District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Compliance Officer for National Labor Relations Board Sentenced to 52 Months in Prison for Stealing More Than $400,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hector Martinez, a former compliance officer with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), was sentenced today to 52 months in prison on federal charges stemming from a scheme in which he stole more than $400,000 from the agency.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and David P. Berry, Inspector General for the National Labor Relations Board.
Martinez, 53, of Pico Rivera, Calif., pled guilty on Aug. 21, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. In addition to the prison term, Judge Moss ordered Martinez to pay $423,531 in restitution to the NLRB. Upon completion of his prison term, Martinez will be placed on three years of supervised release. During that time, the judge ordered, Martinez cannot work for any labor organization.
The NLRB is an independent federal agency. Among its responsibilities, the NLRB acts to prevent and remedy unfair labor practices committed by private sector employers and unions. Employees, union representatives, and employers who believe that their rights under the National Labor Relations Act have been violated may file charges alleging unfair labor practices at their nearest NLRB regional office. When the NLRB successfully litigates or settles a case on behalf of aggrieved workers (litigants known as “discriminatees”), monetary damages are paid by the employer or union, or through the NLRB. The NLRB refers to such payments as “back pay.”
According to the government’s evidence, Martinez carried out his scheme from December 2010 and continued it through October 2015, when he was placed on administrative leave by the agency and ultimately discharged. During that time, he was a compliance officer at the NLRB’s Region 21 office in downtown Los Angeles. In that role, his responsibilities included disbursing back pay to discriminatees in the Los Angeles area.
As part of the scheme, Martinez created fictitious discriminatees in real cases in which back pay was owed. He invented names for the discriminatees and paired the fabricated names with real Social Security numbers for other people. Then he created fictitious amounts of back pay and diverted this money to his own personal bank accounts. In order to generate the money, Martinez diverted the full amount of money due to legitimate discriminatees, who received nothing, or skimmed money from legitimate discriminatees, reducing the amount paid to them.
All told, in his guilty plea, Martinez admitted that he diverted back pay funds that nine employers paid to the NLRB and that he should have paid to victims. According to the government’s evidence, these victims included laid-off hospital workers, an air-conditioning sheet metal worker, plasterers, nursing home care givers, meat delivery drivers, and interpreters from a sign language interpreting service. The NLRB has since engaged in remedial efforts.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Inspector General Berry commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the NLRB’s Office of the Inspector General. 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 Diane Lucas, who handled forfeiture issues, and Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi and Christopher Toms. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise A. Simmonds, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Two Area Men Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Rob Banks in District of Columbia and Silver Spring, MarylandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steve Jamal Smith, also known as Jabrail Love, 23, of Hyattsville, Md., and John King Lionell, also known as Rashad Lionell, 24, of Washington, D.C., have been found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to rob banks in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
The verdicts, returned Nov. 13, 2017, were announced today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), J. Thomas Manger, Chief of the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department, and Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police.
Smith and Lionell were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for Smith on Feb. 2, 2018, and for Lionell on Feb. 22, 2018.
According to the evidence at trial, on Jan. 26, 2016, at approximately 1:50 p.m., Smith and Lionell entered a BB&T Bank in the 3100 block of 14th Street NW. While inside, they inquired about opening a bank account. A bank employee provided them with a brochure. Both defendants were observed in possession of the brochure. They then walked to a bank teller, and Lionell presented a demand note for money. He also instructed the teller not to press the silent alarm. The teller did not provide the defendants with any money. After not receiving any cash, Lionell told Smith: “Hurry up let’s go! Let’s go!”
At that time, the two men exited the bank together. They then entered the Columbia Heights Metro station and rode Metrorail to the Silver Spring stop.
After exiting the subway station, at approximately 2:40 p.m., Smith and Lionell entered a Capital One Bank in the 8600 block of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring and approached the teller’s window. This time, Smith displayed a demand note for money to the teller, while Lionell stood next to him. Smith told the teller: “Put your hands up ... Don’t put your hands down.” They did not receive any money at this bank, either, and left the branch.
During the course of the investigation by law enforcement of the bank robbery at the BB&T Bank, the FBI retrieved the bank brochure that the defendants had possessed, and sent it to be further examined for possible fingerprints. A subsequent forensic examination by an FBI fingerprint examiner determined that Smith’s fingerprint were on the brochure. After the identification of Smith from his fingerprint on the BB&T brochure, agents from the FBI were able to identify several witnesses who identified both defendants from bank surveillance photos.
The defendants were indicted in June 2017 and remain in custody pending sentencing.
In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, Chief Newsham, Chief Manger, and Chief Pavlik commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI Laboratory.
Additionally, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz, Catherine O’Neal and Teesha Tobias; Legal Assistants Peter Gaboton and Holly Crouse; Law Clerk Jennifer Newman, and Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Kamilah O. House, who prosecuted the case.
