District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Veterans Affairs Senior Executive Charged with Concealing Gifts and Cash Received from Government ContractorsRead the Press Release
windom_indictment.pdfWASHINGTON – John H. Windom, 64, a member of the Senior Executive Service who previously served as Executive Director of the Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization (OEHRM) in the Department of Veterans Affairs, has been charged in relation to his alleged failure to disclose his receipt of thousands of dollars in cash, casino chips, gift cards, and other gifts from contractors while leading the project.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Veterans Affairs Inspector General Cheryl L. Mason.
“As alleged, the defendant exploited his senior position for personal gain and concealed gifts and financial relationships that created serious conflicts of interest in the health care of our nation’s veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Such conduct is not only a betrayal of the public trust—it undermines confidence in the institutions dedicated to serving those who have sacrificed for this country. Our office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute public corruption wherever it occurs, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the integrity of the programs that support America’s veterans.”
According to the three-count Indictment issued today, between 2017 and 2021, while Windom was leading the $16 billion acquisition and deployment of the VA’s Electronic Health Records solution, then one of the largest information technology contracts in the federal government, he concealed from the VA, executive branch ethics officials, and the public that he was also accepting, and sometimes demanding, extravagant gifts from a group of contractors and subcontractors who worked on the project he was overseeing.
The Indictment charges Windom with Concealment of Material Facts, False Statements, and Falsification of a Record or Document in relation to his failure to report his receipt of such gifts, which he had a legal duty to do.
“This indictment sends a clear message that the VA OIG is committed to holding individuals accountable, including VA employees who are alleged to have misused their position of public trust for personal gain,” said Inspector General Mason. “The VA OIG thanks the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
The charge of falsification of records and documents carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charge of making false statements carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes.
Investigating this case are the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Miller.
An Indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcBrothers from D.C. Charged with Multiple Counts in Shooting of U.S. Park Police OfficerRead the Press Release
foster_x_foster_complaint_redacted.pdfWASHINGTON – Asheile Foster, 22, and Darren Foster, 21, brothers who reside in the District of Columbia, were charged today in U.S. District Court in connection with the March 23 shooting of a U.S. Park Police Officer, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The Foster brothers face counts of Assault on a Federal Officer, Assault With Intent to Kill While Armed, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Aggravated Assault While Armed, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. The Fosters made their first appearances today before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya who scheduled a detention hearing for tomorrow, March 26.
“Those who target law enforcement officers will be identified, apprehended, and held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Asheile Foster, 22, and Darren Foster, 21, fled the scene, but were quickly apprehended by law enforcement. This office will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law to ensure they face the consequences they deserve.”
According to court documents, multiple law enforcement agencies responded about 7:30 p.m. on March 23 to Queens Stroll Place SE and 51st Street SE for a report of a shot U.S. Park Police officer.
The USPP officer had been sitting in an unmarked Tesla Model Y, conducting surveillance on Asheile Foster, who had just departed the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility after retrieving personal property stemming from his arrest the previous day.
As the USPP officer sat in his vehicle, two men approached. The men fired several shots in his direction. At least one of the bullets struck the officer in the shoulder. The officer radioed for help, calling out that he’d been hit.
Investigators arrived from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Forensic Sciences. They scoured the scene and recovered 32 shell casings.
Officers canvassed the neighborhood and discovered a black backpack wedged in a fence. The bag contained a Diamondback DB-15 (marked "Cal. Multi") AR-style rifle with no stock. The DB-15 was loaded with 15 rounds of .300 blackout caliber ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
Police located Darren Foster, took him into custody, and interviewed him shortly after midnight the morning of March 24. Asheile Foster was taken into custody about 6:30 a.m. March 24 as he left a nearby residence. A search of the home’s attic revealed a Glock 19, 9mm pistol loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Park Police, the ATF Washington Field Division, The Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
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Ringleader of Fentanyl Trafficking Network Sentenced in Orchestrating Drug Imports from Federal Prison CellRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Samuel Braxton, 57, aka “Fats,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and heroin in the Washington metropolitan area — all while he was incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Braxton pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin. In addition to the prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Braxton to serve five years of supervised release.
“Braxton’s criminal history spans 36 years and includes four drug trafficking convictions. In his latest offense, he orchestrated an international narcotics pipeline—all while inside a federal prison cell,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Now, Braxton will spend more than 13 additional years behind bars. Together with the DEA and our law enforcement partners, we will hold traffickers at every level of the production and distribution chain accountable.”
According to court documents, Braxton was the top and unifying member of a drug trafficking conspiracy involving at least eight individuals that operated from at least July 2021 until November 2023.
Using a contraband cell phone from his housing unit at Fort Dix where he was serving a sentence for a prior federal drug conviction, Braxton brokered connections between foreign nationals who supplied kilogram quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and heroin, and co-conspirators Wayne Glymph and Ronnie Rogers, who received, cut, repackaged, and redistributed the drugs throughout the Washington area. Court-authorized wiretaps were placed on Braxton's contraband phone, and the phone was ultimately seized from his housing unit by law enforcement during the investigation.
Braxton introduced Glymph to foreign drug suppliers and introduced Glymph to Rogers — a former prison acquaintance — for the purpose of acquiring and redistributing the imported narcotics. Braxton coordinated shipment tracking, communicated with suppliers about drug payments, and arranged for his share of the proceeds to be paid to his daughter. Wiretap recordings captured Braxton complaining to Rogers that Glymph was interfering with his cut of the drug proceeds, asking, "when's my allowance going to get like it's supposed to be?"
Over the course of the conspiracy, law enforcement intercepted communications between Braxton, Glymph, and Rogers coordinating the shipment of kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin to addresses in the Washington metropolitan area. Authorities seized or recovered more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl nearly two kilograms of a fentanyl analogue known as p-Fluorofentanyl, and more than 236 grams of heroin.
Individual seizures included parcels of about one kilo of fentanyl intercepted at a UPS facility in Landover, Maryland, after investigators tracked the shipments through wiretap intercepts. The drugs traveled from foreign sources through domestic shipping hubs in California, Texas, and Florida before reaching their destinations in the Washington area.
In November 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at residences associated with Rogers and Glymph in the District, Charles County, Maryland, and District Heights, Maryland, seizing additional kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin.
Braxton's criminal history spans 36 years and includes four drug trafficking convictions, two of them federal. He and Glymph previously were convicted together in the District of Maryland of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine base, and PCP, for which Braxton received a 24-year sentence. It was while serving that sentence that Braxton organized and directed the instant conspiracy.
Co-conspirators Wayne Glymph, 59, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, was sentenced Jan. 14, 2026, to 13½ years in federal prison. Michael Stewart, 61, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Dec. 22, 2025, to 71 months in prison. Kevin Quattlebaum, 59, was sentenced Oct. 21, 2025, to 142 months in prison.
Ronnie Rogers, 71, who is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life. Michael Owens, 38, of St. Charles, Maryland, pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025; sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2026.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George's County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff's Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey.
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Jury Convicts D.C. Man of Kidnapping, Strangling and Assaulting His Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Raymond Dodd, 51, of Washington D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of charges stemming from an incident where he held his romantic partner captive in his apartment in March 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Dodd was found guilty of one count of kidnapping, one count of strangulation and two counts of simple assault on March 23, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 5, 2024, the defendant and his romantic partner were in their apartment at 1300 H Street NE, Washington, DC. Dodd and his romantic partner got into an argument. During the argument, the defendant slapped the victim in the face and ordered her to go into the bedroom.
Inside the bedroom, the defendant tied the victim’s hands behind her back and then tied her hands to her ankles and put her on the floor. The defendant also wrapped a scarf around her face so tightly that the victim had difficulty breathing. Dodd struck the victim in the face again and then urinated on her head. After several hours, the defendant fell asleep, and the victim was able to get one leg free. She then hopped to a neighbor’s apartment to seek help with her hands still tied behind her back.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anne Cotter and Randy Fultz.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Suicide Committed While in Police CustodyRead 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 two officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arising out of the death of a 31-year-old Australian national from a suicide that occurred on Oct. 15, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, body-worn camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, autopsy and toxicology reports, and reports from the MPD.
According to the evidence, on Oct. 15, 2025, P.M., a 31-year-old national from Australia was arrested on a misdemeanor sexual assault charge. P.M. was brought to the 5th District police station for processing. P.M. was placed in a cell and it was anticipated that he would be presented later in the day to a magistrate judge in Superior Court. P.M. removed his shirt and fashioned it into a noose and hung himself from the cell door. Officers discovering his body attempted to resuscitate him and called for an ambulance. Unfortunately, those efforts were unsuccessful and P.M. was declared dead at the scene.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
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.
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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Drug Overdose While in Police CustodyRead 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 four officers with the Metro Transit Police Department arising out of the death of a 43-year-old District resident from a drug overdose that occurred on November 16, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, body-worn-camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, autopsy and toxicology reports, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department. The MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
According to the evidence, on Nov. 16, 2025, police officers detained Demetrius Alston for fare evasion at the Anacostia Metro Station. As the officers prepared a ticket, the officers contacted their dispatcher and were advised of an outstanding arrest warrant for Mr. Alston.
Mr. Alston fled from the police and ran out of the station. Metro Transit police officers caught Mr. Alston a few minutes later. As they took Mr. Alson into custody and placed him in a police vehicle, Mr. Alston began having trouble breathing. He eventually lost consciousness, and the officers summoned an ambulance. Mr. Alston’s condition continued to deteriorate, and he died at the scene. An autopsy revealed that Mr. Alston had died from a drug overdose.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
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.
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.
