District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Convicted Felon Found Guilty of Federal Firearm and Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor A. Brown, Jr., 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury yesterday of federal firearm and narcotics charges following a law enforcement search that uncovered drugs, a weapon, and ammunition in a residence located in the Petworth Neighborhood in Northwest Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Brown was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on September 19, 2019. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison. He will be sentenced on December 11, 2019 by the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 22, 2019, officers from MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team executed a search warrant at a rowhouse in the Petworth neighborhood. At the time the officers entered the residence, Brown was flushing marijuana down a toilet in a bathroom on the first floor of the residence. Inside of Brown’s bedroom nightstand, officers located a 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine loaded with ammunition. Officers also recovered fentanyl and cocaine base from on top of Brown’s bed and recovered various items used for drug distribution throughout his bedroom (including digital scales, ziplocs, a tray with residue, cutting agents, and razor blades). Officers also recovered more than $2,800 in U.S. currency on Brown.
“My Office’s top priority is the safety of the people who live in, work in, and visit Washington, D.C., and that means protecting them from the danger posed by illegal firearms. This case shows our commitment to doing just that. This defendant previously had been convicted of a serious crime and had no business possessing a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Liu.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers involved in the arrest and prosecution of Brown. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Laura Crane of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, and Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca.
Attorney General Barr Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possessing Six Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Russell Harrison, 40, of Temple Hills, Md., was sentenced today to nine years in prison for possessing six firearms in furtherance of his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Harrison pled guilty in August 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Judge Richard J. Leon sentenced Harrison to 110 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Harrison was arrested with seven other individuals in March 2018 in relation to a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base. Numerous defendants were also charged with possessing and distributing various narcotics, including cocaine base, cocaine, PCP and fentanyl, during the period of the investigation. The charges followed an investigation into narcotics trafficking in the Washington, D.C. area.
On March 15, 2018, during the execution of a search warrant on Harrison’s residence, FBI agents and members of the U.S. Marshals Service recovered six separate firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, a 50-round capacity drum, a firearm silencer, and drug paraphernalia. During his plea hearing, Harrison acknowledged that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Harrison’s conviction represents his fourth felony conviction. He was convicted twice before for trafficking narcotics and once for committing an assault with a firearm. Harrison was held without bond following his March 2018 arrest. While incarcerated at the D.C. jail, Harrison stabbed a fellow inmate and was subsequently convicted of assault and attempted possession of a prohibited weapon in the District of Columbia Superior Court.
Five others have pled guilty to charges in the case. They include Darnell Catlett, 46, of Upper Marlboro, Md; Brian Jenkins, 44, of Brentwood, Md.; Everette Reel, 46, of Upper Marlboro, Md; Jamal Curtis, 41, of Washington, D.C.; and Derek Holmes, 54, of Washington, D.C. Catlett, Reel, Curtis, and Holmes are now serving sentences. Jenkins has not yet been sentenced. Jenkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of incarceration and up to 40 years of imprisonment for his participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy. As the leader of the conspiracy, Catlett was sentenced on August 9, 2019 to 16 years of incarceration and 5 years of supervised release.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Special Agent in Charge Dunham commended the work of those who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. They also cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle and Teesha Tobias, Legal Assistant Emma Atlas, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and Kevin Rosenberg of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who conducted the underlying investigation, indicted the case, and prosecuted the defendants, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, who prosecuted Harrison’s prison assault matter.
District Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Murder Near Playground in Columbia HeightsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deontae Britton, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced on Friday to 22 years in prison for the murder of Dawud Debruhl near a playground and parking lot in Columbia Heights, Washington. U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made the announcement today.
Britton pled guilty on July 9, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of murder. He was sentenced on September 13, 2019, by the Honorable Craig Iscoe.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 28, 2019, Dawud Debruhl was hanging out with friends in the parking lot of the Columbia Heights Village Apartment Complex located in the area of the 2900 block of 13th Street in NW Washington. Britton approached Mr.Debruhl from behind while he was engaged in conversation and shot him in the back. Britton then fled on foot.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, the Third Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Evidence Technicians. U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity and Victim Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gauri Gopal for investigating and prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Subway RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Scotlund Haisley, 51, of Montgomery County Maryland, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for his role in an attempted robbery and robbery of a Subway sandwich shop, on two separate instances in January 2019, in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Haisley pled guilty on February 21, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one charge of attempted robbery on January 20, 2019, and one charge of robbery on January 24, 2019. He was sentenced by the Honorable Craig Iscoe.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 20, 2019, at approximately 6:34 p.m., Haisley entered a Subway sandwich shop on 4401 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., with a cap rolled down over his face. He walked behind the counter, placed an object to the back of a Subway employee’s head, and demanded the money in the register. The employee opened the register, withdrew about $300, and gave it to Haisley.
On January 24, 2019, at approximately 8:55 p.m., Haisley entered the same Subway shop on Connecticut Avenue wearing a full face mask. With his hand in his pocket, Haisley confronted the same Subway employee, told that employee that he had a gun, and demanded money. The employee opened the register and handed Haisley money who then fled from the Subway.
A review of security camera footage from the Subway revealed that the robber wore the same clothing, except for his face mask, during both robberies. A review of security footage from the nearby Van Ness Metro station showed that the robber was present in the Van Ness station on January 20 and 24, around the times of each robbery. On January 20, Haisley’s face was concealed by his mask, but on January 24, the mask was removed during at least part of his time in the Metro station, and he used stolen money to reload a SmartTrip card.
On January 26, Metro Transit Police (MTP) stopped Haisley at the Tacoma Metro Station. He was wearing the same clothing depicted in all of the Subway and Metro videos, and had two SmartTrip cards in his possession. One of those cards was the card that Haisley reloaded on January 24, 2019, after robbing the Subway. The other card was used to exit Metro at the Van Ness Station about 10 minutes before the January 20, 2019 robbery.
After he was stopped on January 26, 2019, two people who knew the defendant, called MPD to identify him as the person depicted in the video that MPD released.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Romano, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Executive Director of Military Charity Sentenced to 12 Months for Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Patricia Driscoll, the former executive director of the Armed Forces Foundation, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months and a day in prison for her role in a scheme in which she stole from a non-profit charity, defrauded donors, and lied to the Internal Revenue Service and the public about her salary and benefits.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Timothy Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office made the announcement today.
Driscoll, 41, of Ellicott City, Maryland, was found guilty of two counts of wire fraud and two counts of tax evasion, all federal offenses, and one count of first-degree fraud, a District of Columbia offense, in November 2018. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the period of incarceration, the Honorable Richard J. Leon ordered Driscoll to serve 36 months supervised release, a period of home confinement, 360 hours of community service, and to pay $154,289 in restitution and $81,779 in a money judgment forfeiture.
According to the government’s evidence, until July 2015, Driscoll was the executive director of the Armed Forces Foundation, a tax-exempt non-profit charity based in Washington, D.C. The foundation’s stated mission was to protect and promote the physical, mental, and emotional wellness of military service members, veterans, and their families.
“The mission of the Armed Forces Foundation was to protect and promote the physical, mental, and emotional wellness of military service members, veterans, and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. “Patricia Driscoll lied and decided to use the foundation for her own personal gain and schemes such as these undermine the work of non-profit organizations.”
While Driscoll was the executive director, in its promotions and requests for money, the Armed Forces Foundation claimed that 95% of all donations went directly to military members and their families through the charity’s programs. As a “highly compensated individual,” Driscoll’s salary and benefits were required to be disclosed on annual reports (called “Form 990”) to be filed each year with the IRS. These publicly available documents are often used by charity watch groups and donors to judge worthiness of the charity and by the IRS to determine whether the organization was operating with IRS law and regulations.
According to the evidence, Driscoll caused false reports to be filed on the Form 990s in a number of ways. For example, she failed to include the fact that she received commissions from fundraising, the amounts of commissions that she received from fundraising, and the other benefits that she received. Driscoll also falsely categorized and caused others to falsely categorize expenses in the Armed Forces Foundation’s books and records as being for the benefit of the veterans, troops, and their families, when, in fact, they were for her own private benefit. Driscoll also concealed from the foundation’s accountants the money she took from the charity, such as rent that was paid for the use of office space in a building that she co-owned.
Additionally, Driscoll falsely reported and caused others to falsely report the amount of donations received by the foundation on Forms 990, by inflating the amounts of donations and incorrectly listing the types of donations. According to the evidence, she sent false and fraudulent Forms 990 to members of the foundation’s Board of Directors and to the IRS, and caused to be published Forms 990, containing false and fraudulent information.
The jury found that Driscoll took the foundation’s money for her own personal use and to pay her for-profit business expenses. The tax evasion charges are for tax years 2012 and 2013.
In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Dunham, and Special Agent in Charge Jackson commended the work performed by Special Agents from the FBI and Revenue Agents from the IRS. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Tonya Jones and Katina Adams-Washington; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Paralegal Specialists Diane Brashears and Amanda Rohde; Forensic Accountant Bryan Snitselaar; Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas; former Paralegal Specialists Christopher Toms, Corinne Kleinman, and Kaitlyn Kruger; Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling; former Litigation Technology Supervisor Josh Ellen, and David Goodhand, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, who provided midtrial legal research and writing.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Virginia Cheatham, Kathryn Rakoczy, and Derrick Williams, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Dentist Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bilal Ahmed, 47, of Potomac, Maryland, pled guilty on September 6, 2019, to a federal charge of health care fraud stemming from a scheme in which he and others caused the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program to be defrauded out of more than $5 million.
The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Timothy Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, District of Columbia Inspector General.
Ahmed was indicted in January 2019, along with his former office manager, on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of health care fraud, and five counts of wire fraud. Ahmed pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to Count II of the Indictment and the remaining charges will be dismissed at sentencing. The charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Ahmed faces a likely range of 57 to 71 months in prison and a fine of up to $200,000. The plea agreement calls for Ahmed to pay $5,421,227 in restitution and $3,978,879.93 in a forfeiture money judgment. While the government has agreed to join in Ahmed’s request for a sentence that runs concurrently with the 16-year sentence that he currently is serving for sexually assaulting patients, that request is not binding on the Court. The Honorable Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for January 17, 2020.
According to the statement of offense submitted to the Court, Ahmed was a practicing dentist who owned and operated Universal Smiles, a dental practice, in Northwest, Washington, D.C. When Ahmed’s dental license was suspended by the D.C. Dentistry Board, and subsequently was surrendered by him, Ahmed opened and operated Dental Equipment and Services (“DES”). DES was a Maryland company that employed dentists on contract to work at Universal Smiles’ former business location in the District of Columbia. Through Universal Smiles and DES, Ahmed and his office manager, engaged in a scheme to enrich themselves by defrauding D.C. Medicaid, a health care benefits program jointly funded by the federal government and the District of Columbia to provide health care services to residents who meet the income qualifying requirements. As part of the scheme, Ahmed with the assistance of the office manager, applied to be a Medicaid provider. Once approved to bill Medicaid, Ahmed and the office manager sought to increase the dental practice’s profits by recruiting Medicaid recipients as patients. Ahmed and the office manager then billed D.C. Medicaid for thousands of provisional crowns that were not provided to the Medicaid patients and shared the fraud proceeds. From August 9, 2012, through February 26, 2014, D.C. Medicaid paid Universal Smiles approximately $12.4 million; and it paid DES approximately $1.2 million from November 17, 2014, though February 1, 2016. Of the more than $13 million that D.C. Medicaid paid to Universal Smiles and DES, approximately $5.4 million was for provisional crowns. Of the $5.4 million that D.C. Medicaid paid for provisional crowns, Ahmed obtained approximately $4 million from the fraudulent scheme and the office manager obtained approximately $1.4 million.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Dunham, and Special Agent in Charge Dixon commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Paralegal Specialists Aisha Keys and Brittany Phillips, Forensic Financial Analyst Bryan Snitselaar, and the DC OIG MFCU investigations team. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise A. Simmonds, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Bradford and Lionel Andre, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexually Abusing 13-year-old ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 39-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison following a jury trial for sexually abusing his 13-year-old stepdaughter, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, was found guilty on May 21, 2019, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release by the Honorable Ronna Beck. The defendant was sentenced on four counts related to the sexual abuse of his stepdaughter including first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. Following his prison term, the man will be required to register for life as a sex offender.
