spent the embezzled funds on personal expenses including paying for approximately $20,000 of elective aesthetic dental care.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law in or about March 2020, provided financial relief to individuals, businesses, states, and localities suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other relief programs, the CARES Act created a $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to be distributed to states, localities, and tribal governments to support expenditures incurred due to COVID-19. Government entities that received money from the CRF could use the funds, among other things, to make grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures and to provide economic relief for those suffering employment interruption.
In August 2020, Hanalei Aipoalani was hired to serve as Honolulu City and County’s Department of Community Service’s CARES Program Administrator and was responsible for administering CRF programs. From August 2020 through October 2020, Higa offered to provide financial benefits to Aipoalani in order to influence the approval of Higa’s applications for two grants totaling $845,000 under the CARES Act. Higa then directed an employee to draft and submit false and backdated invoices under the grants. Higa and Aipoalani discussed opening LLCs on Oahu and using their wives as principals in order to launder the money. As part of his plea agreement, Higa admitted to expecting to receive at least $250,000 in profit from the CARES Act funds.
Aipoalani, 43, of Waianae, Hawaii, separately pleaded guilty to embezzling from AmeriCorps and agreeing to accept a bribe under the CARES Act. Aipoalani was sentenced on June 30, 2021 to 46 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay full restitution to AmeriCorps.
The Inspector General for AmeriCorps and the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Goemaat of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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The Inspector General for AmeriCorps, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to investigating and prosecuting individuals who defraud the AmeriCorps program and programs under the CARES Act. If you are aware of fraud, waste, or abuse affecting AmeriCorps or any of its programs, contact the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-452-8210 or [email protected].
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Additionally, anyone who is aware of fraud, waste, or abuse affecting AmeriCorps or any of its programs, is encouraged to contact the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-452-8210 or [email protected].
Three Men Plead Guilty in 2020 Slaying of 11-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three men, all from Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy on July 4, 2020, in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Daryle Bond, 20, Marcel Gordon, 26, and Christan Wingfield, 24, entered the guilty pleas in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. All three pleas are contingent upon the Court’s approval. Bond’s plea calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 7 ½-to-9½ years in prison, Gordon's calls for 10 years, and Wingfield’s calls for a 9 ½-year prison term The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 3, 2022.
A fourth defendant is awaiting trial for first-degree murder while armed, with aggravating circumstances, conspiracy, and other offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to charges.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 4, 2020, at approximately 9:15 p.m., Bond, Gordon, Wingfield, and a fourth man were congregating at a barbeque near the cul-de-sac in front of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. Cedar Street is a long road that ends in a cul-de-sac. The entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street intersects diagonally with a street that is known as the “alley.”
Near the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street, Davon McNeal – 11 years old - was exiting a vehicle and walking towards a basement apartment in the Frederick Douglass Garden Apartment Complex. At a certain point, the fourth man, armed with a firearm, started running towards the entrance of the 1400 block of Cedar Street and fired his weapon towards the alley.
Gordon was running behind and fired his weapon in the same direction. Bond, armed with a firearm, too, ran towards the entrance of the 1400 block on a sidewalk on the side of the apartment building along with Wingfield, who was armed with a firearm and running on the road. Davon was struck by one of the bullets and was on the ground in front of the apartment complex. The group subsequently ran in the direction of the playground with guns drawn. Bond, Gordon, and the fourth man all fired their firearms as they were running away from the apartment building.
A review of video surveillance footage showed that Davon was struck by one of the fired bullets as he was running towards the basement apartment. An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.
Bond was arrested on July 10, 2020. Wingfield was arrested on July 11, 2020. Gordon was arrested on Sept. 1, 2020. All have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, former Victim/ Witness Specialist Marcia Rinker, Victim/ Witness Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar, Stephen Rickard, and Jack Korba, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Adeyola, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Defense Contractor Executive Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Ashland, Oregon, employee of a defense contractor pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to tax evasion.
According to court documents, Charles D. Squires was the director of operations for a U.S. Department of Defense contracting company, eventually serving as its chief executive officer for part of the year in 2015. From 2010 through 2019, Squires did not report on his individual income tax returns all of the compensation he earned from the defense contracting firm. In total, Squires did not report to the IRS more than $1.8 million in compensation he earned during this period, causing a tax loss to the government of approximately $666,080.
Squires is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are conducting the investigation.
Assistance was provided by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.
Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittney Campbell and Sarah Ranney of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Goemaat of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Business Owner Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Bribing Former Official at D.C. Office of Tax and RevenueRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Mohammad Ezazul Hoque, 59, the former owner of several Washington, D.C. restaurants, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for paying bribes to the former Chief of Collections of the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) in exchange for the OTR official taking actions favorable to Hoque’s businesses.
Hoque was also sentenced to 37 months in prison, to run concurrent to his bribery sentence, for executing a multi-year scheme to obtain credit cards in others’ names, without their knowledge or consent, to fund his personal and business expenses. Hoque pleaded guilty to the charges in January 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
According to court documents, Hoque, of Alexandria, Virginia, paid more than $45,000 in bribes to the OTR official between 2015 and 2017 so that the official would change the status and limit the negative effects of unpaid tax liabilities on his businesses, which numbered in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Court documents also state that, in 2016, in exchange for the bribes Hoque was paying, the OTR official released a lien on one of his businesses and provided a false certification that it had no outstanding tax liabilities so that Hoque could sell the business to a third party. In fact, Hoque still owed tens of thousands of dollars in taxes and related fees.
As a result of the OTR official’s actions, Hoque was able to sell the business and make a profit of approximately $84,000.
Court papers further state that Hoque also carried out a fraud scheme spanning 2013 to 2017, in which he obtained more than 15 credit cards from various financial institutions in the names of others without their knowledge or consent. Hoque charged more than $40,000 in personal and business expenses to the cards he fraudulently obtained.
In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Carl J. Nichols ordered Hoque to pay a fine of $45,000 and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $84,000. He must also serve a period of three years of supervised release following completion of his prison term.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Vaughn, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bianca Forde, and Paralegal Specialist Joseph McClanahan.
District Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Robbery and Attack in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joshua Austin, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for attacking a senior citizen in an apartment stairwell during a robbery in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Austin was found guilty by a jury in December 2021 of charges of first-degree burglary of a senior citizen, robbery of a senior citizen, and assault with intent to commit robbery of a senior citizen. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rainey R. Brandt. Following his prison term, he is to be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2019, the then 68-year-old victim -- who uses a cane and was suffering from multiple significant health issues -- walked from her apartment building to a nearby corner market located at Missouri and Georgia Avenues NW. She encountered Austin, a stranger, inside the store. Not long after she left the market, Austin followed her to her apartment building on his bicycle. According to the evidence, Austin then followed her into the stairwell of her apartment building where he threw her on the ground, assaulted her, dumped her groceries onto the floor, and stole $60 before fleeing. The woman suffered a broken collarbone and injuries to her arms in the attack.
Austin was identified through surveillance video and other evidence. He was arrested Dec. 26, 2019. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Willoughby, Jr., Alicia Long, and Daniel Lenerz, Paralegal Specialists Lashaune Briggs and Alesha Matthews, and teams from the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit and the Litigation Technology Unit.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Kristian Hinson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Bias-Related Assault in Confrontation with Employees at Fast-Food RestaurantRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Johnnie Williamson, 36, of Washington, D.C. has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from two violent confrontations that took place in 2020, including one that was prosecuted as a hate crime, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced today.
Williamson pleaded guilty on Feb. 9, 2022, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of bias-related assault and one count of attempted possession of a prohibited weapon. Williamson had been in custody while awaiting trial ever since his arrest in March 2021. He was sentenced today by the Honorable Jason Park to 450 days of incarceration; however, all of that time was suspended, with credit for the time he has already served, on the condition that he successfully complete one year of supervised probation. As a condition of probation, Williamson must participate in mental health treatment and supervision.
According to the government’s evidence, the first incident took place on June 14, 2020. At approximately 1:45 p.m., Williamson pulled a knife during an argument with an individual while inside of Union Station.
The second incident took place at approximately 8:40 p.m. on Dec. 27, 2020. Williamson entered a Chipotle restaurant in the 2300 block of Washington Place NE. He asked an employee how much food he could purchase with approximately $8. The employee tried to assist. But due to a language barrier, she had difficulty communicating, and so she asked her manager to assist. The manager informed Williamson what was available on the menu for under $8.
Williamson was not satisfied with the answer, and immediately began yelling a series of xenophobic, ethnic, and transphobic slurs at the employee and the manager.
As Williamson yelled these slurs, he climbed onto the service counter and spit on the employee. He then reached over the counter and began throwing food and serving spoons at the employee, striking her in the hand. After throwing the spoons, Williamson then pushed the cash register off the counter. He picked up a fire extinguisher and threw it at the manager, striking her in the leg. Williamson continued yelling slurs throughout the incident. Finally, as he moved towards the exit, he shouted that he was going to return and kill the employees. Williamson was arrested on March 5, 2021.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the matter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Government Contractor Executives Indicted for Unlawful Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three Hawaii-based executives of a government contractor were indicted today in the District of Columbia for allegedly making unlawful campaign contributions to a candidate for Congress and a political action committee.
According to the indictment, Martin Kao, 48, Clifford Chen, 48, and Lawrence “Kahele” Lum Kee, 52, all of Honolulu, were employed by a defense contractor prohibited from making contributions in federal elections. The defendants allegedly created a shell company and then used that shell company to make an illegal contribution to a political action committee supporting the election of a candidate for the U.S. Senate using government contractor funds. The defendants also allegedly used family members as conduits to make illegal contributions to the campaign committee of the same candidate, and then reimbursed themselves for those donations using funds obtained from their employer.
All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make conduit and government contractor contributions, making conduct contributions, and making government contractor contributions. Kao is also charged with two counts of making false statements for causing the submission of false information to the Federal Election Committee.
Kao, Chen and Lum Kee will make their initial appearance at a later date. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liz Aloi and Joshua Rothstein of the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia 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.
District of Columbia Fire/EMS Employees Arrested on Charges Alleging Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON—Two District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS) employees were arrested today on conspiracy and bribery charges for allegedly accepting payments from a District of Columbia contractor in exchange for directing purchase agreements and orders to the contractor and then falsely certifying that goods that FEMS had paid for had been delivered.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Louis “Joey” Mitchell, 50, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and Charity Keys, 43, of Bowie, Maryland, are charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with bribery and conspiracy. They are to make an initial appearance today in the District of Columbia before Magistrate Judge Robin M. Meriweather.
According to court documents, Mitchell, a FEMS warehouse supply technician, and Keys, a FEMS contract administrator, accepted bribes over the course of several years—including a bribe of $20,000 each—from the owner of a Maryland limited liability company contractually obligated to provide various goods to FEMS and other District of Columbia agencies. In exchange, Mitchell and Keys allegedly directed purchase agreements and purchase orders to the company and confirmed delivery of and payment for goods that the company did not deliver.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and D.C. Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Two Arrested for Alleged Conspiracy to Launder $4.5 Billion in Stolen CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two individuals were arrested this morning in Manhattan for an alleged conspiracy to launder cryptocurrency that was stolen during the 2016 hack of Bitfinex, a virtual currency exchange, presently valued at approximately $4.5 billion. Thus far, law enforcement has seized over $3.6 billion in cryptocurrency linked to that hack.
“Today’s arrests, and the department’s largest financial seizure ever, show that cryptocurrency is not a safe haven for criminals,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “In a futile effort to maintain digital anonymity, the defendants laundered stolen funds through a labyrinth of cryptocurrency transactions. Thanks to the meticulous work of law enforcement, the department once again showed how it can and will follow the money, no matter what form it takes.”
“Today, federal law enforcement demonstrates once again that we can follow money through the blockchain, and that we will not allow cryptocurrency to be a safe haven for money laundering or a zone of lawlessness within our financial system,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The arrests today show that we will take a firm stand against those who allegedly try to use virtual currencies for criminal purposes.”
Ilya Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife, Heather Morgan, 31, both of New York, New York, are scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court today at 3:00 p.m. in Manhattan.
According to court documents, Lichtenstein and Morgan allegedly conspired to launder the proceeds of 119,754 bitcoin that were stolen from Bitfinex’s platform after a hacker breached Bitfinex’s systems and initiated more than 2,000 unauthorized transactions. Those unauthorized transactions sent the stolen bitcoin to a digital wallet under Lichtenstein’s control. Over the last five years, approximately 25,000 of those stolen bitcoin were transferred out of Lichtenstein’s wallet via a complicated money laundering process that ended with some of the stolen funds being deposited into financial accounts controlled by Lichtenstein and Morgan. The remainder of the stolen funds, comprising more than 94,000 bitcoin, remained in the wallet used to receive and store the illegal proceeds from the hack. After the execution of court-authorized search warrants of online accounts controlled by Lichtenstein and Morgan, special agents obtained access to files within an online account controlled by Lichtenstein. Those files contained the private keys required to access the digital wallet that directly received the funds stolen from Bitfinex, and allowed special agents to lawfully seize and recover more than 94,000 bitcoin that had been stolen from Bitfinex. The recovered bitcoin was valued at over $3.6 billion at the time of seizure.