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Sentence Handed Down to Man Who Strangled Girlfriend over Argument About Cell PhoneRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marcus Hazel, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 months for strangling his romantic partner, in November 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Hazel pleaded guilty to strangulation in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on Jan. 16, 2026. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe ordered Hazel to serve 10 months in prison for this offense.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 28, 2025, Hazel and the victim were at the Gateway Hotel in the 2700 block of New York Avenue, NE. While there, Hazel became angry about losing his cell phone. The victim offered to let him use her cell phone until his phone was found or he bought a new one. Hazel became upset, told the victim he did not want to use her phone, and that he wanted her to buy him a new cell phone. Hazel began cursing at the victim and arguing with her when she asked the defendant several times to leave the hotel. The defendant placed both his hands around the victim’s neck applying pressure until she could not breathe. He then slammed the victim to the floor and continued strangling her until she nearly lost consciousness.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted the case.
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Defendant Gets 107-Year Prison Term for Killing 13-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Reginald Steele, Jr., 26, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today for killing 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, on March 1, 2020, and for a separate shooting in the Petworth neighborhood on Feb. 22, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.
Steele was found guilty on Nov. 19, 2025, of one count of first-degree murder while armed, several counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and other firearm-related charges. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced Steele to 107 years in prison.
“Reginald Steele Jr. and his crew hunted down 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, who was walking to a basketball court, shooting him in the back as he ran for his life. Gang violence poses a grave threat to our communities and for these gang members—those days are over,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today, justice has caught up with a man who showed complete disregard for human life. Justice has been served, and our city is safer because of it.”
Steele and four co-defendants — who were tried and convicted separately —are members and associates of the neighborhood crews 3500, CHV, Rock Creek Church, Really Ready Gang, and 640. The defendant’s neighborhood was feuding with street crews Ninth Street between 2019 and 2020, over who was the “Real NW Goon,” 3500 and Really Ready Gang member Tahlil Byrd, also known as Slatt Goon, or Ninth Street rapper Tyree Marshall, known as Slime Goon. The feud escalated when Slatt Goon was killed in Ninth Street territory, the 600 block of S Street NW, in September 2019.
On March 1, 2020, Steele and three co-defendants drove to Ninth Street territory, circling the neighborhood looking for members and associates of Ninth Street. As they drove throughout the neighborhood in a stolen vehicle, they spotted 13-year-old Malachi Lukes who was walking with his three teen friends, toward the 600 block of S Street NW, to play basketball. The defendants followed the boys, pulled into that block and stopped by the mouth of an alley where Malachi and his friends had turned. Then the defendant and one of his co-defendants exited the vehicle and fired 11 gunshots. Lukes was shot in the back as he fled and collapsed to his death. Another victim was shot in the leg.
Steele and his co-defendants then traveled to another neighborhood and opened fire on individuals in that block, where other members of Ninth Street were known to hang out. No one was injured in this shooting.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, Office of E-Litigation Chief Emily Miller; Special Counsel for Discovery Chimnomnso Kalu; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the United States Marshals Service; D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences; the U.S. Park Police; Montgomery County Police Department; and the D.C. Department of Corrections. They also commended Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jackson, Tamara Rubb and Nebiyu Feleke for prosecuting this case.
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D.C. Man Gets Prison Term for Pointing Gun at Taxi DriverRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Erick Blanco-Cordova, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to two years in prison for pointing a firearm at a taxicab driver in November 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Blanco-Cordova pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The Honorable Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Blanco-Cordova to two years in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Blanco-Cordova’s co-defendant, Lesly Taracena, was sentenced to five years in prison in June 2025, after a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to commit an armed crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and other related charges.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 6:55 p.m., on Nov. 11, 2019, Blanco-Cordova and Taracena were picked up in Arlington, Virginia by the victim, a taxicab driver, and asked to be taken to Union Station in Washington, D.C. After the victim drove the defendants to the corner of 7th and F Street, NW, Blanco-Cordova and Taracena exited the victim’s taxicab without paying their fare. The victim followed them and asked them to pay. Taracena turned around and pulled a firearm out of her pocket, pointing it at the victim while Blanco-Cordova stood next to her. The victim then ran away in fear. When MPD stopped the defendants, they found a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson SD40VE semi-automatic handgun on Blanco-Cordova.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Katerina Qesari, who prosecuted Blanco-Cordova and co-defendant Lesly Taracena, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki, who prosecuted Lesly Taracena.
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D.C. Man Gets 17-Year Prison Term for Murdering Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Pernell Sims, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for shooting and killing his prior romantic partner, Tyshida Williams, in July 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Sims entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on Jan. 9, 2026. Judge Edelman sentenced Sims to 17 years in prison.
“Pernell Sims abused Tyshida Williams, beat her and then shot her in the head while his child was in the apartment. This depraved killer will now spend his days in a cell where he belongs,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will continue to be relentless in our prosecution of domestic violence offenders. If you are in a violent relationship, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.”
According to the government’s evidence, Sims and Williams were in a romantic relationship on July 30, 2023. When they returned to the defendant’s apartment earlier that morning, the defendant became angry about Williams’ phone. Both Sims and Williams went to the lobby and parking garage area of the apartment building and argued for more than an hour. While in the parking garage the defendant threw Williams to the ground and kicked her in the chest. Both Sims and Williams then returned to the apartment where Sims’ child was present, went into the bedroom and closed the door. Sims then shot Williams in the head, and she died from her injuries later that morning.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Stephanie Dinan, who prosecuted the case.
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North Carolina Man Convicted in Cyber Extortion Scheme That Targeted D.C.-based Tech CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against a Charlotte, North Carolina, man for carrying out an extensive cyber extortion scheme against a D.C.-based international technology company, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cameron Curry, 27, was convicted of six counts of transmitting or willfully causing interstate communications with the intent to extort a victim company. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell of the Western District of North Carolina presided over the three-day trial.
According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Curry was contracted to work as a data analyst for about six months with the victim company. In that capacity, Curry had access to the victim company’s data files and other personnel and corporate information.
Trial evidence established that Curry misused his position to access the victim company’s personnel and other sensitive corporate records, which he then used to carry out the cyber extortion scheme after he learned that his contract was not going to be renewed and that he would no longer be employed by the company.
According to evidence presented at trial, from Dec. 11, 2023, to Jan. 24, 2024, Curry, identifying himself online as “Loot,” sent more than 60 email messages to company employees and executives, threatening to disclose sensitive information unless he was paid $2.5 million in cryptocurrency.
Trial evidence further established that the email messages contained threats to disclose sensitive corporate information and employee data, including employees’ personally identifiable information (PII), as well as threats to harm the reputation of the victim company by reporting a breach of its information and publishing the information publicly if the victim company failed to pay him via cryptocurrency.
On Jan. 24, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence and seized various electronic devices. A forensic analysis revealed that Curry was committing the extortion scheme under the “Loot” alias.
At sentencing, Curry faces up to two years in prison for each of the six charges. A sentencing date is pending.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office.
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in District of Columbia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
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Jury Convicts D.C. Fentanyl Dealer on Multiple Firearms and Narcotics CountsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick Thomas Martin, 33, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in the U.S. District Court on four federal charges stemming from his 2024 arrest before which he flung a backpack containing a loaded firearm and substantial quantities of cocaine and fentanyl from an apartment building window, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The jury deliberated for less than one day before finding Martin guilty of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
“Derrick Martin stashed large quantities of drugs and cash in an apartment where a child slept just feet from a loaded, micro draco pistol, a gun that fired the same bullets as an AK-47 assault rifle,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “With 31 prior arrests, this career criminal posed a clear danger to our community. The streets are safer now that we have put an end to this one-man crime spree.”
Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2026, before United States District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Martin faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
According to the evidence presented at trial, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Criminal Apprehension Unit went to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue SE on Nov. 25, 2024, to arrest Martin on an outstanding warrant from Cecil County, Maryland. Martin had failed to appear for trial on charges of illegal firearm possession and drug distribution.
As officers knocked at the apartment door, Martin opened a window and threw a black backpack onto the street below. Police recovered the bag which was found to contain a loaded Century Arms Micro Draco semi-automatic pistol, about 700 grams of cocaine, and over 5,700 fentanyl pills.
Officers entered the apartment. Following a struggle, they arrested Martin. A search of the apartment yielded a second loaded firearm — a Glock 19 pistol that had been illegally modified and bore two different serial numbers — along with additional ammunition, about 150 grams of suspected heroin, additional suspected fentanyl pills, a digital scale, and a cash counting machine.
Police discovered nearly $12,000, much of which was inside the apartment’s washing machine. Martin's four-year-old child was present in the dwelling at the time of the arrest.
Martin, who has been arrested 31 times, previously was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction) and sentenced in 2017 to 730 days imprisonment, with 364 days suspended, and placed on supervised probation for one year. Additionally, Martin was found guilty in 2017 of grand larceny in Arlington, Virginia and sentenced to three years in prison.
When he was arrested on Nov. 25, 2024, on the Cecil County warrant for failing to appear for trial, he had been charged with conspiracy (multiple counts), possession with intent to distribute (multiple counts), possession (multiple counts), possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, and illegal possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office, and the DEA Washington Division Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Helfand and Michael Lee.
24cr556D.C. Man Sentenced to 20 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Maurice Tutt, 52, of the District of Columbia., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 20 months in federal prison for his role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine base, cocaine, and methamphetamine, centered in the Potomac Gardens Housing Project in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Tutt pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to the 20-month prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Tutt to serve three years of supervised release.
“Maurice Tutt bought fentanyl pills by the hundreds and sold them on the streets of Washington. Each one of those pills was a potential death sentence for someone's child, parent, or neighbor,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He knew the harm he was causing—and did it anyway. Now he will answer for it.”
According to court documents, Tutt conspired with a co-conspirator to obtain blue fentanyl pills, known as "blues," and redistribute them to others in the District. Court-authorized intercepts of phone calls and text messages captured the conspiracy in detail.