According to the government’s evidence, one night in the early summer months of 2017, the victim was on a futon with her stepfather’s nephew in her family home. The defendant, angry to find the victim with his nephew, pulled his nephew into the bathroom and scolded him. The defendant then walked toward the victim where she lay hiding under the covers on the futon. The defendant forcefully pinned the victim down while he groped her breasts and penetrated her vagina with his finger. The victim disclosed the sexual abuse to family members several months later.
In sentencing the defendant, the court made remarks on the familial relationship between the defendant and his young stepdaughter and credited the evidence presented during trial and the sentencing hearing that the defendant had sexually abused the victim in the past.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Children’s Advocacy Center. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Tiffany Fogle; and Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa S. West, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Sentenced for Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bradley Lane, 30, a former background investigator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), was sentenced today to 36 months of probation, including 6 months of GPS Electronic Monitor on one false statements charge in connection with his falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Thomas W. South, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management made the announcement today.
Lane, of Virginia, pled guilty on May 15, 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of making false statements. He was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan. As part of his sentence, he is required to pay $212,407.03 in restitution to OPM.
According to court papers, Lane was an investigator tasked with conducting background investigations on behalf of OPM’s National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB). NBIB conducts background investigations to determine suitability for federal positions of public trust, including positions having access to classified information and impacting national security. NBIB also conducts investigations for federal employees and contractors seeking security clearances.
Lane admitted that, in conducting these investigations between November 23, 2015 and October 24, 2016, he falsely claimed to have interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of the background investigation in at least 94 instances on 57 different background investigations.
Lane acknowledged at his guilty plea hearing that his false representations required OPM’s NBIB to reopen and rework background investigations that were assigned to him during the time period in which he falsified reports. The government estimated the cost of the recovery effort at more than $212,000 to the U.S. government.
NBIB, through its workforce of approximately 5,400 field investigators, is responsible for conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contractors, on individuals either employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. NBIB conducted more than 2.6 million investigations during the 2018 fiscal year. More than 787,557 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.
NBIB has a robust integrity assurance program, which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by Lane was detected through the program. This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2008 involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. Approximately 25 other background investigators and record checkers have been convicted of charges similar to those brought against Lane.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations South praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from OPM’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), as well as the Special Investigations Branch, and Executive Program Director of Integrity Assurance of OPM-NBIB. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section, who investigated and prosecuted this matter, and former OPM OIG Special Agent Samuel Peyton, who previously worked on the investigation of the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Wells, 48, of Southeast, D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for a federal firearms charge stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm on March 23, 2018, in the 600 block of Raleigh Place, Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Wells pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and one count of possession of phencyclidine (PCP) on May 23, 2019. The Honorable Richard J. Leon sentenced Wells today and required an additional 36 months of supervised release after Wells’ incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 23, 2018, at approximately 5:00 p.m., MPD was conducting drug enforcement operations in the 600 block of Raleigh Place, Southeast. Officers observed Wells purchase PCP from another individual. Wells, along with others, were stopped by police. In Wells’ left jacket pocket, law enforcement recovered a wet PCP cigarette, and inside of Wells’ backpack, they located a RG14 six-cylinder loaded revolver as well as 23 .22 caliber bullets.
At the time of his arrest, Wells had previously been convicted of a number of felonies, including the same charge—Unlawful Possession of a Firearm—out of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 2000. Wells had also previously been convicted of several narcotics trafficking offenses out of D.C. Superior Court.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham, commended the work of the MPD officers who investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosen.
Former Blackwater Employee RE-Sentenced for Fatal 2007 Shooting at Nisur Square in IraqRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three former security guards for Blackwater USA were sentenced September 5, 2019, for their roles in the Sept. 16, 2007, shooting at Nisur Square in Baghdad, Iraq, that resulted in the killing of 14 unarmed civilians and the wounding of numerous others.
The sentencing, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced today by U.S. Attorney Liu and Timothy R. Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Paul Alvin Slough, 39, of Keller, Texas, was sentenced to 180 months; Evan Shawn Liberty, 36, of Rochester, N.H., was sentenced to 168 months; and Dustin Laurent Heard, 37, of Maryville, Tenn., was sentenced to 151 months. All were found guilty by a jury on Oct. 22, 2014, following a 2 ½-month trial. On August 4, 2017, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia remanded the case to the district court for re-sentencing. The defendants were sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth.
The jury found Slough guilty of 13 counts of voluntary manslaughter, 17 counts of attempted manslaughter, and one firearms offense. Liberty was found guilty of eight counts of voluntary manslaughter, 12 counts of attempted manslaughter, and one firearms offense. Heard was found guilty of six counts of voluntary manslaughter, 11 counts of attempted manslaughter, and one firearms offense.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Lamberth explained, “We have 13 Iraqi citizens who were all innocent victims who were killed and 17 more who were injured. The defendants' orders were for self-defense, and they were firing wildly into cars. [Some of the victims were] turning around in the other direction. There was just wild shooting that could never be condoned by any court.” Judge Lamberth said that the sentences reflect “what kind of country is the United States. We hold our Armed Forces and our contractors accountable for their actions.” And he noted that “the government found and exposed and delivered to the world a trial where the truth of what happened in Nisur Square came out and was there for the world and the public to see, and I think the government of the United States deserves great credit for how the truth came out in this case and in this trial.” Judge Lamberth emphasized that he “squarely reject[s] any notion … that there is any question as to the factual guilt of each of the three defendants . . .”
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Northern Virginia Violent Crime Squad, which has extraterritorial investigative responsibilities, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
District Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Murder of Southeast ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antoine Little, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 17 years in prison for the 2018 murder of Southeast resident Curtis Barnum, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Little pled guilty in April, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Danya Dayson on September 6, 2019, to 17 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on October 9, 2018, the defendant, Antoine Little, approached the Valero gas station at 3710 Minnesota Avenue, Northeast, where he encountered the decedent, Curtis Barnum, who had stopped to put gas in his white pickup truck. After shouting at the decedent, the defendant walked over to the decedent’s pickup truck and entered it through the passenger side door. Within moments, the defendant stabbed the decedent in the chest with a knife. The defendant then opened the driver’s side door and pushed the decedent out of the truck. While the decedent lay on the ground, the defendant rifled through the decedent’s pockets and robbed the decedent of some of his belongings. The defendant then kicked the decedent’s feet out of the truck, closed the driver’s side door, and fled the scene.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Meridith McGarrity; Victim Advocates Karina Hernandez and Jennifer Allen; and Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gilead Light, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Home Invasions in Trinidad NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donte Watson, 33, of Washington, DC, pleaded guilty on Friday in a case where he was charged with 38 counts of armed burglary, armed robbery, armed kidnapping, and other violent crimes that he committed in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Watson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on August 30, 2019 to burglary while armed and kidnapping while armed. As part of the plea agreement he will serve between 15 and 27 years in prison. He will be sentenced on November 12, 2019, by the Honorable Robert Salerno.
According to the government’s evidence, over 11 days in November and December 2018, Watson committed 10 different home invasions and attempted home invasions in the Trinidad neighborhood of Washington D.C. All of the incidents occurred during nighttime hours when people were at home. In the instances where he successfully entered homes, he mostly confronted and robbed the occupants, usually with a weapon. In one case, he kidnapped two victims, taking them from their bedroom at knifepoint to go to ATM machines. Watson was on parole for a prior burglary conviction, where he likewise broke into an occupied Trinidad residence at night and robbed the victims, as well as two other convictions for attempted robbery.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Palmer-Ball, who prosecuted the case.
Tour Bus Driver Pleads Guilty to Killing Alaska Mayor and Mother in Downtown Washington Traffic FatalityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gerard D. James, 46, of Baltimore, MD, pled guilty today to two counts of negligent homicide stemming from a traffic collision last December where he struck and killed two pedestrians, including the Mayor of Skagway, Alaska, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
James pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia this morning. The plea calls for a sentence of up to two years in prison for causing each of the two deaths, for a total of up to four years. He will be sentenced on November 15, 2019, by the Honorable Danya Dayson.
The fatal traffic collision occurred on Thursday, December 19, 2018, at approximately 9:40 p.m. The victims, Skagway, Alaska mayor Monica Carlson, 61, and her 85-year-old mother, Cora Adams, had come to Washington to tour the White House Christmas decorations. Video from a DC Department of Transportation camera showed Mayor Carlson and Ms. Adams waiting to cross Pennsylvania Avenue NW at the corner of 7th Street near the National Archives. As the pedestrian signal changed, allowing the victims to cross, they walked north across Pennsylvania Avenue in the marked crosswalk. As the two were crossing, an Eyre Bus Company tour bus being driven north on 7th Street by the defendant, turned left onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The bus struck both pedestrians as they crossed. Both Mayor Carlson and Ms. Adams were taken to area hospitals where they died from their injuries.
The Eyre tour bus that the defendant was driving was equipped with cameras that captured video from two angles of the bus, a forward facing camera on the bus’s windshield and another mounted over the operator’s compartment. The forward position camera showed that as the bus traveled north towards the Pennsylvania Avenue intersection, southbound 7th Street traffic traveled through the intersection, indicating that when James executed the left turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue, the signal controlling his progress showed a left red arrow. The other camera, mounted over the operator’s compartment, showed that as James was turning left from 7th Street onto Pennsylvania Avenue, his cell phone rang and lit up. Simultaneously as James was turning left, he picked up the ringing cell phone with his left hand and transferred it to his right hand. As the video showed this, the impact of the striking of the two pedestrians could be heard on the video.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case from the Major Crash Investigations Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the case.
Area Man Sentenced to 86 Months in Prison for Sexually Abusing His Niece, Beginning When She Was 11-Years-OldRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 49-year-old man, formerly of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday to 86 months in prison on multiple charges for sexually abusing his niece when she was 11 and 12 years old, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, recently resided in Northwest Washington with his wife and children. He was found guilty by a jury on April 3, 2019, of four counts of second-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child with aggravating circumstances, and assault. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Craig Iscoe sentenced him to 86 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release with sex offender registration for 10 years.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, the victim lived in Florida with her mother during the year, but visited her father and his family in the District of Columbia every summer. When she visited the District of Columbia, she spent part of her time with the defendant and his family.
In the summer of 2016, when the victim was 11 years old, the defendant began sexually abusing her during these visits. The nature of his abuse escalated over time. The defendant pressured the victim not to tell, and she was afraid to disclose the abuse for fear of not being believed and of causing stress within the family.
Following the defendant’s final act of abuse in June 2017, the victim could not keep the abuse a secret anymore, and she disclosed the abuse to her aunt, the defendant’s wife. The victim later disclosed to her father, as well, and the abuse was then reported to the Metropolitan Police Department. The defendant was arrested in July 2017.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the work of members of the Youth and Family Services Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenechukwu Okocha, who investigated and indicted the case; Appellate Division Deputy Chief John Mannarino; Victim/Witness Assistance Unit Chief Sarah McClellan; Paralegal Specialists Brenda C. Williams and D’Yvonne Key; Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; and Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Loeb, who prosecuted the case at trial.
Former Government Consultant Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Woods, a consultant and independent contractor for a company that did business with the District of Columbia Department of Human Resources, pled guilty to charges that he paid more than $140,000 in bribes to a former D.C. government employee and that he stole payments on city contracts that should have gone to his employer.
John Woods, 57, of Sterling, Va., pleaded guilty on August 23 to one count of wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As part of his guilty plea, Woods agreed to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $564,910.23. The Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2019.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
According to the statement of offense submitted at the plea hearing, Woods worked as a consultant for a firm identified in the court documents as “Company A.” The firm had agreements with the District of Columbia Department of Human Resources (DCHR) to provide organizational skills training courses and human resources consulting to various D.C. government agencies. Woods was Company A’s main point of contact with DCHR and handled the submission of invoices.