“Cryptocurrency and the virtual currency exchanges trading in it comprise an expanding part of the U.S. financial system, but digital currency heists executed through complex money laundering schemes could undermine confidence in cryptocurrency,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The Department of Justice and our office stand ready to confront these threats by using 21st century investigative techniques to recover the stolen funds and to hold the perpetrators accountable.”
The criminal complaint alleges that Lichtenstein and Morgan employed numerous sophisticated laundering techniques, including using fictitious identities to set up online accounts; utilizing computer programs to automate transactions, a laundering technique that allows for many transactions to take place in a short period of time; depositing the stolen funds into accounts at a variety of virtual currency exchanges and darknet markets and then withdrawing the funds, which obfuscates the trail of the transaction history by breaking up the fund flow; converting bitcoin to other forms of virtual currency, including anonymity-enhanced virtual currency (AEC), in a practice known as “chain hopping”; and using U.S.-based business accounts to legitimize their banking activity.
“In a methodical and calculated scheme, the defendants allegedly laundered and disguised their vast fortune,” said Chief Jim Lee of IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit special agents have once again unraveled a sophisticated laundering technique, enabling them to trace, access and seize the stolen funds, which has amounted to the largest cryptocurrency seizure to date, valued at more than $3.6 billion.”
“Criminals always leave tracks, and today’s case is a reminder that the FBI has the tools to follow the digital trail, wherever it may lead,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate. “Thanks to the persistent and dedicated work of our FBI Investigative teams and law enforcement partners, we're able to uncover the source of even the most sophisticated schemes and bring justice to those who try to exploit the security of our financial infrastructure.”
“Financial crime strikes at the core of our national and economic security. With a hack of this magnitude, public and private sector collaboration is crucial to ensure continued consumer confidence in our financial system,” said Acting Executive Associate Director Steve Francis of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan attempted to subvert legitimate commerce for their own nefarious purposes, operating with perceived anonymity. Today’s action demonstrates HSI’s commitment and ability to work with a collation of the willing to unravel these technical fraud schemes and identify the perpetrators, regardless of where they operate.”
Lichtenstein and Morgan are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and conspiracy to defraud the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation was led by IRS-CI Washington, D.C. Field Office’s Cyber Crimes Unit, the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, and HSI-New York. The Ansbach Police Department in Germany provided assistance during this investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jessica Peck and C. Alden Pelker of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Paralegal Specialists Angela De Falco and Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick provided valuable assistance. Significant assistance was also provided by Trial Attorney Christen Gallagher of the Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Southern District of New York, HSI-Philadelphia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Brooks.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Armed Robbery of Northwest Washington Liquor StoreRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Leon A. Miller, 32, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to armed robbery and a firearms offense stemming from a hold-up he carried out last fall at a liquor store in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Miller pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for Miller to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment between seven and nine years. The Honorable J. Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2022.
In court documents, Miller also admitted to committing two other robberies of liquor stores, also in Northwest Washington, and of two store customers. The five robberies took place on three successive evenings.
Miller pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Oct. 14, 2021, robbery of Paul’s Wine and Spirits, in the 5200 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW. According to a factual proffer, Miller entered the store at approximately 6 p.m., brandished what appeared to be a black handgun, and demanded that a store employee open the cash registers. He stole about $200 in cash. He also demanded three specific kinds of champagne, none of which the store carries.
Miller also admitted robbing The Wine Specialist, in the 1100 block of 20th Street NW, on the evening of Oct. 12, 2021. There, he also brandished what appeared to be a black handgun and demanded that an employee open the cash registers. He took approximately $2,000 in cash as well as two bottles of champagne, valued at roughly $950.
The next evening, Oct. 13, 2021, Miller entered Press Liquors, in the 500 block of 14th Street, brandished what appeared to be a black handgun, and demanded an employee open the registers. He stole approximately $900 in cash. In addition, he brandished the gun at two customers and took their wallets and phones.
Miller was arrested about an hour after the robbery of Paul’s, near the Dupont Circle Metro station. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metro Transit Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, who investigated and prosecuted the matter
District Man Pleads Guilty in Killing of Man Outside Southeast Washington Apartment ComplexRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Kevin Goggins, 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the fatal shooting of a man outside an apartment complex in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Goggins pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of eight to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Rainey R. Brandt scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2022.
According to plea documents, on Oct. 9, 2020, at approximately 10 p.m., Goggins exited a vehicle with two other armed individuals, in the 1600 block of W Street SE, a residential area that includes an apartment complex. He and the others fired into a group of individuals who were congregating outside of the apartment complex. Goggins then ran back into the waiting vehicle and fled the scene.
Yisa Jeffcoat, 28, was standing outside the apartment complex and was struck by one of the gunshots. Medical personnel were unable to revive Mr. Jeffcoat, who died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Goggins was arrested on Dec. 14, 2020. 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 also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Shooting Innocent Bystander in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jaz Pratt, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to seven years in prison for a summertime shooting on a busy street in Southeast Washington that struck a 56-year-old woman, leaving her permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Pratt pleaded guilty in June 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to aggravated assault while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert D. Okun. The judge sentenced Pratt to a total of 10 years in prison but suspended three years of that time on the condition that he successfully complete three years of probation after his release from prison.
The shooting took place on Aug. 21, 2020, in front of a gas station in the 3000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. According to the government’s evidence, Pratt and co-defendant Davon Robinson approached a man at approximately 8 p.m. They began a conversation and, soon afterwards, Robinson stepped back, pulled out a pistol, and shot the man once in the hip at close range. The man then fled up the street.
Immediately after the shot, Pratt took a few steps back, still facing in the direction of the wounded man. He pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the man. He fired once, missing the man but hitting the victim, an innocent bystander, in the back as she was walking down the street. The entire incident was captured on surveillance video. At the time of the shooting Pratt was on pre-trial release in a separate gun possession case.
The victim has been hospitalized and/or living in a rehabilitation center on a near-continuous basis since the shooting.
Pratt was arrested on Sept. 2, 2020. He has been in custody since that time.
Robinson, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to charges in this case and in an unrelated armed robbery. He was sentenced in October 2020 to a 10 ½-year prison term.
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 (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles E. Janssen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Chinese National Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Apple Inc.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Haiteng Wu, 32, of the People’s Republic of China, was sentenced today to serve 26 months in prison for participating in a three-year conspiracy to defraud Apple Inc. out of more than $1 million.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and Greg Torbenson, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge for the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Wu pleaded guilty in May 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Today, the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan sentenced Wu to the time he already has served in custody, which amounts to approximately 26 months. He also ordered Wu to pay $987,000 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment. Judge Sullivan previously ordered Wu to forfeit his interests in two condominium units, one in McLean, Virginia, the other in Arlington, Virginia. Wu purchased the Arlington condominium for cash during the conspiracy.
According to publicly filed court documents, Wu immigrated to the United States in 2013 to study engineering. After earning his Master’s Degree in 2015, he secured lawful employment in the United States, but then embarked on a roughly 3 ½-year-long scheme to defraud Apple. As part of the scheme, Wu and other conspirators received shipments of inauthentic iPhones from Hong Kong. Those phones contained spoofed IMEI numbers and serial numbers that corresponded with authentic in-warranty iPhones. The conspirators then returned the inauthentic phones to Apple, claiming that the phones were legitimate, in-warranty phones, all in an effort to receive authentic replacement iPhones from Apple. The fraudulently obtained authentic iPhones were then shipped back to conspirators overseas, including in Hong Kong.
Wu, who most recently was residing in McLean, Virginia, recruited others, including his wife, Jiahong Cai, and Teang Liu to participate in the conspiracy. Wu also procured fake identification documents, used aliases, opened multiple commercial mail receiving agency mailboxes, and arranged for members of the conspiracy to travel throughout the United States.
In total, Wu acknowledged defrauding Apple out of nearly $1 million and intending to defraud the company out of even more money.
Wu, Cai, and Liu were arrested in December 2019, and Wu has been in custody since that time. Like her husband, Cai pleaded guilty in May 2020 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Judge Sullivan sentenced Cai, a Chinese national, to time served following her guilty plea. She spent just over five months in custody. Liu, 37, of Alexandria, Virginia, pleaded guilty to that same offense in February 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2022.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud Section, and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. They were assisted by Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Mariela Andrade, Amanda Rohde, and Brian Rickers, former Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi, Brittany Phillips, and Angeline Thekkumthala, and Records Examiner Angela De Falco.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome J. Simmons, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 15-year prison term for sexually abusing an under-aged girl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Simmons pleaded guilty in October 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. He was sentenced by the Honorable Marisa J. Demeo. Following completion of his prison term, Simmons will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release from prison.
According to court documents, Simmons was in a romantic relationship with the victim’s mother. In December 2020, when the girl was 14, she told authorities that Simmons sexually abused her on multiple occasions in Southeast Washington when she was 13 and 14. A subsequent investigation determined that Simmons began grooming her for abuse when she was 13 by giving her a cellphone and texting her on it. After providing the cellphone, he asked her to send pictures of her body to him and then they had explicit video calls. This conduct, in turn, escalated to hands-on abuse. In a search of the defendant’s cellphone, police discovered graphic photos and videos depicting the victim.
Simmons was arrested on Dec. 26, 2020, soon after the girl made the disclosures. He has been detained ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Feldman and Paralegal Specialist ReShawn Johnson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth C. Kelley, who prosecuted the matter.
Indictment and Guilty Plea Entered in Iranian Export CaseRead the Press Release
A U.K. man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in the District of Columbia to violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. At the same time, an indictment was unsealed charging four individuals with the same offense, as well as related offenses.
According to his plea, Saber Fakih, 46, of the United Kingdom, conspired with Bader Fakih, 41, of Canada, Altaf Faquih, 70, of the United Arab Emirates, and Alireza Taghavi, 46, of Iran, to export and attempt to export an Industrial Microwave System (IMS) and counter-drone system from the United States to Iran, without first obtaining the requisite license from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Saber Fakih pleaded guilty to count two of the indictment.
“Fakih and his coconspirators attempted to evade U.S. sanctions and obtain highly sensitive pieces of equipment for Iran from unwitting U.S. suppliers,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “In doing so, Fakih jeopardized not only U.S. national security, but the national security of any other nation Iran decides to target. The Department of Justice can and will act to disrupt and prosecute such criminal conduct.”
“This indictment and guilty plea demonstrate the United States’ commitment to preventing U.S. technology with military applications from falling into the hands of the Iranian government, and it demonstrates the effective results generated by the partnership between the Justice Department, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Commerce,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia.
“This investigation illustrates that our adversaries are willing to utilize complicated procurement networks and blatantly disregard U.S. export control laws to acquire sensitive dual use items for potential military purposes, such as counter drone technology, industrial microwave systems, and directed-energy systems that would undermine U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Nasir Khan of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, Washington Field Office. “The Office of Export Enforcement and our partner agencies will aggressively target and dismantle those illicit networks that seek technological advantages that can be used against us.”
“Mr. Fakih’s guilty plea shows the lengths he went to in order to attempt to procure U.S. technology with military uses; it also shows the lengths the FBI and our federal partners will go to in order to stop these technologies and materials from getting into the wrong hands,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Those who are working domestically and abroad to undermine American interests will be held accountable.”
“The FBI remains committed to protecting U.S. technology and ensuring it does not fall into the hands of anyone intending to use it for harm,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “For over 40 years, Iran has continuously attempted to obtain sanctioned items that could be used against Americans or our allies. This indictment of Fakih and his coconspirators sends a clear message: The FBI, along with its federal partners, will persist in thwarting these attempts and do its part to keep our democracy safe.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) remains committed to safeguarding sensitive U.S. technology and ensuring it does not fall into the hands of our adversaries,” said Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of HSI’s Baltimore Field Office. “This investigation highlights HSI’s global investigative capabilities, and we will continue to work with our federal partners to protect the safety and security of the United States.”
In addition, a related indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging Iranian national Jalal Rohollahnejad, 44, with smuggling, wire fraud and related offenses arising from the same scheme. Rohollahnejad was previously added to the Department of Commerce’s, Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List in March 2020, for acting contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests by procuring goods on behalf of a Specially Designated National (SDN).
According to the indictments, in 2017 and 2018, the co-conspirators attempted to export to Iran items that had potential civil and military uses. Potential military uses of the IMS (with some modification) include high-power microwave based directed-energy weapon systems. The counter-drone system, which has both commercial and military uses, can be used to stop, identify, redirect, land or take total control of a target unmanned aerial vehicle.