On April 20, 2024, the co-conspirator texted Tutt that he could supply up to 500 fentanyl pills at a time. Tutt responded that he would take 500 every month. The two agreed on a price per pill.
Over the following months, Tutt placed a series of orders. On April 25, 2024, he called the co-conspirator and said, "I need 500 of 'em," and calculated a price over the phone. Later that day, Tutt texted the co-conspirator that he had received only 487 pills rather than 500. The co-conspirator agreed to make up the difference.
On May 24, 2024, Tutt called the co-conspirator again to order 500 more pills, telling him with precision: "not 498, not 501." When the co-conspirator delivered only 404 pills, Tutt noted the shortfall. On June 5, 2024, Tutt ordered 300 more pills, which the co-conspirator agreed to supply.
On Oct. 16, 2024, law enforcement arrested Tutt. Among the items recovered from his apartment was a digital scale of the type used in drug trafficking.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the D.C. Housing Authority Police, Virginia State Police, Montgomery County, MD, Police, and Fairfax County, VA, Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Solomon S. Eppel and Nihar Mohanty.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcConvicted Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal Possession of Stolen, Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Charles E. General, 29, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a stolen, loaded handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
General pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2025, before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge Mehta ordered General to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Oct. 13, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department investigators in plain-clothes observed General and others smoking marijuana in a parking lot in the 1400 block of Cedar Street SE. As officers approached, they smelled marijuana and told the group they could not smoke on the street.
Officers conducted a lawful frisk of General, during which an officer felt a firearm in his coat pocket. General was placed in handcuffs, and a search incident to arrest recovered a loaded Glock 30S .45 caliber pistol from his outer right coat pocket.
The Glock had been reported stolen from a Federal Firearms Licensee in Springfield, Virginia, that had been burglarized.
General previously had been convicted in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license — the prior felony that made his firearm possession in this case a federal offense.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole as part of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcFirearms Trafficking Nets D.C. Man 160 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Stuckey, 36, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 160 months in federal prison in connection with conspiring to traffic firearms from North Carolina into the District, including handguns illegally converted to machine guns, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Stuckey pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2026, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to one count of firearms trafficking conspiracy. In addition to the 160-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Stuckey to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, from at least August 2022 until July 2024, Stuckey worked with a co-conspirator to acquire and traffic firearms. The co-conspirator purchased multiple Glock pistols from licensed firearms dealers in North Carolina through straw purchases, falsely certifying on federal ATF forms that he was the actual buyer. The co-conspirator then transferred the firearms to Stuckey in the District. Stuckey is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and knew his receipt of the guns constituted a felony.
On May 15, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle being used by Stuckey in the 500 block of Parkland Place SE. Inside a backpack bearing Stuckey’s name, officers recovered two loaded Glock pistols. One of the Glocks had a machine gun conversion device installed, effectively converting it into a weapon able to fire continuously with one pull of the trigger. Officers also seized 10.2 grams of methamphetamine, about 64 grams of marijuana, and drug distribution packaging.
On July 1, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Stuckey’s residence in the District. Inside officers found a loaded Glock pistol converted to a fully automatic weapon, two additional machine gun conversion devices, magazines, ammunition, approximately 23 grams of cocaine base packaged for distribution, and drug distribution supplies.
Stuckey previously had been convicted of multiple felony drug and firearm offenses, which prohibited him under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement of the sentencing were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case was investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Solomon S. Eppel.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcFelon Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Oday Smith, 39, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Smith pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025, before Judge Randolph D. Moss to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge Moss ordered Smith to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department Crime Suppression Team officers observed Smith near a bus stop carrying a bag that appeared to be weighed down by an object. When officers approached, Smith fled on foot, throwing the bag over a fence behind a nearby business. A witness standing nearby observed Smith toss the bag. Officers recovered the bag and found a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol loaded with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. Police found Smith on the porch of a nearby residence and placed him under arrest.
Smith had been previously convicted in Prince George's County, Maryland, of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and use of a handgun during a crime of violence, for which he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2009. He served about 15 years of that sentence before his release. That prior felony conviction made his firearm possession in this case a federal offense.
This case was investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss as part of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Road Rage Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison in Fatal Shooting of Uber DriverRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rodney Baggott, 58, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to life in prison without the possibility of release in connection with the fatal 2024 road rage shooting of Uber Eats driver Rasheek Abdullah near the Dupont Circle Metro Station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Today, a Washington, D.C., judge recognized the enormous harm a career criminal poses to our community. Rodney Baggott—a previously convicted killer—took another man’s life in a senseless act of violence for nothing more than passing him on the road,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence ensures this violent offender, who has shown complete disregard for the lives of others, is off our streets and behind bars where he belongs. We need more sentences like this to stop violence in D.C.”
A federal jury deliberated for a single day before finding Baggott guilty on July 24 of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Judge Reggie B. Walton presided over the case.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 30, 2024, Baggott was driving a white Mitsubishi Outlander to his then-girlfriend’s office at a law firm in Dupont Circle. Shortly before 4 p.m., the girlfriend left her office and joined Baggott. The two drove to the intersection of Connecticut Ave. and Q St., NW. As Baggott made a right-hand turn, Abdullah passed him on the left-hand side. Baggott became enraged, believing that Abdullah had cut him off. Baggott drove up next to Abdullah, pulled out a gun, and shot him in the neck.
Baggott fled the scene with his girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat. The girlfriend called an auto body repair shop to fix distinctive damage on the vehicle, damage that would go out on a police bulletin later that day and would ultimately be used to link Baggott to the shooting.
On March 2, 2024, a Montgomery County Police officer stopped Baggott and the girlfriend while they were in the white Mitsubishi Outlander when Baggott was arrested for illegally possessing a gun in the vehicle. On March 3, 2024, law enforcement found the gun used in the shooting during the execution of a search warrant at Baggott’s girlfriend’s apartment. The firearm had DNA that linked it to both the girlfriend and Baggott.
As a result of the shooting, Abdullah’s health declined until his death. He became a quadriplegic from the moment Baggott shot him. His condition deteriorated over a three-month period until he succumbed on April 29, 2024.
Baggott previously was convicted and sentenced on a 2015 charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed.
Joining in the announcement was ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the ATF Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department, with valuable assistance from the Montgomery County Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Daniel Seidel, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer. Paralegal specialist Melissa Macechko provided valuable assistance.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcPlanner of Seven Inside-Job Robberies of Chinatown Walgreens Sentenced to 126 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Gianni Robinson, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 126 months in federal prison for his role as a planner and coordinator in seven armed robberies of a Walgreens drugstore in the District's Chinatown neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Robinson pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2025, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery in violation of the Hobbs Act, and to possessing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. In addition to the 126-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Robinson to serve five years of supervised release and to pay $7,245.75 in restitution.
“After police posted surveillance footage of his co-conspirator robbing the Walgreens, Gianni Robinson sent the YouTube link to the gunman with a laughing emoji. He thought the crimes he conspired on were funny,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Now, after seven robberies, countless traumatized employees and one man shot in the chest, Robinson isn’t laughing anymore and will serve the next 126 months behind bars. We continue the fight to make D.C. one of the safest cities in the country.”
According to court documents, from July 2023 through February 2024, Robinson conspired with his store manager uncle, Michael Robinson, store manager London Teeter, and gunman Kamanye Williams to carry out seven armed robberies of the Chinatown Walgreens at 801 7th Street NW. In all, the conspirators robbed about $28,983 from the store.
Gianni Robinson was the operational hub of the conspiracy. He served as the link between the two corrupt store managers who provided inside information and Williams, the masked gunman who entered the store each time to rob it at gunpoint.
Gianni Robinson helped plan the robberies from the beginning, provided Williams with the access codes to the manager's office, gave Williams the green light on the night of the first robbery, and coordinated logistics including getaway arrangements and the splitting of proceeds. Text messages show Gianni Robinson and Williams began planning the first robbery nearly three weeks before its execution.
The robberies followed a consistent pattern. On each occasion, Williams entered the Chinatown Walgreens in disguise, brandished a firearm at employees and Special Police Officers assigned to guard the store, forced his way into the manager's office using codes provided by the inside conspirators, and fled through the rear exit with cash. Michael Robinson and Teeter took turns playing the role of “victim” manager on duty, knowing the robberies would be captured on surveillance footage.
As the conspiracy progressed it grew more brazen. After the Walgreens hired armed Special Police Officers in response to the robberies, the conspirators continued undeterred. During the fifth robbery, on Dec. 4, 2023, Williams disarmed one of the Special Police Officers and stole his firearm along with the cash. During the seventh and final robbery, on Feb. 11, 2024, a second Special Police Officer shot Williams in the chest as he attempted to flee. Michael Robinson's first call after the shooting was to Gianni Robinson, who went to the hospital emergency room where Williams was being treated.
The following day, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence Gianni Robinson shared with Teeter where officers recovered a loaded Glock 45 semi-automatic pistol with 16 rounds in the bedroom.
Robinson's sentencing follows that of his uncle, Michael Robinson, who received 147 months for his role as one of the store managers who enabled the scheme. Gunman Kamanye Williams was sentenced to 198 months. Sentencing for store manager London Teeter is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
This case was investigated by the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Satter and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Song and Sarah Martin.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcJudge Finds Probable Cause to Charge D.C. Man for Shooting Man at Point-Blank RangeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Judge Rainey Brandt determined that probable cause exists to charge Niwatilagu Anthony Long, 45, of Washington, D.C., with second-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing 44-year-old D.C. resident Melvin Saunders in the early morning of December 19, 2025, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Long was arrested at the D.C. Superior Court after the completion of a preliminary hearing for an assault with a deadly weapon case where Long was charged with pistol whipping another victim, Donald Cook, on Saturday, January 3, 2026. A status hearing is scheduled for October 9, 2026.