According to the statement of offense, beginning in April 2013, and continuing through August 2017, Woods schemed to defraud “Company A” and the D.C. government.
As noted in the statement of offense, between April 2013 and February 2015, Woods stole $214,910 in D.C. government checks that were issued to “Company A.” Beginning in March 2015, Woods began usurping “Company A’s” role under the contracts by purposefully failing to submit Company A’s invoice to DCHR for payment. This led Company A to believe the D.C. government was negligent in paying its invoices, and Company A stopped seeking to perform work under its agreements with DCHR. Woods then secretly performed the agreements without Company A’s knowledge by hiring and retaining contractors to provide the necessary work to DCHR and by submitting fraudulent invoices to DCHR, purportedly on behalf of Company A, for payment under the agreements. DCHR would then issue payments in the form of D.C. government checks made payable to Company A, which Woods deposited into a bank account he controlled. In all, according to the statement of offense, Woods fraudulently deposited approximately 27 checks issued by the D.C. government to “Company A”, totaling approximately $1,040,023, from March 2015 through August 2017.
According to the statement of offense, in order to keep his scheme in place, Woods paid more than $140,000 in bribes to Latasha Moore, then a DCHR employee. As a resource allocation analyst for DCHR, Moore was the main point of contact for “Company A” and in a position to ensure that no complaints or suspicions about the contracts reached others in the government. For example, Moore failed to report problems that arose while Woods was managing the work, including complaints of contractors arriving late, leaving early or failing to show up at all for training.
Moore, 38, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty on Oct. 11, 2018, to a federal bribery charge. She is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Office of the Inspector General of the District of Columbia.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Marando, who prosecuted the case.
Former CBP Employee Pleads Guilty to Using OPM Data Breach to Falsely Claim Identity Theft to Charge-Off Legitimate DebtsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronda M. Young, 50, a former Management & Program Analyst for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection (CBP), pleaded guilty on August 12, 2019, before the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle, to one count of making a false statement, and one count of second degree felony fraud.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu made the announcement on August 12, 2019.
According to court papers, from April 2010, through November 2017, Young obtained and used credit from J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Barclays Bank and FedChoice Federal Credit Union, for, among other things, personal domestic and international travel, furniture, and to register for the CBP Trusted Traveler/Global Entry Program. Young then used the 2015 Office of Personnel Management data breach to submit a false complaint and affidavit claiming that she was the victim of identity theft and that she neither applied for, obtained, nor used, the credit for her personal benefit, which in turn caused the financial institutions to charge-off approximately $34,664 in legitimate debts. Young admitted to engaging in the scheme to defraud the financial institutions to improve her credit history in anticipation of an upcoming background investigation.
When CBP conducted Young’s five-year background investigation in March 2018, she made false statements to the agents conducting the interviews on two occasions. First, Young falsely claimed that she paid the debts in full and would provide documentation reflecting the payments. At a subsequent interview, Young claimed that she misspoke and said that she was the victim of identity theft from the OPM breach, the debts were not hers, and that she had disputed the debts, which should have been removed from her credit report. Young made the false statements to the agents knowing that she had lawfully incurred the debts and that the claims of identity theft were false. She also knew that her financial background and credit history were material to her background investigation.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those agents who investigated the case from U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Professional Responsibility. She also acknowledge the work of Assistant United States Attorney Denise A. Simmonds of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section, who investigated and prosecuted this matter, as well as Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips, who worked on the investigation.
District Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maxim R. Smith, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for assault with a dangerous weapon, and for beating a man approximately 12 months ago in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Smith was found guilty on June 19, 2019, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Smith was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant injury while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Kimberley S. Knowles.
“Today’s sentence holds Maxim Smith accountable for brutally beating a man,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “This prosecution vindicates the principle that everyone in our community deserves the protection of the law.”
According to the government’s evidence, on August 6, 2018, the victim was driving in his vehicle through Georgetown after a friend’s gathering. As he drove toward Wisconsin Avenue NW on M Street NW, he encountered Smith stopped on his bicycle in the middle of the right turn lane. The victim honked his horn, and Smith yelled expletives at the victim and did not move. The victim then passed the defendant on the left side in his vehicle, and at that point heard a loud thump on the back of his car. Assuming the defendant had hit his car with an object, the victim turned right onto Wisconsin Avenue NW and pulled his car to the side of the road. The victim got out of his car to inspect for damage and to call the police. Smith also turned right onto Wisconsin Avenue NW and rode his bike to Prospect Street. As soon as Smith turned back and saw the victim on the phone, he shouted to the victim, “Are you really calling the police?” and directed a racial slur at him. The victim is a black male from Cameroon, and the defendant is a white male. Smith then rode aggressively back toward the victim and got into a physical altercation with him. Smith then struck the victim on the head with a metal u-lock while yelling racial slurs at him. The victim required 21 stiches to his head as a result of the assault.
This was a brutal attack accompanied by explicit racial slurs. The Office charged the hate-bias enhancement, the jury hung on that charge, and the Honorable Judge Knowles was asked to consider the hate motivation at sentencing.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Korba and Alyse Constantinide.
District Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed in 2017 Shooting in Northeast, Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Garland Goddard, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for shooting a man in October 2017 near the busy intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Clay Place, in NE, Washington, D.C.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Goddard was found guilty by a jury of assault with intent to kill while armed and related assault and firearms charges following a May 2019 trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Juliet McKenna.
According to the government's evidence, on October 21, 2017, just before 9:00 p.m., Goddard walked over to the unarmed victim while he was sitting and talking with another person in the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. Goddard pulled out a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun and fired seven shots at the victim, who got up and ran for his life. The victim was hit twice, but managed to get away until collapsing on the street in the next block. He was taken to Prince Georges County Hospital, where he underwent surgery and remained hospitalized for weeks.
Shortly after the shooting, MPD arrived at the scene. The victim was unable to identify the shooter, but investigators recovered video surveillance footage from several local establishments that captured the shooting. Footage showed the shooter entering and exiting a black SUV shortly before and after the shooting. Investigators later identified the driver of the black SUV, and a search of the driver's apartment uncovered a 9-millimeter handgun that matched shell casings found at the scene of the shooting.
Goddard was arrested on a separate charge in November 2017, and has been in custody since that time.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Ahmed Baset, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Hulser; Paralegal Specialists Antoinette Sakamsa and Debra Joyner; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
District Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Shooting Man Outside His DoorstepRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamal Blocker, 18, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Friday August 23, 2019 for a shooting that killed a man as he stepped out his doorstep to walk to the store, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Blocker pled guilty in April 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna Beck. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, around 4 p.m., on Monday September 24, 2018, the victim, a 24-year-old- man, who had just finished basic training in the U.S. Army, was walking to the store with a 17-year-old relative. Just steps outside of their doorstep, Blocker shot four times at the young men – striking the victim in the chest. The victim succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead a short while later.
Blocker was arrested on October 2, 2018, after being caught with an illegal firearm in Maryland.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives, officers, and mobile crime technicians who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite and Victim Witness Specialist Jennifer Clark.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Jackson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder while Armed in 2016 Shooting and Solicitation of MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Quincy Green a/k/a Wayne Wright, 37, of Washington, D.C. pled guilty today to a charge stemming from an incident in May 2016 in which he shot another man multiple times, causing the victim’s death. Green also pled guilty to another charge, in which he solicited the murder of the girlfriend of a potential witness for the trial of the May 2016 murder, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Green pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of second-degree murder while armed and one count of solicitation of murder. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison sentence of 17 years. The Honorable Craig Iscoe scheduled sentencing for November 1, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, during the early evening hours of May 19, 2016, in the 800 block of Southern Avenue, S.E., the defendant followed behind the decedent, Dana Hamilton, as he walked down the street. As he approached Mr. Hamilton, the defendant retrieved a firearm from his person and shot the decedent multiple times. The defendant then fled the area.
Members of the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene, and Mr. Hamilton was taken to a local hospital, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead a short while later.
Following jury selection in the trial related to Green’s murder of Mr. Hamilton, on November 17, 2018, the Government disclosed the identity and plea and cooperation agreement of a witness expected to testify against the defendant. Upon learning this information. Green wrote a letter to another individual in which he solicited the murder of the cooperating witness’s girlfriend.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives, officers, and mobile crime technicians who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Lashone Samuels; Victim Witness Specialist Jennifer Clark; M. Laverne Perry, Lesley Slade, Tanya Via and all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; and Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, and William Henderson.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Willoughby, Jr. and Kevin Flynn, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty in 2008 Murder of Best FriendRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Astriane Horton, 37, pled guilty today before the Honorable Danya Dayson in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia to second-degree murder while armed and two counts of obstructing justice, in the killing of his best friend, Deon Coleman, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, Horton kept a gun behind his grandmother’s house, on Halley Terrace, SE, the location of which was known only to Horton, Coleman, and a mutual friend. When the gun went missing on June 19, 2008, Horton became upset and believed that Coleman had stolen the gun, and in so doing, had disrespected him. At that point, Horton began searching for Deon Coleman, eventually tracking him to Brandywine Street, SW, where Coleman lived.
Shortly before 10pm that night, Astriane Horton arrived at the Coleman’s home and confronted him in the street about the missing gun. After initially appearing to part on good terms, the two men had a brief exchange of words, during which, Horton accused Coleman of taking the gun, and Coleman denied taking it. Horton then reached through the driver’s side window of the car in which Coleman sat, threw punches, then pulled out a gun and fired four close range shots, striking Coleman in the face, neck, back and forearm, injuries from which Deon Coleman would not survive.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, and also expressed appreciation for the assistance of law enforcement in Cabarrus County, North Carolina.
They further expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman, Paralegal Specialists Alesha Matthews Yette, Meridith McGarrity, and Kelly Blakeney; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator LaJune Thames; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Supervisory Budget Analyst Nikiya Burnette, Budget Officer Natalie Hope; Litigation Technology Specialists Paul Howell, and William Henderson; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, they praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Vinét Bryant, who investigated and indicted the case and secured the guilty plea.
Tennessee Man Arrested for Making Threats to D.C. Planned Parenthood FacilityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Tennessee man was arrested today for allegedly posting threats online to “shoot up” a Planned Parenthood facility in Washington D.C. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee, and Timothy Slater, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Jacob Cooper, 20, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was charged with unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally transmitted in interstate or foreign commerce a communication containing a threat to injure another located in D.C. and elsewhere. Cooper made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alistair E. Newbern in the United States District Court, Middle District of Tennessee. A preliminary and detention hearing is set for August 26, 2019.
According to the criminal complaint, Cooper went by the username “Jacco” on iFunny, a website where people can share photos, videos, and discussion topics. On August 13, 2019, in response to a post made by another user, Cooper allegedly left a comment stating, “Make sure you tell them about how I plan to shoot up a planned parenthood facility in Washington D.C., on August 19th at 3pm.” Cooper allegedly left a separate post on August 13, 2019 stating, “If you are a member of the FBI, CIA, whatever, and are on my profile I will trace your IP address and kill you if the opportunity arises. And I am dead serious about this. I’ll do it with ricin, a bomb, or .308. Whatever it takes, then end result will be the same. I am serious about this. If I am personally contacted by any federal agents, I will do this. I will kill you. Again, I am serious. Sic semper tyrannis.”
Cooper faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Jones from the Middle District of Tennessee.
Former CEO of Virginia-Based Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $20 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Fraudulent Procurement of Small Business ContractsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Luke Hillier, the majority owner and former Chief Executive Officer of Virginia-based defense contractor ADS, Inc., has agreed to pay the United States $20 million to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently obtaining federal set-aside contracts reserved for small businesses that his company was ineligible to receive, the Department of Justice announced today.
“Small businesses serve a vital role in our communities and in the American economy,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will not hesitate to take action against those who fraudulently obtain contracts intended for small businesses.”