District Woman Found Guilty of Felony Murder in Beating Death of Three-Year-Old SonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Francis Lyles, 28, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children in the beating death of her three-year-old son in June 2014, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Lyles was found guilty following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The felony murder charge carries an enhancement based on the victim’s age and the cruel, heinous nature of the crime. Lyles faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with no possibility of release. The Honorable Zoe Bush scheduled sentencing for Jan. 8, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 18, 2014, Lyles beat her three-year-old son, Xavier, for upsetting her newborn’s bouncer seat. On June 23, 2014, at about 8:30 p.m., Lyles became upset again with her son, who had been running through their apartment in Southeast Washington. She repeatedly beat him with her hands and/or fists, causing multiple bruises and a lacerated liver. She used so much force that the child’s kidney avulsed from the urethral casing. Xavier lost approximately one third of his blood from internal bleeding. He vomited and was left unattended without food, water or medical treatment for about 15 hours.
At about 11 a.m. on June 24, 2014, Lyles entered the child’s room and tried to wake him. He was not moving or breathing. Lyles first called her cousin and then called 911 for an ambulance. The District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services came to the residence, and Xavier was pronounced dead in the ambulance. The District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Xavier died from multiple blunt force injuries and the cause of death was homicide.
Initially, Lyles led law enforcement to believe that her boyfriend had beaten the child when she left Xavier in his care. The boyfriend lived with Lyles and her children in the apartment. For weeks, law enforcement followed her information and leads. As the investigation continued, however, the prosecution learned that, contrary to her statements, Lyles was responsible for the death of her son. Lyles’s cousin had an app which recorded all of their incoming and outgoing phone calls. Several calls were found in which the defendant admitted to having “whooped “her son on several occasions. According to the medical examiner’s office, the child had more than 70 injuries.
Lyles was arrested on Sept. 16, 2014, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu expressed appreciation for the work the Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the U.S. Secret Service. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Office of the Medical Examiner and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences.
U.S. Attorney Liu acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura R. Bach, Michelle D. Jackson, Lindsey Merikas, Chrisellen Kolb, and John Mannarino; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Victim/Witness Advocates Marcia Rinker, Jennifer Clark, Karen Giannakoulias, and Tracy Owusu; Liaison and Operations Manager Linda McDonald; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney, Mia Beamon, Alesha Matthews, Meridith McGarrity, Stephanie Gilbert, and Lornce Applewhite; Criminal Investigators Durand Odom, Tommy Miller, John Marsh, Melissa Matthew, Nelson Rhone, Mark Crawford, Shannon Alexis, Sharon Johnson, and Zachary McMenamin, and Litigation Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia, Paul Howell, Jeannie Latimore-Brown, Joshua Ellen, and Leif Hickling.
Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 10-Year Prison Term on Narcotics and Firearms Charges Relating to His Operation of an Open-Air Drug MarketRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marques Henderson, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to ten years in prison on narcotics and firearm offenses stemming from his operation of an open-air drug market in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Henderson pled guilty in May 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of unlawful distribution of cocaine base and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan. Upon completion of his prison term, Henderson will be placed on five years of supervised release.
The government’s evidence established that Henderson, known on the street as “DA BEAST,” was the subject of investigations by both the FBI and MPD and that he sold PCP and crack cocaine in the 300 block of Ridge Road SE with his base of operations at 359 Ridge Road. In the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized five firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, distribution quantities of PCP and crack cocaine, and numerous types of drug paraphernalia.
As part of his plea agreement, Henderson acknowledged selling PCP and crack cocaine to an MPD undercover officer on four separate occasions and having both PCP and crack cocaine on his person with a loaded firearm when arrested on June 20, 2016, by the FBI.
At the time of his arrest, Henderson was on supervised release for three separate felony cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He now faces formal revocation of his supervise released and additional incarceration, separate from the above-referenced sentence, from the U.S. Parole Commission.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force in shutting down Henderson’s drug trafficking operation. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and Anthony Scarpelli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section and Paralegal Specialist Candace Battle.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Two Sexual Assaults, Admits Attacking Woman and 11-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Joseph Ramsey, 21, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from two sexual assaults, including an armed attack on a 25-year-old woman in September 2012 and another assault on an 11-year-old girl in March 2015, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Ramsey pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of first-degree sexual abuse while armed and first-degree child sexual abuse. The plea, which is contingent on the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon prison term of 25 years. Once released from prison, Ramsey will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. He also could be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, the first attack took place on Sept. 6, 2012, at approximately 11:15 p.m. The victim, 25, was walking home from the Deanwood Metro station. Ramsey approached her as she turned onto 45th Place NE and as she walked into an alley leading to the rear of her home. He pulled out a black handgun as he ran towards her. Ramsey then forced her onto her knees and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint. The victim reported the assault immediately and was transported to Washington Hospital Center for a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination (SANE), which included collection of forensic evidence.
In the second assault, in the early evening of March 1, 2015 an 11-year-old girl encountered Ramsey in the 3300 block of Stanton Road SE. She and the defendant went into a nearby apartment building, and he sexually assaulted the child on the basement landing. She immediately reported the assault and was transported to Children’s National Medical Center for an examination, which included collection of forensic evidence.
