District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend with FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Singletary, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to five years in prison for assaulting his former girlfriend with a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Singletary pled guilty in July 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced on Oct. 30, 2018, by the Honorable Ronna L Beck. Following his prison term, Singletary will be placed on three years of supervised release and subject to gun-offender registration requirements.
According to the government’s evidence, Singletary and the victim were involved in a romantic relationship. One day during the fall of 2017, Singletary was significantly intoxicated. He began arguing with the victim and, during the argument, grabbed his semi-automatic pistol and placed the barrel of the weapon in her mouth. He repeatedly told the victim that her body belonged to him and not to anyone else.
On Dec. 23, 2017, the victim called 911 to report an additional incident involving the defendant. After this second incident, police located and recovered Singletary’s pistol at the victim’s residence in Southeast Washington. Forensic testing revealed the presence of his DNA on the firearm. At the time of the firearm recovery, Singletary was on probation for a 2016 domestic violence assault relating to a separate victim and could not lawfully possess a firearm.
Singletary was arrested on Jan. 10, 2018 pursuant to an arrest warrant, and has been in custody since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. She also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Meshall Thomas, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bianca Forde and J. Matt Williams, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Offense Committed Three Months After Release from PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tijuan Arrington, 41, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a federal firearms charge stemming from his possession of a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
At the time of his arrest by MPD officers in Southeast Washington, Arrington was on federal supervised release following his release from incarceration after being sentenced in 2016 for his role in a large-scale narcotics conspiracy.
Arrington pled guilty on Oct. 29, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. He faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces an estimated range of 37 to 46 months in prison. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 24, 2019 by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 15, 2018, at approximately 9 p.m., MPD officers were on routine patrol in the 1300 block of Barnaby Terrace SE when they observed Arrington and other men with open containers of alcohol. When officers went to make contact with the individuals, Arrington immediately ran from the police; in the process, he dropped a loaded firearm. Arrington was detained after he was pursued running into his residence that was located up the block. In the middle of the street and in Arrington’s flight path, officers recovered a semiautomatic Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine. There were 20 bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber.
At the time of his arrest, Arrington was on federal supervised release following his release from prison three months earlier for trafficking hundreds of grams of heroin. That case involved an FBI drug trafficking investigation that began in the Barnaby Terrace area and extended into Maryland. Arrington was one of 16 people to plead guilty in the investigation. He now faces formal revocation of his supervised release and additional incarceration separate and apart from the sentence that he faces for possessing the loaded firearm on June 15, 2018.
In announcing the plea, 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 Legal Assistant Emma Atlas and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Rosen and Christopher Macchiaroli, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors 140 Officers and Agents for Outstanding Work in Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office honored 140 law enforcement officers, agents, and investigators for their outstanding work on dozens of cases that led to the convictions of murderers, drug traffickers, sexual predators, fraudsters, and other criminals. The event took place at the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu said the Office’s 36th Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony recognized the exceptional work performed by honorees on a wide variety of investigations, including those involving violent crimes, narcotics trafficking, fraud and public corruption, and terrorism and other national security matters. Their efforts led to convictions in 38 cases that had an impact locally, nationally, and internationally. The ceremony took place on Oct. 25, 2018.
“These awards are a way to recognize the outstanding work that takes place every day to protect the citizens of the District of Columbia from threats at home and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “As prosecutors, we are inspired by the commitment shown by our law enforcement partners, who work around the clock to keep us safe.”
The ceremony honored the achievements of people from 23 agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the FBI, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S, Marshals Service, and other partners.
Among cases highlighted at the ceremony, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognized the work of more than 20 members of a team from the FBI, the U.S. State Department, and the Central Intelligence Agency for their investigation into the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012. The attack led to the deaths of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty. The investigation resulted in the capture and eventual trial of Libyan militia leader Ahmed Abu Khatallah, who was found guilty by a jury last year of federal charges for his role in the crimes.
The Office also recognized a team from the MPD, the ATF, and the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, for work leading to the conviction of Jerome Lewis on murder and other charges for setting a house fire in Northeast Washington in 2013 that caused the death of a four-year-old child, Samauri Michelle Jenkins. She was among tenants in his home. In addition to being sentenced to prison, Lewis was ordered to pay more than $200,000 to the estate of the child, based on an insurance pay-out he received after the fire.
In another murder case, an MPD detective was honored for his investigation into the death of Tricia McCauley, who was slain on Christmas Day 2016 while on her way to a gathering with friends. The work led to conviction of Duane Johnson, a stranger to the victim who was arrested a day after the murder. Johnson is serving a 30-year prison term.
Two detectives from MPD and an FBI Special Agent were honored for their investigation of Daraya Marshall, who persuaded four girls, ages 14 to 17, to prostitute for him in a sex trafficking operation out of an apartment in Southeast Washington. Marshall later pled guilty to federal charges and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The U.S. Marshals Service, MPD, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Cook County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office were recognized for work leading to the conviction of Bilal Ahmed, a dentist who sexually assaulted five former dental patients and one former employee and improperly touched another former employee. Ahmed was sentenced last year to a 16 ½-year prison term for the crimes.
The ceremony reflected the wide variety of cases that are investigated by law enforcement agencies in the District of Columbia. Many honorees were recognized for work in cases involving money laundering, bank fraud and other white-collar crimes, including teams from the FBI’s Washington Field Office that identified fraudsters who cheated non-profits, including one who stole nearly $150,000 from a foundation for veterans.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force Targets Violent Offenders, Works with Community to Promote Public SafetyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A man with a history of drug and firearms convictions has been sentenced to 51 months in prison on a federal gun charge, marking the latest success of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a coordinated law enforcement effort to identify and address the most violent locations and offenders in the District of Columbia.
Jimmy Lee Johnson, Jr., 38, of Washington, D.C., earlier pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2018. Johnson was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on March 11, 2018, after officers recovered a loaded 9-mm pistol from his waistband. The arrest took place in an alleyway off the 1600 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE, in the Sixth Police District. That area has been a focus of the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort. Johnson had four prior convictions for drug and gun offenses and was on probation at the time of his arrest.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a Justice Department program that was revitalized and enhanced a year ago by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working with federal and local partners in a multi-pronged approach that includes enforcement, crime prevention, re-entry programs, and community outreach.
“In just a year, Project Safe Neighborhoods already is making a difference in the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu. “We are working with the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI and other partners on investigations to get violent criminals, drug traffickers, and people with illegal guns off the streets. At the same time, we are working with the schools, social service agencies, and the community to break the cycle of violence.”
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.”
In the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office leads a Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force that includes a wide array of representatives, including members from the Mayor’s Office; the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia; the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General; the District of Columbia Housing Authority Police Department; the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the District of Columbia; the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency; the District of Columbia Public Schools; federal law enforcement agencies; the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA); the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System; community-based victim’s services; health care, mental health, and substance abuse providers; community groups; faith-based organizations, and public service agencies.
The task force meets on a monthly basis. In its first year, the task force identified two target enforcement areas in the Sixth and Seventh Police Districts. This work is led by the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section (VCNT) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a group of dedicated veteran prosecutors. The collaboration has produced an increased number of federal firearms cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
VCNT prosecutors also are working with the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to identify firearms forensic evidence exposing linkages among various violent crimes committed in the target enforcement areas. Additionally, they are teaming up with the Violent and Repeat Offender Unit (VROU) in the Superior Court Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The overall enforcement strategy draws on comprehensive crime gun tracing, field interrogations, social network analysis, violent offender lists, probation/parole sweeps, violent fugitive round-ups, criminal incident reviews, case screening protocols, and drug courts.
As part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the U.S. Marshals Service, together with partner task force agencies, last spring pursued offenders in targeted neighborhoods from a list of approximately 100 cases. Throughout the initiative, U.S. Marshals from District Court and Superior Court worked alongside federal and local task force partners to arrest violent fugitives while strengthening relationships in the community. The efforts resulted in the closure of more than 80 federal felony warrants and several state criminal warrants.
The task force also has a subcommittee that focuses on crime prevention, re-entry, and community engagement. This subcommittee manages large-scale outreach events such as the annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” Youth Summit held annually in Wards 7 and 8, and Project Safe Neighborhoods grant awards. This year’s award is approximately $176,000 and will be directed to Ward 7 and Ward 8 through an upcoming competitive award process.
In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods efforts, has instituted a broad-based prevention, reentry, and community engagement strategy that draws on re-entry programs, clergy outreach, community engagement and outreach; community-building and crime awareness programs; juvenile outreach and school-based prevention, substance-abuse programs, and senior citizen outreach. The Office will be holding a Project Safe Neighborhoods Community Awareness Day at the Southern Avenue Metro Station from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2018. For more information, please contact External Affairs Specialist Melanie Howard at 202-252-6930.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge in Lottery Fraud/Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keniel Thomas, 29, a Jamaican national, pled guilty today to trying to extort money from a couple in Washington D.C., who he tried to trick into believing they won the Mega Millions lottery, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Thomas, also known as “David Morgan,” pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of interstate communication with the intent to extort. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Thomas faces a likely range of 33 to 41 months in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Following completion of his prison term, he will face deportation proceedings. The Honorable Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, Thomas, posing as “David Morgan,” placed a call on June 9, 2014 to a man who lived and worked in the District of Columbia. Thomas told the man that he was the head of Mega Millions and that the man was the winner of $15.5 million and a 2014 Mercedes Benz. Thomas told the man that the man needed to pay $50,000 to cover the taxes before the award was provided to him. He also told the man that he had information about his employment history. Shortly after the call, the man contacted the FBI.
The following day, the man placed a call to “David Morgan” that was recorded by the FBI. In it, Thomas again told the man that he worked for Mega Millions. This time, he said the man was the first-place winner of a prize valued at $72 million and that included a 2014 Mercedes Benz with a year of free insurance. Once again, Thomas said that the man needed to send $50,000 to him to cover the taxes on the prizes.
Over the course of the next month, Thomas made numerous calls to the man in attempts to get the money. He also reached the man’s wife and threatened violence if the money was not paid. Among other things, he claimed that he had done surveillance on the couple’s home.
An FBI investigation led to the identification of Thomas. A criminal complaint was filed against Thomas in July 2014. He was arrested on Dec. 18, 2017, after he traveled by plane from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ephraim (Fry) Wernick. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Gorman and Kathryn L. Rakoczy, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Role in 2007 Murder Near Anacostia Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kadeem Quarles, 27, formerly of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in the murder of man during a carjacking in November 2007 at the Anacostia Metro station, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Quarles pled guilty in April 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree murder while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison term of 16 to 20 years. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff accepted the plea and sentenced Quarles accordingly on Oct. 25, 2018. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
Quarles is among four people who pled guilty to charges related to the slaying of Timothy Spicer, 25, on Nov. 17, 2007 near the Anacostia Metro station in Southeast Washington. All four defendants are from Washington, D.C.
According to the government’s evidence, Mr. Spicer went to the Metro station to meet a young woman at approximately 9:15 p.m. He was driving a Chevrolet Caprice with specially equipped chrome rims. Mr. Spicer briefly parked at the station, and the young woman got into the vehicle and directed him to drive a very short distance onto nearby Shannon Place SE.
The young woman had previously entered into an agreement with Quarles and three other people to rob Mr. Spicer of his vehicle and personal belongings. Quarles was the alleged mastermind of the scheme. The plan called for the woman to lure Mr. Spicer to the station and then direct him to Shannon Place. Two of the other people were to take up a position at a bus stop near the station to keep a look-out for Mr. Spicer and for the police. The plan called for Quarles and accomplice Maurice Blakey to rob Mr. Spicer. Blakey was armed with a gun.