“This action reflects the government’s steadfast commitment to hold individuals accountable who knowingly participate in schemes that take advantage of small businesses and set-aside contracts to which they are not entitled under the law,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu. “The government expects people to be truthful in their dealings with the government, and the United States will investigate and pursue those that fail to live up to that expectation.”
In order to qualify as a small business, companies must satisfy defined eligibility criteria, including requirements concerning size, ownership, and operational control. The government alleged that Hillier caused ADS to falsely represent that it qualified as a small business concern when it failed to do so, including due to its alleged affiliations with a number of other entities. The United States alleged that, as a result of Hillier’s representations, his company was awarded numerous small business set-aside contracts for which it was ineligible.
The government previously resolved related claims against ADS for $16 million, and Charles Salle, the former general counsel of ADS, has agreed to pay $225,000 to resolve claims arising from his role in the alleged scheme. The government has also obtained recoveries from other related entities that were involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme. The combined settlements, totaling more than $36 million, rank as the largest False Claims Act recovery based on allegations of small business contracting fraud.
“The settlements in this matter demonstrate the excellent results stemming from the joint efforts of federal agencies, including the Small Business Administration, working with the Department of Justice in responding to allegations of fraud perpetrated by participants in SBA’s procurement programs,” said SBA General Counsel Christopher M. Pilkerton.
"When individuals knowingly make misrepresentations to gain access to federal contracts set aside for small businesses, they will be held accountable,” said Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “These settlements send a strong message that allegations of wrongdoing will find their way into the open and will be investigated. I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication in this case.”
“GSA contractors must be honest and forthcoming when doing business with the federal government,” said GSA Inspector General Carol Fortine Ochoa. “GSA OIG and its partners will aggressively pursue those who fraudulently obtain government contracts intended for truly small businesses.”
The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuit was filed by Ameliorate Partners LLP in federal district court in the District of Columbia and is captioned United States ex rel. Ameliorate Partners, LLP v. ADS Tactical, Inc. et al., Case No. 13-cv-1880 (D.D.C.). Ameliorate Partners will receive $3.6 million from the settlement with Hillier.
This matter was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Columbia and for the Eastern District of Virginia, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General and the General Services Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Former CEO of Virginia-Based Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $20 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Fraudulent Procurement of Small Business ContractsRead the Press Release
Luke Hillier, the majority owner and former Chief Executive Officer of Virginia-based defense contractor ADS, Inc., has agreed to pay the United States $20 million to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently obtaining federal set-aside contracts reserved for small businesses that his company was ineligible to receive, the Department of Justice announced today.
“Small businesses serve a vital role in our communities and in the American economy,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will not hesitate to take action against those who fraudulently obtain contracts intended for small businesses.”
“This action reflects the government’s steadfast commitment to hold individuals accountable who knowingly participate in schemes that take advantage of small businesses and set-aside contracts to which they are not entitled under the law,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu. “The government expects people to be truthful in their dealings with the government, and the United States will investigate and pursue those that fail to live up to that expectation.”
In order to qualify as a small business, companies must satisfy defined eligibility criteria, including requirements concerning size, ownership, and operational control. The government alleged that Hillier caused ADS to falsely represent that it qualified as a small business concern when it failed to do so, including due to its alleged affiliations with a number of other entities. The United States alleged that, as a result of Hillier’s representations, his company was awarded numerous small business set-aside contracts for which it was ineligible.
The government previously resolved related claims against ADS for $16 million, and Charles Salle, the former general counsel of ADS, has agreed to pay $225,000 to resolve claims arising from his role in the alleged scheme. The government has also obtained recoveries from other related entities that were involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme. The combined settlements, totaling more than $36 million, rank as the largest False Claims Act recovery based on allegations of small business contracting fraud.
“The settlements in this matter demonstrate the excellent results stemming from the joint efforts of federal agencies, including the Small Business Administration, working with the Department of Justice in responding to allegations of fraud perpetrated by participants in SBA’s procurement programs,” said SBA General Counsel Christopher M. Pilkerton.
“When individuals knowingly make misrepresentations to gain access to federal contracts set aside for small businesses, they will be held accountable,” said Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “These settlements send a strong message that allegations of wrongdoing will find their way into the open and will be investigated. I want to thank the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication in this case.”
“GSA contractors must be honest and forthcoming when doing business with the federal government,” said GSA Inspector General Carol Fortine Ochoa. “GSA OIG and its partners will aggressively pursue those who fraudulently obtain government contracts intended for truly small businesses.”
The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuit was filed by Ameliorate Partners LLP in federal district court in the District of Columbia and is captioned United States ex rel. Ameliorate Partners, LLP v. ADS Tactical, Inc. et al., Case No. 13-cv-1880 (D.D.C.). Ameliorate Partners will receive $3.6 million from the settlement with Hillier.
This matter was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Columbia and for the Eastern District of Virginia, with assistance from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General and the General Services Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Metro Transit RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jordan Lassiter, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for robbing commuters on the Metro Transit system in two separate incidents in February and March 2019, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Lassiter was sentenced by the Honorable J. Michael Ryan, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Once Lassiter is released from prison, he will be placed on supervised release for three years. Judge Ryan denied the defendant’s request to be sentenced under the District’s Youth Rehabilitation Act. Lassiter also received an additional 30-day sentence for committing a domestic violence assault.
Lassiter pleaded guilty in May 2019 to one count of attempted robbery. He subsequently pleaded guilty on his sentencing date to one count of assault with intent to rob. According to the government’s evidence, on February 19, 2019, at approximately 10:37 pm, Lassiter and an accomplice boarded a Metro Bus heading northbound on Georgia Avenue, NW. Lassiter and his accomplice sat near the victim, a commuter returning home from work in downtown Washington, D.C., near the front of the bus. A few minutes later, the victim got off the bus at the intersection of Georgia Avenue, NW, and Webster Street, NW, and Lassiter and his accomplice followed. After following the victim on foot to the back of his residence, Lassiter and his accomplice ran up behind the victim, punched him in the right eye, and delivered at least four knee strikes to the victim’s head. The victim stumbled into the rear of his residence, but Lassiter and his accomplice pursued, continuing to punch and kick the victim as he fell to the ground. Lassiter and his accomplice stole the victim’s wallet, cell phone, ear buds, and jacket, then fled the scene.
A month later, on March 16, 2019, at approximately 3:42 p.m., the second commuter victim was standing alone on the outdoor platform of the Fort Totten Metro station, at 550 Galloway Street, NW, waiting for a northbound Red Line Metro train. Lassiter and two accomplices approached and confronted the victim, with Lassiter standing so close to the victim that their bodies were nearly touching. Lassiter asked the victim if he was scared, and then demanded the victim’s cell phone. After obtaining the cell phone, Lassiter forced the victim to tell Lassiter the phone’s passcode. Lassiter then told the victim to get on the next train and not to call the police. Lassiter pointed at the next Red Line train arriving at the station, which was going in the opposite direction as the victim intended to travel, and ordered the victim to board. One of Lassiter’s accomplices held the train’s door open while Lassiter escorted the victim onto the train. Lassiter and his accomplices remained at Fort Totten while the train with the victim on it left the station.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD). She also acknowledged the efforts of those who investigated and prosecuted the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hobel of the Major Crimes Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted Lassiter’s domestic violence case.
Unsealed Warrant and Forfeiture Complaint Seek Seizure of Oil Tanker “Grace 1” for Unlawful Use of U.S. Financial System to Support and Finance Sale of Oil Products to SyriaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A seizure warrant and forfeiture complaint were unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that Oil Tanker “Grace 1,” all petroleum aboard it and $995,000.00 are subject to forfeiture based on violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), bank fraud statute, and money laundering statute, as well as separately the terrorism forfeiture statute.
John Demers, Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, Jessie K. Liu, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Steven W. Cagen, Special Agent in Charge, Denver, Colorado, Homeland Security Investigations; and Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement.
The documents allege a scheme to unlawfully access the U.S. financial system to support illicit shipments to Syria from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The scheme involves multiple parties affiliated with the IRGC and furthered by the deceptive voyages of the Grace 1. A network of front companies allegedly laundered millions of dollars in support of such shipments.
A seizure warrant and a forfeiture complaint are merely allegations. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
In announcing the forfeiture complaint and seizure warrant, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from HSI and FBI. They also expressed appreciation for the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance in this case. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui and Brian Hudak and National Security Division Trial Attorney David Lim who are handling this matter, with assistance from Paralegal Elizabeth Swinec and Brian Rickers, and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick from the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the District of Columbia.
Unsealed Warrant and Forfeiture Complaint Seek Seizure of Oil Tanker “Grace 1” for Unlawful Use of U.S. Financial System to Support and Finance IRGC’s Sale of Oil Products to SyriaRead the Press Release
A seizure warrant and forfeiture complaint were unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that Oil Tanker “Grace 1,” all petroleum aboard it and $995,000.00 are subject to forfeiture based on violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), bank fraud statute, and money laundering statute, as well as separately the terrorism forfeiture statute.
John Demers, Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, Jessie K. Liu, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Steven W. Cagen, Special Agent in Charge, Denver, Colorado, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge, Minneapolis, Minnesota, FBI, made the announcement.
The documents allege a scheme to unlawfully access the U.S. financial system to support illicit shipments to Syria from Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The scheme involves multiple parties affiliated with the IRGC and furthered by the deceptive voyages of the Grace 1. A network of front companies allegedly laundered millions of dollars in support of such shipments.
A seizure warrant is merely an allegation. Every criminal defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty, and the burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from HSI and FBI. They also expressed appreciation for the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance in this case. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Faruqui and Hudak and National Security Division Trial Attorney David Lim who are handling this matter, with assistance from Paralegal Liz Swinec and Brian Rickers, and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Fatal Shooting in Southwest D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joshua Lamar Artis, 29, also known as “K.O” (Knock-Out), of Dale City and Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison, concurrent to the sentence he is currently serving for a gun offense in Prince William County, Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The sentencing followed a guilty plea that Artis entered to second-degree murder on July 24, 2019. The guilty plea was entered pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(C) of the Superior Court Rules of Criminal Procedure, and the government and Artis agreed that Artis would serve a sentence of 240 months or 20 years in prison, concurrent to the sentence that he currently is serving in Prince William County, Virginia.
Artis’s guilty plea stemmed from the shooting death of Ryan Addison in the area of Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue and Elmira Street, S.W., at about 12:22 a.m., on Tuesday, August 11, 2015. The sentence imposed by Judge Ronna Lee Beck, means that Artis, who concludes his sentence in Prince William County, Virginia, on or about December 15, 2021, will have to serve another 232 months, or seventeen (17) years and eight (8) months in prison, followed by five (5) years of supervised release, after he completes the sentence he is currently serving.
The government’s evidence showed that in the summer of 2015, Artis and others were members of the United Blood Nation (U.B.N. commonly referred to as the “Bloods”) criminal street gang. U.B.N. was established in 1993 and is one of the largest criminal street gangs operating in the United States. Among the several factions, or “hoods” or “sets,” that comprise the U.B.N. are the Imperial Gangster Bloods (I.G.B.). There are specific rules and protocols which govern how U.B.N. gang members are to conduct themselves. The failure to abide by those rules and protocols can result in the imposition of sanctions including loss of rank, excommunication from the gang, and even death. Committing an act of violence, such as murder, on behalf of the U.B.N. or a U.B.N. leader is one way for a gang member to promote, further, or assist in gaining rank within the gang. The leader of the Northern Virginia I.G.B., based in Woodbridge, Virginia, and two other highly ranked IGB members, cooperated in the investigation. Artis, who was recruited into the Northern Virginia I.G.B. hood by the IGB leader, held the lowest rank of “Foot Soldier.”