Forensic analysis of the evidence collected following the two assaults revealed that the same unknown male DNA profile was found on the biological material in both cases. Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit and Youth Investigation Division developed the defendant as a suspect in these assaults and obtained a warrant to collect a DNA sample from him. Forensic analysis revealed that Ramsey’s DNA profile matched the unknown male DNA profile found in the sex kits collected following both assaults. Ramsey was charged in this case in February 2016 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the work of officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit and Youth Investigation Division. She expressed appreciation to Deputy U.S. Marshals William Straw and Justin Bankert, of the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as to Bode Cellmark Forensics. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Contract Specialist Sallie Rynas; David Foster, LaJune Thames, and Katina Adams-Washington, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Paralegal Specialists D’Yvonne Key, Angelina Slagle, Tiffany Jones, Michelle Wicker, and Jason Manuel, and Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julianne Johnston, Sumit Mallick, and Jason Park, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
Two Cartel Members Sentenced to Life Prison Terms in Slaying of ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata and Attempted Murder of ICE Special Agent Victor AvilaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two Mexican nationals were sentenced today to two terms of life in prison for the murder of a federal officer, attempted murder of a federal officer, and related offenses in the killing of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE HSI Special Agent Victor Avila on Feb. 15, 2011, in Mexico.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu of the District of Columbia, Assistant Director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division Stephen E. Richardson and Acting Director Thomas D. Homan of ICE made the announcement.
The defendants, Jose Emanuel Garcia Sota, aka Juan Manuel Maldonado Amezcua, aka “Zafado,” 36, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and Jesus Ivan Quezada Piña, aka “Loco,” 29, of Matamoros, Mexico, are among seven Mexican nationals who were extradited to the United States on federal charges in this case. They were found guilty by a jury on July 27, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and sentenced by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth.
“HSI Special Agents Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila were in Mexico to protect and serve our country when they were ambushed by these ruthless criminals, who will now spend the rest of their lives in a prison cell,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “This case serves as a reminder, that if you harm a U.S. agent, the U.S. government will pursue you to the ends of the earth to ensure that you are brought to justice.”
“Special Agents Zapata and Avila dedicated themselves to federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “While working on behalf of our country, they were ruthlessly gunned down in a carjacking attempt by members of hit squads for the Los Zetas drug cartel. We have never forgotten what happened to these two American heroes in that ambush on a Mexican highway more than six years ago. The sentencings this week reflect our determination to protect U.S. officials abroad and bring to justice those who do them harm.”
“This week’s sentencings for those responsible for the murder of ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of Special Agent Victor Avila are the closure and justice we have been working toward since we began our investigation” said Assistant FBI Director Richardson. “Any attack against a federal agent serving his or her country is deeply personal for us and investigating those attacks remain a top priority for the FBI. I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners and our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for their tireless work to bring this case to a successful conclusion and secure these sentences.”
“The sentences handed down today should serve as a powerful message to drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that there is no escape from justice, and that we will not rest until they have been held accountable for their crimes to the fullest extent of the law,” said ICE Acting Director Homan. “We remain grateful to the government of Mexico, the Department of Justice, and all our partners involved in sending these murderers to prison. The men and women of ICE will not forget the example of bravery and sacrifice set by Special Agent Zapata as we work to eradicate these criminal networks across the globe.”
Garcia Sota and Quezada Piña were found guilty of four federal offenses: murder of an officer or employee of the United States; attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States; attempted murder of an internationally protected person; and using, carrying and brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death. The verdicts followed a trial that began July 10, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, during which the government presented testimony from 22 witnesses, including Special Agent Avila.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, Garcia Sota and Quezada Piña were members of two Los Zetas hit squads, or “estacas,” and were on a mission on the day of the shootings to steal vehicles for use in the cartel’s operations. On the afternoon of Feb. 15, 2011, Garcia Sota and Quezada Piña were among a group of cartel members who targeted an armored Chevrolet Suburban bearing diplomatic plates and driven by the special agents on a busy highway south of San Luis Potosi. Special Agent Zapata and Special Agent Avila were on official business, heading southbound to Mexico City, when the attack took place. During the ambush, the cartel members fired at and into the agents’ vehicle with handguns and semiautomatic assault weapons, including AK-47 and AR-15 type assault rifles. Special Agent Zapata, 32, was fatally shot, and Special Agent Avila, then 38, was wounded. Investigators later found approximately 90 shell casings at the scene, according to the trial evidence.
Five other defendants previously pleaded guilty to federal charges in this case and are to be sentenced tomorrow. Ruben Dario Venegas Rivera, aka “Catracho,” 29; Jose Ismael Nava Villagran, aka “Cacho,” 35; Julian Zapata Espinoza, aka “Piolin,” 36; and Alfredo Gaston Mendoza Hernandez, aka “Camaron,” 34, pleaded guilty to federal murder and attempted murder charges between August 2011 and October 2016. The fifth defendant, Francisco Carbajal Flores, aka “Dalmata,” 42, pleaded guilty in January 2012 to conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and to being an accessory after the fact to the murder and attempted murder of the ICE HSI agents. All of the defendants are Mexican nationals, with the exception of Venegas Rivera, who is from Honduras.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; and U.S. Marshals Service. The Government of Mexico provided substantial assistance throughout the investigative and prosecution phases of the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. DiLorenzo and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys David Karpel and Karen Seifert of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. Former Assistant Deputy Chief Andrea Goldbarg of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine of the U.S. Attorney’s Office also served as members of the prosecution team at earlier stages of the litigation. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has provided substantial assistance.