The indictments allege that Rohollahnejad and Taghavi hold themselves out as representatives of Rayan Roshd Asfzar, which has been linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
According to court documents, Taghavi informed Saber Fakih that he could not purchase the IMS because he is an Iranian national. Saber Fakih then arranged the purchase of the IMS on Taghavi’s and Rohollahnejad’s behalf, knowing it was ultimately destined for Iran.
Rohollahnejad caused the equivalent of $450,000 to be sent from Iran to the United Arab Emirates, where Faquih picked it up and converted it from Emirati currency to U.S. dollars. Faquih then transferred the money to Bader Fakih in Canada via three separate wire transfers. Bader Fakih then transferred the money to the U.S. company for the purchase of the IMS.
In addition to the IMS, Saber Fakih and Bader Fakih conspired to purchase two counter-drone systems worth nearly $1 million on behalf of Taghavi.
Saber Fakih faces up to 20 years of incarceration and/or a fine of $1 million for violating the IEEPA. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, HSI’s Baltimore Field Office, and the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment and Guilty Plea Entered in Iranian Export CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A U.K. man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in the District of Columbia to violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. At the same time, an indictment was unsealed charging four individuals with the same offense, as well as related offenses.
According to his plea, Saber Fakih, 46, of the United Kingdom, conspired with Bader Fakih, 41, of Canada, Altaf Faquih, 70, of the United Arab Emirates, and Alireza Taghavi, 46, of Iran, to export and attempt to export an Industrial Microwave System (IMS) and counter-drone system from the United States to Iran, without first obtaining the requisite license from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Fakih pleaded guilty to count two of the indictment.
“Fakih and his coconspirators attempted to evade U.S. sanctions and obtain highly sensitive pieces of equipment for Iran from unwitting U.S. suppliers,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “In doing so, Fakih jeopardized not only U.S. national security, but the national security of any other nation Iran decides to target. The Department of Justice can and will act to disrupt and prosecute such criminal conduct.”
“This indictment and guilty plea demonstrate the United States’ commitment to preventing U.S. technology with military applications from falling into the hands of the Iranian government, and it demonstrates the effective results generated by the partnership between DOJ, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Commerce,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, for the District of Columbia.
“This investigation illustrates that our adversaries are willing to utilize complicated procurement networks and blatantly disregard U.S. export control laws to acquire sensitive dual use items for potential military purposes, such as counter drone technology, industrial microwave systems, and directed-energy systems that would undermine U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Nasir Khan of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, Washington Field Office. “The Office of Export Enforcement and our partner agencies will aggressively target and dismantle those illicit networks that seek technological advantages that can be used against us.”
“Mr. Fakih’s guilty plea shows the lengths he went to in order to attempt to procure U.S. technology with military uses, it also shows the lengths the FBI and our federal partners will go to in order to stop these technologies and materials from getting into the wrong hands,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski, of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Those who are working domestically and abroad to undermine American interests will be held accountable.”
“The FBI remains committed to protecting U.S. technology and ensuring it does not fall into the hands of anyone intending to use it for harm,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “For over 40 years, Iran has continuously attempted to obtain sanctioned items that could be used against Americans or our allies. This indictment of Fakih and his coconspirators sends a clear message: The FBI, along with its federal partners, will persist in thwarting these attempts and do its part to keep our democracy safe.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) remains committed to safeguarding sensitive U.S. technology and ensuring it does not fall into the hands of our adversaries,” said Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of HSI’s Baltimore Field Office. “This investigation highlights HSI’s global investigative capabilities, and we will continue to work with our federal partners to protect the safety and security of the United States.”
In addition, a related indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging Iranian national Jalal Rohollahnejad, 44, with smuggling, wire fraud and related offenses arising from the same scheme. Rohollahnejad was previously added to the Department of Commerce’s, Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List in March 2020, for acting contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests by procuring goods on behalf of a Specially Designated National (SDN).
According to the indictments, in 2017 and 2018, the co-conspirators attempted to export to Iran items that had potential civil and military uses. Potential military uses of the industrial microwave system (IMS) (with some modification) include high-power microwave based directed-energy weapon systems. The counter-drone system, which has both commercial and military uses, can be used to stop, identify, redirect, land or take total control of a target unmanned aerial vehicle.
The indictments allege that Rohollahnejad and Taghavi hold themselves out as representatives of Rayan Roshd Asfzar, which has been linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
According to court documents, Taghavi informed Fakih that he could not purchase the IMS because he is an Iranian national. Saber Fakih then arranged the purchase of the IMS on Taghavi’s and Rohollahnejad’s behalf, knowing it was ultimately destined for Iran.
Rohollahnejad caused the equivalent of $450,000 to be sent from Iran to the United Arab Emirates, where Altaf Faquih picked it up and converted it from Emirati currency to U.S. dollars. Faquih then transferred the money to Bader Fakih in Canada via three separate wire transfers. Bader Fakih then transferred the money to the U.S. company for the purchase of the IMS.
In addition to the IMS, Saber Fakih and Bader Fakih conspired to purchase two counter-drone systems worth nearly $1 million on behalf of Taghavi.
Saber Fakih faces up to 20 years of incarceration and/or a fine of $1 million for violating the IEEPA. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, HSI’s Baltimore Field Office, and the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterespionage and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Columbia Couple Plead Guilty to Charges in Death of Woman’s Two-Year-Old SonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –A District of Columbia couple pleaded guilty today to charges stemming from the death of a 2-year-old boy who had suffered extensive injuries while in their care, including multiple blunt force trauma, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Antonio Turner, 29, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Gabriel Eason. Ta'Jeanna Eason, 32, the boy’s mother, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Turner also pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree cruelty to children for injuries suffered by another of Eason’s sons, who was 3 years old at the time. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge for attacking a woman after a traffic crash.
The pleas, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, are contingent upon the Court’s approval. They call for Turner to be sentenced to seven to 13 years in prison. Eason is to be sentenced to six years in prison with that time suspended on the condition that she have no future unsupervised contact with children and that she participate in mental health and drug treatment. She would be placed on a period of probation and supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee, Jr. scheduled sentencing for March 25, 2022.
According to court documents, Turner and Eason had a romantic relationship and resided in the 900 block of Division Avenue NE. Turner was not the biological father of Eason’s three children. On April 1, 2020, at approximately 8:25 a.m., the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the residence to investigate a report of an unconscious person. When police arrived, Gabriel was deceased. Officers also observed a bump on the center of the 3-year-old’s forehead and noted that the child seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness.
Later on April 1, 2020, both of Eason’s surviving sons were taken to Children’s National Medical Center for a medical evaluation. It was discovered that both had sustained apparent trauma to their bodies. The three-year-old had several different injuries, including bruises behind his ears and scalp, fractured ribs and a lacerated liver.
On April 2, 2020, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy of Gabriel. The examination found abrasions and contusions to the head, face, and torso, multiple rib fractures and healing fractured ribs, and other injuries, including to the heart and brain. The cause of death was ruled to be multiple blunt force injuries.
The charges against Eason involved her failure to seek immediate medical attention for Gabriel and his three-year-old brother, as well as for slapping and striking her other son.
Both defendants were arrested on Nov. 3, 2020, following an investigation. They were released pending further proceedings. On the morning of Nov. 29, 2021, Turner caused a woman’s car to crash in the 1800 block of New York Avenue NE. He then dragged her from the car and punched her multiple times in the face, causing her to fall and lose consciousness. Turner was arrested following this assault and has been detained ever since.
U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives, officers, and others 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. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert, Grazy Rivera, and Meridith McGarrity, former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Amy Trotto. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who is prosecuting the case.
Brother and Sister Indicted on Drug Conspiracy and Other Charges Following Investigation of Fentanyl SalesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A brother and sister were arrested yesterday on charges stemming from an investigation by federal and local law enforcement agencies into a drug operation that was distributing Fentanyl, including to a woman who overdosed twice, once leading to her death.
The indictments, which were unsealed today, were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Larry Jerome Eastman, 21, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and his sister, Justice Michelle Eastman, 25, of Washington, D.C. were arrested following an investigation into the Fentanyl overdose death of a woman in Washington, D.C. They are charged in an indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Fentanyl, unlawful distribution of Fentanyl, resulting in serious bodily injury, and unlawful distribution of Fentanyl, resulting in death. The indictment was returned on Jan. 18, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Both defendants made their initial court appearances this afternoon and were ordered held pending further proceedings.
“As this case demonstrates, Fentanyl continues to have a devastating impact on our community,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We are committed to identifying and prosecuting those who distribute Fentanyl and other illicit drugs and doing all we can to prevent future tragedies.”
“Charges like this, demonstrate our commitment to combatting the alarming number of drug overdose-related deaths, and our shared, tough stance on drug dealers peddling this poison to unwitting victims across our city,” said Special Agent in Charge Forget. “We are working with our area partners every day to root out the drug problem at its source and target drug dealers who deal overdose-prone drugs to our area's most vulnerable. By pursuing 'death resulting' charges, we seek to hold those who poison us with Fentanyl accountable for the violent crimes they are knowingly committing in our communities.”
The indictments followed an investigation into the April 6, 2021, death of a 20-year-old woman in Southeast Washington from acute Fentanyl intoxication. According to the government’s evidence, the same woman survived an earlier overdose in the fall of 2020; she was revived that time when paramedics administered Narcan. At the time of the fatal overdose, a white powder was discovered by police on a glass-topped coffee table at the woman’s apartment and later determined to be Fentanyl. As noted by the DEA, because of its potency and low cost, drug dealers nationally have been mixing Fentanyl with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, increasing the likelihood of a fatal interaction.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Fentanyl carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Unlawful distribution of Fentanyl, resulting in serious bodily injury or death, carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of not less than 20 years with a maximum of life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the Washington Division Office of the DEA and the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Henek, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 44 Months in Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A South Carolina man was sentenced today to 44 months in prison for assaulting law enforcement with a dangerous weapon during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
According to court documents, Nicholas Languerand, 26, of Little River, South Carolina, was among rioters standing near the archway leading from the Lower West Terrace to the interior of the Capitol. Between 4:50 and 5 p.m., he threw various objects at officers with the U.S. Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department, including an orange traffic barrier and two stick-like objects. The officers were protecting the Lower West Terrace entrance. Based on the size and weight of the objects, as well as the speed and force with which Languerand threw them, the items were capable of inflicting serious bodily injury. Additionally, at about 5 p.m., Languerand took possession of a police riot shield, struck it against the ground, and then held it in front of him as he confronted police.
At the time of the Capitol breach, Languerand was residing in Wolcott, Vermont. He later moved to South Carolina, where he was arrested on April 15. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 3, in the District of Columbia, to assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon. In addition to the prison term, Judge John D. Bates ordered Languerand to pay $2,000 in restitution. He also must serve a period of two years of supervised release following completion of his prison term. He additionally was ordered to perform 60 hours of community service.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Columbia, South Carolina Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the one year since Jan. 6, more than 725 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 225 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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Iraqi National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Refugee ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Iraqi national, Aws Muwafaq Abduljabbar, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States related to his role in a scheme to defraud U.S. refugee programs.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Deputy Assistant Secretary and Assistant Director for Domestic Operations Mark A. Sullo.
Abduljabbar, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras of the District of Columbia. He remains held without bond pending sentencing on June 24, 2022.
Abduljabbar is one of three defendants charged in an indictment that was unsealed on January 22, 2021. The indictment charges Abduljabbar and two other foreign nationals, Haitham Isa Saado Sad, 43, and Olesya Leonidovna Krasilova, 44, in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and, in particular, the Iraq P-2 program, which allows certain Iraqis to apply directly for refugee resettlement in the United States. Sad previously pleaded guilty and remains held pending sentencing. Krasilova remains at large.
According to the indictment and statement of facts agreed to by Abduljabbar as part of his guilty plea, from approximately February 2016 until at least April 2019, the three defendants, led by Abduljabbar, conspired to steal U.S. government records related to hundreds of USRAP applications. Sad was employed in Amman, Jordan from 2007 to 2016 by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Krasilova held a similar position at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. As part of their duties, both defendants had access to the State Department’s Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS), a database containing sensitive, non-public information about refugee applicants and their family members, as well as the results of security checks and internal assessments by U.S. officials regarding applications.
Abduljabbar organized and led the conspiracy, and he relied on and paid Sad and Krasilova to steal WRAPS records and information so that Abduljabbar could assist applicants in gaining admission to the United States through fraudulent means. As outlined in the indictment and statement of facts, the theft of USRAP records creates a number of risks to public safety and national security while imposing significant costs on the U.S. government, its taxpayers, and otherwise legitimate refugee applicants negatively impacted by the scheme.
The charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. 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.
This case is being investigated jointly by the DHS Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke M. Jones and Erik M. Kenerson of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted.
District Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of Her 11-Month-Old DaughterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Tyra Anderson, 28, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the February 2020 death of her 11-month-old daughter, which was caused by blunt force trauma to the head, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Anderson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a 10-year prison term, with all but three years of that time suspended on the condition that Anderson have no future unsupervised contact with children and that she engage in mental health treatment. Following the prison term, Anderson is to be placed on five years of supervised release. The Honorable Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2022.
Anderson was the parent and primary caregiver for the child, Makenzie Anderson. On Feb. 6, 2020, she took her daughter to Children’s National Medical Center, where the child was pronounced dead. Anderson, who was residing at a hotel in the 1600 block of New York Avenue NE, told law enforcement that the child fell from a bed on or about Feb. 3, 2020. She stated that the child “was not active and not acting like herself” the following day, and that she was gasping for air on Feb. 5. Finally, on Feb. 6, she stated, she found the child unresponsive and cold to the touch. She maintained that she did not seek immediate medical attention because she was scared.
On Feb. 7, 2020, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy. Prior to the examination, the staff washed the child’s remains and observed a brown-colored residue on the towels and sponges. A member of the staff noted that the residue looked like make-up or some type of cosmetic. Once the child was fully washed, the examination detected multiple contusions to the head and face. Following a search warrant, cosmetics were recovered from the hotel room. The autopsy determined that the child suffered from multiple contusions to the face and head, skull fractures, and other injuries. The cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma to the head.
Anderson was arrested on Dec. 4, 2020, following an investigation.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives, officers, and others 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. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert, Grazy Rivera, and Meridith McGarrity, former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Amy Trotto. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who is prosecuting the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty in 2020 Murder of Man in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bratrell Hawkins, 29, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed for a January 2020 homicide in Southwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hawkins pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea calls for a sentence within the Superior Court Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines. Hawkins is to be sentenced on May 20, 2022, by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan.
The government’s evidence showed that on the evening of Jan. 4, 2020, inside a residence in the 1400 block of Third Street SW, Hawkins, his girlfriend, and her female friend were socializing with the victim, Xavier Tate, 26. Hawkins and the others were in the living room and were drinking and smoking. The two females went to bed and Hawkins came to join them in the bed. A short while later, an argument ensued between Hawkins and his girlfriend, who ordered Hawkins and her friend out of the bedroom. All three of them went downstairs and continued to argue before the girlfriend ordered them both out of the house.
As the girlfriend and Hawkins were preparing to leave, the girlfriend and Tate went back upstairs. Hawkins retrieved a gun out of a black bag and put the weapon in his coat. He then walked back upstairs. While on the second floor, at approximately 5:25 a.m. on Jan. 5, 2020, Mr. Tate confronted Hawkins about the earlier argument. While arguing, Hawkins shot him several times. At the time, Hawkins was under the mistaken and unreasonable belief that Mr. Tate was reaching for a weapon. Hawkins was arrested on Jan. 9, 2020.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee expressed appreciation for the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert, Grazy Rivera, Meridith McGarrity, and Tasha Harris; former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cynthia G. Wright and David Gorman, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Bank Employee Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Danielle Bartley, 26, a former Capital One Bank employee from Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, a conspiracy that compromised the account information of at least nine bank account holders and sought at least $253,000 in fraudulent withdrawals and transfers.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Matthew R. Stohler, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, and Greg L. Torbenson, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge for the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Bartley pleaded guilty in October 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan today ordered her to pay restitution of $50,000 for the losses that were suffered and entered a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $3,750.
As Bartley admitted in her guilty plea, at the time of the conspiracy in 2017, she worked as a branch associate in Washington, D.C. Between June and August 2017, Bartley and her co-conspirators, including Krishna Jannor-John Marsh, posed as nine different actual bank account holders and sought at least $253,000 in fraudulent withdrawals and transfers. They succeeded in obtaining one $50,000 wire transfer using personal identifiers of an account holder that Marsh purchased on the dark web. Other attempts were stopped, including one by an alert teller.
In September 2018, as part of his broader conspiracy, Marsh was sentenced to 46 months in prison, ordered to pay $338,100 in restitution, and had a forfeiture money judgment of $50,000 entered against him. After initially agreeing to plead guilty in 2018, Bartley fled to Jamaica and was extradited back to the United States in 2021.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Stohler, and Inspector in Charge Torbenson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialists Joshua Fein and Kristy Penny. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvind Lal and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Federal Background Investigator Sentenced for Falsifying Background Investigation ReportsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michelle Layton, 57, a former background investigator for the National Background Investigations Bureau, now the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, was sentenced today to three years of probation and ordered to pay more than $100,000 in restitution for falsifying reports of investigation she submitted as part of background investigations of individuals seeking national security clearances.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), and Amy K. Parker, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM OIG).
Layton, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty in November 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to making a false statement. She was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. As part of her plea, Layton resigned her position. She also must pay $101,344 in restitution to the government, representing the cost to rework numerous background investigations. The judge also ordered her to perform 200 hours of community service.
As part of her plea, Layton admitted to falsifying multiple reports of investigation for background investigations over the course of a year, between February 2018 to February 2019. Layton admitted that she would submit reports in which she claimed she had interviewed a source about a background investigation subject or that she had collected records about the subject when she had not. Layton falsified reports of investigation in background investigations for individuals seeking national security clearances, including Top Secret clearances, and the U.S. Department of Defense relied on the falsified reports to determine whether a subject was eligible for a security clearance.
DCSA has a robust integrity assurance program which uses a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative work was detected through that program.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Vaughn and Veronica Sanchez, and Paralegal Specialist Quiana Dunn-Gordon.
Former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud the U.S. GovernmentRead the Press Release
A former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from the theft of proprietary software and sensitive databases from the U.S. government.
According to court documents, Charles K. Edwards, 61, of Sandy Spring, Maryland, executed a scheme to steal confidential and proprietary software from the government. Edwards worked for DHS-OIG from February 2008 until December 2013, including as Acting Inspector General. Prior to DHS-OIG, he worked at the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). At both agencies, Edwards had access to software systems, including one used for case management and other systems holding sensitive personal identifying information of employees.
After leaving DHS-OIG, Edwards founded Delta Business Solutions Inc., located in Maryland. From at least 2015 until 2017, he stole software from DHS-OIG, along with sensitive government databases containing personal identifying information of DHS and USPS employees, so that his company could develop a commercially-owned version of a case management system to be offered for sale to government agencies.
Edwards pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit theft of government property and theft of government property. A second defendant in the case, Murali Y. Venkata, 56, of Aldie, Virginia, has pleaded not guilty to charges and his case remains pending. Edwards will be sentenced at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari of DHS-OIG and Inspector General Tammy Whitcomb of USPS-OIG made the announcement.
Senior Litigation Counsel Victor R. Salgado of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and Venkata is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Defraud the U.S. GovernmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), pleaded guilty today to federal charges stemming from the theft of proprietary software and sensitive databases from the U.S. government.
According to court documents, Charles K. Edwards, 61, of Sandy Spring, Maryland, executed a scheme to steal confidential proprietary software from the government. Edwards worked for DHS-OIG from February 2008 until December 2013, including as Acting Inspector General. Prior to DHS-OIG, he worked at the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). At both agencies, Edwards had access to software systems, including one used for case management, and other systems holding sensitive personal identifying information of employees.
After leaving DHS, Edwards founded Delta Business Solutions, Inc., located in Maryland. From at least 2015 until 2017, he stole software from DHS-OIG, along with sensitive government databases containing personal identifying information of DHS and USPS employees, so that his company could develop a commercially owned version of a case management system to be offered for sale to government agencies.
Edwards pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit theft of government property and theft of government property. A second defendant in the case, Murali Y. Venkata, 56, of Aldie, Virginia, has pleaded not guilty to charges and his case remains pending. Edwards will be sentenced at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari of DHS-OIG, and Inspector General Tammy Whitcomb of USPS-OPIG made the announcement.
Senior Litigation Counsel Victor R. Salgado of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and Venkata is presumed innocent until proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Killing Woman in Burst of Gunfire in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Nequan Carthens, 21, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for opening fire with a handgun on a Southeast Washington street and killing a woman who was walking in the area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Carthens pleaded guilty in October 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 10-year prison term. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly on Jan. 7, 2022. Following his prison term, Carthens will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 20, 2020, at approximately 9:55 p.m., Carthens exited from the rear passenger door of a blue-colored, four door sedan as it turned into an alley alongside the 1900 block of 16th Street SE. He was holding a handgun and shot into the 1900 block of 16th Street approximately nine times in the direction of a group of individuals who were congregating across the street. He then ran back into the waiting vehicle and fled the scene.
An innocent bystander, Lagoria Brinkley, 36, was walking southbound on 16th Street towards U Street SE and was struck in the head by one of the fired bullets. Medical personnel arrived at the scene and were unable to revive her. Carthens was arrested on March 26, 2020 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Sexually Abusing and Blackmailing WomanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man was sentenced today to serve 12 months in prison for sexually abusing and blackmailing a woman he met in August 2019 through a dating website, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Steven B. Fabrizio, 58, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, pleaded guilty on July 30, 2021, to one count each of blackmail and third-degree sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable Marisa J. Demeo in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The judge sentenced him to a total of 30 months of incarceration; however, all but 12 months of that time was suspended on the condition that Fabrizio successfully complete three years of supervised probation. Additionally, he will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release from prison.
According to the government’s evidence, Fabrizio met the woman on Aug. 19, 2019, after corresponding via a dating website and text. They had consensual sex, and Fabrizio gave her $400 in cash, as agreed upon beforehand. The next day, Fabrizio sought to set up another meeting, and the woman declined. At that point, Fabrizio sent the first in a series of texts to her, warning that the woman’s employer, parents, and landlord would be told about their sex-for-cash arrangement unless she continued to submit to his demands for further sexual encounters.
Similar texts followed, and the woman agreed to see him. During that second encounter, on Aug. 20, 2019, Fabrizio sexually abused her. Fabrizio later persisted with the texts, and the woman contacted the Metropolitan Police Department. He was arrested on Aug. 21, 2019.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended those who investigated the case from MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Victim Witness Specialist Juanita Harris, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who prosecuted the matter.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $120,000 from Bank Customer AccountsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Drummond, 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud for his role in a scheme in which Wells Fargo Bank customers lost $124,000 from their accounts. According to the government’s evidence, the participants in the scheme attempted to steal another $80,000 from the bank’s customers, but the bank detected that fraud and stopped the loss.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
Drummond pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Royce C. Lamberth scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2022. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Drummond faces a likely range of 27 to 33 months in prison, a restitution order, and a fine of up to $60,000. He also has agreed to pay $124,000 in a forfeiture money judgment.
In entering his plea, Drummond admitted to orchestrating a scheme that was carried out in 2017 in which Drummond recruited bank employees who would make unauthorized withdrawals from Wells Fargo customer accounts. The bank employees used the bank's internal systems to check the account balances of customers without the customer’s knowledge. Those employees then told Drummond the customer’s name and account balance.
Drummond then sent another accomplice into the bank to pose as the customer and to withdraw the funds, unbeknownst to the actual customer. The conspirators used this scheme to steal $124,000 in cash and an $80,000 cashier’s check from two of the bank’s customers. Although Wells Fargo was able to detect the theft and stop payment of the $80,000 cashier’s check, Wells Fargo incurred losses on behalf of its customers for the $124,000 in cash that Drummond and others stole.
Another conspirator, Tiara Langston, 30, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, entered a guilty plea in November 2020 to related charges and was sentenced in March 2021 to a 15-month prison term.
In announcing today’s guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the work of those who are handling the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Borchert, who is prosecuting the matter.
U.S.-Swiss Dual National Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Bank Fraud Charges Connected to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lawrence Paul Schmidt, aka Lawrence Schmid, 61, formerly of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to three years in prison in connection with federal bank fraud charges related to an investment fraud scheme.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson imposed a four-year term of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $106,775.84, and entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $106,775.84.
Schmidt was indicted in November 2018 on two counts of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and six counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. He was extradited from the United Kingdom in late 2020 in connection with the federal charges and has remained in US custody since his arrest. On Sept. 29, 2021, Schmidt pleaded guilty to a bank fraud charge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to the statement of offense submitted to the Court and admitted by Schmidt, beginning in 2008, Schmidt created several investment entities and related corporations, including Commercial Equity Partners, Ltd. (“CEP”) and FutureGen Company (“FGC”), through which he solicited funds. Schmidt was the sole signatory on the bank accounts for each of these entities. Between June 2008 and April 2014, Schmidt raised over $22 million in funds, which he then comingled and transferred between the various entities and to personal accounts. Schmidt knew that by January 2014, the bank accounts for the various CEP and FGC entities contained insufficient funds to meet the companies’ financial obligations. By March 2014, the approximate combined balance of all the entities’ bank accounts was just $8,600.