Once Mr. Spicer’s car moved onto Shannon Place, the young woman exited the vehicle and Quarles and Blakey forced their way inside, with Quarles in the back seat and Blakey in the front passenger seat. When Mr. Spicer resisted the carjacking and began to struggle, Blakey shot him in the back. Mr. Spicer exited the vehicle and ran past the two look-outs into the Metro station. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injures.
Blakey, 27, pled guilty to second degree murder while armed and was sentenced in February 2018 to a 22-year prison term. The two look-outs – Joseph Minor and Randolph Williams – also pled guilty. Minor, 27, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed and was sentenced in June 2018 to an 8 ½-year prison term, to run consecutively to a 47-year prison term that he is serving for another murder. Williams, 27, pled guilty to a charge of second-degree murder and will be sentenced next year.
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 and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the work of those who assisted with the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and San Lane
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kendra Briggs, Melissa Price and Michael T. Truscott, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Department of Veterans Affairs Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Fraud, and Obstruction in $2 Million Scheme Involving Program for Disabled Military VeteransRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official pled guilty today to demanding and receiving bribes from three for-profit schools in exchange for enrolling disabled military veterans in those schools and facilitating over $2 million in payments from the VA using the veterans’ federal benefits.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.
James King, 63, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to an Information alleging one count of honest services and money/property wire fraud, one count of bribery, and one count of falsifying records to obstruct an administrative investigation. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia, who set sentencing for Jan. 15, 2019.
King is the fourth individual to plead guilty as part of this investigation. In April, Albert Poawui and Sombo Kanneh pleaded guilty to bribing and conspiring to bribe King, respectively. In July, Michelle Stevens pleaded guilty to bribing King.
“For years, James King and his criminal associates defrauded an important VA program that provides education services to military veterans who served our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting those who seek to illegally enrich themselves at the expense of programs intended to help our brave servicemembers.”
“James King took advantage of his position with the VA by participating in a scam that took money from programs meant to help our disabled military veterans find jobs and enhance their education,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “This investigation shows that we will do everything we can to ensure that taxpayer money intended for our veterans is put to its proper use, not siphoned off by the people and organizations who are entrusted with helping them.”
“King tried to use his position to enrich himself at the expense of veterans who have honorably served our country,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “This guilty plea makes it perfectly clear that such activity by anyone affiliated with the U.S. government will not be tolerated. The FBI will work closely with our partners to continue to aggressively investigate allegations of corruption.”
“King’s plea is a win for VA and our veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge Lampkins of the VA-OIG Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “It sends a clear message that VA OIG is dedicated to prosecuting those that take advantage of VA programs that are intended to help our veterans and their families.”
According to King’s admissions made in connection with his plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.
From 2015 through 2017, King, using his position as a VR&E program counselor, demanded and received cash bribes from the owners of Atius Technology Institute (Atius), Eelon Training Academy (Eelon), and a school identified in documents as “School A,” a school purporting to specialize in physical security classes. King facilitated over $2 million in payments to Atius, over $83,000 to Eelon, and over $340,000 to “School A,” all in furtherance of King’s separate agreements with the respective school owners to commit bribery and defraud the VA. King agreed with Poawui and Stevens that they would each pay him, in cash, seven percent of the money they received from the VA in exchange for King steering veterans to their schools and facilitating VA payments. King similarly accepted cash payments from the owner of School A, who is identified as Person A in the Information, in exchange for the same official acts.
In order to maximize the profits from their fraud, all three school owners sent King and other VA officials false information about the education being provided to veterans, and King facilitated payments to all three schools knowing this information was false. King also admitted to repeatedly lying to veterans under his supervision in order to convince them to attend Atius, Eelon, or School A. For example, King falsely instructed one veteran that, unless he attended School A, his VR&E program benefits would “lapse.” King insisted that this veteran enroll in School A despite the veteran’s protests that he could not engage in physical security work due to a physical disability, and despite the fact that the veteran had enrolled in the VR&E program to pursue his dream of becoming a baker.
In early 2017, the VA initiated a fact-finding inquiry into Atius based on complaints by students as to the quality of education at the school. In August 2017, after King became aware of the inquiry, he created a falsified site visit report and instructed Poawui to send it to another VA official, all in an effort to obstruct the VA’s inquiry into Atius. In January 2018, after Poawui had begun to cooperate with the government in its investigation, King attempted to convince Poawui to lie to the grand jury about the purpose of the bribe payments.
King’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, former Assistant U.S. Attorney and current Fraud Section Trial Attorney Sonali D. Patel, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou and Paralegal Josh Fein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia also assisted with the investigation.
Church Pastor Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Setting Fire to His Apartment in Insurance ScamRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamel Carelock, 28, the former pastor of a Baltimore church, was sentenced today to three years in prison for setting fire to an apartment he rented in Southeast Washington in a plan to collect insurance money.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Thomas L. Chittum III, 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).
Carelock, who was pastor of Lead Church, pled guilty in August 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of arson, felony destruction of property, and second-degree insurance fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer A. Di Toro. Following his prison term, he will be placed on two years of probation.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 17, 2017, at approximately 1 a.m., Carelock intentionally set fire to his apartment unit in a complex in the 2500 block of R Street SE. Carelock soaked his mattress with gasoline and lit the mattress on fire, causing the fire to burn and causing extensive damage to his unit and the surrounding apartments.
The apartment complex includes 94 units, and the residents included small children and elderly individuals, who were home at the time of the fire and forced to evacuate. The fire caused more than $40,000 worth of damage and rendered at least one of the neighboring apartments uninhabitable. A law enforcement investigation revealed that Carelock had applied for an insurance policy eight days prior to the fire. He later filed a claim for more than $11,000 in damage to his property, with the intent to defraud the insurance company.
In making the insurance claim, the evidence showed, Carelock presented materially false information. He misrepresented that he was not responsible for the fire, falsely claimed that he was in Georgia at the time of the blaze, and falsely claimed that he lost personal items, to include suits and a television. In fact, Carelock had removed those items from the unit before the fire and he still had them at the time that he made the insurance claim.
The investigation also determined that Carelock’s cell phone was one mile away from the fire, five minutes after the fire alarm was pulled. Carelock was arrested on Jan. 19, 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the ATF and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Elizabeth Trosman, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb, Julianne Johnston, John Hill, and Veronica Sanchez; Librarian Lisa Kosow, and Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina Wolf, Alissa Kempler and Melissa Price, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Federal Charges Involving Sexual Abuse of 14-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Anthony Brooks, 29, of Indian Head, Md., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison on federal charges of transporting a minor across state lines with intent to sexually abuse her. The minor was a 14-year-old girl whom Brooks tutored as part of an afterschool program the child was ordered to attend by a family court.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Brooks pled guilty in June 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.
The minor had been ordered by the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to attend the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) program, an afterschool diversion program through which at-risk youth are provided tutoring and mentoring. Brooks, then 28, a college graduate, was employed as one of her tutors.
According to the government’s evidence, in late spring of 2017, the minor was transferred to a different BARJ location and, from that time forward, should have had no additional contact with Brooks. Brooks had previously been admonished by staff not to have contact with female students outside of the program. Brooks, however, continued to have contact with her. By July 2017, he was exchanging sexually explicit text messages with the girl, who had just completed the 8th grade. On July 11, 2017, Brooks contacted the girl’s father and asked the father’s permission to “tutor” the child. According to the evidence, Brooks then drove nearly an hour from his home in Maryland to Southeast Washington, where he picked up the girl, brought her to his home, and had sexual intercourse with her.
Between July 11 and July 12, 2017, Brooks discussed with the girl over text message coming to pick her up again. Brooks advised the girl in text messages written on July 11 that he did not want to come get her on back to back days because her father might become suspicious. Instead, on July 13, 2017, Brooks again drove nearly an hour from his home in Maryland to Southeast Washington to pick up the child. He arrived at 6:30 a.m., at a time when the child’s father, the girl’s sole guardian and the only adult in the house, was at work at his construction job. According to the government’s evidence, he transported the child back to his house in Maryland, where he again engaged in sexual acts with her.
Through September 2017, Brooks continued to communicate with the girl, exchanging sexually explicit text messages with her. On Sept. 19, 2017, the child’s father discovered the text messages between Brooks and his daughter while reviewing the messages on his daughter’s phone. He promptly contacted the MPD Youth and Family Services Division, which commenced an investigation. The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation Task Force immediately joined the investigation. Brooks was arrested on Sept. 20, 2017 and has been in custody ever since. On Feb. 14, 2018, Brooks was indicted on two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and FBI Special Agents in the Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Pennsylvania, and the District of Maryland, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Park and Jodi Lazarus, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Killing One Man, Wounding AnotherRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John James, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from a September 2015 shooting in Southeast Washington in which one man was killed and another was wounded, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
James pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and aggravated assault. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence between 12 and 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 28, 2015, at approximately 7:30 p.m., James was playing a craps (or dice) game with several people in the 1100 block of Eaton Road SE, part of the Barry Farm neighborhood. Included in that game were Ernest Massenberg-Bey, 21, and the surviving victim. Following an argument at the game, James fired a pistol at Mr. Massenberg-Bey and the surviving victim, hitting each of them multiple times.
The gunshot wounds caused the death of Mr. Massenberg-Bey later that day. The gunshot wounds on the surviving victim caused multiple serious bodily injuries, including loss of a testicle and permanent nerve damage to his left hand and right foot. Following the shooting, James fled the scene. He was arrested in April 2016 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and officers from the Seventh Police District. She also expressed appreciation for the work of the U.S. Marshal’s Service. She also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Aziz and Silvia Gonzalez-Roman, who assisted with competency issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Emily Miller, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Darron Wint Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed and Other Charges in Killings of Four People in Northwest Washington Home InvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Darron Wint, 37, also known as Daron Wint, formerly of Lanham, Md., was found guilty by a jury today of 20 felony charges, including multiple counts of first-degree murder while armed, for the May 2015 slayings of Savvas Savopoulos, his wife, Amy Savopoulos, their son, Philip Savopoulos, and a household employee, Veralicia Figueroa.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The jury’s verdict came on the third day of deliberations and followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Wint, who has been in custody since his arrest a week after the murders, is to be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019 by the Honorable Juliet McKenna. He faces a potential sentence of life in prison with no possibility of release.
“Today’s verdict holds Darron Wint accountable for the cold-blooded murders of four innocent people, including a 10-year-old child, in a senseless home invasion that ended with him setting fire to the crime scene,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “While this defendant was searching for places to hide, a coordinated law enforcement effort was tracking him down and brought him to justice. We hope that the verdict will bring some comfort to the families of the victims.”
“I know District residents were particularly outraged by this case because of the extreme atrocities that were inflicted on the Savopoulos family and Ms. Figueroa,” said Chief Newsham. “Acts of violence such as this are unacceptable and not welcomed in our city. As promised, the individual who committed this heinous crime was brought to justice today."
“ATF is grateful to see that justice has been served today by this guilty verdict,” said Special Agent in Charge Chittum. “We hope this conviction brings a measure of comfort to the Savopoulos and Figueroa families, and to the community that suffered and mourned with them. ATF is proud we could contribute to the successful prosecution of Darron Wint and his unspeakably violent crime. I commend ATF’s Forensic Laboratory and the ATF/DC Arson and Explosives Task Force for their role in bringing him to justice, and admire the effort that our partners from so many federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office put into this case.”
During nearly six weeks of testimony, the government presented testimony from more than 60 witnesses, including some that linked him to the crime scene through DNA on a pizza crust and other items. The jury found Wint guilty of all charges that were filed against him in an indictment, including the murder counts and kidnapping, burglary, extortion and theft.
The charges involved a series of crimes that took place May 13 and May 14, 2015, during a home invasion of the Savopoulos family residence in Northwest Washington.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 13, 2015, Wint entered the Savopoulos home and seized and kidnapped the four victims. The following day, he stole $40,000 through means of extortion, murdered the victims, and set fire to the house.