Assistance also was provided by Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones, Paralegal Specialist Mac Caille Petursson, and Intern Jake Yelin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Paralegal Specialist Alejandra Arias of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.
Two Cartel Members Sentenced to Life Prison Terms in Slaying of ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata and Attempted Murder of ICE Special Agent Victor AvilaRead the Press Release
Two Mexican nationals were sentenced today to two terms of life in prison for the murder of a federal officer, attempted murder of a federal officer, and related offenses in the killing of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE HSI Special Agent Victor Avila on Feb. 15, 2011, in Mexico.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu of the District of Columbia, Assistant Director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division Stephen E. Richardson and Acting Director Thomas D. Homan of ICE made the announcement.
The defendants, Jose Emanuel Garcia Sota, aka Juan Manuel Maldonado Amezcua, aka “Zafado,” 36, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and Jesus Ivan Quezada Piña, aka “Loco,” 29, of Matamoros, Mexico, are among seven Mexican nationals who were extradited to the United States on federal charges in this case. They were found guilty by a jury on July 27, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and sentenced by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth.
“HSI Special Agents Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila were in Mexico to protect and serve our country when they were ambushed by these ruthless criminals, who will now spend the rest of their lives in a prison cell,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “This case serves as a reminder, that if you harm a U.S. agent, the U.S. government will pursue you to the ends of the earth to ensure that you are brought to justice.”
“Special Agents Zapata and Avila dedicated themselves to federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “While working on behalf of our country, they were ruthlessly gunned down in a carjacking attempt by members of hit squads for the Los Zetas drug cartel. We have never forgotten what happened to these two American heroes in that ambush on a Mexican highway more than six years ago. The sentencings this week reflect our determination to protect U.S. officials abroad and bring to justice those who do them harm.”
“This week’s sentencings for those responsible for the murder of ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of Special Agent Victor Avila are the closure and justice we have been working toward since we began our investigation” said Assistant FBI Director Richardson. “Any attack against a federal agent serving his or her country is deeply personal for us and investigating those attacks remain a top priority for the FBI. I want to thank all of our law enforcement partners and our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for their tireless work to bring this case to a successful conclusion and secure these sentences.”
“The sentences handed down today should serve as a powerful message to drug cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that there is no escape from justice, and that we will not rest until they have been held accountable for their crimes to the fullest extent of the law,” said ICE Acting Director Homan. “We remain grateful to the government of Mexico, the Department of Justice, and all our partners involved in sending these murderers to prison. The men and women of ICE will not forget the example of bravery and sacrifice set by Special Agent Zapata as we work to eradicate these criminal networks across the globe.”
Garcia Sota and Quezada Piña were found guilty of four federal offenses: murder of an officer or employee of the United States; attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States; attempted murder of an internationally protected person; and using, carrying and brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death. The verdicts followed a trial that began July 10, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, during which the government presented testimony from 22 witnesses, including Special Agent Avila.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, Garcia Sota and Quezada Piña were members of two Los Zetas hit squads, or “estacas,” and were on a mission on the day of the shootings to steal vehicles for use in the cartel’s operations. On the afternoon of Feb. 15, 2011, Garcia Sota and Quezada Piña were among a group of cartel members who targeted an armored Chevrolet Suburban bearing diplomatic plates and driven by the special agents on a busy highway south of San Luis Potosi. Special Agent Zapata and Special Agent Avila were on official business, heading southbound to Mexico City, when the attack took place. During the ambush, the cartel members fired at and into the agents’ vehicle with handguns and semiautomatic assault weapons, including AK-47 and AR-15 type assault rifles. Special Agent Zapata, 32, was fatally shot, and Special Agent Avila, then 38, was wounded. Investigators later found approximately 90 shell casings at the scene, according to the trial evidence.
Five other defendants previously pleaded guilty to federal charges in this case and are to be sentenced tomorrow. Ruben Dario Venegas Rivera, aka “Catracho,” 29; Jose Ismael Nava Villagran, aka “Cacho,” 35; Julian Zapata Espinoza, aka “Piolin,” 36; and Alfredo Gaston Mendoza Hernandez, aka “Camaron,” 34, pleaded guilty to federal murder and attempted murder charges between August 2011 and October 2016. The fifth defendant, Francisco Carbajal Flores, aka “Dalmata,” 42, pleaded guilty in January 2012 to conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and to being an accessory after the fact to the murder and attempted murder of the ICE HSI agents. All of the defendants are Mexican nationals, with the exception of Venegas Rivera, who is from Honduras.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; and U.S. Marshals Service. The Government of Mexico provided substantial assistance throughout the investigative and prosecution phases of the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. DiLorenzo and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys David Karpel and Karen Seifert of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. Former Assistant Deputy Chief Andrea Goldbarg of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Ballantine of the U.S. Attorney’s Office also served as members of the prosecution team at earlier stages of the litigation. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has provided substantial assistance.