As a result, over a roughly four-month period in early 2014, Schmidt masterminded a scheme to defraud and attempt to defraud Bank of America and SunTrust Bank of approximately $746,885.59 in funds controlled by the banks. Specifically, using various methods, Schmidt deposited fraudulent and forged checks into investment fund bank accounts that he controlled, then transferred and used the money for, amongst other things, his own benefit and use. In doing so, according to the government’s evidence, Schmidt abused his position of private trust with the investors of the various CEP and FGC-related entities.
As the scheme continued to unravel, on April 10, 2014, Schmidt boarded a one-way flight from the United States to London, where he remained until his arrest and extradition. Prior to leaving the United States, Schmidt wrote two letters to family members in which he stated, among other things, “[a]t this point in my life I have three choices, suicide, prison more than likely or to try and start over and make right by everyone.” Thereafter, on or about July 24, 2015, in responding to a message sent to him on LinkedIn from one of his investors, Schmidt wrote, “I know the federal government would like to prosecute me and I cannot blame them.”
On June 1, 2014, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, in Civil Action No. 14-cv-1002 (CRC), against Schmidt, CEP, FutureGen, and the entities Schmidt controlled. The court entered final judgment against Schmidt on October 3, 2018, and entered final judgment against CEP, FutureGen, and the additional entities that Schmidt controlled on March 11, 2019.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs in the Department’s Criminal Division, the United States Marshals Service, and the government of the United Kingdom provided substantial assistance in securing Schmidt’s arrest and extradition. The SEC also provided substantial assistance in this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne P. McNamara and David B. Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney's Office Testifies at Hearing on D.C. Revised Criminal Code Act of 2021Read the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia testified today at a hearing on the District of Columbia Revised Criminal Code Act of 2021.
Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, testified at a hearing of the District of Columbia Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. Today’s hearing is the third in a series. As stated today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuously seeking to improve the criminal law and the criminal justice system in the District, and looks forward to continuing to engage the Council and the community in a discussion of how to make our criminal law more fair and just for all.
Special Counsel Suttenberg also provided written remarks, below:
STATEMENT OF ELANA SUTTENBERG
SPECIAL COUNSEL TO THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Thursday, December 16, 2021, 9:30 a.m.
Virtual Hearing via Zoom
Chairman Allen and Members of the Council:
My name is Elana Suttenberg, and I am the Special Counsel for Legislative Affairs at the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC). I thank you for the opportunity to appear at today’s public hearing regarding the “Revised Criminal Code Act of 2021” (RCCA).
USAO-DC supports the goal of reforming the D.C. criminal code to ensure that statutes are clear and consistent, logically ordered, and proportionate in their penalties. In many ways, the RCCA is consistent with that goal, and we appreciate the Council considering these recommendations further. The RCCA is the product of a tremendous amount of work by the D.C. Criminal Code Reform Commission (CCRC) Executive Director, CCRC staff, and Advisory Group members, and we recognize their efforts. The RCCA creates many positive reforms to the criminal code, and is an important part of criminal justice reform in the District. USAO-DC participated as a member of the CCRC Advisory Group, and we voted in favor of submitting the final recommendations to the Council and Mayor. At the time of the vote, however, we were clear that our vote was not intended to express support for all of the CCRC’s recommendations. While we were supportive of moving this process forward, we believe that there are some substantial remaining issues that should be addressed before the Council takes final action.
Our most significant concerns focus on accountability for the most violent crimes (such as child sexual abuse, murder, burglary, robbery, and carjacking), and that some of the RCCA proposals are not integrally related to substantive criminal law and overlook the realities of certain resource constraints impacting Superior Court and our office. My testimony today will highlight those significant concerns, and my subsequent written testimony will address additional concerns.
Provisions that Should Be Disaggregated from the Revised Criminal Code Act
Initially, there are several provisions that are not integrally related to the substantive criminal law that the CCRC was tasked with revising. These provisions should be disaggregated from the RCCA and considered on their own merit as separate legislation. A reform of the substantive criminal laws is already a tremendous endeavor that will have a significant impact on the criminal justice system. The RCCA should focus first and foremost on these substantive criminal laws, and the Council should consider these additional procedural provisions—if at all—once the criminal justice system has responded to the RCCA’s impacts. Even though we believe that these provisions should be disaggregated from the RCCA, we offer the following concerns.
Expanded Right to a Jury Trial for Misdemeanors
The RCCA proposes dramatically expanding the right to a jury trial for misdemeanor offenses, such that, within several years, all offenses punishable by any period of incarceration would be jury demandable. See RCCA Amendments to D.C. Code § 16-705.
We respect the right to a jury in appropriate cases, including all felony cases. Jury demandability requirements for misdemeanors, however, should remain consistent with current law. When considering any changes to the jury demandability provisions, we strongly encourage the Council to closely engage with D.C. Superior Court to understand their resources, their funding, and how any change would both directly impact cases on the criminal dockets and indirectly impact cases on other dockets through the diversion of resources. Given the import of this change, we would encourage the Council to seek testimony on this proposal from D.C. Superior Court. Under non-pandemic court operations, there are approximately 3 to 5 misdemeanor cases scheduled for trial every day in each of the 6 general misdemeanor courtrooms, and approximately 2 trials a day in each of the 2 domestic violence misdemeanor courtrooms (that is, roughly 110 to 170 misdemeanor trials per week). By contrast, there is approximately 1 felony case scheduled for trial every day in each of the 8 felony courtrooms (that is, roughly 40 trials per week), and approximately 1 felony case scheduled for trial per week for the 4 to 5 calendars that handle the most serious felony cases (including sexual abuse and murder). Creating new rights to demand a jury in misdemeanor cases will strain both court and prosecutorial resources. Jury trials typically take longer to complete than bench trials, and must be scheduled farther in advance than bench trials. Consequently, creating additional misdemeanor jury trials would require more judges, more jurors (which would result in D.C. residents being called for jury duty more frequently), and additional prosecutorial resources. Further, felony cases—especially felony cases involving a detained defendant—are typically prioritized for trials in the court system, so it will likely take longer for misdemeanor cases to go to trial. This may result in delayed justice for victims, as victims will invariably need to wait longer for cases to resolve at trial, even in relatively straightforward misdemeanor cases. To our knowledge, no one has begun to analyze what it would take to create the infrastructure to handle a two-to-four-fold increase in the number of scheduled jury trials, what constraints exist that are beyond the District’s control (such as the current size of Superior Court), and what delays in justice could ensue from all of these changes. Given the consequences involved, these issues should be analyzed and discussed before any action is taken.
Deferred Dispositions for Misdemeanors
The RCCA proposes that, for every misdemeanor, when a defendant is found guilty of the offense, the court may defer further proceedings and place a defendant on probation before judgment for a period not to exceed one year. Under the proposal, if the defendant does not violate any of the conditions of probation, the court “shall” dismiss the proceedings. Following a dismissal, the defendant may move to seal the arrest and court proceedings. See RCCA § 22A-602(c).
We support the desire to expand diversion for low-level offenses, in recognition that a conviction may not be the most fair and just result in all cases. Consistent with that recognition, we have been working to expand our pre-trial diversion program with the goal of maximizing public safety, reducing recidivism, and enhancing a fair and efficient criminal justice system. The RCCA proposal, however, would allow judicially crafted diversion after a trial or guilty plea for all misdemeanor offenses—including the most serious misdemeanor offenses, such as certain sex offenses involving adult and child victims, domestic violence, stalking, and voyeurism. To guide our diversion, we have detailed internal guidelines for which defendants are eligible for these diversions (which helps ensure similarly situated defendants are treated the same) and the types of diversion opportunities that should be available for a particular defendant. In short, we have a standardized system for identifying defendants who could benefit from diversion and then offering them the most appropriate diversion opportunity. By contrast, there have been no developed guidelines regarding the implementation of judicially led diversion, including what types of diversion may be most appropriate for a particular defendant or case. We want to ensure that our pre-trial diversion program is robust, allowing for the most appropriate plea agreement or diversion opportunity, and creating consistency between cases; this proposal may undermine our ability to accomplish that goal.
Universal Second Look
The RCCA proposes expanding the Second Look (also known as IRAA/Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act) provisions to allow any person—regardless of their age at the time of the offense—to petition the court for review of their sentence after the person has been incarcerated for 15 years. See RCCA Amendments to D.C. Code § 24-403.03.
We recommend that the Council delay consideration of this proposal. We recognize that the goal of a sentencing review mechanism is to offer second chances, and to ensure that people who have served their time have opportunities for rehabilitation and reentry. This proposal, however, would expand second look review from current law, which was significantly expanded by the Council earlier this year. Based on data obtained from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) this past summer, there are currently 460 people in the custody of BOP who became immediately eligible to apply for a sentence reduction as a result of the recently enacted Second Look Act, which allowed a person who was between 18 and 24 years old at the time they committed an offense and who has served 15 years’ incarceration to move for release. Expanding the current IRAA to permit a universal second look would allow an additional 335 individuals in the custody of BOP who were 25 or older at the time of their offense and have served 15 years’ incarceration to immediately move for release. Given that this pool of eligible individuals was so recently expanded, we encourage the Council to delay further consideration of any additional expansion. Before any additional expansion, we should review the impacts of this expansion, including offenses—particularly violent offenses—committed by people released under this provision, the impact that this expansion has had on victims and their families, the supports available to assist victims with navigating this process, and the supports available to assist individuals released under this provision with reentry and reintegration to society.
Concerns with Substantive Criminal Law Proposals Under the Revised Criminal Code Act
Burglary Penalties
The RCCA proposes creating three gradations of Burglary. First Degree Burglary—which requires that a victim directly perceive the defendant inside a dwelling—would be punishable by a maximum of 4 years’ incarceration, and Enhanced First Degree Burglary—committed with a firearm or dangerous weapon—would be punishable by a maximum of 8 years’ incarceration.[1] See RCCA § 22A-3801.
However, the RCCA’s proposed maximum penalties for First Degree Burglary and Enhanced First Degree Burglary do not adequately account for the harms and trauma that can be incurred by what is, in essence, a home invasion. A statutory maximum does not represent the legislature’s sense of what the minimum amount, or even average amount, of punishment associated with a crime should entail. Rather, a statutory maximum—by definition—reflects the legislature’s belief as to what a person should be sentenced to for committing the worst possible version of that offense. Homes are where people live, where they keep their children safe, where they store their most valuable and sentimental possessions, and where they feel most secure. A burglary can shatter this sense of security, sometimes irrevocably. The maximum penalty for this crime, therefore, should recognize that a burglary violates the sanctity of the home, and the maximum penalty should be increased so that it is commensurate with the harms that can be caused by this type of invasion. Notably, the District’s Sentencing Guidelines categorize First Degree Burglary as a Group 5 offense—a person convicted of this offense with the lowest criminal history would face a guideline range of between 3 and 7 years in prison; a person convicted of this offense with the highest criminal history would face a guideline range of 7 years or more in prison. The Guidelines categorize First Degree Burglary While Armed as a Group 3 offense—a person convicted of this offense with the lowest criminal history would face a guideline range of between 7.5 and 15 years in prison; a person convicted of this offense with the highest criminal history would face a guideline range of 11.5 years or more in prison. The RCCA proposal represents an unwarranted departure.
Robbery and Carjacking Penalties
The RCCA proposes creating three gradations of Robbery, depending on the level of bodily injury suffered by the victim, and the type of property that was involved. A robbery that did not result in serious or significant bodily injury, and where the property taken was valued at less than $5,000, would be categorized as Third Degree Robbery, with a statutory maximum of 2 years’ incarceration. Committing this offense while armed with a firearm would be categorized as Enhanced Third Degree Robbery, with a statutory maximum of 4 years’ incarceration, with a higher maximum penalty if the firearm actually caused bodily injury to the victim. The RCCA also proposes subsuming the offense of Carjacking into Robbery. Unarmed Carjacking would be categorized as Second Degree Robbery, with a statutory maximum of 4 years’ incarceration, and Armed Carjacking would be categorized as Enhanced Second Degree Robbery, with a statutory maximum of 8 years’ incarceration. See RCCA § 22A-2201.