After responding to reports of the fire, authorities discovered the bodies of Savvas Savopoulos, 46, Amy Savopoulos, 47, Philip Savopoulos, 10, and Veralicia Figueroa, 57.
In the aftermath of the murders, Wint performed a series of Internet searches for subjects such as how to beat a lie detector test, 10 hideout cities for fugitives, and five countries with no U.S. extradition treaty. According to the government’s evidence, he fled to New York after he was publicly identified as a person of interest in the case and hid in a hotel. He eventually returned to the area and was arrested on May 21, 2015. He has been in custody ever since.
All told, Wint was found guilty of a total of 12 counts of first-degree murder while armed, all with aggravating circumstances. The charges include four counts of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) in the course of a kidnapping; four counts of first-degree murder while armed (felony murder) in the course of a burglary, and four counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed. In addition, Wint was found guilty of four counts of kidnapping and one count each of first-degree burglary, extortion, arson, and first-degree theft.
In addition to the various substantive crimes specified in the indictment, the jury found the offenses carried specified “aggravating circumstances,” including one finding that the murders were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel. Wint could face a maximum of life imprisonment without the possibility of release on each of the 12 murder charges. Each of the murder charges carries a mandatory minimum prison term of 30 years.
Additionally, each of the kidnapping counts involving the three adult victims carries a maximum sentence of 30 years; the kidnapping count involving Philip Savopoulos carries up to 45 years. First-degree burglary also carries a 30-year maximum prison sentence, and arson, extortion, and first-degree theft have maximum prison terms of 10 years each.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistance was provided by the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, the Prince George’s County, Md., Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura R. Bach, Christopher Bruckmann, and Emily A. Miller, and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bach and Bruckmann.
Assistance was provided by a team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office that included Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Deputy Chiefs Chrisellen Kolb, John Mannarino, and Elizabeth Danello, of the Appellate Division; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite and Meridith McGarrity; former Paralegal Specialist Kendra Johnson; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Criminal Investigator John Marsh;, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; former Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Law Clerks Siri Palm and Julie Bessler, and former Law Clerk Jim McNally.
Attorney General Sessions Recognizes U.S. Attorney’s Office with Awards for Work on National Security CasesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recognized two teams from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and their partners in the FBI for outstanding achievements in national security cases involving attacks on American citizens abroad.
The team members were among 244 Justice Department employees and 36 individuals outside the Department to receive Attorney General Awards on October 24, 2018, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The 66th annual ceremony recognized employees and other individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements, leadership, and service to the Department of Justice and the American people.
“Service in the Department of Justice is more than a normal job; it is a calling to the highest standards of professionalism,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “That is true for all of the 115,000 Department of Justice employees. But it is especially true for these award winners. And so I want to thank them and their families for their exemplary service to this Department and to the American people. They have made this Department proud.”
“These awards reflect the unwavering commitment of our office to achieving justice,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “The honorees showed extraordinary skill and perseverance in investigating horrific crimes against Americans that occurred thousands of miles away and then bringing those responsible for the attacks to face charges in our courtrooms. Their achievements in these cases inspire all of us in our work.”
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the second-highest award for employee performance, was awarded to a team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI that worked on the investigation and prosecution of Ahmed Abu Khatallah, a Libyan militia leader who played a key role in the deadly attack on the U.S. Mission and Central Intelligence Agency Annex in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11-12, 2012, which killed four Americans, including the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens.
The honorees from the U.S. Attorney’s Office were Assistant U.S. Attorneys John D. Crabb, Jr., Michael C. DiLorenzo, and Kenneth C. Kohl; Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant; former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julieanne Himelstein, David Mudd, and Opher Shweiki; and former Paralegal Specialist Rayneisha Booth.
The John Marshall Award, the Department’s highest award for attorneys for contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance, was awarded for participation in litigation resulting in the successful prosecution of violent members of the Los Zetas Mexican cartel who brutally murdered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and wounded ICE HSI Special Agent Victor Avila on Feb. 15, 2011, in Mexico.
Honorees from the U.S. Attorney’s Office were Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Ballantine, Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez, and Karen Seifert.
The program honored individuals across the Justice Department and federal, state, local, and tribal partners for their selfless efforts protecting national security and civil rights, addressing rising violent crime in our communities, and investigating and prosecuting gangs and those trafficking in dangerous narcotics and human beings. The awards also honored the work of civil and environmental litigation, which enforces the rule of law and upholds our Constitution. They also recognized employees whose ideas and efforts save taxpayer dollars and help our government operate more effectively and efficiently, among other contributions to public safety and good governance.
The ceremony included an award for exceptional heroism to U.S. Marshal Senior Inspector Basilio S. Perez, Jr., for his courageous actions to protect and aid victims of the October 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two Maryland Women Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging They Defrauded D.C Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two Maryland women who were employed as personal care aides were arrested today on separate federal charges. Both are charged with engaging in a scheme in which they allegedly submitted a combined $1.7 million in false claims to the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s 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.
Temitope “Deborah” or “Temi” Oluwa-Bakare Ogunbiyi, 48, of Bowie, Maryland, and Nkiru “Nikki” Uduji, 48, of Lanham, Maryland, were arrested on two separate criminal complaints charging them each with health care fraud and health care fraud conspiracy. They made their first appearances this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They were released on personal recognizance pending preliminary hearings next month.
According to the complaints, Ogunbiyi and Uduji were employed as personal care aides from approximately January 2013 through the present. Under the Medicaid program, personal care aides perform services intended to assist Medicaid beneficiaries in carrying out the activities of daily living. These can include helping beneficiaries get in and out of bed, bathe, dress, eat out, take medication, and engage in toileting. To receive personal care services under Medicaid, a beneficiary must obtain a prescription from a doctor.
Last year, both Ogunbiyi’s and Uduji’s billing practices drew the attention of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance, and that led to an investigation.
According to the complaints, the investigation determined that Ogunbiyi submitted approximately $1,071,247 in false claims between 2013 and the present, and Uduji submitted approximately $568,830, during the same time. The complaints allege that these claims fall into three categories: claims purporting that they provided services in excess of 24 hours in a given day; claims purporting that they provided services to Medicaid beneficiaries to whom they provided no care at all; and claims purporting that they provided services to Medicaid beneficiaries to whom they paid illegal kickbacks. Ogunbiyi is also alleged to have submitted claims for services purportedly provided to Medicaid beneficiaries while she was on international travel.
The charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the District of Columbia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The cases are being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Amy Markopoulos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Simmonds, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Robert Fishman and Brittany Phillips of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia Launches Hotline for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by ClergyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – 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 are launching a hotline and e-mail address for survivors to report child sexual abuse by clergy, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
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.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to the prosecution of those who commit sexual assaults in the District of Columbia, particularly those who commit such crimes against children. The Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section in the Superior Court Division is a specialized unit staffed by highly trained and committed prosecutors who investigate and prosecute individuals who commit sexual assaults against children and adults in the District of Columbia, including abuse committed by individuals in a position of trust with the victim. The Victim Witness Assistance Unit provides comprehensive assistance to survivors of sexual abuse and their families. The Office’s victim advocates are highly trained professionals with specialized knowledge of the court system and experience with trauma resulting from sexual assault.
Business Owner Sentenced to Prison Term for Bribing District of Columbia Government EmployeeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vashawn Strader, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for bribing an employee of the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to get favorable action on government contracts.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
Strader pled guilty in July 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. During that time, he must perform 100 hours of community service. He also will be required to pay $308,311 in restitution to OSSE and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
Strader’s co-conspirator, government employee Shauntell Harley, was sentenced in July 2018 to 56 months in prison. She pled guilty to carrying out two schemes, one with Strader and one with someone else, that caused the D.C. government to pay more than $480,000 on fraudulent invoices. Harley, 48, of Washington, D.C., must pay $488,311 in restitution to OSSE and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $100,400.
OSSE is an agency of the District of Columbia government. Harley was a management analyst for fiscal policy and grant management in OSSE’s Division of Special Education. From 2009 through 2014, her responsibilities included issuing requests for services through the government’s procurement process and then reviewing invoices from those who supposedly provided the services.
Strader was the sole owner of a company that provided tutoring and mentoring services to public school students in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. In addition, he co-owned a company that owned and managed real estate in the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in or about June of 2012, Strader and Harley agreed that Harley would receive money and other things of value in exchange for favorable official action for Strader’s companies. They agreed that Strader would create fraudulent invoices purporting to reflect work that his companies did not actually perform. This work purportedly included early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays and professional development training.
Harley used her official position at OSSE to provide Strader with non-public information about OSSE contracts, assist him in creating fraudulent invoices, and submit these fraudulent invoices and other documents as necessary in order to cause OSSE to make the payments for services the companies never performed. In total, this led to $308,311 in payments in 2012 and 2013 to the two companies for services that never were provided. In return for her actions, Harley personally obtained a total of $43,900 in proceeds traceable to the scheme.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Office of the Inspector General of the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Paralegal Specialists Joshua Fein and Kristy Penny. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who is investigating and prosecuting the matter.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Using Forged Deeds to Steal HomesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert McCloud, 39, most recently of Warrenville, S.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison on a federal wire fraud charge stemming from a real estate scheme in which he and others used forged deeds and fake driver’s licenses to fraudulently transfer ownership of District of Columbia homes from the rightful owners.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
McCloud pled guilty in June 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. In addition to his prison term, McCloud must pay restitution in an amount to be set later by the Court, as well as a forfeiture money judgment of $57,965. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release, the first six months of which is to be spent in home confinement. McCloud also will be required to perform 150 hours of community service. .
According to the government’s evidence, McCloud and others identified vacant or seemingly abandoned residential properties in the District of Columbia, and then prepared and filed forged deeds with the District of Columbia’s Recorder of Deeds transferring the properties into fictitious names. Next, they agreed to sell these properties to legitimate purchasers and arranged with unsuspecting title and escrow companies to finalize the sale and transfer ownership. Finally, they shared the fraudulently-obtained sales proceeds amongst themselves.
In his guilty plea, McCloud admitted taking part in two such fraudulent transactions within a two-month period of 2015, which generated a total of $580,482 in proceeds.
In the first, in April 2015, McCloud filed a forged Intra-Family deed with the District of Columbia’s Recorder of Deeds purporting to show that a home in the unit block of K Street NW was transferred from the true owners to a fictitious person. The true owners, who owned the home outright without any mortgage liens, did not sign the deed and did not give anyone permission to transfer their home. McCloud then appeared at the title company pretending to be the owner in order to close the transaction, presenting a California driver’s license with his photograph but in the name of the fictitious person, signing the settlement documents and selling the property. The title company sent by wire transfer $195,527 to a bank account opened in the name of the fictitious person. McCloud withdrew approximately $43,000 of the funds before the crime was discovered; the rest of the funds were returned to the title company.
In the second transaction, in May 2015, a conspirator arranged for a forged deed with respect to another home, in the 6400 block of 16th Street NW, to be filed with the Recorder of Deeds. As with the other property, the true owners, who owned the home outright without any mortgage liens, did not sign the deed and did not give anyone permission to sell the residence. In June 2015, McCloud appeared at the title company pretending to be the owner and using another fake California driver’s license with his photograph. He again signed the settlement documents in the fictitious name. The title company sent by wire transfer $384,955 to a bank account opened in the name of the fictitious person. McCloud was arrested the following day.
The true owners of the homes, who are elderly, have faced difficult and lengthy proceedings in order to retitle the properties in their own names. Unwinding the fraudulent transfer is merely the first step for the victims to reclaim their ownership and interest in the properties and each must now settle various outstanding bills.