Assistance also was provided by Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones, Paralegal Specialist Mac Caille Petursson, and Intern Jake Yelin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Paralegal Specialist Alejandra Arias of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.
Former Hospital Executive Sentenced to Prison Term for Stealing over $390,000 from Medical AssociationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Deborah A. Morrison, a former executive at Providence Hospital, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison on a federal charge stemming from her theft of $391,600 from an association of medical professionals, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Morrison, 60, of Bethesda, Md., pled guilty in July 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to transportation of money taken by fraud. She was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Following her prison term, Morrison will be placed on three years of supervised release. Judge Boasberg also ordered her to pay $391,600 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the guilty plea, Morrison worked for Providence Hospital from 1978 until 2016, with much of her career in executive positions. Apart from her official work duties, since at least 2001, Morrison oversaw the bank accounts of the Providence Hospital Medical Staff, an association comprised of medical professionals at the facility. In that role, she had access to the checkbooks and reviewed the account statements.
From December 2009 until December 2015, according to the statement of offense, Morrison wrote approximately 140 checks, totaling $391,600, from one of the association’s bank accounts containing dues payments. She endorsed the front of the checks with a signature stamp of a former President of the Medical Staff who no longer worked at Providence Hospital. She deposited all of the checks into her personal bank account.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge Vale commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kristy Penny, Joshua Fein, and C. Rosalind Pressley. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 7 1/2-Year Prison Term for Robbing Woman at Bus Stop in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Thomas, also known as Anthony Jones, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 90-month prison term for robbing a woman at gunpoint this year, in broad daylight, at a bus stop in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Thomas was found guilty by a jury in July 2017 of charges of armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Danya A. Dayson. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $200 in restitution to the victim.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 13, 2017, at approximately 2:10 p.m., the victim was waiting for her bus in the 2100 block of Alabama Avenue SE, when Thomas and two other assailants approached her. As a Metro bus pulled up to the stop, Thomas stepped between the victim and the bus, showed her the handle of a gun tucked into his waistband, and told her she was not getting on board. At first, the victim thought Thomas was joking and tried to get around him by pushing past him. Thomas then threatened to shoot the victim. He and his accomplices took the victim’s iPhone, cash, wallet, and other personal effects, before fleeing in a gray Chevy Monte Carlo. Thomas was arrested later that day.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Metro Transit Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, and Victim/Witness Security Specialist Debra Cannon. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Smalky and Kaitlin Vaillancourt, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 5 1/2-Year Prison Term for Kidnapping and Sexually Assaulting StrangerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Saul Castillo, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 66 months in prison for kidnapping and sexually abusing an intoxicated stranger in the stairwell of his apartment building in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Castillo pled guilty in August 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of kidnapping and second-degree sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judith Bartnoff. After his prison term, Castillo will be subject to deportation proceedings, lifetime registration as a sex offender, and five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Castillo found the victim in the early morning hours of May 7, 2017 on a sidewalk near Lafayette Square in downtown Washington. She was extremely intoxicated, unable to walk, and told Castillo that she wanted to go to her home. Castillo hailed a passing taxi and brought her back to his apartment building in the 1700 block of Seventh Street NW.
Once inside, the victim refused to enter Castillo’s fourth-floor apartment and repeated that she wanted to go home. On multiple occasions, she fell and laid down on the hallway floor due to her intoxication. She tried to push Castillo away and return to the elevator to leave the building, but Castillo blocked her and pulled her back toward his apartment. Because of the commotion this was causing in the hallway, Castillo lifted her and carried her to the fourth- floor staircase, where Castillo sexually assaulted her. His conduct inside the building was captured on building surveillance cameras, and Castillo was arrested on May 12, 2017.
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 acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris and Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa West and J. Matt Williams, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 12-Year Prison Term for Shooting Man in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dominic Leatherwood, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from an attempted murder in Northwest Washington in March 2016, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Leatherwood pled guilty in May 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Zoe Bush. Following his prison term, Leatherwood will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim’s girlfriend shared two children in common with the defendant. At approximately 12:15 a.m. on March 4, 2016, the victim was giving his girlfriend a ride from work, and was going to drop his girlfriend off near Leatherwood’s home. Leatherwood had been in communication with her, and arranged for her to be dropped off by the victim near the intersection of Georgia Avenue NW and Crittenden Street NW. When the two arrived at the intersection, Leatherwood, who was armed with a firearm, approached the car and fired four shots at the victim, who was in the driver’s seat. One of these shots struck the victim in the abdomen, and the victim later underwent surgery because of his injuries. Leatherwood was arrested on March 5, 2016 and has been in custody ever since.