On June 28, 2015, Rodney Delonte Davis, a.k.a. “Lo,” who was a friend and associate of both the leader of IGB and Artis, was shot and killed in the area of Galveston Place, S.W. The leader of IGB considered “Lo” a close friend whom he had known for several years. Artis had known and associated with “Lo,” but was not as close to him as the IGB leader. The IGB leader and Artis had information that the person responsible for killing “Lo” lived in the area where “Lo” was killed on Galveston Place, S.W. In the weeks following “Lo’s” murder, the IGB leader discussed with subordinate gang members, to include Arits and others, the possibility of retaliating against “Lo’s” killer.
On the night of August 10, 2015, Artis told the IGB leader that he planned to retaliate against “Lo’s” killer. The IGB leader, who had the power to sanction or prevent a subordinate gang member from committing an act of violence, authorized Artis to commit the retaliation murder. That same night, Artis, and two others, to include an IGB member, drove a rental car to N.W., Washington, D.C., and met with another IGB member at a BP gas station. There, Artis discussed with two other IGB members his desire to commit the retaliation murder. Artis was armed at the time with a 9mm High Point semi-automatic handgun that belonged to another IGB member. Artis and two others, including one IGB member, then drove in a rental car to the area of Galveston Place, S.W. Minutes after arriving, at around 12:20 a.m., on August 11, 2015, Artis slowly drove up next to Ryan Addison, who was walking in the area of Elmira Street and Martin Luther King, Jr., Avenue, S.W., just blocks away from Galveston Place, S.W. Artis opened fire at Addison, who then briefly ran down the 200 block of Elmira Street, S.W. before collapsing. Addison sustained four gunshot wounds to the back and was pronounced dead hours later. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
After committing the murder, Artis went with another person to the IGB leader’s home in Virginia where he told the IGB leader that he had shot someone in the area where “Lo’s” killer was believed to reside. Artis subsequently requested and attained a promotion in rank within the gang for committing the murder.
After his arrest in 2016, Artis stated on a recorded jail call that “I put a lot of shit on the line for [the leader of the IGB] that I shouldn’t have. I did it out of loyalty.” In another jail call recorded in 2016, the defendant referenced “Lo,” and how, “I did a little somethin’ somethin’, out the city, you know, on that behalf,” and that “[two witnesses were] with me. . .. They ain’t do nothing though. They was just out there.”
At the sentencing hearing, the Court heard statements from Karen Herbert, Ryan Addison’s mother, Christopher Herbert, Ryan’s older brother, Cortez Addison, Ryan’s younger brother and Caesar Bowman, a close friend of Ryan.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, the Seventh Police Districts of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Evidence Technicians. She also commended the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Prince William County, Virginia, Police Department, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg, North Carolina, Police Department. As well, U.S. Attorney Liu expressed appreciation of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Durand Odom and Mark Crawford, Paralegal Specialist Debra Joyner, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Litigation Technology Chief Leif Hickling, Victim Witness Supervisor Katina Adams-Washington, Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and the summer interns and law clerks of the Homicide Section.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Barker, Ahmed M. Baset, and Michael D. Brittin for investigating and prosecuting the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Crack Cocaine and Maintaining a Northeast, D.C. Stash Residence and ArsenalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Tobias, 37 of Southeast D.C., pled guilty today to trafficking crack cocaine and maintaining a stash residence and arsenal, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Tobias pled guilty before the Honorable Beryl A. Howell in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base. Tobias faces a mandatory minimum of five years of incarceration and up to 40 years of incarceration. Chief Judge Howell scheduled Tobias’ sentencing for October 25, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, in June 2018, ATF agents and MPD officers began investigating the trafficking of narcotics from the 5200 block of Sheriff Road, Northeast, by narcotics traffickers that included Tobias. That block intersects the 900 block of 52nd Street, Northeast. During the investigation, law enforcement purchased 75 grams of crack cocaine from Tobias.
During certain of the drug purchases, Tobias would utilize a laundry room in the basement of 927 52nd Street, Northeast, in which to conduct his drug transactions. Video from the controlled purchases showed Tobias laying crack cocaine on the washer/dryer while counting the money provided by law enforcement for the drug purchases. As part of his plea, Tobias also acknowledged to using an apartment inside of 927 52nd Street, Northeast, to store, prepare, and package narcotics.
On May 21, 2019, during a search of the apartment pursuant to a warrant, ATF and MPD officers recovered eight digital scales, approximately $4,000 in U.S. currency, numerous forms of packaging material consistent with drug trafficking, such as, sandwich bags and unused ziplocs, three BB guns (two in pistol format, one in rifle format), and extensive quantities of marijuana and marijuana edibles for distribution. Tobias used the apartment to traffic narcotics with the assistance of another occupant, who was present at the residence during the search warrant. The occupant also had keys that led to an electrical closet in the basement laundry room, where a firearm and a small arsenal was recovered. In a ceiling crawl space, ATF and MPD officers recovered: (i) a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol; (ii) eleven magazines, with a number of extended magazines, some of which were loaded; (iii) 862 rounds of ammunition in eight different calibers; (iv) a digital scale; (v) empty ziplocs for the packaging of narcotics; and (vi) firearm and ammunition boxes. The occupant, who assisted Tobias in the trafficking of narcotics from the stash residence, was murdered on July 9, 2019 while sitting in a vehicle two blocks away from the stash residence.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case, and acknowledged the assistance of the Uniform Division of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s laboratory, who assisted with the recovery of evidence and the fingerprint and DNA analysis of that evidence. They also cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialist Candace Battle, Legal Assistant Peter Gaboton, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and Laura Crane of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who conducted the underlying investigation, indicted the case, and prosecuted Tobias.
District Clergy Member Found Guilty of Multiple Counts of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Urbano Vazquez, 47 of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of committing four counts of child sexual abuse against to two children in his parish from 2015 to 2017, in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
The guilty verdicts were returned Thursday, August 15, 2019, following a nine-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Juliet McKenna scheduled sentencing for November 22, 2019.
The government’s evidence established that between on or about April 1, 2015 and May 31, 2015, Vazquez molested a 13-year-old girl while speaking with her in a parish office. In addition, between June 2016 and August 2017, Vazquez kissed and molested a separate 9-to-10-year-old girl in various places on church grounds, including near the church confessionals, in the church basement, and in the church sacristy. The jury also heard testimony from an additional teenage girl who Vazquez kissed in a church conference room.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Department of Forensic Sciences Leica Team. She also acknowledged the efforts of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Juanita Harris Tracy Owusu, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Lynda Randolph, Paralegal Tiffany Jones, Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Trosman, Chrisellen Kolb, and Elizabeth Danello, Deputy Chief Mark O’Brien, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Creighton, and interns Aquila Maliyekkal and Rustin Armknecht. In addition, she appreciated the assistance of Elizabeth Dewar, Assistant Chief Counsel, Department of Homeland Security. She also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Matt Williams and Sharon Marcus-Kurn, who investigated and prosecuted the case. Finally, she expressed appreciation for the support of members of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and the Archdiocese of Washington.
Ms. Liu also notes that on October 22, 2018, the Superior Court Division’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section and the Victim Witness Assistance Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched a hotline and e-mail address for survivors to report child sexual abuse by clergy. She continues to encourage survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy who wish to share their experiences and/or those who have knowledge of such abuse are encouraged to report these incidents to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for potential criminal investigation and prosecution, as a part of the Office’s Superior Court Division intake process.
Survivors of child sexual abuse by a clergy member that took place in a house of worship, school, or other location in the District of Columbia can call the Clergy Abuse Reporting Line at 202-252-7008 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Survivors can access further information by visiting the following website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/victim-witness-assistance/report-clergy-abuse
All reports will be reviewed and a team of experienced criminal investigators, prosecutors, and victim advocates from the Superior Court Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office will determine whether any criminal charges can be brought or victim services provided. The victim advocates, who are part of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, are available to offer support and guidance to survivors who wish to report.
Depending on the nature of the report, some information may be referred to law enforcement or the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
Individuals in need of police assistance or wishing to report any other criminal activity or sexual assault or abuse should call 911.
Former Blackwater Employee Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Murder in 2007 Shooting at Nisur Square in IraqRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nicholas Slatten, 35, a former security guard for Blackwater USA, was sentenced today to life in prison without parole for committing first-degree murder in the killing of Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia’y, one of 14 unarmed civilians who were killed in a shooting by Blackwater guards that took place at Nisur Square in Bagdhad on Sept. 16, 2007.
The announcement was made by Jessie K. Liu, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and Timothy Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Slatten, formerly of Sparta, Tenn., was initially found guilty of the murder charge in October 2014, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth to life in prison.
Three other former guards for Blackwater USA were found guilty in the 2014 trial, of voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and other charges. Slatten subsequently was sentenced in April 2015 to a mandatory term of life in prison without parole; the co-defendants were each sentenced to 30 years and one day in prison.
The defendants appealed the convictions. In August 2017, the District of Columbia Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed Slatten’s conviction. The appeals court also ordered Slatten’s three co-defendants -- Paul Alvin Slough, Evan Shawn Liberty, and Dustin Laurent Heard -- to be re-sentenced for their roles in the crime. Slough, Liberty and Heard remain in custody and their re-sentencing proceedings are scheduled for September 5, 2019, before Judge Lamberth.
Slatten initially was retried on the murder charge last summer but a mistrial was declared on Sept. 5, 2018, after that jury was unable to reach a verdict. The second retrial began on Nov. 5, 2018, and the jury reached the guilty verdict on its fifth day of deliberations.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately noon on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, several Blackwater security contractors, including Slatten and his former co-defendants, opened fire in and around Nisur Square, a busy traffic circle in the heart of Baghdad.
When they stopped shooting, 14 Iraqi civilians were dead. Those killed included 10 men, two women, and two boys, ages 9 and 11. At least another 17 victims were injured. According to the evidence, Slatten was the first to fire, without provocation, killing Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia’y, an aspiring doctor, who was driving his mother to an appointment.
Slatten was among 19 Blackwater security contractors assigned to a convoy of four heavily-armed trucks known as a Tactical Support Team, using the call sign “Raven 23.” Shortly before noon, Raven 23 learned that a car bomb had detonated in central Baghdad near a location where a U.S official was being escorted by a Blackwater personal security detail team. Raven 23 team members promptly reported to their convoy vehicles, and the convoy drove to a secured checkpoint between the Green Zone and Red Zone.
Once there, in disregard of an order from Blackwater’s command, the team’s shift leader directed Raven 23 to leave the Green Zone and establish a blockade in Nisur Square, a busy traffic circle that was immediately adjacent to the Green Zone. All told, seven of the 19 members of Raven 23 fired their weapons.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, and Special Agent in Charge Dunham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office Northern Virginia Violent Crime Squad, which has extraterritorial investigative responsibilities, The Iraqi Ministry of Interior, and the Iraqi National Police who provided cooperation and assistance in the investigation.
They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Paralegal Specialist Jessica Moffat, Victim Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, Victim Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones, Assistant U.S. Attorneys T. Patrick Martin, Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez, Karen Seifert, and Michael Friedman, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Hughes.
Government Contractor Pleads Guilty to Acting as a Pass-Through Minority Business EnterpriseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keith D. Forney, 60, formerly of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty today to mail fraud and money laundering in one federal court case, and tax fraud in another announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
The Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer scheduled sentencing for both cases on November 12, 2019. In the first case, Forney faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for mail fraud and 10 years for money laundering. As part of his plea, he agreed to a $400,000 forfeiture money judgment. In the second case, Forney faces a maximum sentence of three years for tax fraud. He agreed to pay $92,000 in restitution to the IRS.
According to the statement of offense submitted in the mail fraud and money laundering case, Forney was the sole owner of Forney Enterprises, Inc. (FEI). FEI was primarily engaged in the construction business as a general contractor. Its principal office was located in the District of Columbia.
As documented in the statement of offense, Forney participated in a scheme with John Vassos and the President of Sharp Business Systems (SBS) to obtain a contract with the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts (Maryland AOC) for copier maintenance and repair services throughout the state’s court system. In 2009, the Maryland AOC solicited bids for the contract. The contract required that at least 20% of the work be performed by a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). SBS bid on the contract and identified FEI as the MBE. Forney, on behalf of FEI, signed a subcontracting agreement with the President of SBS. The Maryland AOC awarded the contract to SBS, and renewed the contract in 2010 and 2011.