According to the affidavit in support of Long’s arrest, Saunders, the victim, and several other people were present in an apartment at the North Capitol Commons, John and Jill Ker Conway residence in the 1000 block of North Capitol Street, NE, when Long claimed to be a member of the “Crips” and accused Saunders of being a member of the “Bloods” before shooting the victim execution-style in his left temple. Long left the scene on foot and discarded some of his clothing to alter his appearance to evade detection by law enforcement.
At the preliminary hearing on March 17, 2026, Judge Brandt ordered that Long remain held and determined that there was no condition or combination of conditions of release that the Court could set to reasonably assure the safety of the community. In evaluating the evidence at the hearing, Judge Brandt described the killing of Saunders as a “close-range assassination” where the victim was “shot point-blank” in the head.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marybeth Manfreda and Rashmika Nedungadi.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fully Suspended Sentence Handed Down for Robbery and Carjacking SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick West, 18, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for a spree of robberies and carjackings that took place in September 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
West, who was seventeen years old at the time of the offenses and who was charged pursuant to Title 16, pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, to one count of armed carjacking, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery. At West’s sentencing on March 13, 2026, the United States requested a sentence of twelve years of incarceration, representing a sentence at the top of his sentencing guidelines for each count, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Honorable Judge Jennifer DiToro sentenced West to a fully suspended sentence of 48 months, with 18 months of supervised probation. The Court’s sentence was entered pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government’s objection, which permits a sentence beneath the mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration for carjacking and five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the proffer of facts, on September 19, 2024, at approximately 10:31 p.m., in the 500 block of 48th Place NE, West, his co-defendant Antonio Gaither and two additional suspects, pulled up next to the first victim, while she was parking her car. Two of the suspects exited their vehicle and one pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered her to exit her vehicle. Two of the suspects took the victim’s car, and all four suspects fled the scene.
Separately, on September 20, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., in the 800 block of P Street, NW, West, Gaither and additional suspects approached the victim, who was sitting in his vehicle with his doors unlocked. One of the suspects opened the driver’s side door and ordered the victim to exit the vehicle, while another suspect assaulted the victim, striking him about the face and body. The victim exited the vehicle and fled in fear of his safety. The suspects fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle, taking with them the victim’s wallet, credit cards and phone which were inside the car.
In addition, on September 30, 2024, at approximately 5:21 p.m., in the 100 block of 35th Street, NE, West and Gaither approached a third victim, who was talking on his cell phone as he walked away from his vehicle. One of the defendants grabbed the victim’s phone out of his hand. Both West and Gaither demanded the victim’s car keys. Out of fear for his safety, the victim handed over the keys, but he was still punched in the face several times by both defendants. The defendants took the victim’s cell phone and fled the scene in his vehicle.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and Ben Helfand, who prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Strangling Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Myron Caldwell, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 14 months incarceration on charges stemming from strangling his romantic partner in November 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Caldwell pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of strangulation. On March 16, 2026, the Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Caldwell to the 14-month prison term.
“This is a case where the defendant, not only attacked his girlfriend, but terrorized her. Caldwell strangled his girlfriend, pinned her to the ground, and then held her prisoner in her own home,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Domestic violence will not be tolerated. For any woman in a violent relationship please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE."
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2025, Caldwell and the victim, his girlfriend, were involved in a verbal altercation at the latter’s home in Southeast Washington, D.C. When the dispute became physical and the victim fell onto the ground, Caldwell got on top of her and put the victim in a chokehold, applying pressure to her neck and restricting her ability to breathe. The victim retreated to her apartment bathroom once Caldwell released her, but Caldwell then followed her into the bathroom and refused to let her leave for several hours.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman, who prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 14-Month Prison Term for Strangling Romantic PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Myron Caldwell, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 14 months incarceration on charges stemming from strangling his romantic partner in November 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Caldwell pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of strangulation. On March 16, 2026, the Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Caldwell to the 14-month prison term.
“This is a case where the defendant, not only attacked his girlfriend, but terrorized her. Caldwell strangled his girlfriend, pinned her to the ground, and then held her prisoner in her own home,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Domestic violence will not be tolerated. For any woman in a violent relationship please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE."
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2025, Caldwell and the victim, his girlfriend, were involved in a verbal altercation at the latter’s home in Southeast Washington, D.C. When the dispute became physical and the victim fell onto the ground, Caldwell got on top of her and put the victim in a chokehold, applying pressure to her neck and restricting her ability to breathe. The victim retreated to her apartment bathroom once Caldwell released her, but Caldwell then followed her into the bathroom and refused to let her leave for several hours.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman, who prosecuted the case.
Teen Gets 10 Years in Prison for October 2024 Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Woods, 18, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for an armed carjacking of a man in October 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Woods, who was 17 years old when he committed the carjacking and who was charged as an adult pursuant to Title 16, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2025, to one count of armed carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
The Honorable Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Woods to 10 years in prison for the armed carjacking followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a concurrent sentence of 5 years in prison for the possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Salerno denied Woods’ request to be sentenced pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act.
According to the government’s evidence, at 1:33 a.m. on October 11, 2024, Woods and a second suspect were driving a black sedan near Hanover Place and North Capitol Street NW when they spotted the victim sitting inside a Hyundai Elantra. Woods drove in front of the victim’s car and exited the black sedan to approach the victim with an assault rifle-style firearm. Woods demanded the victim get out of the car, removed a garage remote from the victim’s pockets, and got into the victim’s car. Woods drove away in the victim’s vehicle while the second suspect drove away in the black sedan.
The victim and a relative were able to track the vehicle shortly thereafter and called 911. Members of Metropolitan Police Department’s 6th and 7th Districts, with the assistance of MPD’s Air Support Unit, were able to track the vehicle, which had stopped in front of 2719 Jasper Street SE. Woods and another individual bailed out of the stolen vehicle and fled on foot. After bailing out of the vehicle, Defendant Woods threw what was ultimately determined to be a loaded black .22 caliber Smith & Wesson M&P Sport 15-22 semi-automatic rifle into a nearby trash can. Officers located Woods and found him in possession of a black balaclava mask, black beanie, a Dodge car key, and a Hyundai car key, which belonged to the victim. Woods was arrested the same day and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll thanked those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Goldstein, who prosecuted the case.
Jury Finds D.C. Man Guilty of Armed Kidnapping of Case WorkerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thomas Venable, 59, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of charges stemming from an incident where he held his case worker hostage in his apartment in September 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Venable was found guilty of one count of armed kidnapping, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of threatening to kidnap or injure a person, and related weapons offenses on March 12, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 29, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Venable was in his home located in the 5400 block of Connecticut Avenue NW. Venable had secured his apartment with assistance from “Friendship Place,” an organization that helps homeless people get back on their feet. The victim, Venable’s case worker, had stopped by Venable’s apartment for a monthly check-in, as he had done for the past six months.
The victim knocked on Venable’s door for their scheduled check-in when Venable answered the door, holding a metal pole. Venable believed Friendship Place had been taking his Bitcoin and failing to help him with his bedbug infestation. Venable refused to allow the victim to leave until the victim called his supervisor. The victim called, but his supervisor did not answer. Enraged, Venable picked up an axe. The victim tried to leave, but Venable ordered the victim to “sit the f**k down” and that there was “no way you're leaving this apartment unless it’s in a million little pieces.” Venable told the victim, “I’m going to jail or I’m going to hell, and I’m not going back to jail.” After a tense negotiation, the victim’s supervisor called him back and convinced Venable to let the victim go. Venable was arrested the next day and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Augustin Horner.
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Virginia Man Sentenced in Traveling to the District Intending to Sexually Abuse a Six-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Brockerman, 35, of Herndon, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in prison in connection with traveling to the District where he intended to sexually abuse a six-year-old child, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Brockerman pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025, before Judge Randolph D. Moss to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual contact. In addition to the 96-month prison term, Judge Moss ordered Brockerman to serve 20 years of supervised release.
"Timothy Brockerman drove across state lines to the District intending to sexually abuse a 6-year-old child. He didn't fantasize, he acted,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will prosecute anyone who intends to harm a child and bring the full force of justice against them."
According to court documents, on April 21, 2025, Brockerman communicated with another internet user in an online chat group. Brockerman discussed his sexual interest in children. The other user stated that he was the father of a 6-year-old child. Brockerman indicated to the user that he was willing to travel to the District to sexually abuse the child.
On April 29, 2025, police arrested Brockerman after he traveled from his home in Virginia to meet the online user.
When Brockerman was arrested, law enforcement seized a cell phone that contained videos and images of child sexual abuse material. The phone also contained chats and text messages with other individuals that discussed the sexual abuse of children.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen and was brought as part of Operation Restore Justice and the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative.
In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Jury Finds Prior Felon Guilty of Aggravated Assault and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick Gladden, 55, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for shooting Christopher Seward during a dispute in April 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gladden was found guilty by a jury of one count each of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. Superior Court Judge Brandt Rainey scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2024, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the victim was standing on the first-floor patio of his friend’s apartment in the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE. Gladden, who lived in the apartment next door, saw the victim and confronted him about an ongoing dispute about money. He then pulled out a firearm and shot the victim in the chest one time. The victim suffered grievous injury and almost died. However, thanks to the Whole Blood Program, which had been launched that month, the victim received a blood transfusion on the ambulance and survived. Unfortunately, in April 2025, before having a chance to testify, Seward died of cancer.
After learning the identity of the shooter from the victim, police obtained an emergency search warrant for the defendant’s residence and located ammunition that matched a casing found near the location of the shooting, along with firearms accessories and a holster. Additionally, a neighbor provided Ring cam footage showing the defendant fleeing from the front door of his apartment after the shooting.