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 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 Paralegal Specialists D’Yvonne Key, Tiffany Jones, Donville Drummond, and Debra McPherson; Christina Principe, Lu Lan, LaJune Thames, and Katina Adams-Washington, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia; and Criminal Investigators Christopher Brophy, Tommy Miller, and John Marsh.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Romano and Luke Jones, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Man in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malik Hough, 22, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from the broad daylight killing of a man last December in Southeast Washington, and, in a separate case, to a drug charge, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Hough pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed with a firearm. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence between 17 and 29 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Jan. 3, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 19, 2016, at approximately 8:20 p.m., Hough took off in unprovoked flight, on foot, from several officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) near the 900 block of Varney Street SE. The officers apprehended him in the rear alley of the 900 block of Varney Street SE a few minutes later. Officers canvassed the area and found two items on the ground nearby: a 9mm firearm, loaded with a single round, and a 9mm magazine loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition. DNA testing on the firearm showed that Hough’s DNA was on the firearm. Officers also recovered from Hough’s person on the scene numerous, empty, small baggies. A subsequent search at the Seventh District Station, and testing by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, revealed that Hough had 6.8 grams of cocaine on him as well. During his plea, Hough acknowledged possessing the firearm, the empty zips, and the cocaine at the same time, and admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine.
After being arrested for those offenses on Nov. 19, 2016, and charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hough was released by the Court on Nov. 23, 2016, with conditions including that he wear a GPS tracking anklet and not possess any firearms.
The murder took place roughly a month later. At approximately 1:20 p.m. on Dec. 27, 2016, Herbert Dowtin, 22, was walking in the 800 block of Xenia Street SE. Hough, who knew Mr. Dowtin and had previously argued with him, walked up behind Mr. Dowtin and fired 10 shots at him, hitting him eight times. These gunshot wounds caused the death of Mr. Dowtin later that day. Hough then fled, discarding the 9mm firearm under some black fabric fencing approximately two blocks away. The firearm was recovered with the assistance of a gun dog and later was ballistically matched to the shell casings found at the scene. DNA testing on the firearm showed that the defendant was one of the people whose DNA was on the firearm. Hough was wearing his pretrial GPS anklet at the time of the murder, but later cut that anklet off in an attempt to evade prosecution. Hough was arrested on Jan. 6, 2017, and has been in custody ever since.
During his plea, Hough acknowledged that Mr. Dowtin was unarmed when he shot him and that Hough was not acting in self-defense.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, the Seventh Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. She also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen and Witness Security Specialist Debra Cannon of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; and former Intern Julia Banegas. Finally, she commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Marybeth Manfreda, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.
London Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting and Attempting to Rob Man in Georgetown in January 2017Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Paolo Aldorasi, 34, of London, pled guilty today to assaulting and attempting to rob a man who he forced into his sport utility vehicle in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Aldorasi pled guilty to assault with intent to commit robbery, a District of Columbia offense. The plea took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As part of the plea agreement, the government agreed to dismiss a federal kidnapping charge. The Honorable Richard J. Leon scheduled sentencing for Jan. 30, 2018. Aldorasi faces a statutory minimum sentence of two years in prison and a statutory maximum of 15 years of incarceration.
According to a factual proffer submitted at the plea hearing, on Jan. 26, 2017, at about 3:20 p.m., Aldorasi saw the victim walking eastbound in the 3400 block of O Street NW. Aldorasi, who was operating a sport utility vehicle, pulled alongside the victim and asked for directions to Washington Dulles International Airport. The victim, who spoke limited English, said he did not know the location. As the conversation continued, Aldorasi grabbed the victim and ordered him into the SUV. He then drove off with the victim, taking him to four ATMs in the District of Columbia, in unsuccessful attempts to withdraw money, as well as to two retail establishments in unsuccessful attempts to make purchases. After the last failed attempt, at a retail store in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW, he finally let the victim go.
Aldorasi was arrested by the FBI’s Seattle Field Office on Feb. 24, 2017, in SeaTac, Washington, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Seattle Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz, Catherine O’Neal and Teesha Tobias; Legal Assistants Peter Gaboton and Holly Crouse, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory V. Cole and Kamilah O. House, who prosecuted the matter.
Libyan National Charged with Federal Offenses in 2012 Attack on U.S. Special Mission and Annex in BenghaziRead the Press Release
Mustafa al-Imam, a Libyan national approximately 46 years old, has been charged for his alleged participation in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans.
“The murder of four Americans in Benghazi on September 11, 2012 was a barbaric crime that shocked the American people. We will never forget those we lost – Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Ambassador Christopher Stevens – four brave Americans who gave their lives in service to our nation," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We owe it to them and their families to bring their murderers to justice. Today the Department of Justice announces a major step forward in our ongoing investigation as Mustafa al-Imam is now in custody and will face justice in federal court for his role in the attack. I am grateful to the FBI, our partners in the intelligence community and the Department of Defense who made this apprehension possible. The United States will continue to investigate and identify all those who were involved in the attack – and we will hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“The apprehension of Mustafa al-Imam demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding accountable all of those responsible for the murders of four brave Americans in a terrorist attack in Benghazi,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will do all that we can to pursue justice against those who commit terrorist acts against the United States, no matter how far we must go and how long it takes.”