Although McCloud received $580,482 in proceeds from his wire fraud scheme regarding both real properties, law enforcement seized a total of $369,990, which was later administratively forfeited. These forfeited funds, and the partial return of funds to the title company from the K Street transaction, reduced the amount owed in forfeiture to $57,965, which is the amount of the forfeiture money judgment.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Lucas and Stephanie Miller, former Paralegal Specialist Christopher Toms, Paralegal Specialist Aisha Keys, and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.
Former Middle School Teacher Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Four StudentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Robert Wilson Leach, 33, a former teacher at a public charter school in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 11 years and 10 months in prison for sexually abusing four middle school students between 2010 and 2013. Leach fled the country after he was confronted by one of the victims’ parents.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Michael Hughes, U.S. Marshal for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
“No matter how much time had elapsed, or how many miles he traveled, Robert Leach could not escape responsibility for the crimes he committed against four vulnerable children entrusted to his care,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Because of the dedicated efforts of law enforcement in the United States and abroad, he now is paying the price for his predatory acts.”
Leach, formerly of Silver Spring, Md., was arrested in the United Kingdom in July 2015 and extradited to the United States in January 2018. He pled guilty on June 8, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to first-degree child sexual abuse, sexual performance of a minor, and two counts of attempted second degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances as to one count.
Leach was sentenced by the Honorable Milton C. Lee. Following his prison term, Leach must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He also will be placed on a period of 25 years of supervised release.
Leach was a teacher at Meridian Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. throughout the period when the offenses took place. He taught seventh and eighth grade math classes. Starting in his first year teaching, and continuing until he fled the country, Leach groomed and sexually abused female students. The abuse, which varied by each of the four victims, included kissing in school stairwells, sexual touching in Leach’s classroom, the solicitation and receipt of nude photos, and sexual intercourse. With one victim, Leach engaged in sexual intercourse dozens of times. Leach would pick up this victim from school and drive her to his apartment in Maryland or to secluded parts of the District of Columbia, where he would sexually abuse her.
The sexual abuse stopped only when a parent caught Leach on December 31, 2013. That same day, Leach, a United States citizen, bought a plane ticket with cash, went to the airport, and fled first to the Cayman Islands and then to Cuba.
After a brief return to the United States, during which Leach resumed romantic communications with one of his victims, Leach departed again, this time for the United Arab Emirates, where he continued teaching. Leach remained there until July 2015, when he took a short trip to the United Kingdom. UK officers from the Metropolitan Police Service arrested Leach on a provisional arrest warrant. Leach remained incarcerated in the UK contesting extradition until he was extradited to the United States on January 5, 2018.
A second defendant, Laurren Ebony Walker, 33, Leach’s co-teacher and friend, is awaiting sentencing on Oct. 22, 2018, for committing perjury before the grand jury investigating the crimes. Walker, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in June 2018 to one count of perjury.
On July 22, 2015, near the time of Leach’s UK arrest, Walker testified before a D.C. Superior Court grand jury that was investigating Leach’s sexual abuse of students. Aware of the focus of the investigation and of the importance of truthful testimony, Walker chose to lie under oath about material facts relevant to the grand jury’s investigation. Among other things, she denied any communications with Leach or knowledge of his whereabouts after he fled the country, even though Walker in fact frequently spoke with him and had even visited him in the United Arab Emirates a few months before her grand jury testimony.
Walker also denied giving Leach periodic access to her car, even though one of the victims testified that Leach sexually abused her in that car.
This case was investigated by the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Investigations Division. In addition, significant assistance in locating and securing Leach was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, including Associate Directors Jason Carter and Tracey Lankler and Trial Attorneys Linda McKinney and Natalya Savransky; INTERPOL Washington; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John L. Hill and Julianne C. Johnston. Assistance was provided by a team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office that included Victim/Witness Advocate Elsa Resendiz; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Paralegal Specialists Jessica Moffatt, Angelina Slagle, and Joyce Arthur; Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown; Intern Hannah Dier, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Misler and Christopher Bruckmann.
District Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Fraud and Theft Schemes Targeting BusinessesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Cole, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for a pair of schemes in which he stole nearly $80,000 in checks intended for local businesses, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Cole pled guilty in July 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of first-degree theft, including one with an enhancement for violating terms of his pretrial release, and one count each of first-degree fraud and violating the Bail Reform Act. He was sentenced by the Honorable Kimberley S. Knowles. Following his prison term, Cole will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, from September through December of 2014, Cole targeted a privately owned swimming pool business in a fraud scheme. He stole checks that were being mailed to a mailbox the company kept at a copy and print shop in Northwest Washington. He also created a bank account in a name that mimicked that of the company’s. In total, he stole at least 21 checks from the company, totaling $64,794. In addition, he obtained access to checkbooks belonging to two other people, and attempted to deposit checks into accounts he had created. The pool company discovered the fraud and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) began an investigation that led to Cole’s arrest in June 2016.
In 2017, while on pretrial release for the earlier fraud, Cole carried out essentially the same scheme again: this time, he got access to business mailboxes by signing up for an account at a virtual office space in Northwest Washington. Once there, he stole a number of checks from different companies, including a check in the amount of about $15,000 that was paid from a church to a musician for a Christmastime concert and recording. Again, Cole created a fraudulent bank account in the name of the musician’s company and tried to pass the check off as his own; however, the scheme was detected and the church stopped payment on the stolen check.
Cole was once again arrested in May 2017. He failed to appear for a court hearing on July 13, 2018, leading to the Bail Reform Act charge against him.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives who investigated the crimes from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Arlington County, Va. Police Department. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Miller and Michael Christin; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Howie; Paralegal Specialists Aisha Keys and Angelia Slagle; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia, and Intern David Seidman and former Intern Tessa Tilton. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Romano and Jason Feldman, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Charges in Fatal Shooting in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Marco F. Williams, 25, and Barry J. Giles, 22, also known as “Juany,” both of Washington, D.C., have pled guilty to charges in the October 2016 shooting death of a man in the Fort Lincoln neighborhood of Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Williams pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed. Giles pled guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Both pleas took place on Oct. 17, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s final approval, call for a prison sentence for Williams of 186 months, or 15 ½ years, and a prison sentence for Giles of 102 months, or 8 ½ years. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Dec 18, 2018.
The evidence in support of the guilty pleas showed that on the night of Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, Williams and Giles were in the Fort Lincoln neighborhood, where each of them had ties. Specifically, they were in the area of the 3100 block of Berry Road NE, where they spent time and drank alcohol with the victim, Timothy Lassiter, and others.
Both Williams and Giles had pistols. In the course of the evening, Williams and Giles resolved to shoot and kill Mr. Lassiter, 36. At 11:42 p.m., Williams, armed with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, fired four shots at Mr. Lassiter, striking him twice. Four 9mm cartridge cases fired from the same gun were recovered in the area where Mr. Lassiter’s body was found by responding medics and police officers.
The evidence established that after Mr. Lassiter was shot by Williams, Giles went through Mr. Lassiter’s pockets and removed items of personal property.
Mr. Lassiter was transported by ambulance to a hospital and was pronounced dead early on Oct. 6, 2016. Following Mr. Lassiter’s funeral on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, Giles went on social media and posted a video of himself talking about the shooting of Mr. Lassiter. In the video, which was soon thereafter deleted, Giles boasted and bragged about his role in the shooting.
Warrants for the arrest of the two defendants were issued on March 1, 2018. Giles was arrested on March 5, 2018, and Williams, who was otherwise serving a sentence, was arrested on March 29, 2018. Both have been held without bond since their arrests.
In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division’s Homicide Branch, forensic scientists from the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, who processed the crime scene, and officers of MPD’s Fifth Police District, who responded to the shooting. They also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Misler and Michael D. Brittin; Criminal Investigators Durand Odom and Mark Crawford; Paralegal Specialist Debra Joyner; and Investigative Analysts Shannon Alexis and Zachary McMenamin.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Offenses Involving Purchase of Fully Automatic Assault RifleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Clark Calloway, 39, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to possession of a firearm and to acquiring that firearm with the intent to commit assault, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Calloway pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to charges of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and illegal possession of a machine gun. Each of the charges carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan scheduled sentencing for Jan. 31, 2019.
During the plea colloquy, Calloway admitted that while a subject of an undercover investigation, he agreed to purchase a fully automatic AK-47 for $250. At the time, Calloway stated that he wanted to use the AK-47 on white people. He acknowledged making numerous statements expressing support against non-Muslims, police officers, and white people. He also acknowledged that he was a former Marine and a felon previously convicted of a felony.
Calloway was arrested by the FBI on May 4, 2017 when he took delivery of the AK-47. He has been in custody ever since.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo and former Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal S. Chawla and Jeffrey Pearlman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Benita Corlett of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Former Owner of Plastics Recycling Company Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Sang Han, 47, formerly of Palm Beach, Fla., was sentenced today to four years in prison following his conviction in a multi-million dollar tax evasion scheme.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Matthew J. DeSarno Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly R Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office.
Han was found guilty by a jury on May 9, 2018, of two counts of tax evasion for evading paying millions of dollars in taxes in 2010 and 2011. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. In addition to the prison term, Han was ordered to pay $4,954,027 to the IRS. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the evidence introduced at trial and statements made in court, Han owned and operated Envion, a company that he claimed held the patents on technology used to convert plastics into fuel oil. Beginning as early as 2004, Han convinced two individuals to invest nearly $40 million in his company, then used more than $17 million of that money to fund a lavish personal lifestyle. Between 2004 and 2011, Han used millions of dollars of investors’ money for personal expenditures, including flying in private jets, enjoying lavish meals and adult entertainment, and purchasing luxury cars. Specifically, in 2010 and 2011, Han used $3 million to purchase a West Palm Beach home, paid $2 million for extravagant renovations and internal decorations, and spent over $440,000 on multiple luxury cars, including BMWs, a Range Rover, and a Ferrari. Han also used millions of dollars of the investors’ money to replace money he took from Envion in previous years.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, Han also took steps to conceal his personal use of the investors’ money from his bookkeepers and tax preparers. As a result, he did not report any of the money he converted for his personal use on his 2010 and 2011 income tax returns, thereby evading more than $4 million in tax liability.
U.S. Attorney Liu, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jackson commended the work of those who investigated the case from IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derrick Williams and Denise Simmonds, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Tax Division Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney, who prosecuted the case, as well as Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips, who provided assistance during the trial.
Seven People Sentenced to Prison on Federal Charges Following Investigation into Drug Sales in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Antonio Spencer, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a five-year prison term after pleading guilty to a federal drug offense stemming from an investigation into the trafficking of PCP, crack cocaine and heroin in Southwest Washington. Six co-defendants previously were sentenced to prison terms in the case.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Thomas L. Chittum III, 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).
Spencer is among eight people to plead guilty to federal charges as a result of an investigation by ATF and the MPD targeting the area near the King Greenleaf Recreation Center, in the 200 block of N Street SW. The investigation began after authorities noticed an increase in drug sales and violent activity in the area, which is in MPD’s First Police District.
According to the government’s evidence, in addition to the area near the recreation center, drug sales took place in various alleys and corners, including near a church in the 1300 block of First Street SW, near a food market in the 1300 block of Half Street SW, and near a convenience store in the 1100 block of South Capitol Street SW.
All eight defendants are from Washington, D.C.
Spencer pled guilty in August 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute PCP, heroin, and crack cocaine. He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan.
The six defendants who previously were sentenced include:
-Maurice Spencer, 20. He pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute PCP and was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison. He is the younger brother of Antonio Spencer.
-Kione Banks, 21. He pled guilty to conspiring to distribute PCP and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
-Raymond Boston 27. He pled guilty to conspiring to distribute PCP and was sentenced to two years in prison.
-Jerome Fuller, 33. He pled guilty to distribution of PCP and was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.
-Damion Littman, 32. He pled guilty to distribution of PCP and was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
-Morriko Washington, 24. He pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Following their prison terms, the defendants will be placed on periods of supervised release.