As detailed in the statement of offense, FEI performed no work and provided no services during the three years that the contract was in effect. Forney falsely stated in a letter to the MBE compliance manager that FEI was providing “logistic support” to SBS. Forney signed monthly work force rosters to the Maryland AOC falsely claiming that an FEI employee was working as a “Logistics/IT Support Technician” on the contract. The FEI employee was in fact a Quality Control Manager for FEI’s construction projects.
FEI submitted monthly $12,500 invoices to SBS for FEI’s purported work as an MBE. Sharp Electronics, the parent company of SBS, then issued checks to FEI. In total, FEI received $400,000 for its purported work as the MBE. Forney provided the entire $400,000 to John Vassos, an SBS consultant.
According to the statement of offense, Forney and James Redding owned Stadium Club, an establishment in Southeast Washington. In May 2010, Vassos provided approximately $2 million to Forney and Redding to finance the purchase of the property where Stadium Club was built. Additionally, from 2011 until 2014, Vassos loaned hundreds of thousands of dollars to Forney and Redding. Vassos pled guilty in June 2017 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of tax fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. In May 2015, Redding pled guilty to Tax Evasion and Failure to Pay over Payroll Taxes. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
In the statement of offense for the tax fraud case, Forney acknowledged that he knowingly under-reported his income from FEI on his personal federal income tax returns for the 2009 and 2010 calendar years. Forney did so by fraudulently treating certain expenses as deductible business expenses. Those expenses included: FEI payments to reimburse individuals whom Forney had directed to make contributions from their personal funds to candidates for D.C. political offices and to D.C. Council members’ Constituent Services Programs; an FEI contribution to a mayoral campaign; an FEI payment to a law firm for its representation of a former foreign government official from a country where Forney owned investment property, in connection with the official’s trip to Washington, DC; FEI payments to Forney for “consulting” work; and FEI payments for his child’s college education.
In April 2019, Forney was convicted of eleven counts of campaign finance violations, three counts of fraud, two counts of perjury, and one count of corrupt election practices following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced to six months in prison for the 11 illegal campaign violations and an additional 36 months, suspended, for fraud, perjury, and corrupt election practices.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the efforts of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including financial analyst, Bryan J. Snitselaar, paralegal specialists C. Rosalind Pressley and Amanda Rohde, former paralegals Toni Anne Donato, Kristy Penny, and Joshua Fein, and former U.S. Attorney’s Office investigator Juan Juarez. Finally she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Saler and Michael Marando who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Found Guilty of Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed in November 2017 Near Dupont CircleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gabriel Sanchez, 27, of Washington, DC, was found guilty by a jury of assault with intent to kill while armed and related assault and firearms charges for shooting a man in November 2017 in Northwest near Dupont Circle. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Sanchez was also convicted of witness tampering and obstruction of justice. The verdict, returned late August 2, 2019, followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Juliet McKenna scheduled sentencing for September 27, 2019. Sanchez faces up to 30 years in prison for the charge of Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed.
According to the government's evidence, on November 26, 2017, just after 1:00 a.m., Sanchez was walking in the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue, where the street and sidewalk were crowded with patrons. The victim was in the passenger seat of a car driving past, and Sanchez took offense to how the victim looked at him and his female companions. The defendant walked quickly to his vehicle parked on Connecticut Avenue, pulled out a handgun, and shot the victim in the face as his car went past. The victim survived but lost his left eye. The defendant got in his car and drove away immediately. In order to conceal his connection to the shooting, Sanchez traded in his car the next day at a Honda dealership and smashed his cell phone with a hammer provided by the car salesman. Sanchez then tried to convince the car salesman not to disclose to the grand jury that Sanchez had smashed his cell phone.
Sanchez was indicted and arrested in January 2018, and has been in custody since that time.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and Ahmed Baset, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Hulser; Paralegal Specialists Antoinette Sakamsa and Alesha Matthews; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Litigation Technology Specialist Thomas Royal.
District Man Found Guilty of Multiple Counts of Assault with a Weapon for 2017 ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Derrick Watson, 41 of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury of five counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and felon in possession for a shooting that took place on July 10, 2017, in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
The guilty verdicts were returned Wednesday, July 24, 2019, following a one-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Craig Iscoe scheduled sentencing for October 11, 2019.
The government’s evidence established that on July 10, 2017, at approximately 8:54 p.m., the defendant engaged in a gun battle with Saheed Salu and Kevin Williams in a small courtyard behind 1341 I Street NE, Washington, DC. During the shooting at least 15 innocent adults and children were in the immediate area and a one-year-old was struck in the crossfire requiring medical attention. Earlier in the evening, the defendant was involved in a verbal altercation with Saheed Salu over gambling. Saheed Salu left the area and returned with Kevin Williams both armed. Once the defendant noticed Kevin Williams was armed, the defendant walked to his car, retrieved his own firearm, and returned closer to Salu and Williams. Soon after at least 13 gunshots were fired by the three shooters. Saheed Salu and Kevin Williams plead guilty and were sentenced in January 2019.
In announcing the verdict and guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez, former Victim-Witness Advocate Diana Lim, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sabrina Turner, Paralegals Tiffany Fogle and Antoinette Sakamsa, former Criminal Investigator John Marsh, intern Elizabeth Brown, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff and Louis Manzo.
Finally, she acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen who prosecuted the case and Monica Trigoso who investigated and prosecuted the case.
New Bill Seeks to Make over 500 Violent Criminals (Including Many Rapists and Murderers) Immediately Eligible for Early ReleaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –The Second Look Act of 2019, which is pending before the Council of the District of Columbia, will give violent criminals (including rapists and murderers) an opportunity to reduce their sentences after only serving 15 years in prison and will expand eligibility to adults who committed their crimes before they turned 25-years-old. Approximately 583 violent criminals will be immediately eligible to apply for release.
On March 26, 2019, Councilmember Charles Allen, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, held a public hearing to consider Bill 23-0127, the “Second Look Amendment Act of 2019.” If passed, the proposed legislation will expand eligibility to adult offenders who committed violent offenses between the ages of 18 to 24-years-old. The proposed legislation will also allow a defendant to be released after serving only 15 years in prison, regardless of the original sentence imposed, if the court determines that the defendant is not a danger to the community or to any person, despite the “brutality or coldblooded” nature of the offense.
This proposed legislation is the third iteration of the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA). The first version was passed on April 4, 2017. It provided an avenue for sentence reduction consideration for 16 and17-year-olds tried and convicted as adults who served 20 years of their original sentence and had not yet become eligible for parole. The second version, passed May 10, 2019, shortened the number of years a defendant must serve from 20 to 15, allowed them to apply even if parole had been denied, and removed “the nature of the offense” from the factors that a judge must consider.
More than 70 defendants have filed motions for sentence reduction or are in the process of doing so. To date, approximately 17 motions have been ruled on and only one petition has been denied. Of the 16 motions granted, 12 cases involved murders, two cases involved rapes, one case involved armed robbery, and one case involved armed kidnapping. Bureau of Prisons data suggests that of the 583 eligible criminals who could apply for early release under the proposed Amendment, one in three will reoffend within three years of release.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thoroughly reviews each motion and evaluates the defendant’s request for a sentence reduction knowing that this request will affect the victim, the victim’s family, and the community. Our role in this litigation is broad and we consider a range of interests, which includes the victim, the victim’s surviving family, the community at large, and the defendant.
The IRAA in its current form, which now eliminates the nature of offense from the judge’s consideration, strips victims of their sense of finality, and upends decades of local and national efforts to ensure truth in sentencing. The proposed legislation ignores how painful this process is for victims and will drastically increase the number of victims who must be re-traumatized by expanding the age of eligible defendants.
“Our communities are safer when we do a better job of rehabilitating offenders in our custody,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. “The Council should not hastily pass this legislation but should instead gather data about how defendants released under the current version of the IRAA fare over time. The victims of these crimes and the community at large should not be jeopardized by the Council’s rush to expand the IRAA. The proposed legislation misses the mark.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a national leader in criminal rehabilitation for non-violent offenders, and has nine diversion programs including one focused on restorative justice. These programs are geared towards rehabilitation.
The proposed legislation before the D.C. Council, helps violent offenders, with little or no benefit to non-violent offenders, and is unlike other criminal justice reform initiatives nationwide, including the federal First Step Act. This proposed legislation is not evidence-based, does little to protect the rights of victims and comes at a time when the homicide rate in the District has increased significantly.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to sensible criminal justice reforms that protect the rights of victims, ensure the safety of the community, and fairly consider the interests of defendants. Public Safety is our top concern.
For more information about the proposed changes, contact Councilmember Charles Allen at (202) 724-8072 or at [email protected].
Leader of Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 16 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darnell Catlett, 46, of Upper Marlboro, was sentenced today for his role as a leader of a nearly year-long crack and cocaine drug trafficking conspiracy in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Timothy Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office.
Catlett pled guilty in May 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and a detectable amount of cocaine. Judge Richard J. Leon sentenced Catlett to 16 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
Catlett was arrested on the morning of March 15, 2018, and his residence was searched pursuant to a search warrant. At Catlett’s residence, the FBI recovered a loaded firearm, $70,813 in U.S. currency, a money counter, and multiple plastic bags with drug residue. Inside his BMW parked in the garage, Catlett had 234 grams of crack packaged for distribution. As part of his plea agreement, Catlett accepted responsibility for a firearm possessed in his Maryland residence at the time that he was arrested and that he was a leader of the conspiracy. Prior to his arrest, Catlett had been intercepted on a court-approved wiretap and unbeknownst to him, had sold narcotics to law enforcement.
Catlett was previously convicted of drug trafficking in United States District Court for the District of Columbia in 1992, and assault with intent to kill in the District of Columbia Superior Court in 1995.
Five others have pled guilty to charges in the case. They include Everette Reel, 46, of Upper Marlboro, Md; Jamal Curtis, 41, of Washington, D.C., Derek Holmes, 54, of Washington, D.C., Russell Harrison, 40, of Temple Hills, Md., and Brian Jenkins, 44, of Brentwood, Md. Reel, Curtis, and Holmes are now serving sentences. Coconspirators Russell Harrison and Brian Jenkins still face sentencing. Harrison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of imprisonment and up to life imprisonment for his possession of multiple firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking as part of the conspiracy. Jenkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of incarceration and up to forty years imprisonment for his distribution of cocaine and crack as part of the conspiracy.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Special Agent in Dunham, commended the work of those who investigated the case. They cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle and Teesha Tobias, Legal Assistant Emma Atlas, and Christopher Macchiaroli and Kevin Rosenberg of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who conducted the underlying investigation, indicted the case, and prosecuted the defendants.
Lebanese Businessman Tied by Treasury Department to Hezbollah is Sentenced to Prison for Money Laundering Scheme Involving the Evasion of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
The operator of a network of businesses in Lebanon and Africa whom the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated as a financier of Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist group, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to forfeit $50 million by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the District of Columbia.
Kassim Tajideen, 63, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments in furtherance of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In 2009, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Tajideen as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist based on his tens of millions of dollars of financial support of Hezbollah. The designation prohibited Tajideen from being involved in, or benefiting from, transactions involving U.S. persons or companies without a license from the Department of the Treasury.
“This defendant knowingly violated sanctions and put our nation’s security at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Criminal Division. “His sentencing and the $50 million forfeiture in this case are just the latest public examples of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle Hezbollah and its support networks.”
“Today’s sentencing highlights our efforts to prosecute those who violate sanctions meant to stem the flow of money to terrorists groups,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “Our message to those who violate sanctions is that you will be found, and you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
“This is the latest example of DEA’s success against Hezbollah’s global criminal support network and our commitment to interagency collaboration in combatting the overall threat posed by this transnational criminal organization,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Special Operations Division Michael J. Machak.