While we could support reductions in the maximum penalties for these offenses, the proposed reductions are simply too great. The maximum penalty for Carjacking should recognize that Carjacking is akin to burglary in some ways, as it may involve a traumatic intrusion into a person’s personal and presumed secure space.[2] It also results in the loss of what is often a much more significant asset than is lost in another form of robbery. Further, the proposed maximum penalties for Robbery and Enhanced Robbery are insufficient to account for the harms that can be incurred in a robbery, particularly where the robbery is committed while armed with a dangerous weapon. For example, under the RCCA proposal, both a defendant who held a gun to a victim’s head and threatened to kill the victim in connection with a robbery and a defendant who fired a gun indiscriminately at a victim, but did not hit the victim because of bad aim, could each be sentenced to a maximum of 4 years’ incarceration for that offense. A maximum possible sentence of 4 years’ incarceration would be woefully inadequate for such conduct. Notably, the District’s Sentencing Guidelines categorize Robbery as a Group 6 offense—a person convicted of this offense with the lowest criminal history would face a guideline range of between 1.5 and 5 years; a person convicted of this offense with the highest criminal history would face a guideline range of 3.5 years or more in prison. The Guidelines categorize Armed Robbery as a Group 5 offense—a person convicted of this offense with the lowest criminal history would face a guideline range of between 3 and 7 years in prison; a person convicted of this offense with the highest criminal history would face a guideline range of 7 years or more in prison. The RCCA’s proposed departure is unwarranted.
Felony Murder
The RCCA proposes eliminating accomplice liability for felony murder. See RCCA § 22A-2101(g). The RCCA also proposes requiring that, for felony murder, the lethal act be committed “in the course of and in furtherance of committing or attempting to commit” the predicate offense, and proposes limiting the predicate offenses for felony murder from current law, including eliminating certain types of child physical abuse and other serious crimes as potential predicates for a felony murder conviction. See RCCA § 22A-2101(b)(3).
However, we recommend that, with respect to accomplice liability, the Council adopt a compromise position, and create an affirmative defense to felony murder. Under this affirmative defense, a defendant would not be liable for felony murder if the defendant could prove that they did not commit the lethal act, and either believed no participant in the predicate felony offense intended to cause death or serious bodily injury, or made reasonable efforts to prevent another participant from causing the death or serious bodily injury of another. Notably, creating such an affirmative defense is consistent with a previous recommendation of the CCRC. This compromise position recognizes that accomplice liability for felony murder is necessary in many situations because, even where it is possible to prove the identity of the perpetrators of the offense, it is often not possible to identify the specific offender who “commit[ed] the lethal act.” Without some form of accomplice liability, crimes committed by multiple perpetrators would escape felony murder liability, while the same offense committed by a single perpetrator could result in felony murder liability. For example, a gang rape perpetrated by two or more individuals that resulted in the victim’s death may result in no liability for murder, as it may not be possible to determine which defendant committed the lethal act. A father and mother both systematically abusing their child, resulting in the child’s death, may result in no liability for murder. Where two individuals fire gunshots at a victim at the same time in the course of an armed robbery or carjacking, and it is impossible to prove which bullet caused the victim’s death, there may be no liability for murder. These examples show the necessity of accomplice liability for felony murder in situations where its absence would otherwise mean that neither person responsible for killing someone in the course of what is an inherently dangerous and violent offense is held accountable for murder. In murder cases, unlike for other offenses, the murdered victim cannot provide any information about what happened during the offense. By altering liability for accomplices under a felony murder theory, the RCCA proposal would effectively remove murder liability for certain felony murders committed by groups of perpetrators. Indeed, the more people who commit the predicate offense together, the less likely it would be that liability could attach for felony murder.
Defense to Child Sexual Abuse
The RCCA proposes departing from long-standing District law that mistake of age is not a legal defense to child sexual abuse,[3] and creating an affirmative defense to felony child sexual abuse where: (1) the victim is 14 or 15 years old (or 16 or 17, in the case of sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust or authority); (2) the defendant reasonably believes the victim is 16 or older (or 18 or older, in the case of sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust or authority); and (3) the reasonable belief is based on an oral or written statement that the victim made to the defendant about the victim’s age. See RCCA § 22A-2302(g)(2)-(3). For less severe forms of child sexual abuse, the government would be required to prove, as an element, that the defendant was reckless as to the victim’s age. See RCCA § 22A-2304(a)(1)(A) (Sexually suggestive conduct with a minor); RCCA § 22A-2305(a)(2)(A) (Enticing a minor into sexual conduct); RCCA § 22A-2306(a)(2) (Arranging for sexual conduct with a minor or person incapable of consenting).
However, because this defense would allow for the introduction of evidence regarding the defendant’s objectively “reasonable belief” as to the age of the victim, the existence of this defense could, practically, create a legally sanctioned justification for the defense to introduce evidence that would otherwise have no probative value at trial. For example, to show an objectively “reasonable belief,” the defendant may seek to elicit testimony relating to the child victim’s appearance, including the child victim’s physical development, maturity, and clothing, or photos of how the child victim presents themselves on social media. This testimony would be elicited to show why the victim appeared to be older than the victim’s true age. Allowing evidence of the defendant’s “reasonable belief” would allow this type of demeaning and humiliating evidence to be deemed probative and, thus, admissible at trial. If this proposal goes into effect, a defendant may also seek to introduce evidence currently precluded by the Rape Shield Law[4] regarding the victim’s prior sexual behavior to validate their “reasonable belief” that the child victim was of consenting age. Such evidence could include, for example, the victim’s known history of engaging in sexual acts with adults, prior pregnancies or births, involvement in prostitution and/or other sexually related behavior of an adult nature that suggested to the defendant that the victim was of a legally mature age. This evidence is the exact type that exposes the extremely intimate life of the victim (and here, a child victim) that the Rape Shield Law was specifically designed to exclude except in the most unusual cases where the probative value of the evidence is precisely demonstrated. We account for compelling fact patterns in exercising our charging discretion, where—despite the strict liability for this offense—a person may have reasonably believed that the victim was not underage. Allowing for this legal defense, however, may permit the defendant to elicit evidence at trial in a manner that is inappropriate, unnecessarily humiliating for the sexual assault victim, and directly contrary to the compelling policy reasons behind the Rape Shield Law.[5]
Requirement that Certain Sexual Conduct Have a “Sexual” Intent
The RCCA proposes adding the modifier “sexually” to certain conduct before it can constitute a “sexual act” or “sexual contact,” such that certain behavior would only constitute a sexual offense if the defendant has a “sexual” intent. See RCCA §§ 22A-101(118)(c), 22A-101(119)(B)(ii).[6]
However, adding the modifier “sexually” would constitute an ill-advised change from current law, as it would unduly limit situations where the defendant’s conduct should qualify as a sexual act or sexual contact. Sexual violence can be about power and control, not sex or sexual gratification. When committing a sexual offense, a defendant may be motivated by a desire to be violent or to assert power over a victim, not necessarily to be sexually aroused. For example, if, at a fraternity or sorority hazing, a defendant publicly penetrated another person with an object, the defendant may not have been acting with a sexual desire, but may have been acting with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, or degrade the victim. This would and should constitute a sexual offense. Further, even where a victim clearly experiences a sexual violation, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to prove that a defendant committed the offense for a sexual reason. For example, if a defendant grabs the vagina, breast, or buttocks of a stranger, that victim likely will feel sexually violated, and the conduct should constitute a sexual offense. Absent evidence of the defendant having an erection or outwardly manifesting sexual pleasure through words or actions—which is rare in many cases, particularly those involving sudden, brief, sexual assaults of strangers—the government may not be able to prove that the defendant’s actions were sexually arousing or gratifying. The government, however, would be able to show that, at a minimum, the defendant intended to humiliate, degrade, or harass the victim.
Mandatory Minimums
The RCCA proposes eliminating all mandatory minimum sentences from the D.C. Code. See RCCA § 22A-603. While we recognize and agree with the desire to reduce the number of mandatory minimums, we cannot support eliminating them all, and argue that two in particular should remain in light of their direct relation to serious violent crime. First, the 30-year mandatory minimum sentence for premeditated First Degree Murder should be maintained. District law has long provided for a minimum sentence for First Degree Murder, an offense that is uniformly viewed as the most serious offense. Every state has some mandatory minimum for First Degree Murder, and the concern that a mandatory minimum sentence may lead to a disproportionately harsh sentence for a less serious offense does not apply to First Degree Murder. Second, the 5-year mandatory minimum for committing a crime of violence while armed with a firearm should be maintained. Under the RCCA’s proposed structure, a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence should attach to an enhancement that involves a dangerous weapon or imitation dangerous weapon, where: (1) the underlying offense is a crime of violence; and (2) the weapon involved was a firearm or imitation firearm. This would attach a mandatory minimum to offenses such as armed carjacking, armed sexual assault, armed robbery, and armed kidnapping, but would not extend a mandatory minimum to drug-related offenses. The presence of any firearm is inherently dangerous and can create a significant risk of violence—including a risk of violence to both intended and unintended victims—and the presence of that firearm during a crime of violence necessitates a proportionate sentence. A minimum sentence reflects the community and the legislature’s sense that committing a crime of violence while armed is unacceptable by community standards, and will be penalized accordingly.
* * *
USAO-DC is committed to continuously seeking to improve the criminal law and the criminal justice system in the District, and looks forward to continuing to engage the Council and the community in a discussion of how to make our criminal law more fair and just for all.
[1] Because the RCCA proposes removing the requirement in current law that, at the time of sentencing, a period of incarceration be reserved as back-up time under D.C. Code § 24-403.01(b-1), these RCCA maximum penalties correspond to maximums of 5 years’ and 10 years’ incarceration, respectively, under current law.
[2] See, e.g., Dan Morse and Luz Lazo, With Carjackings on the Rise, this Trio of Fed-Up Strangers Intervened, Washington Post (December 4, 2021) (“For victims, the suddenness of being carjacked can extend out the trauma. One moment, they’re in their car—something often associated with contentment, whether it’s listening to music or smelling a fresh coffee nestled in the cup holder—the next moment there’s a gun or knife stuck in their face, said Christopher Herrmann, an assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. ‘It’s just as bad, really, as an armed person coming into your house,’ Herrmann said. In Montgomery County, victims’ advocate Greg Wims has worked with carjacking survivors for nearly 30 years. It can take days or weeks to fully realize the danger they went through. ‘Then the thought really hits: I was almost killed over my car,’ said Wims, founder of the Victims’ Rights Foundation.”).
[3] See D.C. Code § 22-3011(a).
[4] See D.C. Code §§ 22-3021, 3022.
[5] See Scott v. United States, 953 A.2d 1082, 1089 (D.C. 2008) (the purpose of the Rape Shield Law is to “safeguard against unwarned invasions of privacy” and “to exclude legally irrelevant evidence that may distract the jury or lead it to discount the complainant’s injury because of societal stereotypes and prejudices”).
[6] Under the RCCA proposal, a “sexual act” would include: “Penetration, however slight, of the anus or vulva of any person by any body part or by any object, with the desire to sexually abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, arouse, or gratify any person, or at the direction of someone with such a desire” (emphasis added). RCCA §§ 22A-101(118)(c). A “sexual contact” would include: “Touching of the clothed or unclothed genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person: (i) With any clothed or unclothed body part or any object, either directly or through the clothing; and (ii) With the desire to sexually abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, arouse, or gratify any person, or at the direction of someone with such a desire” (emphasis added). RCCA § 22A-101(119)(B)(ii).
District Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for PCP Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lamont Johnson, 45, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 35 years in prison on federal charges of conspiring to traffic in large quantities of Phencyclidine (PCP) and related narcotics and firearms offenses.
Johnson was found guilty by a jury in February 2020, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of the conspiracy charge, as well as charges of possessing with the intent to distribute large quantities of PCP, possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He was sentenced on Dec. 15, 2021, by the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan.
The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, Charlie J. Patterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the U.S. Park Police, Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), U.S. Marshal Lamont Ruffin, and Malik Aziz, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police.
Johnson was arrested in October 2017 following an extensive law enforcement investigation into violence and drug trafficking in areas of Southeast Washington, including the 16th Street, W Street, and Good Hope Road area. He has been in custody ever since.
According to the government’s evidence, which included court-authorized wiretaps, search warrants, GPS trackers, and undercover purchases of narcotics, Johnson was the main supplier of PCP to a drug trafficking ring that was indicted in an eight-co-defendant, 55-count indictment. Johnson was supplied gallon-quantities of PCP from West Coast suppliers, and he redistributed the PCP to other wholesale-level PCP suppliers in the District of Columbia. The evidence established that Johnson used threats and intimidation in his PCP trafficking operation, including with an AR-15 assault rifle that was seized from him along with over a kilogram of PCP and related drug trafficking paraphernalia.
During the investigation, federal law enforcement officers seized approximately 2.5 kilograms of PCP; ¼ kilogram of heroin; ½ kilogram of cocaine; 50 grams of crack cocaine base; assorted drug trafficking paraphernalia; and firearms, including Johnson’s AR-15 assault rifle, laser scopes, ammunition, and high-capacity magazines.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, the U.S. Park Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George Eliopoulos and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Rommel Pachoca, Katie Thomas and Catherine O’Neal, and Legal Assistants Emma Atlas and Kate Abrey.