The eighth defendant, Davon Warren, 22, is to be sentenced on Nov. 28, 2018.
This case was investigated by ATF and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin L. Rosenberg and William Schurmann, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former U.S. Senate Employee Pleads Guilty to False Statements ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James A. Wolfe, 57, of Ellicott City, Maryland, a former staff employee of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), pleaded guilty today to one count of making a false statement to special agents of the FBI during the course of an investigation into the unlawful disclosure of classified national security information.
The guilty plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy M. Dunham of the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Wolfe was indicted in June 2018 on three false statements charges. Under the plea agreement, the government will move to dismiss the remaining counts at sentencing.
At the time Wolfe made the false statement to the FBI, he was the Director of Security for the SSCI, a position he held for more than 28 years. As SSCI Director of Security, Wolfe was entrusted with receiving, maintaining, and managing classified national security information provided to the SSCI by the Executive Branch of the United States.
According to a statement of offense filed at the hearing, the FBI opened an investigation in April 2017 into the unauthorized disclosure of classified national security information that had appeared in a specific article published by a national news organization. In December 2017, during the course of the investigation, Wolfe was interviewed. Wolfe was asked specifically about whether he had been in contact with any reporters and, if so, who those reporters were, and what were the nature and extent of those contacts and the means by which those contacts occurred.
By his guilty plea, Wolfe admitted making false statements to the FBI concerning whether he had provided unclassified, but not otherwise publicly-available, information to reporters. Specifically, on Oct. 16, 2017, and again on Oct. 24, 2017, Wolfe provided a particular reporter with non-public information concerning a witness who had been subpoenaed to testify before the SSCI. Wolfe also admitted making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with three additional reporters, including one of the authors of the aforementioned article.
The charge of making a false statement is a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2018.
The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Ballantine and Tejpal S. Chawla and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Ingersoll of the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Former U.S. Senate Employee Pleads Guilty to False Statements ChargeRead the Press Release
James A. Wolfe, 57, of Ellicott City, Maryland, a former staff employee of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), pleaded guilty today to one count of making a false statement to special agents of the FBI during the course of an investigation into the unlawful disclosure of classified national security information.
The guilty plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy M. Dunham of the Counterintelligence Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Wolfe was indicted in June 2018 on three false statements charges. Under the plea agreement, the government will move to dismiss the remaining counts at sentencing.
At the time Wolfe made the false statement to the FBI, he was the Director of Security for the SSCI, a position he held for more than 28 years. As SSCI Director of Security, Wolfe was entrusted with receiving, maintaining, and managing classified national security information provided to the SSCI by the Executive Branch of the United States.
According to a statement of offense filed at the hearing, the FBI opened an investigation in April 2017 into the unauthorized disclosure of classified national security information that had appeared in a specific article published by a national news organization. In December 2017, during the course of the investigation, Wolfe was interviewed. Wolfe was asked specifically about whether he had been in contact with any reporters and, if so, who those reporters were, and what were the nature and extent of those contacts and the means by which those contacts occurred.
By his guilty plea, Wolfe admitted making false statements to the FBI concerning whether he had provided unclassified, but not otherwise publicly-available, information to reporters. Specifically, on Oct. 16, 2017, and again on Oct. 24, 2017, Wolfe provided a particular reporter with non-public information concerning a witness who had been subpoenaed to testify before the SSCI. Wolfe also admitted making false statements to the FBI about his contacts with three additional reporters, including one of the authors of the aforementioned article.
The charge of making a false statement to special agents of the FBI is a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20.
The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Ballantine and Tejpal S. Chawla and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Ingersoll of the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Robbing Liquor Store at GunpointRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cedric Carr, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to seven years in prison for robbing a downtown Washington liquor store at gunpoint in a daytime attack.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Thomas L. Chittum III, 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).
Carr pled guilty in July 2018, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Richard J. Leon. Following his prison term, Carr will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Oct. 30, 2017, at approximately 2 p.m., Carr walked into a liquor store in the 600 block of 12th Street NW and picked-up a bottle of champagne. He then replaced the champagne and selected a bottle of tequila. As the store employee was ringing up the sale, Carr pulled out a 9mm pistol from his front pants pocket. He threatened to kill the employee as he pointed the gun at him, demanding all the store’s money. He then reached over the counter and grabbed cash from the register drawer.
Carr fled with the money and the tequila. Crime scene officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) processed the scene and recovered the champagne bottle. Four fingerprints were lifted from the bottle; the fingerprints were later positively matched to the defendant. Carr was arrested the next day and still had the pistol in his possession.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the First District Detectives Division, crime scene officers, and the patrol officers in MPD’s First Police District, as well as agents from the ATF. They also expressed appreciation for the work of the fingerprint analysts at 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 Victim Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones of the Victim Witness Unit, and Paralegal Peter Gaboton.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dineen A. Baker and Andrew Floyd, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Teenage DaughterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 39-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to sexually abusing his teenage daughter, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty on Oct. 11, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon 17-year prison term. Following his prison term, the man will be required to register for 10 years as a sex offender and also complete a term of supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, in October 2017, the man sexually abused the girl at the family’s residence in Northwest Washington. After that time, he sexually abused her on two additional occasions. The victim later said that she never told anyone because she did not want to be the cause of the family breaking up. However, she became pregnant and gave birth to the defendant’s child. Once she learned that she was pregnant, the girl disclosed the abuse. The man was arrested in August 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division. (MPD). She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Children’s Advocacy Center. Finally, she acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris, Paralegal Specialist Brenda Williams, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former District of Columbia Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes from ConsultantRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former employee of the District of Columbia Department of Human Resources pled guilty today to a federal bribery charge for accepting more than $140,000 in bribes from a consultant and independent contractor who did business with the government.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
Latasha Moore, 38, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty before the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charge of bribery carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Moore faces a possible range of 70 to 87 months in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the plea hearing, Moore started work in 2002 for the D.C. Department of Human Resources; in 2012, she was promoted to the position of resource allocation analyst. In that role, among other duties, she was the main point of contact for a government contractor that had agreements with the District of Columbia Department of Human Resources to provide organizational skills training courses and human resources consulting to various D.C. government agencies.
As noted in the statement of offense, Moore and a consultant employed by the company engaged in a scheme in which Moore agreed to protect the government contracts held by the company and ensure that no complaints about its performance reached others in the District of Columbia government. The scheme began in approximately July 2014 and ran through August 2017. In return for her actions, according to the statement of offense, Moore accepted more than $140,000 from the consultant in checks and a PayPal money transfer.
According to the statement of offense, Moore had suspicions about more than $1 million in invoices that the consultant submitted from March 2015 through June 2017. Nonetheless, in return for the money the consultant paid her, Moore advised other D.C. government officials to approve the invoices for payment. As the scheme continued, according to the statement of offense, the company discovered that the consultant was acting on his own and retaining the profits for himself. Although Moore knew of the company’s concerns, she did not relay them to her supervisors and continued to advise other government officials to approve the consultant’s invoices.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Office of the Inspector General of the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Marando, who is prosecuting the matter.
United States Secures Judgment Forfeiting $396,589 Associated with Iranian Money Laundering EffortsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –The United States has secured a judgment in a civil action seeking the forfeiture of $396,589 associated with a United Arab Emirates-based company, Royal Pearls General Trading, that allegedly engaged in illegal business dealings involving a company in Iran, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Sean M. Cox, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Springfield, Illinois Field Office.
The judgment was entered on Oct. 4, 2018 by Judge Reggie B. Walton in a lawsuit filed in March 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In its complaint, the United States alleged that Royal Pearls General Trading (Royal Pearls) and its co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to illegally export specialized petroleum parts to end users in Iran, in violation of U.S. laws.
According to the complaint and pleadings in the case, the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Pearls is Iranian national Kambiz Rostamian, who is also the CEO of the Iranian company MKS International Group. The pleadings alleged that the products Royal Pearls attempted to procure with the forfeited funds -- highly specialized pieces of equipment used by large-scale petroleum operations -- were intended for an Iranian subsidiary of MKS International.
These transactions would have required a license from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The international wiring of U.S. dollars into the United States to promote this sale violated U.S. money laundering laws. OFAC designated Royal Pearls in February 2017 for acting on behalf of MKS International. According to the designation, MKS has procured components for Iran’s ballistic missile program.
The complaint alleged that Royal Pearls laundered $396,589 in 2014 and 2015 to a U.S. company, through an intermediary company that was acting on behalf of Royal Pearls, in an attempt to procure the specialized equipment. The pleadings highlight multiple indications that Royal Pearls was a shell company operating on behalf of MKS International. For example, the complaint notes that the registration information of one of the Royal Pearls websites indicates that its address was “4th Floor, N014 Tehran, Tehran, IR 19937, Dubai, AE 1116,” which appears to be an Iranian address falsely made to look like an address in the United Arab Emirates. The pleadings also state that a MKS International subsidiary in Iran indicated that it was selling items similar to those Royal Pearls attempted to illegally procure with the forfeited funds.
“The judgment in this case shows there will be consequences for those who scheme to violate our nation’s export laws,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will use every tool at our disposal to enforce these laws and protect our nation’s security.”
“This case is an outstanding example of how law enforcement works throughout the United States to bring justice against a foreign business operation that violates our nation’s export laws,” said Special Agent in Charge Cox.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is captioned United States of America v. $396,589 In U.S. Funds Associated With Royal Pearls General Trading.
This case has been investigated by the FBI’s Springfield, Ill. Field Office. Assistance has been provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia M. Faruqui, Brian P. Hudak, and Ari B. Redbord, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman, and Paralegal Specialist Toni Anne Donato, all from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, represented the government.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Brazen Capitol Hill Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Arturo Gray, 23, of Capitol Heights, Md., and Twon Brown, 24, of Washington D.C., have pled guilty to charges stemming from an armed robbery of a pharmacy last year on Capitol Hill, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Gray and Brown pled guilty on Oct. 4, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to robbery while armed. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of five years of incarceration. Brown also pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in an unrelated case. That plea calls for an additional one year of incarceration. The Honorable Jennifer A. Di Toro scheduled sentencing for Nov. 30, 2018.
According to a factual proffer submitted at the plea hearing and the government’s evidence, the robbery took place at approximately 2:20 p.m. on May 5, 2017, at a pharmacy in the 300 block of East Capitol Street NE. Brown and Gray entered the pharmacy together with another individual. Brown brandished a firearm and pointed it at employees and customers while Gray guarded the door and shouted commands at the employees.
As the crime continued, Brown and another individual jumped over the counter and took prescription medications from the store while holding the employees at gunpoint. Brown, Gray, and the third individual then fled the establishment together. Video footage from inside the store helped to identify the defendants. Subsequently, law enforcement recovered text messages between the conspirators which showed them discussing their plans for the robbery. Further electronic evidence showed Gray searching on the Internet for the pharmacy in advance of the robbery and using Google Maps to navigate to the location.
Gray was arrested on Oct. 16, 2017 and Brown was arrested on May 28, 2018. The defendants were indicted on Oct. 3, 2018, on 22 counts relating to the robbery and pled guilty the following day. This case was set to go to trial on Nov. 1, 2018 before the defendants pled guilty to the lead charge of the indictment.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI's Washington Field Office, and the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Criminal Investigator John Marsh, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyse Constantinide and Louis Manzo, who investigated, indicted and prosecuted the matter.
Three Area Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for 2015 Slaying in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Three men were sentenced today to decades in prison on felony murder and other charges stemming from the slaying of a man during a home invasion in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Joseph Barbour, 38, Willie Glover, Jr., 40, and Charles McRae, 66, were found guilty by a jury on July 17, 2018, of murder, first-degree burglary while armed, and related offenses, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Today, the Honorable Craig Iscoe sentenced Barbour to 40 years in prison, Glover to 38 years, and McRae to a 38 ½-year term of incarceration. Barbour and McRae are from Washington, D.C., and Glover is from Forestville, Md.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of the killing, Dec. 21, 2015, the victim, Lenard Wills, was with a group of people in an apartment in the 700 block of 24th Street NE. His girlfriend was making dinner for the group when she got into a verbal argument with McRae. McRae left the apartment and came back a short time later with Barbour and Glover. One of the occupants let McRae into the apartment and, as he entered, Barbour and Glover came in behind him, wearing masks and carrying guns.