According to the statement of facts signed by Tajideen in conjunction with his plea, after his designation, Tajideen conspired with at least five other persons to conduct over $50 million in transactions with U.S. businesses that violated these prohibitions. In addition, Tajideen and his co-conspirators knowingly engaged in transactions outside of the United States, which involved transmissions of as much as $1 billion through the United States financial system from places outside the United States.
Tajideen’s case falls under DEA’s Project Cassandra, which targets Hezbollah’s global criminal support network, which operates as a logistics, procurement and financing arm for Hezbollah. This investigation and others are part of the Department of Justice’s Hezbollah Financing and Narcoterrorism Team (HFNT). The HFNT was formed in January 2018 to ensure an aggressive and coordinated approach to prosecutions and investigations, including Project Cassandra cases, targeting the individuals and networks supporting Hezbollah. Comprised of experienced international narcotics trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, and money laundering prosecutors and investigators, the HFNT works closely with partners like the DEA, the Department of the Treasury, and the FBI, among others, to advance and facilitate prosecutions of Hezbollah and its support network in appropriate cases.
This case was investigated by DEA SOD’s Counter Narcoterrorism Operations Center (CNTOC) and the DEA New Jersey Field Division, with support from the CPB’s National Targeting Center/Counter Network Division, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph Palazzo of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Gillice, Luke Jones, Karen Seifert and Deborah Curtis and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline L. Barkett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Lebanese Businessman Tied by Treasury Department to Hezbollah is Sentenced to Prison for Money Laundering Scheme Involving the Evasion of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The operator of a network of businesses in Lebanon and Africa whom the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated as a financier of Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist group, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to forfeit $50 million by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the District of Columbia.
Kassim Tajideen, 63, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments in furtherance of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In 2009, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Tajideen as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist based on his tens of millions of dollars of financial support of Hezbollah. The designation prohibited Tajideen from being involved in, or benefiting from, transactions involving U.S. persons or companies without a license from the Department of the Treasury.
“This defendant knowingly violated sanctions and put our nation’s security at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Criminal Division. “His sentencing and the $50 million forfeiture in this case are just the latest public examples of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle Hezbollah and its support networks.”
“Today’s sentencing highlights our efforts to prosecute those who violate sanctions meant to stem the flow of money to terrorists groups,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “Our message to those who violate sanctions is that you will be found, and you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
“This is the latest example of DEA’s success against Hezbollah’s global criminal support network and our commitment to interagency collaboration in combatting the overall threat posed by this transnational criminal organization,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Special Operations Division Michael J. Machak.
According to the statement of facts signed by Tajideen in conjunction with his plea, after his designation, Tajideen conspired with at least five other persons to conduct over $50 million in transactions with U.S. businesses that violated these prohibitions. In addition, Tajideen and his co-conspirators knowingly engaged in transactions outside of the United States, which involved transmissions of as much as $1 billion through the United States financial system from places outside the United States.
Tajideen’s case falls under DEA’s Project Cassandra, which targets Hezbollah’s global criminal support network, which operates as a logistics, procurement and financing arm for Hezbollah. This investigation and others are part of the Department of Justice’s Hezbollah Financing and Narcoterrorism Team (HFNT). The HFNT was formed in January 2018 to ensure an aggressive and coordinated approach to prosecutions and investigations, including Project Cassandra cases, targeting the individuals and networks supporting Hezbollah. Comprised of experienced international narcotics trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, and money laundering prosecutors and investigators, the HFNT works closely with partners like the DEA, the Department of the Treasury, and the FBI, among others, to advance and facilitate prosecutions of Hezbollah and its support network in appropriate cases.
This case was investigated by DEA SOD’s Counter Narcoterrorism Operations Center (CNTOC) and the DEA New Jersey Field Division, with support from the CPB’s National Targeting Center/Counter Network Division, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, and the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph Palazzo of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Gillice, Luke Jones, Karen Seifert and Deborah Curtis and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline L. Barkett of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Personal Care Aide Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mobolaji Tina Stewart, 58, of Laurel, Maryland, pled guilty today to a federal charge of health care fraud stemming from a scheme in which she caused the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program to be defrauded out of more than $500,000.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Charles A. Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), for the region that includes Washington, D.C., and Daniel W. Lucas, District of Columbia Inspector General.
Stewart pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Stewart faces a likely range of 18 to 24 months in prison and a fine of up to $75,000. The plea agreement calls for Stewart to pay $534,073 in restitution and $302,414 in a forfeiture money judgment. The Honorable Senior Judge John D. Bates scheduled sentencing for October 24, 2019.
According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Stewart worked as a personal care aide for twelve home health agencies at various times between January 2014 and December 2018. The home health agencies employed Stewart to assist D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries in performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, and eating. Stewart was supposed to document the care she provided to the Medicaid beneficiaries on timesheets and then submit the timesheets to the home health agencies, which would in turn bill Medicaid for the services that she rendered.
Between January 2014 and November 2018, Stewart caused the D.C. Medicaid Program to issue payments totaling $534,073 for services that she did not render. As part of her fraud scheme, she submitted false timesheets to different home health agencies claiming that she provided 24 hours or more of personal care aide services. She also submitted false timesheets claiming to have provided personal care aide services while she was out of the country. She also submitted false timesheets claiming to have provided personal care aide services to a beneficiary while he was hospitalized. Stewart fraudulently earned more than $300,000 in wages as a result of the healthcare fraud scheme.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dayoub, Special Agent in Charge Dixon of U.S. HHS-OIG, and District of Columbia Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips and former Paralegal Specialist Robert Fishman. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman and Trial Attorney Amy Markopoulos, who are prosecuting the case.
Former District Government Employee Sentenced to 18 Months for Carrying Out Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary T. Holliday, 50, a former training supervisor and policy analyst for the District of Columbia Department of Human Services (DHS), was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme in which he defrauded the agency of more than $400,000 in temporary assistance benefits meant for needy District residents.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Charles A. Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), for the region that includes Washington, D.C.
Holiday, of Fort Washington, Maryland, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in February 2019. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras. The judge also ordered Holliday to pay $404,800.31 in restitution and in forfeiture. Upon completion of his prison term, Holliday will be placed on two years of supervised release.
According to plea documents, Holliday embezzled money intended to provide temporary support and assistance to low-income families and individuals. Specifically, he targeted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the food stamps program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which consists of cash benefits. Benefits in both programs were provided to clients via electronic benefit cards.
Holliday’s job responsibilities at DHS included representing the agency at “fair hearings” that involved disputes between DHS and its clients about eligibility and benefits. In cases where the agency lost the hearing, Holliday was responsible for creating a memorandum summarizing the conclusions of the hearing and directing another employee at DHS to calculate and pay whatever “underpayments” the client was owed. Holliday created and submitted a fraudulent memorandum in which he falsely claimed that as a result of a purported fair hearing, a client of DHS needed to be processed for SNAP and TANF underpayments.
In fact, the named client had not applied for benefits (the client’s alleged application had been forged by Holliday) and there had never been a fair hearing regarding the client’s eligibility for benefits. As a result of the Holliday’s actions, another employee created an active underpayment account for the client in the DHS computer system. Then, between June 2017 and November 2018, Holliday used his access to the DHS computer system to create over 400 fraudulent underpayments for the client, totaling in excess of $400,000. He accessed the fraudulent proceeds by using the client’s benefit card.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dayoub, District of Columbia Inspector General Lucas, and Special Agent in Charge Dixon of U.S. HHS-OIG, commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Miller who prosecuted the case and Paralegal Specialist Aisha Keys who assisted.
Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jennifer L. Pannocchia, 31, a former background investigator who worked under contract for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), pleaded guilty today to making false statements in connection with her falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Norbert E. Vint, Acting Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management made the announcement today.
Pannocchia, pled guilty today, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of making false statements. She will be sentenced by the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly on October 22, 2019. As part of her plea agreement, Pannocchia is required to pay $169, 832.23 in restitution to OPM. She faces a maximum sentence of five years of jail and a $250,000 fine.
According to court papers, Pannocchia was employed by USIS, formerly known as U.S. Investigations Services, Inc., as an investigator under contract to conduct background investigations on behalf of OPM’s Federal Investigative Services, which is now known as the National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB). NBIB conducts background investigations to determine suitability for federal positions of public trust, including positions that have access to classified information and impact national security. NBIB also conducts investigations for federal employees and contractors seeking security clearances.
Pannocchia admitted that, in conducting these investigations between August 2013 and August 2014, she falsely claimed to have interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of the background investigation in more than one dozen investigation reports. For example, court papers state that Pannocchia falsely represented that she had spoken with a source in conducting a background check on an applicant.
She acknowledged at her guilty plea hearing that her false representations required OPM’s Federal Investigative Services to reopen and rework background investigations that were assigned to her during the time period in which she falsified reports. The government estimated the cost of the recovery effort at more than $169,000 to the U.S. government.
NBIB through its workforce of approximately 5,400 filed investigators is responsible for either conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contracts, on individuals employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. NBIB conducted more than 2.6 million investigations during the 2018 fiscal year. More than 787,557 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.
NBIB has a robust integrity assurance program, which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by Pannocchia was detected through the program. This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2008 involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. Approximately 26 other background investigators and record checkers have been convicted of charges similar to those brought against Pannocchia.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Acting Inspector Vint praised the efforts of Special Agents Mark Malogrino and Shantel Robinson, of the OPM Office of the Inspector General, as well as Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Nathaniel Smith, Special Investigations Branch Chief Kevin Cassidy, and Integrity Assurance Executive Program Director Philip Kroop, of OPM-NBIB. They also acknowledge the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise A. Simmonds of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section, who investigated and prosecuted this matter, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein, who previously worked on the matter.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Bribing D.C. Public OfficialsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marvin Parker, 60, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pled guilty Wednesday to one count of bribery of public officials, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Parker pled guilty before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a criminal Information, charged with one count of bribery of public officials and witnesses on July 31, 2019. Parker faces up to 15 years of prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. As part of his plea, Parker will pay a special assessment of $100 per felony conviction to the Clerk of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to Parker’s admissions made in connection with his plea, Parker is the owner and sole proprietor of RPM Associates. As part of his business, Parker made cash payments to two employees of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Parker made those payments to MPD employees to influence them to provide him with information about individuals who had been involved in traffic accidents in Washington, D.C. Upon receipt of this information, Parker would contact those individuals by phone and offer to assist them with obtaining legal representation and medical services. MPD’s General Orders prohibits officers and employees from releasing Traffic Crash Reports except under limited circumstances. D.C. Law prohibits the solicitation of traffic accident victims within 21 days of the accident when the solicitation is for financial gain and for the purpose of directing the victim to practitioners, such as attorneys or medical providers.
Specifically, Parker paid MPD Employee 1 approximately $50 to $200 per week in cash for the Traffic Crash Report information. Parker paid MPD Employee 2 approximately $400 to $500 per week in cash for the Traffic Crash Report information.
In total, between August 23, 2015, and October 11, 2017, Parker made more than $40,000 in cash payments to MPD Employee 1 and MPD Employee 2, in exchange for them providing Parker with Traffic Crash Report information in violation of their official duties as MPD employees.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who assisted the case from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office and MPD’s Internal Affairs Division. She also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal specialists Josh Fein and Mariela Andrade, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Misler, Andrew Floyd, and Colleen Kukowski who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Pension Benefit Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kessey Durand, 28, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison on a federal wire fraud charge stemming from his scheme attempting to steal over $107,000 in pension benefit payments intended for at least 21 victims/pension recipients.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Robert A. Westbrooks, Inspector General for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
Durand pleaded guilty on March 22, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of wire fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell. Durand was also ordered to pay a restitution judgment in the amount of $44,299.44 to PBGC, which had reimbursed the pension recipients. Durand additionally agreed to forfeit $10,964.64 in previously seized funds and to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $39,663.45. Following his prison term, he will serve a 36-month term of supervised release, including 100 hours of community service.