Maryland Man Indicted for Scheme to Steal and Re-Sell Real PropertyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man has been charged in a 10-count indictment with carrying out a scheme to steal a residence located in the District of Columbia and then reselling the property to an unsuspecting buyer.
Franklin A. Olaitan, 48, of Beltsville, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The indictment against him was also unsealed today. He was released following his initial court appearance, pending further court proceedings.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
As alleged in the indictment, Olaitan perpetrated a scheme in which he obtained a residential real property located in the 2000 block of First Street NW by submitting false documents to lenders, a settlement company, and the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds. It is alleged that Olaitan quickly resold the residential property to an unsuspecting buyer and received the seller’s proceeds from both purported sales of the property. In the real estate closings, first, a lender paid approximately $420,000 and, second, a purchaser paid about $550,000.
Olaitan is charged with four counts of wire fraud, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, two counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of identity theft, and one count of first-degree fraud. The indictment includes a notification of the United States’ intent to seek the forfeiture of any proceeds Olaitan received as a result of the fraud scheme, identity theft, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
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.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Daniel Haines and Mariela Andrade.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 28 Months in Prison for Making Threat Against House Speaker Nancy PelosiRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 28 months in prison after earlier pleading guilty to a felony charge involving a threat he made to shoot House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
According to court documents, Cleveland Grover Meredith, Jr., 53, of Hayesville, N.C., traveled from Colorado to Washington D.C. and arrived late in the evening of Jan. 6, 2021, after the riots at the U.S. Capitol had ended. He had planned to arrive in Washington on Jan. 5 and attend various rallies. On Jan. 7, while at a hotel in Washington, D.C., he sent a text message to one of his relatives who was then in Georgia. The text message included a threat directed toward House Speaker Pelosi. The relative contacted Meredith’s mother, who then contacted the FBI.
The FBI located Meredith at a hotel approximately one mile from the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 7, and arrested him. He gave consent to search his phone, truck and trailer, which was physically present at the hotel. The FBI found a 9 mm semi-automatic firearm, an assault-style rifle with a telescopic sight, approximately 2,500 rounds of ammunition, and multiple large-capacity ammunition feeding devices inside the trailer. Meredith has been detained since his arrest.
Meredith pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2021, in the District of Columbia to interstate communication of threats. At sentencing, Judge Amy Berman Jackson also ordered that Meredith must serve a period of three years of supervised release, following completion of his prison term.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
In the 11 months since Jan. 6, more than 700 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 220 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
District Man Sentenced to 15-Year Prison Term for Two Armed Robberies in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell Morris, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to serve 15 years in prison for a pair of armed robberies he committed over a six-week period this summer in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Morris pleaded guilty in September 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of armed robbery and related firearms offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable J. Michael Ryan to 18 years in prison; however, three years of that time was suspended on the condition that Morris successfully complete five years of supervised probation.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 22, 2021, at approximately 7:35 a.m., Morris and an accomplice approached a man in the mouth of an alley behind the 1700 block of Gales Street NE, demanding everything that he had. The man, who had been walking, had a bag containing his phone and wallet. Morris brandished a firearm, which he then used to hit the victim across his face and head. When the victim turned to run away, Morris fired at him several times, hitting the victim once in the leg. Morris and the accomplice then fled with the bag.
The second robbery took place on Aug. 29, 2021, at approximately 10:10 a.m. The victim was using an ATM located inside a small building in the 1100 block of H Street NE, in the process of withdrawing money. As he was doing so, Morris and an accomplice entered the building. Morris aimed a firearm at the victim and demanded money. He took approximately $70 from the man, as well as the victim’s ATM card, which Morris used to withdraw approximately $1,000. Morris and the accomplice then left.
Morris was arrested on Sept. 7, 2021, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department into a series of armed robberies. 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 Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews Yette, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Wang, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Killing Store Employee in Robbery of Northeast Washington Food MartRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Demetrius Pierce, also known as Orlando Little, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for fatally shooting an employee of a Northeast Washington food mart during an early-morning robbery in November 2018, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Pierce, 35, of Washington, D.C., also was sentenced to an additional 180 days of incarceration for stabbing another inmate last year at the District of Columbia Jail.
Pierce pleaded guilty in September 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. He also pleaded guilty to simple assault and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon, both misdemeanors, for the attack at the jail. He was sentenced by the Honorable Milton C. Lee. Following his prison term, Pierce will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 3, 2018, shortly after 6 a.m., Pierce entered the food mart in the 900 block of Brentwood Road NE. At the time, store employee Nazir Ahmad was in a rear area of the store, away from the cash register. Pierce went behind the counter to the cashier area and unplugged and removed the cash register. As Mr. Ahmad returned to the cashier area, he saw Pierce, raised his hands, and began to back up. Mr. Ahmad retreated to the employee area, which has a door that shuts. However, Pierce shot through the door. Pierce then fired another shot at the front door of the mart as he left with the cash register.
Mr. Ahmad, 68, was taken to a hospital but died a short time later. The D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined he died from gunshot wounds to the left shoulder and leg.
Pierce was arrested on Nov. 26, 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
While incarcerated at the D.C. Jail, on Dec. 5, 2020, Pierce approached another inmate, who was seated in a television room, and stabbed him multiple times in the torso.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Conte. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Prava Palacharla and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Puja Bhatia, who prosecuted the murder case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Bartz, who prosecuted the jail attack.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Shooting in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against the officer from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who was involved in the fatal shooting, in May 2021, of Vedo Hall in Southeast Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included interviews of civilian and law enforcement witnesses as well as a review of physical evidence, recorded radio communications, Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage, medical reports, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the evidence, shortly after 11 a.m. on May 24, 2021, MPD Seventh District Officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 1200 block of Mississippi Avenue SE, to check on the welfare of a woman who reportedly was being held against her will by her ex-boyfriend, Mr. Hall. Additionally, Mr. Hall was reported to be armed with a firearm. Officers knocked on the apartment door and announced, “police!” Mr. Hall replied, “I’m about to shoot!” The woman was heard from inside the apartment stating, “Please don’t! please don’t!” Mr. Hall then opened the apartment door and again stated, “I’m about to shoot.” Officers saw Mr. Hall was armed with a rifle, and Mr. Hall then closed the door to the apartment.
Members of MPD’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) subsequently breached the door and entered the apartment. They determined that the apartment was empty. A rear window on the apartment was open and the screen had been pushed out. It appeared that Mr. Hall and his ex-girlfriend had fled the apartment before the officers set up a perimeter.
Hours later, at approximately 3 p.m., two other MPD officers responded to the 1300 block of Alabama Avenue SE after MPD developed information that the woman’s cellphone was near that location. The officers exited their patrol vehicle and proceeded to walk westbound in the 1300 block of Alabama Avenue SE.
One officer entered a gate that led to the walkway of the breezeway on the south side of 1351 Alabama Avenue SE. He was immediately confronted by Mr. Hall at the entrance into the breezeway. Mr. Hall was holding a large cardboard box in front of him with both his right and left hands. The officer forced his way between the fence and the side of the building and made his way onto the breezeway. Mr. Hall began to back away from the officer and drew a rifle from the cardboard box he was holding. Mr. Hall’s ex-girlfriend, who had been standing next to Mr. Hall, screamed and ran away. The officer drew his service pistol and backed away from Mr. Hall. The officer yelled, “Stop! Stop! Put it down!” Mr. Hall, with his right hand on the grip of the rifle, took up a shooting stance and pointed his rifle at the officer. The officer then discharged two rounds from his service pistol, striking Mr. Hall once in the face and once in the left leg.
Mr. Hall, 26, died from a gunshot wound to the head.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers used excessive force under the circumstances.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove such violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Ambushing Ex-Girlfriend and Stabbing Her in AttackRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for repeatedly stabbing an ex-girlfriend after he accosted her when she was leaving her workplace in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Meverard Edward Paul, 30, of Adelphi, Maryland, also known as Meverard Edward, pleaded guilty in February 2020, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of assault with intent to kill while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 14 to 18 years. The Honorable Milton C. Lee accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Paul will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Paul threatened his ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him in January 2018. She subsequently obtained a civil protective order in Maryland. Paul complied with the order for about a week, but then he began contacting the woman from social media accounts and various phone numbers. Then, at 11 p.m. on May 15, 2018, he followed her into her car as she left work in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW.
Paul repeatedly stabbed the woman with a kitchen knife, pulled her out of the car by her hair, and dragged her into a stairwell and down a flight of stairs before cutting her throat. He then pulled her across the street into a wooded area, where he demanded that she drop the civil protective order and made further threats. He then forced her back to the car to start driving him home, but she convinced him to let her drive herself to the hospital, alone. She had stab wounds to her face, hands, forearms, and buttocks, along with the laceration to her throat.
Paul was arrested on May 18, 2018 and 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 Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eliot Folsom, Eric S. Nguyen, Grace Richards, Michael McGovern, and Lauren Galloway.
Justice Department Awards More Than $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The District of Columbia Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants was awarded $102,828 to administer PSN grants in the District of Columbia.
Overall, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents across the nation to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is fortunate to work with so many outstanding community partners in the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The grants being awarded today will support our comprehensive efforts to reduce gun violence in partnership with organizations committed to a multi-pronged approach tied to community engagement.”
In the District of Columbia, grant funds have previously been used to support neighborhood-level efforts focused on 18-24-year-olds, an age group that was selected because of the extent to which they have been perpetrators or victims of gun violence. Community-based organizations have hosted local events, negotiated ceasefires between feuding groups, promoted available resources through pop-up events, and led safety walks, among other activities.
With approval from BJA, and upon acceptance of the award, the D.C. Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants will begin the process of making subawards for PSN grant projects.
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders, and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.
For a list of all grantees, please visit the link HERE.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
United States Prevails in Actions to Seize and Forfeit Iranian Terror Group’s Missiles and PetroleumRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced the successful forfeiture of two large caches of Iranian arms, including 171 surface-to-air missiles and eight anti-tank missiles, as well as approximately 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petroleum products. The U.S. Navy seized the weapons from two vessels in the Arabian Sea while conducting routine maritime security operations. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization, orchestrated the arms shipments, which were destined for Houthi militants in Yemen. The U.S. government similarly seized the Iranian petroleum products from four foreign-flagged tankers in or around the Arabian Sea while en route to Venezuela. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever forfeitures of fuel and weapons shipments from Iran.
The U.S. government sold the seized petroleum products pursuant to a court order. The net proceeds of that sale, $26,681,397.67 before interest, may be directed, in whole or in part, to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund now that the case has concluded.
“The actions of the United States in these two cases strike a resounding blow to the Government of Iran and to the criminal networks supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to use all available tools to combat the threats posed by terrorist organizations and all those who seek to harm the United States and its allies.”
“These two cases demonstrate that not only can we disrupt the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ability to finance its operations through petroleum sales, but we can also thwart its ability to use the proceeds of such sales to arm its terrorist proxies and export terrorism abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Given our expertise and special statutory authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is uniquely positioned to support its law enforcement partners in such terrorism cases. We are deeply committed to this mission.”
“The combined efforts of the FBI and our partners to seize missiles and over a million barrels of petroleum demonstrate our commitment to defend against foreign terrorist organizations and enforce U.S. sanctions,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Government of Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism has left innocent victims in its wake and its attempts to support regimes dangerous to the United States and our allies will be met with the full force of the law. The FBI has a continued resolve to hold the Government of Iran accountable for its illegal actions, and we urge anyone with information about violations of sanctions on Iran to contact the FBI.”
“This case is a success because of the hard work and dedication of a joint agency team including agents, analysts and prosecutors who, by securing illegal petroleum, have helped curtail Iran’s campaign of violence and unrest throughout the Middle East,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office.
“The results announced today by the Department of Justice represent another significant victory for HSI in its ongoing efforts to thwart the nefarious criminal activities of the Iranian regime and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” said Special Agent in Charge Ray Villanueva of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington. “Protecting our homeland from transnational threats of any kind remains a top priority for HSI. The actions conducted by HSI and our partner organizations, both at home and abroad, demonstrate that no matter where in the world Iran attempts to violate sanctions and arm dangerous entities, HSI stands ready to disrupt their activities and defend the national security of the United States.”
“The illegal transfer of Iranian-made weapons poses a significant and immediate threat to our national security,” said Director Kelly P. Mayo of the Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General’s criminal investigative arm, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “The judgement announced today is an important step in our efforts to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who imperil resources vital to our safety.”