All three told the people in the apartment to get down and shut up. Barbour and Glover immediately went to Mr. Wills, who was seated at a table in the living room, and started pistol-whipping him, demanding money and drugs. McRae held down one of the occupants and punched another who tried to flee. He then pounded on the bathroom door demanding that Mr. Wills’ girlfriend come out, and punched her when she did. A struggle between Mr. Wills, Barbour and Glover ensued, during which one of the guns went off and broke apart. At some point during the struggle, Mr. Wills stabbed Barbour and Glover. McRae then came over to assist. Mr. Wills, 50, was stabbed multiple times and all three defendants fled the apartment. Mr. Wills was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital.
Bleeding heavily, Barbour fled across the courtyard and a basketball court to his girlfriend’s apartment building. Later, while canvassing along the blood trail, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department recovered a knife in a trash can as well as Barbour’s cell phone on the basketball court. Glover, meanwhile, drove himself to an area hospital. McRae met up with several of the apartment’s occupants at a bus stop while police were canvassing the scene and told them, among other things, that what happened in the apartment was not meant for them and that if he had the gun, he would have shot Mr. Wills.
Barbour and Glover were arrested within days of the murder, and McRae was arrested in March 2016. All have been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentences, 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 assisted with the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb and Daniel Lenerz; former Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity, Alesha Matthews, Stephanie Gilbert, and Kelly Blakeney; Litigation Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia, Leif Hickling, and Jeanie Latimore-Brown; Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan, and Witness Security Specialist Debra Cannon. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Sanchez, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Earnest and Richard Barker, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 82 Months in Prison for Robbing Teenager at Gunpoint in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven Sanchez, 20, of Silver Spring, Md., was sentenced today to an 82-month prison term for robbing a teenager at gunpoint last fall in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Sanchez was found guilty by a jury in July 2018 of charges of armed robbery, first-degree theft, fleeing law enforcement, destruction of property, and a related firearms offense. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer A. Di Toro. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 3, 2017, at about 10 p.m., the 17-year-old victim was attacked as he walked in the area of 14th and Farragut Streets NW. Sanchez and an accomplice shoved the victim to the ground, stuck a gun to his neck, and robbed him. Sanchez and his accomplice – who were both wearing masks - took the victim’s backpack, laptop, iPhone and wallet, and fled. The victim called 911, and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) quickly located Sanchez and his accomplice in a car parked in an alley behind 14th Street and Ortiz Place NW. Police found some of the victim’s belongings in a nearby dumpster and the victim’s iPhone case was underneath the car.
Detectives arrived a short time later and attempted to question Sanchez. Sanchez, however, backed up his car and almost hit officers. He hit a parked car, damaging its bumper. He then exited the alley at top speed and got away. An investigation led to Sanchez’s arrest in March 2018, and he has remained in custody ever since. No others have been arrested in the case.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Montgomery County, Md. Police Department. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Sanchez, Paralegal Specialists Debra McPherson and Richard Cheatham, Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia, and Interns Shelby Rampolo and Chad Hansen. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nurudeen Elias and Alissa Kempler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dominique N. Simms, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal firearms charge stemming from his arrest during the execution of a search warrant at a house in Northeast Washington announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Washington Division Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Simms pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2019. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Simms faces an estimated range of 24 to 30 months in prison and up to three years of supervised release. The Court ordered him detained pending sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 16, 2018, members of a joint MPD and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration task force executed a search warrant at a residence in the 5300 block of Clay Terrace NE. As officers entered the premises, they saw an unknown man run through the living room and out of the back door. Simms, who was sitting on the couch, attempted to run away from the entering officers. A search of the living room area revealed a loaded Glock 43 and a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun underneath the seat cushion of the chair next to where Simms was sitting. The guns were easily accessible from the couch area. Throughout the house, police also discovered more than seven ounces, or approximately 195 grams, of phencyclidine (PCP).
Law enforcement tested the firearms for the presence of any fingerprints or identifiable DNA. On June 12, 2018, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences identified one fingerprint – a left palm print – of Simms on the left side of the Smith and Wesson. On July 18, 2018, DNA analysts identified Simms’s DNA on both firearms.
The Glock 43 firearm had previously been reported stolen from a firearms store located in Rockville, Md. in 2017.
Simms was barred from possessing a firearm because of prior convictions in the District of Columbia. In the District of Columbia, he was sentenced in 2013 for robbery.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Acting Special Agent in Charge Hoernke, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, specifically the Cross-Border Initiative Task Force. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked in the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Catherine O’Neal and Teesha Tobias and Legal Assistant Emma Atlas. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory P. Rosen, who prosecuted the case.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Killing of Man in Navy Yard Area of Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Babajide Pittman, 33, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges in a mid-day shooting that took place on a Southeast Washington corner on Thanksgiving weekend of 2016, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Pittman also was found guilty of assault with intent to kill while armed and related firearms offenses. The verdict was returned on Oct. 3, 2018, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for Dec. 13, 2018. Pittman faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 27, 2016, at approximately 1 p.m., Pittman was standing on the corner of 7th and L Streets SE, outside the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks Annex. The homicide victim, Anthony Young, Jr., was the passenger in a car being driven by his girlfriend. They were headed to a friend’s house nearby. Pittman and Mr. Young knew each other, and had been in a prior argument. Mr. Young got out of the car and argued on the sidewalk with Pittman for about two minutes.
When Mr. Young opened the passenger door of the car to leave, Pittman ran up behind him and fired 12 shots into the car. Mr. Young was struck eight times, in the back, arm, and legs, and his girlfriend was struck once in the leg.
Mr. Young, 27, died within minutes of being shot. His girlfriend was transported to Howard University Hospital, where she was treated for the gunshot wound. She sustained permanent nerve damage in her foot.
Pittman fled the area on foot. He was arrested early the following morning, and has been held in custody since.
Personnel from the U.S. Marine Corps assisted the victims and the responding police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police.
A homeowner who lived down the street from the shooting had a Nest surveillance system, with audio and high-definition video, that captured the shooting. This video was instrumental in investigating and prosecuting the case. This prosecution reflects the value of the District of Columbia’s Private Security Camera Incentive Program, which encourages residents to install security cameras to assist law enforcement.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney 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 U.S. Capitol Police, the Metro Transit Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mannarino, Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman, Lead Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity, Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, and intern Cara Clark.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nestler and Seth Gilmore, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Fatal Stabbing at Northwest Washington Bar and GrillRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antoine Byrd, 38, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to fatally stabbing one man and wounding two others at a bar and grill in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Byrd pled guilty on Oct. 3, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence in the range of 10 to 14 years. The Honorable Craig Iscoe set a hearing for Jan. 11, 2019, to determine whether to accept the plea and sentencing range.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, the stabbing took place at approximately 11:40 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2016. That evening, the homicide victim, Robinson Pal, 32, had been with friends at the “Bar Code” bar and restaurant, in the 1100 block of 17th Street NW. Byrd was also at the club that night. At some point during the evening, Mr. Pal pointed out Byrd to his friends, and accused Byrd of having previously robbed him.
A short time later, Mr. Pal and Byrd encountered one another again. This time, they got into a physical altercation, and at some point, Byrd yelled, “I’m going to kill you.” Byrd then stabbed Mr. Pal one time in his chest area. Mr. Pal slumped over and fell to the floor. During that altercation, Byrd also stabbed a second man in the back, and a third man in the hand. Both of those victims survived.
Byrd then fled the scene on foot. He was later identified by individuals who had been at the establishment that night. DNA evidence also linked Byrd to the handle of the knife that was recovered on scene from underneath Mr. Pal. Byrd was arrested on Feb. 17, 2016, and has been in custody ever since.
Mr. Pal died from his injuries on Feb. 1, 2016.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 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 Laura A. Bach and David Gorman, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Nestler, Alicia Long, and Ellen D’Angelo, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Charged in Investigation of Illegal Posting of Restricted Personal Information of U.S. Senators on WebsiteRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A volunteer on the staff of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives made his first court appearance today on charges stemming from the illegal posting of restricted personal information of five U.S. Senators on the Wikipedia website, as well as related conduct.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.
Jackson A. Cosko, 27, of Washington, D.C., was arrested on Oct. 3, 2018 by the U.S. Capitol Police. He is charged in a criminal complaint with five federal offenses: making public restricted personal information; making threats in interstate commerce; unauthorized access of a government computer; identity theft; and witness tampering. The complaint also charges him with second-degree burglary and unlawful entry, both District of Columbia offenses.
Cosko appeared this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The judge ordered that Cosko remain detained pending a hearing set for Oct. 9, 2018.
According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, the U.S. Capitol Police began an investigation on Sept. 27, 2018, after it was determined that the Wikipedia pages of three U.S. Senators had been edited to include restricted personal information without their knowledge or permission. This information included home addresses and personal telephone numbers. These edits took place roughly contemporaneously with public – and highly publicized – Senate proceedings related to a nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Then, on Oct. 1, 2018, according to the affidavit, similar information was posted on the Wikipedia pages of two additional Senators.
“Doxxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the Internet personal identifying information (“PII”) and other sensitive information about an individual.
On the night of Oct. 2, 2018, according to the affidavit, a witness saw Cosko at a computer in the office of a U.S. Senator who had once employed him. The witness confronted Cosko, who left the office. An investigation led to Cosko’s arrest by the U.S. Capitol Police.
The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The statutory maximums for the crimes are as follows:
Federal Offenses:
Making public restricted personal information – five years.
Threats in interstate commerce – two years.
Unauthorized access of a government computer – one year.
Identity theft – five years.
Witness tampering – 20 years.
District of Columbia Offenses:
Second-degree burglary – 15 years.
Unlawful Entry – Six months.
The maximum statutory federal sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any federal offense, a sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation into this matter is being conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police. The case is being prosecuted by the Cyber Crime and National Security Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Virginia Man Sentenced to One-Year Prison Term for Real Estate Investment ScamRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Tipton, 52, of Alexandria, Va., was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison for defrauding lenders who provided him with nearly $710,000 towards the purchase and renovation of a residential property in Northeast Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Tipton pled guilty in May 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of mail fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Paul L. Friedman. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay $448,994 in restitution, as well as an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the government’s evidence, Tipton owned a company that was created to purchase, renovate, and sell residential real estate in the District of Columbia and Virginia. He signed a contract in January 2013 to purchase a property in the 500 block of 14th Street NE for $450,000 in cash, planning to renovate and sell the property for a profit. He falsely represented that he had the required funds available to close the cash transaction and created a false bank statement to back up the claim. In fact, almost all of the money for the purchase was coming from two unrelated private individuals whom he had met at a real estate investment seminar. Each of them provided Tipton with $224,497, for a total of $448,994, in return for Deeds of Trust securing their interest in the property. Tipton did not tell the settlement company about the loans. As a result, the Deeds of Trust were not recorded.
Additionally, Tipton later obtained $260,000 from a private money lender to renovate the property. Tipton did not disclose to the lender that two other individuals held Deeds of Trust in the property.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Marston, former Criminal Investigator Juan Juarez, Paralegal Specialist Aisha Keys, and former Paralegal Specialist Kristy Penny. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty for 2003 Sexual Assault of Woman in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Richardson, 37, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman in September 2003, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Richardson pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of attempted first-degree sexual abuse. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon seven-year prison term. Richardson also will be required to register as a sex offender for life and serve a term of supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 21, 2003, at approximately 8:20 p.m., Richardson pulled the woman into a wooded area in the 4600 block of Blue Plains Drive SW, and raped her at knifepoint, after engaging her in conversation and offering to walk her home. Richardson then brandished the knife, told her to do as he said, and sexually assaulted her. The victim screamed for help and tried to run, but was unsuccessful. When the assault was over, Richardson threatened to kill the victim if she reported the assault. He again offered to walk the victim home, but she told him to leave her alone and ran back to her residence.