According to a statement of offense and related conduct acknowledged by Durand, he worked at PBGC for less than two months in January and February 2018. PBGC, a federal corporation within the U.S. Department of Labor, provides pension benefits to participants in private-sector defined benefit pension plans after those plans are terminated. Through a web interface, pension recipients can maintain and update the electronic direct deposit (EDD) information for their pension benefits.
From January to June 2018, Durand executed his wire fraud scheme. Using personal identifying information he obtained while working at PBGC, Durand changed or attempted to change the payment information for at least 21 pension recipients – re-directing the pension payments to Metabank accounts Durand controlled. Durand had also used the victims’ personal information to create those fraudulent Metabank accounts. Soon after the payments, Durand cashed out the stolen funds.
For 10 victims, between January and May 2018, Durand succeeded in obtaining payments totaling $29,663.45. He attempted to divert a total of over $107,000, but for other victims, the diverted payments did not go through.
The case was investigated by Curtis Flood, Senior Special Agent, PBGC’s Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Joss Nichols (of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section) with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Diane Brashears.
District of Columbia Physician Indicted for Alleged Role in $12.7 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A physician with a practice in the District of Columbia was charged in an indictment unsealed today for his role in an alleged $12.7 million health care fraud scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for complicated medical procedures he never provided.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu of the District of Columbia, Acting Assistant Director in Charge John P. Selleck of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Philadelphia Regional Office and District of Columbia's Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas made the announcement.
Frederick Gooding, 68, of Wilmington, Delaware, was charged in an indictment filed on July 30 in the District of Columbia with 11 counts of health care fraud. He was arrested yesterday morning, and made his initial appearance today. The case is assigned to the Honorable Tanya A. Chutkan, and a trial date has not yet been set.
According to the indictment, from January 2015 to August 2018, Gooding participated in a health care fraud scheme in which he submitted Medicare claims for injections and aspirations that were not medically necessary, not provided or both. Gooding allegedly knew that he was not providing such injections, as required by Medicare, and to disguise his scheme, Gooding allegedly falsified medical documents to make it appear as if his purported medical services billed to Medicare were medically necessary and provided. Gooding submitted or caused the submission of more than $12.7 million in claims to Medicare, the indictment alleges.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG and the D.C. Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Trial Attorney Scott Armstrong of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
District Man Sentenced to 15 Months as Part of Law Enforcement’s Effort to Prosecute Offenders Who Escape from Halfway HousesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Freddie Curtis, 31, of Southeast Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in prison for escaping from the Hope Village Halfway House, located in Southeast, Washington, D.C.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Lamont Ruffin, United States Marshal for the District of Columbia (USMS), and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Curtis pled guilty on April 24, 2019, before the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of escape from custody. Judge Kollar-Kotelly sentenced Curtis to 15 months of prison to be followed by one year of supervised release.
Curtis’ sentence highlights the ongoing efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office and the USMS to prosecute felony offenders who escape from halfway houses. These offenders are under the supervision of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and are afforded the opportunity to complete the final portion of their sentences at halfway houses to assist their reentry into the community. In 2017, the USMS requested the assistance of the United States Attorney’s Office with the investigation, prosecution, and disposition of an increased number of escape cases. To date, the United States Attorney’s Office has obtained dozens of felony convictions of defendants who either failed to report to or absconded from the Hope Village Halfway House.
According to the Government’s evidence, on September 7, 2017, Curtis was convicted of one count of Felony Bail Reform Act and one count of attempted distribution of cocaine, and was sentenced by a D.C. Superior Court judge to 26 months of prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. As part of the defendant’s sentence, he was permitted to complete the remainder of his sentence at Hope Village Halfway House.
On December 13, 2018, the defendant arrived at Hope Village to complete the remainder of his sentence. On January 15, 2019, Curtis signed out of the Hope Village facility, and although he was supposed to return later that day, he never returned. Curtis was arrested weeks later by MPD on new criminal charges.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Marshal Ruffin, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case. They also cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr. and Paralegal Katie Thomas of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in 2015 Killing of Southwest ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Proctor, 41, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Proctor was found guilty following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2019. Proctor faces a potential sentence of life in prison without parole.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 27, 2015, at approximately 4:40 p.m., Proctor entered the residence of the victim, Jerome “Beanie” Diggs, at 1360 First Street, SW, and fired 8 shots, striking the decedent 7 times. The defendant ran out of the house, leaving the victim for dead. But decedent managed to pick up the phone and call his sister, telling her that their cousin, “Little Gary” Proctor, had just shot him. When his sister asked why he didn’t call for help, he stated that he did not think he was going to make it, and he wanted someone to know what happened to him. The sister hung up with Beanie and instantly called 911, where she relayed what Beanie had told her. Meanwhile, Beanie, still clinging to life, crawled out the back door of his home where he was spotted by several neighbors who also called for help. One of these neighbors heard Beanie state “Lil Gary” was the person who shot him. Diggs lost consciousness shortly thereafter and died later that day from his wounds. Proctor was arrested pursuant to a warrant the very next day and has been held in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Jackson, John Timmer and Chrisellen Kolb; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Lesley Slade; Supervisory Security Specialists Laverne Perry, Tanya Via, and Wanda Queen; Administrative Services Specialist Karen Lee-Putt; Supervisory Paralegal Sharon Newman; Paralegals Kelly Blakeney and Meridith McGarrity; Victim Advocate Marcia Rinker; Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling; Information Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown; Interns Jared Andre and Jennifer Kenel; and Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nestler, who investigated the case, and Gilead Light and Alicia Long, who prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme and Possessing Fraudulent Austrian PassportRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrone Grandberry, 59, of Woodbridge, Virginia, pled guilty yesterday to federal charges of wire fraud, stemming from a scheme to defraud individuals that trusted the defendant to invest money on their behalf, and possessing a fraudulent immigration document, stemming from obtaining and possessing a fraudulent Austrian passport in another name.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Charles A. Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Todd J. Brown, Director of the Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement today.
Grandberry pled guilty before the Honorable Paul L. Friedman in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of wire fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and to one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document, under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a). The charges carry statutory maximums of twenty years and ten years in prison. Grandberry also agreed to the forfeiture of $2,123,033.57 that was seized pursuant to a warrant. Sentencing is scheduled for October 30, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, Grandberry engaged in conduct that constituted an investment fraud scheme. Grandberry along with others solicited investments totaling approximately $4,000,000, in which they benefited from the scheme by diverting money for their personal use. In some cases, Grandberry “repaid” or “refunded” prior victims with money that he obtained from new investors.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dayoub, and Director Brown commended the work of those who investigated the case at the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, Paralegal Specialists Jessica McCormick and Chela Okonji, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Jennings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Demian Ahn of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Obstruction of Justice and Threats against a D.C. Public OfficialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brian Moore, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight years in prison on two counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of threatening a D.C. public official on two separate occasions in April and June of 2018, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Moore was found guilty of these offenses on May 31, 2019, following a trial in the District of Columbia Superior Court before the Honorable Milton Lee.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 30, 2017, Moore was charged with a civil protection order violation in a D.C. Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) contempt case (“the CPO violation case”). The complainant, R.G., was the OAG prosecutor assigned to that case.
Moore developed animosity towards R.G. after multiple contested hearings. On April 12, 2018, Moore told his lawyer, J.H., that he intended to shoot R.G. because of her role and actions in the case, during a break in proceedings. J.H. told Moore that he would not tolerate such statements and that J.H. would inform the court if Moore made such statements again, Moore informed J.H. that he was joking and agreed not to threaten R.G. again.
On June 29, 2018, following another hearing in which R.G. represented the District of Columbia in the CPO case; Moore exited the courtroom and stepped out into the hallway. Speaking with J.H. in the hallway, Moore made a statement to the effect of, “If I lose my job I’m going to bust a cap in that bitch,” referring to complainant prosecutor R.G. After J.H. ordered Moore not to make any further threats regarding R.G., Moore responded with words to the effect of, “Fuck you. Fuck her. I’m going to bust a cap in that bitch.” J.H. directed Moore back into the courtroom, informed the presiding judge about the threats that the defendant had made, and explained to the judge that he believed Moore was serious about the threats. The judge then took Moore into custody, and he was subsequently charged in the instant case.
After a three-day trial, the jury convicted Moore on each count of the indictment. At sentencing today, Judge Lee sentenced Moore to 48 months in prison for the obstruction of justice and 10 months in prison for threatening a D.C. Public Official on April 12, 2019, concurrent to one another, and 48 months in prison for the obstruction of justice and 10 months in prison for threatening a D.C. Public Official on June 29, 2018, with these offenses running concurrent to one another but consecutive to the April 12 offense.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who assisted the case from the U.S. Marshals Service. She also acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal specialist Antoinette Sakamsa, Leif Hickling and Paul Howell from the Litigation Technology Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Lisa Gabriel, Nick Coleman, and Katherine Kelley from the Appellate Division, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Gilmore who investigated and tried the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole McClain who handled the case at sentencing.
Texas Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Trade SecretsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Texas man was convicted today by a federal jury in Washington D.C. of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets.
Following a nine-day trial, Shan Shi, 54, of Houston, Texas, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. Shi was originally indicted in June 2017 for conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets, and a superseding indictment containing one count of conspiracy to commit economic espionage and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering charges issued in April 2018. Shi was acquitted on the other charges.
“Shan Shi and his coconspirators went to great lengths to cash in on the Chinese government’s desire to obtain syntactic foam technology,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As this case demonstrates, the Department of Justice is and will remain on the front lines of defending U.S. companies against the theft of their trade secrets.”
“The jury’s verdict makes clear that Shan Shi conspired to steal trade secrets by poaching employees from a U.S. company and enticing them to bring technical data to his company,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “He did this against the backdrop of China’s strategic plan to close the gap between China and United States in buoyancy technology and with the benefit of millions of dollars of funding from China. Like our many other prosecutions implicating China’s economic aggression, this case exemplifies both the threat to American companies and our commitment to confront it.”
“We take very seriously the theft of intellectual property that was developed in the United States through long years of research, development, and innovation,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “Shi chose to steal the secrets of a U.S. company rather than do the hard work necessary to succeed honestly in the free market. He is now being held accountable for that choice.”
“Shan Shi attempted to obtain sophisticated U.S. technology with both military and civilian uses for the ultimate benefit of China,” said Assistant Director John Brown of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “It is no secret that China is determined to achieve superiority in virtually all high-tech areas, and the FBI is equally determined to stop individuals who commit illegal acts to help China achieve its goals. The stakes are high both for U.S. national security and for American companies who invest so much money and time on research and development.”
“FBI Houston’s elite counterintelligence investigators worked for years to dismantle Mr. Shi’s prolific network and bring him to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office. “Our highly trained agents and intelligence analysts work every day to protect American businesses from unscrupulous foreign adversaries. We are pleased by today’s verdict, and we will continue to aggressively protect America's economic security and intellectual property from those who would do us harm.”
Evidence introduced at trial established that Shi conspired with others to steal trade secrets from a Houston-based company, Trelleborg Offshore, relating to syntactic foam, a strong, lightweight material with commercial and military uses that is essential for deep-sea oil and gas drilling. In public statements of its national priorities, China has made clear its desire to develop this technology. Shi sought to obtain information about syntactic foam for the benefit of CBM-Future New Material Science and Technology Co. Ltd. (CBMF), a Chinese company based in Taizhou, and for the ultimate benefit of the People’s Republic of China. Four of Shi’s codefendants—some of whom worked at Trelleborg—had pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal trade secrets, and two testified as cooperating witnesses at trial. From 2014 to 2017, CBMF sent Shi’s company in Houston approximately $3.1 million from China in order to promote Shi’s activity in the United States.
Sentencing has been set for Oct. 25, 2019.
The FBI’s Houston Field Office conducted the investigation. Senior Counsel Joss Nichols of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Pearlman and Luke Jones for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.