Mustafa al-Imam is charged in a recently unsealed three-count criminal complaint. The complaint, which was filed under seal on May 19, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, charges al-Imam with:
- Killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility involving the use of a firearm and dangerous weapon and attempting and conspiring to do the same.
- Providing, attempting and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists resulting in death.
- Discharging, brandishing, using, carrying and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Al-Imam is in U.S. custody, and upon his arrival to the U.S. he will be presented before a federal judge in Washington, D.C.
Charges contained in criminal complaints are merely allegations that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from various other government agencies. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
Libyan National Charged with Federal Offenses in 2012 Attack on U.S. Special Mission and Annex in BenghaziRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mustafa al-Imam, a Libyan national approximately 46 years old, has been charged for his alleged participation in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans.
“The murder of four Americans in Benghazi on September 11, 2012 was a barbaric crime that shocked the American people. We will never forget those we lost – Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Ambassador Christopher Stevens – four brave Americans who gave their lives in service to our nation," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We owe it to them and their families to bring their murderers to justice,. Today the Department of Justice announces a major step forward in our ongoing investigation as Mustafa al-Imam is now in custody and will face justice in federal court for his role in the attack. I am grateful to the FBI, our partners in the intelligence community and the Department of Defense who made this apprehension possible. The United States will continue to investigate and identify all those who were involved in the attack – and we will hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“The apprehension of Mustafa al-Imam demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding accountable all of those responsible for the murders of four brave Americans in a terrorist attack in Benghazi,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will do all that we can to pursue justice against those who commit terrorist acts against the United States, no matter how far we must go and how long it takes.”
Mustafa al-Imam is charged in a recently unsealed three-count criminal complaint. The complaint, which was filed under seal on May 19, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, charges al-Imam with:
- Killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility involving the use of a firearm and dangerous weapon and attempting and conspiring to do the same.
- Providing, attempting and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists resulting in death.
- Discharging, brandishing, using, carrying and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Al-Imam is in U.S. custody, and upon his arrival to the U.S. he will be presented before a federal judge in Washington, D.C.
Charges contained in criminal complaints are merely allegations that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from various other government agencies. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
- Killing a person in the course of an attack on a federal facility involving the use of a firearm and dangerous weapon and attempting and conspiring to do the same.
Former D.C. Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing StudentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alan Wade Coleman, 47, of Gainesville, Florida, pled guilty today to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse for sexually abusing of one of his students during the 2004-2005 academic year, when Coleman was a teacher at the KIPP D.C. Key Academy middle school in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Coleman pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia as part of a larger plea agreement in which he already pled guilty in Montgomery County, Md., where Coleman then lived and where most of the sexual activity with the student occurred.
The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2018. Coleman is scheduled to be sentenced in Montgomery County on Dec. 14, 2017. Once released from prison, Coleman will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years as a result of his plea in the District of Columbia, and for life as a result of his plea in Montgomery County. He will also be on supervised release for up to 10 years as part of his sentence in the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, during the 2004-2005 academic year, Coleman engaged in sexual acts with the female student, most of which occurred at his apartment in Takoma Park, Md.; at the time she was 14 and 15 years old. On those occasions, Coleman would drive the girl to Maryland from a location either at, or near, the KIPP School. However, on several occasions during that academic year, Coleman drove her to a location in the District, where he parked and engaged in sexual acts with her in his vehicle. Coleman remained in a relationship with the girl until she was 19.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the work of officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Investigation Division. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams and Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
District Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Killings of Two Roommates in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jeffrey Neal, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 60 years in prison on charges stemming from the slayings of his two roommates, whose bodies were found at their residence in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Neal was found guilty in July 2017 of two counts of first-degree murder while armed, with aggravating circumstances, and related offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Robert E. Morin. Following his prison term, Neal will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 12, 2014, at approximately 11:35 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were dispatched to a house in the 1800 block of Eighth Street NW for a report of an unconscious person. The body of Leon Young, 22, was discovered in the attic, naked except for a black plastic bag tied around his head. Neal was arrested the following day and charged with Mr. Young’s murder.
On June 16, 2014, police returned to the house and discovered the body of Delano Wingfield, 23, in a shallow grave in the backyard. He was naked except for a pair of socks.
An investigation determined that both men were beaten multiple times in the head with a hammer. During the investigation, police learned that Mr. Young and Mr. Wingfield were childhood friends with the defendant. When the police interviewed Neal, he confessed to killing Mr. Young. He claimed he killed Mr. Young in self-defense, after Mr. Young allegedly confessed to killing Mr. Wingfield. Neal claimed he hit Mr. Young twice in the head with a hammer in self-defense. However, the autopsy of Mr. Young revealed that Mr. Young had been hammered in the head at least 26 times. Some of those blows were after the black plastic bag had been placed on Mr. Young’s head. Further, according to the government’s evidence, DNA evidence of Mr. Wingfield’s blood was found in various locations in Neal’s bedroom. Also, Neal told detectives that he left a pair of socks on Mr. Young’s body. However, Mr. Young was not discovered with socks. It was Mr. Wingfield’s body that had on a pair of socks.