The victim made an immediate report to police, and was transported to an area hospital, where she received a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination.
Richardson was developed as a suspect in this offense by MPD’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit in September 2018. On Sept. 18, 2018, a D.C. Superior Court judge signed a complaint and warrant authorizing Richardson’s arrest. The warrant was executed on Sept. 19, 2018, two days before the statute of limitations would have run on this case. Richardson has been in custody ever since.
When detectives discovered this case in September 2018, the investigation revealed that Richardson had been convicted in two prior sexual assault cases, one that occurred in 2000 in Baltimore, and one that occurred in 2003 in the District of Columbia.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit and officers from the Seventh District, as well as the Deputy Marshals from the U.S. Marshals Service. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, and Paralegal Specialist Tameka Garcia.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Zubrensky and Jennifer Loeb, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison Terms on Federal Charges for Attack on ATM EmployeeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Richard Reid, 43, of Washington, D.C., and Dwonne Washington, 43, of Silver Spring, Md., were sentenced today to prison terms for robbing and beating a man who was servicing ATM machines in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Both men pled guilty in July 2018 to a charge of interference with interstate commerce by robbery as well as a related federal firearms offense. They were sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras in the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia. Each was sentenced to a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and additional time for the robbery offense. Reid was sentenced to a total of 10 years in prison and Washington was sentenced to a total 8 ½-year prison term. Following their prison terms, each will be placed on five years of supervised release. They also were ordered to pay $52,000 in restitution, as well as $26,000 each in forfeiture money judgments.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 15, 2017, the victim was refilling ATM machines owned by his company throughout the Washington, D.C. area. The attack took place after the victim had refilled an ATM machine located inside a market in the 300 block of P Street NW. At 1:45 p.m., as the victim was walking to his car with a backpack filled with cash, he was attacked from behind by two assailants.
The first assailant, Washington, pistol-whipped the victim with a firearm while the second assailant, Reid, beat the victim with his fists. Both Washington and Reid wrestled the backpack off the victim’s back and fled the area in a vehicle. During the attack, which was captured on surveillance video, the victim’s nose was broken.
An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department revealed that the getaway vehicle used by the assailants was registered to Washington. Witnesses then identified Washington in the surveillance video and he was arrested the day after the crime. He has been held ever since. Subsequent investigation by MPD and the FBI’s Washington Field Office identified a phone dropped on scene as belonging to Reid, and a witness identified him in the surveillance video. He was arrested on Feb. 23, 2018 and has been held since that time.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, and Chief Newsham commended the work of MPD’s Fifth District detectives and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Vanore and Sumit Mallick, who prosecuted the defendants.
Twenty People Charged in Federal Drug and Firearms Case Involving Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Cocaine, and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nineteen people have been arrested and one is being sought on federal charges in connection with an ongoing investigation into a drug trafficking network that distributed heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, PCP, and suboxone in the Washington, D.C. area.
The arrests and charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Thomas L. Chittum III, 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).
The charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. To date, more than 55 ounces of cocaine and cocaine base, more than seven ounces of heroin, and more than 10 pounds of marijuana have been seized as a result of the investigation, along with seven firearms, including a short-barreled AK rifle, one silencer, and more than $10,000 in cash.
A total of 16 people were indicted for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, PCP, and suboxone. Two additional individuals were indicted for firearms offenses, and two more defendants were charged in criminal complaints. The indictments include a forfeiture count against those now charged in the investigation, which seeks all proceeds from the crimes.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by ATF and the MPD/FBI Safe Streets Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. In the summer of 2017, MPD, ATF, and the FBI began a long-term investigation into drug trafficking in the Northeast quadrant of the District of Columbia. The indictments allege that various defendants conspired to carry out various facets of the drug operation from at least October 2017 until September 2018.
“These indictments are the result of a concerted law enforcement effort to identify and prosecute those responsible for drug trafficking in neighborhoods in the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Those who sell illegal drugs pose a significant threat to public safety and we will do everything we can to disrupt and dismantle their operations.”
“Information developed from MPD’s summer crime prevention initiative led to a year-long federal gang investigation that culminated with these arrests of a network of drug dealers,” said Special Agent in Charge DeSarno. “We will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners through the MPD/FBI Safe Streets Task Force to take down these violent enterprises and address crime in our region.”
“Gun crime is a scourge on our communities and it holds good citizens hostage in their homes. Everyone deserves a community where they feel safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Chittum. “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to make sure they have it. We will continue to use our resources to take armed criminals off our streets and put them behind bars where they belong.”
“The safety and well-being of District residents and visitors was positively impacted as a result of this comprehensive investigation and subsequent prosecutions,” said Chief Newsham. “We have an unwavering commitment at the Metropolitan Police Department to remove illegal firearms and narcotics from our neighborhoods, which is shared by each of our partner agencies. This operation should serve as an example of this commitment and our ability to safely remove dangerous individuals from our community.”
Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrests and searches, including the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department, the, Montgomery County, Md. Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the U.S. Park Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seventeen people were arrested on Sept. 28, 2018. Two others were already in custody and one remains at large. The defendants began making court appearances on Sept. 28, 2018, with further proceedings scheduled for this week.
A total of 13 locations were searched during the law enforcement actions on Sept. 28, 2018, including 11 in the District of Columbia and two in Prince George’s County, Md. At earlier stages of the investigation, law enforcement seized evidence during two additional searches in the District of Columbia and two in Montgomery County, Md.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the arrests and charges, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Safe Streets Task Force, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD, and ATF.
They acknowledged the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
Additionally, they expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office;, Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department, Montgomery County, Md. Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Park Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Finally, they cited the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth F. Whitted, C.B. Buente, Stephen J. Gripkey, and Kara Traster, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who assisted with the forfeiture aspects of the investigation.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Series of Thefts at Gyms and Movie TheaterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Leopold Badu, 43, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to six years in prison for incidents in which he stole credit cards and other items from lockers and bags at three gyms and a movie theater, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Badu pled guilty in August 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery, one count of second-degree burglary, and two counts of felony credit card fraud, stemming from four incidents over a five-month period. He was sentenced on Sept. 28, 2018, by the Honorable Marisa Demeo. Following his prison term, he is to be placed on three years of supervised release.
Badu was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in June 2018 and charged with multiple theft-related charges, mostly stemming from break-ins of lockers at various fitness centers. In his guilty plea, he admitted to four of the offenses. They included:
-Dec. 25, 2017: Badu sat next to a woman at a movie theater in the 700 block of Seventh Street NW, and removed a wallet from her bag without her knowledge. He then used her credit card for $150 in transactions at the concession stand.
-March 15, 2018: Badu entered the men’s locker room of a fitness center in the 3100 block of 14th Street NW, and broke into a locker. He stole cash and three credit cards. He used the cards to make more than $2,000 in purchases.
-May 7, 2018: Badu entered the men’s locker room of a fitness center in the 2400 block of M Street NW and took credit cards. He then made more than $2,000 in purchases.
-May 22, 2018: Badu entered the men’s locker room of a fitness center in the 1600 block of U Street NW and broke into a locker. He stole credit cards and $40 in cash. He made more than $2,000 in purchases on the credit cards.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vivian E. Kim and Colleen Kukowski, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Kavon D. Young, 28, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal firearms charge following his arrest in a traffic stop, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Young pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 14, 2018. Young faces an estimated range of 30 to 37 months in prison and up to three years of supervised release. The Court ordered him detained pending sentencing.
According to the government's evidence, on Feb. 16, 2018, at approximately 10 p.m., an MPD officer, operating in full uniform and in an unmarked police car, was patrolling the Sixth District. The officer saw Young operating a gold-colored Nissan Maxima traveling in the wrong direction on 53rd Street SE, which is a one-way street.
A few minutes later, while officers were searching for the vehicle, another MPD officer, in full uniform and in a marked police car, observed Young driving at the intersection of 60th and Clay Streets NE. When officers got behind the vehicle in attempt to initiate a traffic stop, Young sped out and turned onto 60th Street NE, which leads to a dead end in the 200 block of the street. Before officers approached or were able to give Young any verbal commands, he immediately jumped out of the vehicle, leaving the driver’s door wide open. Without any prompting from MPD officers, Young went to the ground laying on his stomach with his arms on either side of him. An officer asked, “Any weapons on you?” and he replied “na, it’s in the car.”
Inside the vehicle, the officers recovered a loaded semi-automatic firearm tucked in between the right side of the driver’s seat and the center console. The magazine had 16 rounds of ammunition, and an additional seven rounds of ammunition was found in the vehicle.
Young was barred from possessing a firearm because of prior convictions in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, Md. In the District of Columbia, he was sentenced in 2016 for various firearms offenses. In Prince George’s County, he was sentenced in 2015 for a firearms offense and a vehicle theft charge.
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. They expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked in the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias and Legal Intern Nikeesha D. Nath. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who prosecuted the case.
Two District Men Plead Guilty to Charges in Killing of Man in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Grover, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to killing a man in broad daylight in February 2016 in Southeast Washington. A second defendant, Justin Robinson, 19, also of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to a related charge.
The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Grover pled guilty to second-degree murder, and Robinson pled guilty to assault with intent to kill. Both pleas were before the Honorable Judith Bartnoff in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval, call for Grover to be sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison and for Robinson to be sentenced to three to seven years of incarceration. Judge Bartnoff scheduled a sentencing hearing for Dec. 14, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 24, 2016, at about 2:30 p.m., Robinson and the victim, Demetrius Medlay, bumped shoulders and briefly argued at a market in the 3100 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. Robinson drove away, but returned to the area about 10 minutes later. He got out of the car holding a handgun with an extended magazine. While waving the gun, he argued with Mr. Medlay on the sidewalk and then drove off.
Robinson stopped the car at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Esther Place SE at about 2:45 p.m. Grover was standing at the corner. Referring to Mr. Medlay, Robinson said, “You can smoke him,” to which Grover replied, “All right.”
Moments later, Grover pulled a semi-automatic firearm out of his pocket and pointed it at Mr. Medlay. He shot him twice in the chest. Grover fled the scene. Mr. Medlay ran back to the food market, where he collapsed. Mr. Medlay, 22, was pronounced dead a short time later.
A law enforcement investigation led to Grover’s arrest in August 2016. Robinson was arrested in in July 2017.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Willoughby, Jr., former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard DiZinno, Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman, former Paralegal Specialist Zekiah Wright, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nestler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Man in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alton Rivers, 54, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter for fatally stabbing a man with a screwdriver during a fight in Northwest Washington last summer, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Rivers pled guilty on Sept. 28, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Dec. 14, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Friday, July 27, 2018, at about 4:30 p.m., an off-duty officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) observed two men fighting in the middle of the street in the intersection of 14th Street and Perry Place NW. One of the men – later identified as Rivers - was seen holding a weapon, and the other was swinging his fists. The officer confronted both men, announced that he was a police officer, and ordered them to stop fighting. Seconds later, the man who had been swinging his fists fell to the ground, with blood coming from his mouth. Rivers was then ordered repeatedly to drop his weapon, a bloody screwdriver. He finally complied and was arrested.
The second man was identified as Anthony Anderson, 68. All life-saving efforts failed and Mr. Anderson died from two stab wounds to the chest, one of which punctured his chest and aorta. Rivers has been in custody since his arrest.