U.S. Navy Central Command (NAVCENT) seized the weapons from two flagless vessels in the Arabian Sea on Nov. 25, 2019 and Feb. 9, 2020, respectively. The weapons included 171 guided anti-tank missiles, eight surface-to-air missiles, land attack cruise missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, thermal weapons optics, and other components for missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
On Aug. 20, 2020, the Justice Department filed a complaint seeking to forfeit the seized weapons in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint alleged that the arms shipments were part of an IRGC trafficking network designed to distribute illicit weapons to the Houthi movement in Yemen. The court granted the government’s motion for default judgment and entered a final order of forfeiture on Nov. 15. In its opinion, the court found that the government had adequately alleged that the weapons belonged to the IRGC and that the IRGC constitutes an entity engaged in planning or perpetrating a federal crime of terrorism against the United States.
On Feb. 9, 2020, U.S. authorities seized three type “358” surface-to-air missiles. On Feb. 9, 2020, U.S. authorities seized 150 “Dehlavieh” anti-tank guided missiles.On July 2, 2020, the United States also filed a complaint in the District of Columbia seeking to forfeit all petroleum-product cargo aboard four foreign-flagged oil tankers. The complaint alleged that the petroleum originated in Iran, and the sale of that petroleum benefitted the IRGC, a sanctioned Iranian entity. On Oct. 1, the court granted the government’s motion for default judgment and entered an order of forfeiture. In its opinion, the court found that the United States had sufficiently alleged that the petroleum products provided a source of influence over the IRGC because those properties were critical to furthering the affairs of the terrorist group’s enterprise.
These successful forfeiture actions are a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated efforts to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime.
HSI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office led the investigation of the IRGC weapons smuggling network, with substantial assistance from NAVCENT in conducting the seizures. HSI Denver and FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office led the investigation of the Iranian petroleum sales, again with substantial assistance from NAVCENT during the seizures.
Both cases were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Hudak, Stuart D. Allen, and Michael P. Grady for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney David Lim of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the cases, with support from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided extensive assistance in the forfeiture and sale of the seized petroleum.
The cases are United States v. All Petroleum-Product Cargo Aboard the Bella, et al., 1:20-cv-1791-JEB, and United States v. 171 “Dehlavieh” Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, et al., 20-cv-2299-JEB.
United States Prevails in Actions to Seize and Forfeit Iranian Terror Group’s Missiles and PetroleumRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the successful forfeiture of two large caches of Iranian arms, including 171 surface-to-air missiles and eight anti-tank missiles, as well as approximately 1.1 million barrels of Iranian petroleum products. The U.S. Navy seized the weapons from two vessels in the Arabian Sea while conducting routine maritime security operations. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization, orchestrated the arms shipments, which were destined for Houthi militants in Yemen. The U.S. government similarly seized the Iranian petroleum products from four foreign-flagged tankers in or around the Arabian Sea while en route to Venezuela. These actions represent the government’s largest-ever forfeitures of fuel and weapons shipments from Iran.
The U.S. government sold the seized petroleum products pursuant to a court order. The net proceeds of that sale, $26,681,397.67 before interest, may be directed, in whole or in part, to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund now that the case has concluded.
“The actions of the United States in these two cases strike a resounding blow to the Government of Iran and to the criminal networks supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to use all available tools to combat the threats posed by terrorist organizations and all those who seek to harm the United States and its allies.”
“These two cases demonstrate that not only can we disrupt the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ability to finance its operations through petroleum sales, but we can also thwart its ability to use the proceeds of such sales to arm its terrorist proxies and export terrorism abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Given our expertise and special statutory authority, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is uniquely positioned to support its law enforcement partners in such terrorism cases. We are deeply committed to this mission.”
“The combined efforts of the FBI and our partners to seize missiles and over a million barrels of petroleum demonstrate our commitment to defend against foreign terrorist organizations and enforce U.S. sanctions,” said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Government of Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism has left innocent victims in its wake and its attempts to support regimes dangerous to the United States and our allies will be met with the full force of the law. The FBI has a continued resolve to hold the Government of Iran accountable for its illegal actions, and we urge anyone with information about violations of sanctions on Iran to contact the FBI.”
“This case is a success because of the hard work and dedication of a joint agency team including agents, analysts and prosecutors who, by securing illegal petroleum, have helped curtail Iran’s campaign of violence and unrest throughout the Middle East,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Paul of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office.
“The results announced today by the Department of Justice represent another significant victory for HSI in its ongoing efforts to thwart the nefarious criminal activities of the Iranian regime and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” said Special Agent in Charge Ray Villanueva of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington. “Protecting our homeland from transnational threats of any kind remains a top priority for HSI. The actions conducted by HSI and our partner organizations, both at home and abroad, demonstrate that no matter where in the world Iran attempts to violate sanctions and arm dangerous entities, HSI stands ready to disrupt their activities and defend the national security of the United States.”
“The illegal transfer of Iranian-made weapons poses a significant and immediate threat to our national security,” said Director Kelly P. Mayo of the Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General’s criminal investigative arm, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). “The judgment announced today is an important step in our efforts to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who imperil resources vital to our safety.”
U.S. Navy Central Command (NAVCENT) seized the weapons from two flagless vessels in the Arabian Sea on Nov. 25, 2019, and Feb. 9, 2020, respectively. The weapons included 171 guided anti-tank missiles, eight surface-to-air missiles, land attack cruise missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, thermal weapons optics and other components for missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
On Aug. 20, 2020, the Justice Department filed a complaint seeking to forfeit the seized weapons in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaint alleged that the arms shipments were part of an IRGC trafficking network designed to distribute illicit weapons to the Houthi movement in Yemen. The court granted the government’s motion for default judgment and entered a final order of forfeiture on Nov. 15. In its opinion, the court found that the government had adequately alleged that the weapons belonged to the IRGC and that the IRGC constitutes an entity engaged in planning or perpetrating a federal crime of terrorism against the United States.
On Feb. 9, 2020, U.S. authorities seized three type “358” surface-to-air missiles (above) and 150 “Dehlavieh” anti-tank guided missiles (below).
On July 2, 2020, the United States also filed a complaint in the District of Columbia seeking to forfeit all petroleum-product cargo aboard four foreign-flagged oil tankers. The complaint alleged that the petroleum originated in Iran, and the sale of that petroleum benefitted the IRGC, a sanctioned Iranian entity. On Oct. 1, 2021, the court granted the government’s motion for default judgment and entered an order of forfeiture. In its opinion, the court found that the United States had sufficiently alleged that the petroleum products provided a source of influence over the IRGC because those properties were critical to furthering the affairs of the terrorist group’s enterprise.
These successful forfeiture actions are a product of the U.S. government’s coordinated efforts to enforce U.S. sanctions against the IRGC and the Iranian regime.
HSI’s Washington Field Office and DCIS’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office led the investigation of the IRGC weapons smuggling network, with substantial assistance from NAVCENT in conducting the seizures. HSI Denver and FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office led the investigation of the Iranian petroleum sales, again with substantial assistance from NAVCENT during the seizures.
Both cases were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Hudak, Stuart D. Allen, and Michael P. Grady for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney David Lim of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the cases, with support from Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick. The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided extensive assistance in the forfeiture and sale of the seized petroleum.
The cases are United States v. All Petroleum-Product Cargo Aboard the Bella, et al., 1:20-cv-1791-JEB, and United States v. 171 “Dehlavieh” Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, et al., 20-cv-2299-JEB.
Nevada Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Scams Involving Election Fundraising and COVID Relief LoansRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Kyle Bell, 44, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for carrying out separate wide-ranging fraud schemes last year: one involving fundraising for fake political action committees (PACs) that he created, and the other involving COVID-19 relief funds he sought and received through fraudulent applications. He also must forfeit or pay back nearly $1.4 million in cash and assets.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region.
Bell registered two sham PACs with the Federal Election Commission. One, the “Keep America Great Committee,” purportedly supported Donald Trump. The other, the “Best Days Lie Ahead Committee,” purportedly supported Joseph Biden, Jr. He sought donations nationwide for both PACs using online platforms and e-mail solicitations, generating at least $346,000.
Additionally, Bell created multiple shell companies that he used to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created by Congress to provide financial assistance to Americans who suffered economic losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He applied for and won approval for more than $1.1 million in four separate loans. He also applied for a fifth loan for $521,625 but withdrew the application.
“This prosecution is the first in the District of Columbia involving the creation of scam political action committees,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “It also is another in a series of prosecutions targeting frauds committed against the COVID relief efforts. The message is clear: along with our law enforcement partners, we will protect the public against fraudsters who seek to line their pockets by exploiting the political process and government programs.”
“Today’s sentencing should serve as yet another reminder to those who deceive and steal from hardworking Americans—you will ultimately be held to account for your actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “The FBI and its partners will continue to aggressively investigate those who perpetrate fraud schemes at the expense of the American people. Bell defrauded over 2,000 victims, who were all deceived into thinking they were making a donation to the presidential candidate of their choice, but in reality, that money was going to Bell’s personal accounts. Bell also defrauded the government through the Paycheck Protection Program, pocketing money meant for Americans in need.”
“Lying to gain access to SBA’s pandemic response programs is not without consequence,” said Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the SBA’s Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region. “SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program is intended to provide assistance to the nation’s small businesses struggling with the pandemic challenges. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its leadership and dedication to pursuing justice.”
Bell pleaded guilty in May 2021 to one count of wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable John D. Bates. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on two years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, between January 2020 and October 2020, Bell’s PACs sent solicitations nationwide to more than 40,000 recipients. The solicitations promised that individual donations would be “5x matched” by Bell’s PACs. The solicitations also replicated the look and feel of marketing materials used by the presidential campaigns, including official logos and slogans. Bell also set up websites to solicit donations with names like “keepamericagreatcommittee.com,” “trump2020maga.com,” and “bestdayslieaheadcommittee.com.” The sham PACs received more than $346,000 in contributions from individuals and other groups during the months before the 2020 election. However, none of the individual donations were ever “5X matched” by Bell or anyone else. Additionally, Bell made a series of false filings with the FEC in which Bell claimed that his PACs had made expenditures in support of both presidential campaigns.
During the same period, Bell applied for more than $1.6 million in PPP loans. For example, one of Bell’s companies, named “Echo Three LLC,” a company registered in Nevada with no employees and no payroll, received a PPP loan of $485,000 based on Bell’s false statements to the government that the company had 83 employees working at Bell’s private residence. In another instance, Bell obtained a PPP loan in the amount of $492,000 for a company he owned and controlled named “Myson Rules LLC” which had no employees, no payroll, no business operations, and no active business license in the State of Nevada. Bell submitted fabricated tax documents and other company records in support of all five PPP loan applications. He withdrew one application, for $521,625, before the loan could be funded.
Bell diverted almost all of the funds from PAC donors and the taxpayer-supported PPP loans to bank accounts where they could be used for Bell’s personal benefit, commingling the proceeds of the fraud and further violating federal campaign finance laws which require exacting record keeping for PACs. According to court papers, the government has located and seized $519,000 of Bell’s criminal proceeds. Bell’s plea agreement requires that Bell make full restitution to his victims and agree to the entry of a money judgement of $862,000 against him.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys John W. Borchert and Elizabeth Aloi prosecuted this case.
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On May 17, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Two District of Columbia Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cristian Santay-Rosales and Diego Rigoberto Lopez, both 19 and from Washington, D.C., were sentenced today for committing a series of armed carjackings across the District of Columbia within a 12-hour period in the fall of 2020. Santay-Rosales was sentenced to 121 months in prison and Lopez to 108 months for their roles in the crimes.
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, Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the U.S. Park Police, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Santay-Rosales and Lopez pled guilty on April 15, 2021, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to commit federal carjacking and two counts of federal carjacking. They were sentenced by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth. Following completion of their prison terms, both men be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendants used carjacked vehicles to block in and carjack additional vehicles, a pattern that they continued until they were ultimately apprehended by law enforcement. The indictment alleged that, as part of the carjacking conspiracy, a firearm was brandished and pointed at numerous individuals, including minor children. A third co-defendant in the case, Romeo Francisco-Ramirez, also 19, of District Heights, Maryland, has also pleaded guilty and is being detained pending sentencing.
The series of crimes took place between 1:55 p.m. Oct. 26, 2020, and 1:25 a.m. Oct. 27, 2020, with the defendants seizing a Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and other vehicles. Both defendants carried out carjackings in the 5200 block of Upton Terrace NW, the 2800 block of O Street NW, the 6300 block of Luzan Avenue NW, the 3800 block of 12th Street NW, 17th and Franklin Streets NE, the 1300 block of Parkwood Place NW, and Rock Creek Park. Santay-Rosales and Lopez were arrested after they crashed the Mercedes-Benz the night of Oct. 26, 2020. Ramirez, meanwhile, was arrested after committing yet another carjacking early Oct. 27, 2020.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Chief Smith, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI, U.S. Park Police, and Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Rommel Pachoca and Genevieve de Guzman. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.