Gladden was arrested on July 4, 2024, and has been in custody since. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eliot Folsom and Natalie Anderson.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal ShootingRead 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 two Metropolitan Police Department officers for a fatal shooting that occurred on Nov. 14, 2025, and fatally injured a 41-year-old District resident inside a residence in the 4400 block of Reservoir Road, NW.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD. Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, on Nov. 14, 2025, officers were summoned to a residence in the 4400 block of Reservoir Road, NW. The police had been notified that an internal alarm had been triggered. The owner of the home was not home at the time and notified the police.
Upon their arrival, officers observed that the lights were on in the house and that there was someone inside. An officer went to the basement door and observed a male, later identified as Kevin Booker, in the basement. The officer identified himself and requested that Mr. Booker unlock the door. Mr. Booker ignored the request and left the basement area. The officers entered the house through an unlocked door.
While searching for the male, the officers loudly identified themselves and announced the presence of law enforcement. As one officer proceeded to the second floor, Mr. Booker emerged from a darkened room brandishing a knife and a screwdriver and charged at the officer. The officer immediately discharged his service weapon striking Mr. Booker. A second officer arriving at the landing at that point discharged an Electronic Control Device (ECD), commonly known as a Taser. Despite lifesaving efforts by law enforcement and an emergency medical team, Mr. Booker succumbed to his injuries and died later at a hospital.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
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.
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.
Arrest Made in Domestic Violence ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyjuan Bazemore, 35, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged for shooting and killing his former girlfriend Nyesha Tranae Walden-Hatcher in the early hours of February 2, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bazemore was charged with one count of second-degree murder while armed and made his initial appearance before Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond on March 10, 2026, where Judge Raymond found probable cause that Bazemore committed the offense and ordered that Bazemore be held without bond pending trial.
Bazemore will next appear before Judge Park for a preliminary hearing on March 20, 2026.
According to court documents, while Bazemore and Walden-Hatcher were in his apartment, Bazemore shot the victim once in the head, causing her death. In between the homicide and the date of his arrest, Bazemore fled to Connecticut. Members of the Connecticut Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force located Bazemore and assisted with his extradition to D.C.
At the time of this killing, Bazemore had an open domestic violence assault case concerning the victim. Bazemore was ordered, as a condition of his release, to stay away from her.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Dinan.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2026 CF1 003647
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Drug Overdose While in Police CustodyRead 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 two officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arising out of the death of a 56-year-old District resident from a drug overdose that occurred on July 22, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, Body Worn Camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, autopsy and toxicology reports, and reports from MPD.
According to the evidence, on July 22, 2025, two officers arrested Darrell Cox inside of a convenience store located in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. Cox originally followed one of the officers into the store after he had been acting erratically outside on the sidewalk. Cox’ erratic behavior continued inside. When the owner of the store requested that Cox leave, a minor altercation ensued, and Cox was placed under arrest.
As the officers were waiting to transport Cox, his physical condition began to deteriorate. An ambulance, which had already been summoned to the scene, arrived and Cox was placed in the care of the medical technicians. The decision was made to take Cox to the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center. Cox became completely unconscious shortly after arriving at the hospital. The physicians were unable to revive him, and he died on the scene. A subsequent autopsy revealed that Cox’s death was accidental and resulted from ingesting a combination of cocaine and phencyclidine (PCP).
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
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.
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.
Previously Convicted Felon on Probation Sentenced for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Charles Washington, Jr., 34, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in prison for illegally possessing ammunition while he was on probation, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Washington pleaded guilty Nov. 12, 2025, before Judge Reggie B. Walton to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Judge Walton ordered Washington to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Metropolitan Police officers responded at 4:05 p.m. on March 12, 2025, to the 2800 block of Alabama Ave. SE, for reported firearms.
Multiple individuals, including Washington, were gathered near a grey car. Washington was seen leaning on the vehicle. As MPD officers arrived, Washington took off running while holding his waistband. At one point, he stopped, hunched over a sewer drain, and appeared to toss an object down the drain. The officers observed Washington was no longer holding his waistband.
Shortly after discarding the item, Washington tripped and officers apprehended him. Officers went to the sewer drain, lifted the manhole cover, and recovered a black “ghost gun,” a privately made firearm with a Polymer 80 frame, with an attached Glock 23 slide and barrel, loaded with 12 rounds and one in the chamber.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case was investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
25cr75
Four Members of D.C. Gang Sentenced in Conspiracy Case that Resulted in Two Murders and a Non-Fatal Drive-By Shooting in Southeast, Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrico Johnson, 21, Ronald Henderson, 19, Daveon Robinson, 18, and Demarco Robinson, 22, were sentenced Friday in connection with three different day-time shootings that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. between April 2022 and January 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Derrico Johnson to 22 years of incarceration, Ronald Henderson to 22 years of incarceration, Daveon Robinson to eight years of incarceration, and Demarco Robinson to four years of incarceration on March 6, 2026. Each defendant was also sentenced to a period of supervised release at the conclusion of their sentences.
The government’s evidence indicates that on April 12, 2022, Johnson shot and killed Clayton Marshall (who does not appear to have been the intended target) and shot and injured another individual (who also does not appear to have been the intended target) during a daytime drive-by shooting at Shipley Market (a known hang-out spot associated with the “Deuce Deuce” crew). About six weeks later, on May 26, 2022, Johnson, Henderson, and a still-unidentified third individual traveled by foot to the Savannah Terrace Circle associated with the “23rd and Savannah” crew, where they shot and killed 16-year-old Justin Johnson aka “23 Rackz.” On January 2, 2023, Henderson and Daveon Robinson shot and injured two individuals who were standing outside Alabama Convenience Store (a known hang-out spot associated with the “23rd and Savannah” crew) in another daytime drive-by shooting in which the evidence indicates Dionzai Parker was also inside the suspect vehicle. The case against Dionzai Parker, the fifth defendant in this conspiracy case, is still active.
Each of the defendants, who are members of the Southeast D.C. “Get Back Gang” and/or “the Z,” previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder or armed crime of violence stemming from their involvement in a months-long conspiracy that included two murders and a non-fatal drive-by shooting that left multiple people injured. Derrico Johnson, Ronald Henderson, and Daveon Robinson also pleaded guilty to charges related to specific acts of violence. This crew is part of a broader group driving violence in Washington, D.C. over the past several years, known as “Fox 5 Gang.”
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Sellinger, Assistant United States Attorneys John Parron and Wes Faulkner, Jr.
2022 CF1 003590
District Man Pleads Guilty in Kidnapping of Two Victims at GunpointRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kaevon Sutton, 24, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty March 6 in U.S. District Court to federal kidnapping for leading an armed assault on two victims in Northeast Washington, forcing them at gunpoint into their own vehicles, and driving them across state lines into Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Sutton pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly to one count of kidnapping which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Judge Kelly scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2026.
According to court documents, about 1:44 a.m. on May 20, 2023, Sutton arrived with other individuals in a black sedan on the 4900 block of Quarles Street NE. Armed with a firearm, Sutton and his co-conspirators ordered two victims to the ground and assaulted them. Sutton visibly held his firearm as he searched the victims and struck them.
Sutton then forced one victim into the victim’s Nissan Murano at gunpoint while co-conspirators forced the second victim into a GMC Yukon. Sutton coordinated the operation, guarding one victim with his weapon while co-conspirators controlled the other. Sutton and his co-conspirators then drove the victims’ own vehicles — in a convoy together with their black sedan — across state lines into Bladensburg, Maryland.
In Maryland, Sutton and his co-conspirators forced both victims out of the vehicles, ordered them to remove their clothes, and directed them to walk into the nearby woods. The defendant and his co-conspirators then drove away in the victims’ vehicles, leaving the victims stranded in Maryland.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caelainn Carney and Joshua Satter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
25cr221
D.C. Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Stabbing and Killing a Man Defending a Woman and Her BabyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stephen Herring, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Friday in the killing of Marcus Thurman in August 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Herring pleaded guilty on November 7, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of second-degree murder while armed. On March 6, 2026, the Honorable Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Herring to the prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:10 am, on August 22, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department received a call for a stabbing in front of 140 M Street, NE. Upon their arrival, they found the victim, Marcus Thurman, unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from an apparent stab wound to the upper chest. Responding police and medical personnel conducted life saving measures as well as CPR on the scene. The victim was transported to Washington Hospital Center where on September 4, 2023, he died from his injuries.
On the day of the incident the defendant was involved in an altercation with a female victim that led to the defendant physically assaulting the victim. Upon seeing this, Thurman tried to intervene and protect the female victim. The female victim was also with her infant son who was in a baby stroller nearby. The defendant—obviously unhappy and enraged by Marcus’ attempt to protect the young woman—left the area and returned to the scene shortly thereafter armed with a knife. Surveillance video captured the defendant stabbing the victim and multiple eyewitnesses on the scene identified Stephen Herring as a suspect. Herring fled the scene shortly after the attack.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke, who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF1 005866
United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaints Against $15M in Funds Allegedly Linked to Iranian Oil Shipping NetworkRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice filed two civil forfeiture complaints today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against more than $15.3 million allegedly used to fund an illicit Iranian oil distribution network. According to the complaints, the funds are subject to forfeiture because they afford a person a source of influence over the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC Quds Force (IRGC-QF), and are intended to promote ongoing violations of U.S. sanctions imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). The IRGC and the IRGC-QF are designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The complaints allege that Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani (Shamkhani) has operated a network consisting of companies and individuals (the Shamkhani Network) engaged in selling and shipping Iranian oil and other commodities in violation of U.S. sanctions and obfuscating the source of the oil and role of Iranian persons and entities in the transactions. According to the complaints, the funds in question were being used to operate multiple distribution companies in the Shamkhani Network.
According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which sanctioned Shamkhani on July 30, 2025, Shamkhani is “the son of Ali Shamkhani, a top political advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran.” Ali Shamkhani is the former head of Iran’s National Defense Council, according to the complaints.