A witness reported seeing the two men prior to the stabbing, fighting with their firsts. At one point, according to the witness, Mr. Anderson punched Rivers, who fell to the ground. Rivers then got up, this witness stated, and pulled out the screwdriver and stabbed Mr. Anderson.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Baset, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Prison for Kidnapping Lyft DriverRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shane Browne, 28, formerly of Beverly Hills, Calif., has been sentenced to a prison term of 14 years and eight months on charges stemming from the kidnapping of a Lyft driver last December, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Browne was found guilty by a jury in April 2018 of charges of kidnapping and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced on Sept. 28, 2018, by the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden. Following his prison term, Browne will be placed on five years of supervised release. The Court also ordered a civil forfeiture in the amount of $70,200 in connection with the marijuana that was seized in the case, as well as the forfeiture of approximately $35,000 in cash that was seized at an apartment where Browne had been staying in the District of Columbia.
At trial, the government’s evidence showed that on Dec. 11, 2017, Browne requested a ride using the Lyft smartphone application and ride-sharing service. The Lyft driver picked Browne up at approximately 3:20 p.m. at the Calvert House Apartments, in the 2400 block of Calvert Street NW. The driver drove Browne about 72 miles to a Red Roof Inn in Aberdeen, Md.
After arriving in Aberdeen at approximately 5:20 p.m., the two parted ways at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant, with the Lyft driver having grown suspicious of Browne and indicating that he would not provide a round trip. Within approximately 30 minutes, Browne returned to the Lyft vehicle with a suitcase that he did not have at the start of the trip. Browne placed the suitcase in the trunk, and requested a return trip, which the driver refused to provide.
Ultimately, Browne entered the Lyft vehicle and yet again requested a return trip, which the driver once again refused to provide. At this point, according to the government’s evidence, Browne took out a firearm, held it to the driver’s head, and ordered him to drive them back to the Calvert House Apartments. The driver then drove Browne and his suitcase to the Calvert House Apartments. Along the way, and as confirmed by Lyft business records, the driver managed to send an e-mail to Lyft that read, “Call the police I’m on [sic] trouble.”
At about 7:30 p.m., they arrived at the apartment building. Browne exited the vehicle and took his suitcase and entered the building. The driver, meanwhile, contacted OnStar and was subsequently referred to 911. MPD officers responded to the area at approximately 8:05 p.m. The officers monitored the building and ultimately detained Browne as he left a unit.
The following day, a search warrant was executed at the apartment, and law enforcement recovered approximately 78 pounds of marijuana in suitcases similar to the one that Browne had placed in the Lyft driver’s car, approximately $35,000 in cash, a cash-counting machine and other items. No firearm was recovered in the search.
Browne has been in custody since his arrest on Dec. 11, 2017.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes MPD detectives, and the MPD officers who responded to the scene. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the FBI’s Baltimore Division, the FBI Operational Technology Division, and the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Department.
They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division; Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Brown; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Tobin; Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle, Jeanette Litz, Catherine O’Neal, Kim Hall, and Teesha Tobias; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Mary Downing; Legal Assistants Latoya Wade, Peter Gaboton, and Katie Cowley; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Sarah McClellan, Chief of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Vanore and Stephen J. Gripkey, who indicted and tried the case.
District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Shooting into a Home in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cortez Williams, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a nine-year prison term for shooting into a window of a home in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Williams was found guilty by a jury in June 2018 of assault with a dangerous weapon, destruction of property, and related firearms offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judith Bartnoff. Following his prison term, Williams will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim’s brother owed a drug debt to one of Williams’s cousins. On Valentine’s Day evening, Feb. 14, 2016, Williams and his cousin knocked on the victim’s door in the 800 block of Oglethorpe Street NE. The victim answered and immediately yelled at the men to leave. The victim reacted emphatically because the victim heard that these individuals had shot up another house nearby recently.
The victim called 911 immediately upon their departure, predicting that the two men would return to shoot up her house. Within 10 minutes, Williams fulfilled her prediction. He returned with a scarf partially covering his face and fired five shots at the window where the victim and her family member were standing. Williams fled. An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) led to his arrest in July of 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allessandra Stewart, Michael Romano, and Brittany Keil, and Paralegal Specialists Richard Cheatham and Antoinette Sakamsa. Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Marcus and Kenya Wells, who prosecuted the matter.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Making Threats Timed to Anti-Violence DemonstrationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nicholas Bukoski, 19, of Crofton, Md., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a series of threats that he made coinciding with a demonstration against gun violence that took place in March 2018 in Washington, D.C.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the United States Capitol Police, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Bukoski pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of transmitting threats by interstate commerce. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Bukoski faces an estimated range of 10 to 16 months in prison and a fine of up to $55,000. The Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Oct. 15, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 24, 2018, three threatening messages were communicated within 20 minutes from the defendant in Maryland to locations in the District of Columbia. Two were made by Instagram direct message to offices of United States Senators. The third threat was via Bukoski’s cellular telephone to the Metropolitan Police Department’s text tip line. That threat stated, among other things, “My heart is messed up and evil, and part of me wants to see people suffer, goddammit. Anyway, good luck and Godspeed finding my presents. This will be my only message.”
Law enforcement considered the threat to the tip line as directed against the “March for Our Lives,” an event that was taking place in Washington, D.C. and attended by thousands speaking out against school shootings and gun violence. Investigators believed the word “presents” referred to explosive devices. An investigation quickly led to the identification of Bukoski on the day that the threats were made.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistance was provided by the Anne Arundel County, Md. Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda J. Johnson of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
New York Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Role in Identity Theft and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Krishna Jannor-John Marsh, 22, formerly of New York, N.Y., was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for an identity theft scam in which he traveled throughout the country to conduct fraudulent bank transactions.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement.
Marsh pled guilty in July 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. In addition to the prison term, Marsh was ordered to pay $338,100 in restitution to three banks, as well as a forfeiture money judgment of $50,000. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Marsh conspired with others, including a former bank employee, to obtain access to account holders’ personal identifying information for no legitimate business purpose. He and others then presented counterfeit identification in the names of the account holders and conducted or attempted to conduct fraudulent transactions from their accounts.
Fictitious accounts were opened at other financial institutions, and the conspirators wired funds and deposited checks from the compromised bank accounts into these fictitious accounts. In his guilty plea, Marsh accepted responsibility for causing $338,100 in losses to three banks. Marsh conducted bank transactions at multiple locations in the District of Columbia, California, Florida and New York.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Ebert and Inspector in Charge Rendina commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Zia M. Faruqui, who assisted with forfeiture issues, Paralegal Specialist Joshua Fein, and former Paralegal Specialist Kristy Penny. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Trinidadian Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison on Federal Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Garth Anthony Gardner, 49, a citizen of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for a scheme in which he made misrepresentations to apply for and obtain more than $3 million in multiple home equity line of credit loans.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office.
Gardner pled guilty in July 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two counts of bank fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper. In addition to his prison term, Gardner will be subject to a restitution order to be set at a later date. He also must pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $2,048,446. Following his prison term, Gardner will be placed on five years of supervised release and could be deported.
According to the government’s evidence, in October 2003, Gardner purchased a property in the 5100 block of 13th Street NW, using the Social Security number of another person and falsely representing himself as a U.S. citizen. In May 2005, he used a corporation that he owned to purchase a second property in the 1300 block of Dexter Terrace SE. Gardner transferred ownership of the second property from the company to himself for $10. Next, Gardner applied for a series of home equity line of credit loans using the two properties as collateral.
By settling these loans in close proximity to each other, Gardner minimized the banks’ ability to learn about the other loans. From August to October 2004, Gardner obtained 12 home equity line of credit loans from 12 different banks secured by the 13th Street property, totaling approximately $1.4 million. Between March and April 2006, Gardner applied for 13, and obtained 12, such loans from 12 banks, secured by the Dexter Terrace property, totaling approximately $1.9 million.
In approximately February 2008, Gardner stopped making payments and defaulted on all of the loans. The banks discovered Gardner’s fraudulent conduct after initiating foreclosure proceedings on the properties.
Gardner admitted that he used a portion of the proceeds from the fraudulent scheme to purchase 15 silver bars, which the government recovered and liquidated for about $1.1 million.
Gardner was arrested in Frankfurt, Germany in May 2017, and was extradited to the District in February 2018, to face the charges that had been pending since 2014. He remained in custody pending his sentencing.'
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the extradition of Gardner from Germany to the United States.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jackson commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service and the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise A. Simmonds and Diane Lucas, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Bradford and David A. Last, and Paralegal Specialist Aisha Keys.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking in Morning Rush Hour in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Hammond, 26, of Suitland, Md., pled guilty today to charges stemming from an armed carjacking in the Ivy City neighborhood of Northeast Washington in which he pistol-whipped the victim so violently that the gun broke into two pieces. He then fled from police before being captured a short time later at a construction site.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Henry P. Stawinski III, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department.
Hammond pled guilty in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia to one count of federal carjacking, one count of the federal offense of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of the federal offense of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle. He also pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, both District of Columbia offenses. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the charges carry an estimated 16 to 18 years in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before the Honorable James E. Boasberg.
According to the government’s evidence, at about 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, Hammond brandished a firearm and stole a van from a handyman who was getting ready for work in New Carrollton, in Prince George’s County, Md. Hammond then drove the van into Washington, D.C. and to the Ivy City neighborhood of Northeast Washington.
The van was equipped with a GPS system, and officers with the Prince George’s County Police Department and MPD were able to track and locate the vehicle. At about 7 a.m., as officers tried to stop the stolen vehicle that Hammond was driving, he fled the van and ran, jumping over a fence and running down an alleyway. Hammond then encountered another man in the 1900 block of Fairview Street NE who was parking his car to go to work. Hammond brandished a firearm to carjack this man’s vehicle. After grabbing the keys, Hammond pistol-whipped the man, striking him repeatedly in the face and head with the firearm, until the gun broke into two pieces. He then drove the stolen car down New York Avenue NE in rush-hour traffic with the police in pursuit; finally, he crashed into another car and fled on foot. Hammond was apprehended a short distance away, hiding in a construction site near Fourth Street and New York Avenue NE. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Hammond still faces charges in Prince George’s County, and he is presumed innocent of those charges until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Cekada, Chief Newsham, and Chief Stawinski commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fifth District, the officers of the Prince George’s County Police Department, the crime scene officers from the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, and agents and DNA lab personnel from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Trigoso, Paralegal Specialist Jeannette Litz, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dineen A. Baker and Anthony Scarpelli, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Non-Profit President Charged with Scheme to Conceal Foreign Funding of 2013 Congressional TripRead the Press Release
The former president of a Texas-based non-profit has been charged in an indictment unsealed today for his role in a scheme to conceal the fact that a 2013 Congressional trip to Azerbaijan was funded by the Azerbaijan government.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Kemal Oksuz, aka Kevin Oksuz, 48, previously a resident of Arlington, Virginia, allegedly lied on disclosure forms filed with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics prior to, and following, a privately sponsored Congressional trip to Azerbaijan. According to the indictment, Oksuz allegedly falsely represented and certified on required disclosure forms that the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasions (TCAE), the Houston non-profit for which Oksuz was president, had not accepted funding for the Congressional trip from any outside sources. According to the charges, Oksuz in truth orchestrated a scheme to funnel money to fund the trip from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), the wholly state-owned national oil and gas company of Azerbaijan, and allegedly concealed the true source of funding, which is alleged to violate House travel regulations.
The five-count indictment was returned earlier this year in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and ordered unsealed today. It charges Oksuz with one count of devising a scheme to falsify, conceal, and cover up material facts from the Ethics Committee and four counts of making false statements to Congress.
Oksuz is considered a fugitive. A warrant for his arrest was issued earlier this year and remains outstanding. Oksuz was recently detained by authorities in Armenia.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Marco Palmieri of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the District of Columbia.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.