In sanctioning Shamkhani, OFAC stated that the Shamkhani Network “comprises a vast fleet of vessels, ship management firms, and front companies — some posing as legitimate financial services firms — that launder billions in profits from global sales of Iranian and Russian crude oil and other petroleum products, most often to buyers in China.” OFAC further stated that “[t]he network employs significant measures to disguise its operations and obfuscate its ties to the Shamkhani family, Iran, and Russia.”
“Under President Trump's leadership, we have ZERO tolerance for foreign actors using the U.S. financial system to prop up our nation's enemies,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This defendant was allegedly supporting the IRGC with millions of dollars in violation of U.S. sanctions — he will now pay a heavy price.”
“Today’s civil forfeiture complaints illustrate the Criminal Division’s steadfast mission to prevent Iranian-backed shadow companies from using the U.S. financial system to support terrorist organizations, in violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Tysen A. Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Shamkhani and the Shamkhani Network allegedly attempted to clandestinely use U.S. financial institutions to enrich themselves by evading sanctions on Iran and benefit Iran’s terrorist networks. The Department of Justice will use all of the tools at our disposal to prevent the U.S. banking system from being used in any manner to support Iran and its terrorist operations.”
“Shamkhani runs a vast network of shell companies used to evade U.S. sanctions and launder funds for the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s forfeiture actions reflect the National Security Division’s commitment to dismantling the illicit financial networks that have helped to enable Iran to oppress its own people at home and sow instability abroad, including through funding terrorism worldwide.”
“We will continue to aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime that has sowed instability and violence in the Middle East,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Working with our partners, we will dismantle the Iranian regime’s ability to fund its illicit activities by seizing and forfeiting any funds that the regime launders through the U.S. financial system.”
“Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani and his network allegedly violated U.S. sanctions by running an illegal scheme to sell millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil, and today’s forfeiture complaints seek to seize funds that would otherwise enrich Shamkhani and benefit international terrorist organizations,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI will not sit back and watch as criminal actors threaten the integrity of our financial systems and jeopardize U.S. national and economic security. With our partners at home and abroad, we will continue following the money and hold accountable all who attempt to undermine international sanctions and fund terrorists.”
“By working alongside our law enforcement partners, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is fulfilling its mission to investigate and dismantle illicit financial networks that attempt to circumvent U.S. sanctions and support foreign terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of the HSI Washington, D.C. Field Office. “The Shamkhani Network’s efforts to launder millions of dollars through front companies underscore the importance of our work to protect the integrity of the financial system and prevent funds from reaching dangerous criminals. I commend our HSI Washington, D.C. special agents for their hard work and dedication to this effort.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) remains steadfast in pursuing those who exploit the financial system to support terrorist organizations,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the IRS-CI Washington, D.C. Field Office. “We will follow the money, wherever it leads, to protect national security. Today’s filing demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system.”
According to the complaint filed in case 26-cv-802, $12,973,529 of the seized funds were intended for use by Wellbred Capital Pte, Ltd. (Wellbred) and its subsidiary Wellbred Trading DMCC (Wellbred Trading), two companies that were acquired and operated by Shamkhani and his associates to maintain a “brand” that was not publicly perceived to be affiliated with Shamkhani or Iran. As alleged in the complaint, despite this public-facing image, Wellbred and Wellbred Trading were actually operated by Shamkhani and his close associates, not the nominal leadership of those companies, for the benefit of the Shamkhani Network and Iran. Shamkhani maintained organizational charts and diagrams showing Wellbred’s place in the Shamkhani Network:
Complaint No. 1:26-cv-00802, paragraph 63 Complaint No. 1:26-cv-00802, paragraph 67According to complaint 1:26-cv-00807, $2,400,000 of the seized funds were intended for use by Sea Lead Shipping Pte, Ltd. (Sea Lead) and its affiliate entity, Sea Lead Shipping Agency India PV (Sea Lead India). As alleged in the complaint, Sea Lead and Sea Lead India were intended to provide shipping services to the Shamkhani Network. The complaint alleges that, as with Wellbred, Shamkhani maintained organizational charts showing Sea Lead’s place in the Shamkhani Network:
Complaint No. 1:26-cv-00807, paragraph 66The FBI Minneapolis Field Office; HSI Washington D.C. Field Office; and IRS-CI Global Illicit Finance Team (GIFT) are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Peter M. Nothstein and Trial Attorneys Mark H. Goldberg, Katlin K. O’Brien and Jonathan C. Lowry of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section (MNF); Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Barry for the District of Columbia; and Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Controls Section (CES) are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
Previously Deported Mexican Drug Trafficker Sentenced in D.C. for Role in International Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alfredo Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 27, a previously deported Mexican national, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 235 months in federal prison for his role in a multinational drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed wholesale quantities of fentanyl-laced pills across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rodriguez-Gonzalez, aka “Alacran,” of Rosarito, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Oct. 15, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.
In addition to the 235-month prison term, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Rodriguez-Gonzalez to serve 10 years of supervised release.
“Rodriguez-Gonzalez, a previously deported Mexican national, poisoned our communities with large quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in D.C.,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro.
“Law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of fentanyl traffickers that led to seizing more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms." U.S. Attorney Pirro continued. "Now this illegal alien can take the next 19 years to enjoy his new view of the America he worked so hard to infiltrate and undermine, from an American prison.”
Rodriguez-Gonzalez was one of 24 co-defendants arrested during 2023 in the District, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.
According to court documents, during the conspiracy Rodriguez-Gonzalez was a Mexico-based supplier to Los Angeles-area drug distributers of large quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. He utilized social media platforms, most commonly Instagram, to facilitate the importation of thousands of counterfeit “M-30” pills per shipment.
Rodriguez-Gonzalez previously had been deported to Mexico from the United States following a conviction in Utah for distributing methamphetamine. On Oct. 4, 2019, he was sentenced to 36 months in prison. On June 13, 2021, he was released and deported to Mexico.
From December 2021, Rodriguez-Gonzalez was a member of the conspiracy that eventually distributed an estimated 36 kilograms of illegal fentanyl in the U.S. He remained a member of the conspiracy until April 3, 2024, when he was arrested after illegally re-entering the United States.
The illegal fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills that Rodriguez-Gonzalez sold to multiple LA-based traffickers were resold to redistributors in Washington, D.C., area and elsewhere. Communications evidence, as well as physical seizures, indicate that he facilitated the transfer of hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris Y. McCranie of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) Section.
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
28
Santa Fe Springs, California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
22
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
Charles Jeffrey Taylor
22
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Aug. 19, 2025, to 98 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Raymond Nava, Jr.
21
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Ulises Aldaz
29
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Max Alexander Carias Torres
28
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”
36
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Dec. 19, 2025 to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
23
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Marcus Orlando Brown
30
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Columbian Thomas, aka "Cruddy Murda”
28
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden
36
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced May 5, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
24
Temple Hills, Maryland
Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
21
Alexandria, Virginia
Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
31
Alexandria, Virginia
Pleaded guilty Oct. 16, 2025, to Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
30
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced July 18, 2025, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”
40
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
35
Glen Allen, Virginia
Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
29
Alexandria, Virginia
Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Paul Alejandro Felix
27
Glendale,
California
Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
28
Cudahy,
California
Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”
27
San Diego,
California
Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Raul Pacheco Ramirez
31
Long Beach,
California
Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Giovani Alejandro Briones
32
Victorville, California
Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Alfredo Rodriguez-Gonzalez
27
Rosarito, Mexico
Sentenced March 6, 2026, to 235 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl
23cr73
Evidence photo.##
Previously Convicted Man Is Handed 8 Years in Prison for March 2025 Shooting Near D.C. Fire StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Davone Smith, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges stemming from a shooting in Southeast in March 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Smith pleaded guilty on December 12, 2025, to one count each of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On March 3rd, Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean sentenced the defendant to serve eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Smith was previously convicted and served a lengthy prison sentence for firearm and robbery charges stemming from an armed robbery in September 2009. He was released from prison in November 2024, appropriately four months prior to this offense, and was on supervised release at the time he committed this offense.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 11, 2025, a gunshot victim walked into D.C. Fire Emergency and Medical Services Engine 33 located at 101 Atlantic Street, SE. The victim was transported to a local area hospital for treatment, for injuries to his right shoulder. The victim was uncooperative and would not provide the exact location where he was shot. The victim’s wife arrived at the scene a short time later and stated that she was in their apartment when she heard people yelling for her, letting her know that her husband had been shot. She then transported the victim to the firehouse.
Officers were able to review surveillance cameras as they canvased the area and located the crime scene which showed a blood trail along the sidewalk of 20 Mississippi Avenue SE. Smith was identified through CCTV footage at the offense location which captured his face following the shooting. Smith was arrested on April 13, 2025, and he has remained in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll thanked those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Cook, who prosecuted the case.
2025 CF3 004115
Indictment Returned Against Man Who Stabbed Six People in Northeast in April 2025Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Andrade, 34, of Washington, D.C., was indicted this week on charges related to a stabbing spree on April 3, 2025, where six people were attacked with a knife in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“The indictment returned against Kevin Andrade sends a clear message: anyone who commits a crime in D.C. will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The senseless violence in this city must stop, and my office will continue pursuing justice and working to ensure the safety of our residents.”
Andrade was indicted on 24 felony counts, including six counts of assault with intent to kill while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The indictment includes enhancements for a third violent felony offense and for assaulting senior citizen victims. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years of incarceration if convicted of the enhanced charges.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 3, 2025, at the intersection of Montello Avenue and Meigs Place NE, Andrade was heard yelling at a woman before stabbing her on the right side of her face. The second and third victims were in the area visiting a family member, the fourth victim, when one of them observed the defendant pacing back and forth and screaming. Witnesses heard Andrade say, “everybody getting stabbed today,” and “I am going to kill them all.” Suddenly, Andrade ran towards the three victims and started stabbing all three of them. The second victim suffered a laceration to the left shoulder, left clavicle, and left torso. The third victim suffered two stab wounds to her back. The fourth victim suffered stab wounds to her lower left back and breast. A fifth victim, who observed the defendant run up to the group and start stabbing them, attempted to stop Andrade, but they both fell to the ground. Andrade was able to get on top of that victim and stabbed him, before walking away. The sixth victim was getting off of the D8 Metrobus on Montello Avenue NE wearing headphones and listening to music, when Andrade stabbed him in the back of the head. Each victim was treated for their injuries at local hospitals and survived the attack.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistants U.S. Attorney Nickolas Reck.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2025 CF1 003726
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Threatening Red Mass Attendees at St. Matthews CathedralRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Louis Geri, 41, of Vineland, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with threatening to detonate more than 100 homemade explosive devices on the steps of St. Matthew's Cathedral during the annual Red Mass attended by U.S. Supreme Court Justices and other senior government officials, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Geri pleaded guilty before Judge Randolph M. Moss to a count of Hobbs Act extortion by wrongful use of force, violence, or fear, and to a count of possession of an unregistered firearm (destructive device). Judge Moss scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2026. Geri's final plea will be accepted at sentencing.
“Threatening to detonate devices on the steps of a Catholic church—or any religious institution—is a violation not only of our way of life, but of the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Terrorizing people of faith will result in serious consequences and significant prison time.”
According to the plea agreement, on the evening of Oct. 4, 2025, Geri rode his motorcycle to St. Matthew's Cathedral, on the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave. NW, and erected a tent on the church's front steps. Inside the tent, he assembled more than 100 explosive devices he had manufactured from materials — including nitromethane, magnesium, charcoal, and thermite — purchased in Arkansas and assembled in Virginia. He also carried a nine-page list of written demands.
The Red Mass, a high-profile annual religious ceremony attended by members of the Supreme Court, Cabinet, Congress, and the diplomatic corps, was scheduled at the cathedral for the following morning.
About 5 a.m. on October 5, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers approached Geri's tent while patrolling the area before the service. When officers told him he would need to move, Geri refused and threatened to throw one of his explosive devices into the street to demonstrate its destructive power. He told officers that "several of your people are gonna die from one of these" if federal agents did not come to negotiate his demands.
Geri's written demands included hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to himself and others, extended accommodations at the Mayflower Hotel, an expatriation flight to Japan, and requests that the Supreme Court remove Arizona from the United States and declare it a “foreign enemy.” He also made numerous demands directed at leaders of the Catholic and Jewish faiths.
Law enforcement established a barricade around the tent and apprehended Geri about 5:53 a.m. when he briefly emerged. Officers found one explosive device in his pocket along with a butane lighter. A search of the tent revealed more than 100 additional devices. Testing by an FBI laboratory confirmed the devices were improvised explosive devices in operable condition.
Following his arrest, Geri waived his Miranda rights and described the devices as “grenades” and “rockets.” He admitted that he intended to use the threat of force to coerce negotiations and that he was willing to use the devices to harm people and property — including St. Matthew's Cathedral, the White House, the Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, and the Supreme Court.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division, with valuable assistance from the FBI's Washington Field Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Satter for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
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Maryland Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A complaint was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging Frank Olivarria, 35, of Maryland, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, starting on Aug. 1, 2025, Olivarria began communicating with a user on a dating application and subsequently an encrypted messaging application regarding his sexual interest in children. Olivarria stated during the exchange, “I really like cute toddlers man.” Olivarria then distributed approximately eight videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including one video depicting a child being bound. Olivarria was previously employed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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District Man Sentenced to 15-Year Prison Term for March 2024 Armed Carjacking in DeanwoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maurice Edwards, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for a March 2024 armed carjacking in the Deanwood neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Edwards was found guilty of one count of armed carjacking and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence by a D.C. Superior Court jury on November 21, 2024.
Edwards was sentenced to 15 years of incarceration for armed carjacking and five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, with those sentences to run concurrently, for a total of 15 years in prison. Armed carjacking carries a 15 year mandatory minimum sentence and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a five year mandatory minimum sentence. The Court denied Edwards’ request to apply the Youth Rehabilitation Act (“YRA”), which would have voided the mandatory minimums, noting that Edwards already once received a YRA sentence and was out on pretrial release for a separate gun offense at the time he committed this armed carjacking.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 11, 2024, Edwards drove a car through a stop sign and struck the victim’s vehicle at the intersection of a residential neighborhood at 48th Place and Lee Street Northeast, as the victim was driving home from work. Edwards and his then-girlfriend, co-defendant Auzsa Beatty, got out of their car and began yelling at the victim. Edwards then used a handgun to intimidate the victim, causing the victim to retreat from his driver’s side door, allowing Beatty to get into the driver’s seat of the victim’s car and drive off.
Beatty pleaded guilty to unarmed carjacking and was sentenced to seven years in prison on January 9, 2026.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Mark Levy.
2024 CF3 005662
D.C. Dentist and Hygienist Found Guilty in Scheme to Defraud D.C. Medicaid of $4 MillionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven A. Price, 69, of the District of Columbia, and Keidi C. Moore, 39, of Temple Hills, Maryland, were found guilty today in U.S. District Court of conspiring to defraud D.C. Medicaid of $4 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The jury deliberated for more than a week before finding Price and Moore guilty of conspiracy, health care fraud, false statements, and wire fraud. Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for June 29 and June 30, 2026.
Price is a dentist who operates the Washington Smile Center in Northwest Washington. Moore was employed at the Washington Smile Center as a dental hygienist.
“Price and Moore stole $4 million from a program designed to help people in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office is intent on cutting fraud, waste, and abuse by prosecuting those—like Price and Moore—who steal from government programs to line their own pockets.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning in January 2017 and continuing through March 2022, Price and Moore conspired to defraud D.C. Medicaid by submitting repeated claims for reimbursement for clinical crown lengthening (a surgical procedure) and space maintainers (a dental device used primarily for children) for services that were not actually performed. The defendants submitted so many repeated claims that in some instances, patients were alleged to have been provided more than 30 clinical crown lengthening procedures and more than 20 space maintainers over the course of only a few years. In total, their false claims caused more than $4 million to be paid out from D.C. Medicaid.
Wire fraud charges carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. The conspiracy and health care fraud charges carry a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, and the charge for false statements relating to a health care matter carry a statutory maximum of five years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Daniel W. Lucas Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The D.C. Department of Health Care Finance’s Division of Program Integrity provided valuable assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Sarah Ranney, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Carlos Jiminez Guzman.
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New Jersey Man Convicted for Driving Vehicle Towards Pedestrians near the Washington MonumentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jack Dessin, 43, of Mantua, NJ, was found guilty yesterday by a Superior Court jury for charges stemming from driving his SUV onto the sidewalk of the Washington Monument in July 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Dessin was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon with a senior citizen enhancement. The Honorable Deborah Israel scheduled sentencing for May 15, 2026.
According to the Government’s evidence on July 3, 2021, in broad daylight, Dessin drove his dark blue Ford Explorer truck onto the sidewalk of the Washington Monument grounds, where numerous pedestrians were walking and sightseeing. While the 68-year-old victim was walking, Dessin accelerated his vehicle and drove directly at the victim, who struggled to jump over the wall for protection and had to be pulled out of the way by a family member.
Dessin was arrested by U.S. Park Police on July 3, 2021. He is now held pending sentencing.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the U.S. Park Police.
This case was investigated by U.S. Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton and Kraig Ahalt.
2024 CF1 010048
Felon Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegal Possession of a Firearm While on Supervised ProbationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Terrance Kelly, 37, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for illegally carrying a firearm while on supervised probation, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kelly pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Kelly to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Special Police Officers (SPOs) detained Kelly on Aug. 28, 2025, for threatening one of the officers. During the encounter, Kelly voluntarily handed a small satchel he had been carrying to one of the SPOs. The satchel contained a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol with a 22-cartridge magazine.
Kelly has been convicted eight times for prior offenses between 2006 and 2025, including three convictions for driving under the influence, two convictions for assault, two convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm and convictions for both resisting a public officer and assault of a police officer. He was on supervised probation for a felony when he was arrested with the pistol in his satchel.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Naseef.
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D.C. Man Previously Convicted Under Youth Rehabilitation Act Gets 17 Years in Prison for Killing Man on South Capitol StreetRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Roy Jordan, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday for the shooting death of Gary Love III on November 20, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jordan entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Rainey Brandt on December 12, 2025.
On February 27, 2026, Judge Brandt sentenced Jordan to 17 years of incarceration, the maximum recommended sentence under the D.C. Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, to be followed by five years of supervised release. At the time of the offense, Jordan was on probation in Maryland for a July 2021 carjacking. He had also been previously sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act in Washington D.C. in a gun possession case.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 20, 2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Jordan walked into a store in the 4600 block of South Capitol Street, SW, to purchase some items. A few minutes later, Jordan ran out of the store and pointed a firearm at Mr. Love who was standing outside. A gunfight then ensued between the two men. Mr. Love was shot in the head and after all life-saving measures, he succumbed to his injuries the next morning. Jordan confirmed that, when he shot the victim, he was acting voluntarily and that he was not acting in self-defense.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF1 008881
D.C. Man Gets More Than 14 Years in Prison for Killing Man Following a Fight Between Two High School GirlsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Pena, 49, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on February 27, 2026, for the shooting death of Maurice Robinson on June 12, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On November 25, 2025, a D.C. Superior Court jury convicted Pena on one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and related firearm offenses. Superior Court Associate Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Pena on Friday to 14 ½ years in prison. Pena had two prior gun convictions and faced a maximum sentence of 60 years. The government requested a 25-year prison sentence.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 12, 2023, Pena’s daughter and her best friend agreed to fight each other to settle an argument they were having. Robinson was part of a larger group that had arrived to watch the fight. As the girls were fighting, Pena became angry and pulled a gun, shooting Robinson in the back four times as he was running away, killing him. A second victim was nearby but was not struck by the gunfire. Although Pena claimed he was acting in self-defense, no weapons were recovered from any of the victims.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen and Zach Horton, who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF2 003881
Judge Finds Probable Cause in Recording Studio ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keyonte Johnson, 16, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged as an adult with the first-degree murder while armed for shooting and killing 20-year-old D.C. resident Roy Bennett, Jr. on the evening of December 5, 2025, in Northeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On February 27, 2026, Judge Michael Ryan found probable cause for the charge of first-degree murder while armed and ordered Johnson held pending trial.
Johnson will next appear before Judge Ryan for a status hearing on March 26, 2026.
According to court documents, Johnson, the victim, and several other people were present in an apartment located in The Gantry – a luxury apartment building - near Union Market that was being used as a recording studio. As the victim was recording a song, Johnson, who was seated behind him on a sofa, began shooting. Johnson shot the victim seven times, including twice in the back of the head and twice in the chest. Johnson left the scene in a rideshare.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2025 CF1 017939
Fully Suspended Sentences Handed Down for Armed Carjacking in September 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Julan Byrd, 18, of Temple Hills, MD, was sentenced Friday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, stemming from an armed carjacking in September 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Byrd, who was seventeen years old at the time of the offense and who was charged pursuant to Title 16, pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025, to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. At Byrd’s sentencing on February 27, 2026, the United States requested a sentence of seven years of incarceration, the top of his sentencing guidelines, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Honorable Jennifer DiToro sentenced Byrd to a fully-suspended sentence of 60 months, with 12 months of supervised probation. The Court’s sentence was entered pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government’s objection, which permits a sentence beneath the mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration for armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Byrd’s co-defendant, Antonio Kent, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on January 14, 2026 by Judge DiToro on one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. At Kent’s sentencing, the United States requested a sentence of seven years of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court also sentenced Kent pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government’s objection, and gave Kent a fully-suspended sentence of 48 months, with two years of probation.
Byrd was in custody from his September 30, 2024, arrest until October 4, 2024, when he was released on electronic monitoring, over the government’s objection. Kent was in custody in Washington, D.C., from February 28, 2025, until January 14, 2026. Neither defendant will have to serve the remainder of his suspended sentence if he satisfactorily completes his term of probation.
According to the proffer of facts, on September 1, 2024, Byrd, Kent, and a third suspect approached the victim in the 5500 block of Jay Street NE, as he was washing his car. One of the suspects brandished a gun and took the victim’s car keys, and the suspects drove off in the victim’s vehicle. Byrd drove the vehicle to the Pentagon parking lot where the suspects bailed out and fled on foot. Byrd and Kent each discarded handguns while fleeing. When stopped by police, Byrd was wearing the victim’s key lanyard around his neck.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition, they thanked the Arlington County Police Department, Pentagon Force Protective Agency, and the Virginia State Police who made the arrests. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and former Assistant United States Attorney Luca Winer, who prosecuted the cases.
2024 CF3 009865; 2025 CF3 002116
United States Seeks Forfeiture of Oil Tanker and 1.8M Barrels of Crude Oil That Supported Iran and VenezuelaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A complaint has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to forfeit the Motor Tanker Skipper – a crude oil tanker seized by the United States on the high seas in December 2025 – and approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil cargo supplied by Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the state-owned oil company of Venezuela. As alleged, the Skipper and its cargo are forfeitable as property affording a person a source of influence over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).
“Under President Trump's leadership, the era of secretly bankrolling regimes that pose clear threats to the United States is over,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will deploy every legal authority at our disposal to completely dismantle and permanently shutter any operation that defies our laws and fuels chaos across the globe.”
“This forfeiture complaint for the M/T Skipper and its oil cargo demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. sanctions and thwarting hostile regimes who exploit the global oil trade,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI, working alongside our interagency partners, will continue aggressively identifying, disrupting, and dismantling the financial networks used by our foreign adversaries to fund terrorist organizations and destabilize international security. We remain steadfast in safeguarding both the integrity of the international financial system and the security of the American people.”
“We will aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran and relentlessly pursue ghost fleet vessels whose illicit oil shipments have served as revenue sources for the IRGC and its terrorist proxies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “With the continued seizures and forfeitures of tankers and related profits, we are sending a clear message that there will be no safe harbor for sanctions evasion – and that we will deny Iran the ability to fund terrorism through its shadowy maritime networks.”
“Because of the coordinated efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, a ghost tanker that for years secretly moved illicit oil from Iran and Venezuela around the globe has been taken off the seas,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s actions are an important step in making America and the world safer by disrupting the flow of millions of dollars to foreign terrorist organizations. The Criminal Division will continue to use every tool at our disposal to end to terrorist financing.”
“For too long, a shadow fleet of stateless and falsely registered vessels has operated with impunity while shuttling illicit oil around the world, generating billions in revenue for adversary regimes and foreign terrorist organizations,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “This forfeiture complaint reflects the National Security Division’s commitment to shutting down those networks and enforcing U.S. sanctions.”
“Homeland Security Investigations played a critical role in the investigation that led to today’s forfeiture complaint against the Motor Tanker Skipper and its illicit cargo. By leveraging our expertise, partnerships, and unwavering commitment to protecting the homeland, HSI helped disrupt a complex sanctions-evasion and illicit finance network supporting designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” said HSI acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “I am proud of the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by our special agents and law enforcement partners, whose collaborative efforts were instrumental in advancing this case. HSI remains committed to safeguarding national security and upholding the rule of law by targeting criminal organizations that threaten global stability.”
The forfeiture complaint alleges a scheme, between at least 2021 and the present, to facilitate the shipment and sale of petroleum products for the benefit of the IRGC, including the IRGC-QF. During this time, the Skipper moved crude oil from Iran and Venezuela and, through ship-to-ship transfers, delivered it to various locations around the world, including to other rogue regimes. The Skipper disguised its illicit activities by spoofing its locations, flying false flags and employing other tactics to obfuscate its routes and conceal its sanctions evasion. For example, as alleged in the complaint, in 2024, the Skipper delivered approximately three million barrels of crude oil from Iran to Syria. The Skipper continued to transport illicit oil from Iran and Venezuela into 2025, including loading oil from Iran at least twice in 2025. For its facilitation of illicit oil shipments, on Nov. 3, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Skipper (then named the Adisa).
The civil forfeiture complaint further alleges that the petroleum product, which was loaded onto the Skipper from Venezuela before it was seized, is part of the Skipper’s scheme to perpetuate its operations in support of the IRGC, including the IRGC-QF. As alleged, revenue from the sale of petroleum products supports the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism and both domestic and international human rights abuses. The ghost fleet, including the Skipper, plays an essential role in generating revenue for these regimes by moving Iranian and other illicit oil around the world.
Most recently, in November 2025, the Skipper loaded approximately 1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan-origin crude oil at the José Terminal in Venezuela. According to bills of lading, approximately 1.1 million barrels of the Skipper’s oil cargo were to be delivered to Cubametales, the Cuban state-run oil import and export company that was designated by OFAC in July 2019.
On Dec. 10, 2025, U.S. law enforcement seized the Skipper on the high seas pursuant to a judicially authorized seizure warrant. At that time, the Skipper was claiming a false Guyanese flag, rendering it stateless. The Skipper and its cargo were thereafter transported to the waters off the coast of Texas.
FBI Minneapolis Field Office and HSI Washington D.C. Field Office are investigating the case. Substantial assistance was provided by HSI New York Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Dilorenzo and Rajbir Datta of the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Josh Sohn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, and Acting Deputy Chief Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
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Twice-Convicted Felon Sentenced to 21 Months for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Cook, 27, a twice-convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 36 months in federal prison in connection with his illegal possession of a firearm while on supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cook pleaded guilty Sept. 24, 2025, before Judge Amit P. Mehta to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Mehta ordered Cook to serve 21 months for the felon in possession count and additional 15 months for being in violation of his supervised release. Judge Mehta also ordered Cook to serve three additional years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 12, 2025, about 6:30 p.m., a police officer was on patrol on the 600 block of H Street, NW, when they spotted a man fitting the description of a suspect in a robbery committed at the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. After radioing for backup, the officer followed the man to a Five Guys restaurant on the 800 block of H Street, NW. The man entered a restroom.
Officers knocked on the door of the restroom, announced that they were police, and ordered him to come out. Cook emerged. Police detained him and recovered a loaded Kahr Arms semiautomatic pistol inside the restroom trash can.
Cook previously was convicted of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence while armed and robbery in D.C. Superior Court. He also has a prior conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Bloss and James B. Nelson.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcSpree of Burglaries Yields D.C. Man Seven Year Prison TermRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daniel Holley, 59, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for charges stemming from three burglaries, which all took place within one week in June 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Holley pleaded guilty on December 3, 2025, to one count of burglary in the first degree in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel sentenced the defendant to serve seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 18, 2025, Holley entered the first victim’s home while the victim was upstairs by breaking a window and stole the victim’s bike. The victim saw the defendant exiting the house with the bike and began to follow. Holley made threats to the victim, who returned to the residence and called the police. The victim provided footage from his security camera which captured the defendant’s face.
On June 25, 2025, Holley was stopped by officers at the Shaw Metro Station. Also on that date, police received a report that Holley attempted to break into a second home with a crow bar, but ran away when he saw that someone was home. In another residence, several roommates reported multiple items, including electronic devices, were missing from their home. When Holley was stopped at the Shaw Metro Station he was found in possession of the stolen electronic items.
Holley was arrested on June 25, 2025, and he has remained in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll thanked those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ginsburg, who prosecuted the case.
2025 CF3 007187