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; the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team; the FBI’s DNA Casework Unit; the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; Bode Cellmark Forensics, and the New Smyrna Beach Police Department of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donovan, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Section; Chrisellen Kolb, Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney; former Paralegal Specialists Fern Rhedrick, Amoret Vanterpool, and Vanessa Trent-Valentine; Marcia Rinker, David Foster, LaJune Thames, and Katina Adams-Washington, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Criminal Investigators John Marsh, Durand Odom, and Zachary McMenamin; Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, Contract Specialist Sallie Rynas; Interns Hayley Poindexter and Simone Unwalla, and former intern Benjamin Symons.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shana L. Fulton and Veronica Sanchez, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to More Than 33 Years in Prison for Kidnapping and Raping His WifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 49-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a total of 33 years and four months in prison for severely beating his wife while holding her captive in a small U-Haul storage unit, and for raping her two days later in a motel room, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, was found guilty by a jury in June 2017 of kidnapping while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, first-degree sexual abuse, and assault. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Milton C. Lee. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release. Also, upon his release from prison, he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendant and his wife – both homeless – spent the night of Jan. 12, 2017 in a small storage locker that she was renting at a facility in the 2200 block of Fifth Street NE. Once the facility closed, the defendant began accusing her of cheating on him. He took what the victim described as a wooden pole, with metal on each end, and brutally beat her with it. He kept her locked in the unit the rest of the night and, when she needed to use the restroom, he ordered her not to let anyone see her injuries and he accompanied her to the restroom and back.
The next evening, the defendant called his father, who agreed to pay for a hotel room for the defendant and the victim. At the defendant’s order, the victim hid her face from her father-in-law as they got into his car in the dark. On Sunday, Jan. 15, after a day of relative peace, the defendant again became enraged and raped his wife at the hotel, which is in the 1600 block of New York Avenue NE. He then hit her in the head with the TV remote until he broke it. When the defendant went to the hotel’s front office to replace the remote, the victim escaped from the hotel room wearing nothing but panties, shoes and a winter coat. As she fled, she sought help from people she encountered, but no one would help her.
Finally, she arrived on foot at the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Fifth District Station, where she received help from officers there. Veteran police officers, one of whom had patrolled the streets for over two decades, were shocked at the degree of the victim’s injuries: her eyes were extremely bloodshot and swollen almost shut, her nose was broken, and her body was badly bruised.
Later that night, the defendant was arrested in the same hotel room in which he had raped his wife earlier in the day.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of officers from MPD’s Fifth District and from MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit, as well as the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and other medical personnel at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. She also expressed appreciation to the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, which performed DNA analysis of evidence recovered in the case, and to Nicole Stahlmann, Clinical Manager of the District of Columbia Forensic Nurse Examiners.
She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Assistant U.S. Attorney Chrisellen Kolb, Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division; Paralegal Specialists Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, Brenda C. Williams and Donhue Troy Griffith; Victim/Witness Advocates Juanita Harris and Tracey Hawkins; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez, and Interns Kate Sullivan, Layla Kousari and Jonah Panikar. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa S. West and Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
District Man Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison for 2015 Slaying in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Eugene Burns, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 31 years in prison for killing a man in a Southeast Washington apartment, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Burns was found guilty by a jury in July 2017 of first-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo. Following the prison term, Burns will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Burns had been in a drug-related dispute with the victim, Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III, of Woodland Hills, Calif., and began planning to kill him. On Nov. 14, 2015, Mr. Osuchukwu flew into the Washington, D.C. area. That day, Burns lured Mr. Osuchukwu to Burns’s mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of Second Street SE. He confronted Mr. Osuchukwu and shot and killed him before fleeing the scene.
The next day, the defendant, along with two relatives, returned to the apartment and Burns supposedly “discovered” that his best friend had been killed. After a call to 911, Mr. Osuchuwku, 24, was found on the living room floor with multiple gunshot wounds. An investigation led to Burns’s arrest in December 2015, and he has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives, officers, and mobile crime technicians who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division, the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Lashone Samuels; Diana Lim, David Foster; M. Laverne Perry, Tanya Via and Debra Cannon, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, and William Henderson; former Litigation Technology Specialist Aneela Bhatia; Forensic Operations/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Computer Forensics Criminal Investigator John Marsh, and Law Clerk Alexandra Maher.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Willoughby, Jr. and Kevin Flynn, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Woman in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darnell Franklin, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for groping a stranger after pushing her into the back seat of a car, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Franklin pled guilty in August 2017 to a charge of third-degree sexual abuse. He entered the plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia under what is known as the Alford doctrine. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit the allegations but agrees that the government has enough evidence to secure a conviction. He was sentenced by the Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo. Once released from prison, Franklin will be required to register as a sex offender for a 10-year period and will be on supervised release for three years.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 22, 2017, at about 7 p.m., Franklin approached the victim – a total stranger – inside a store at 35th and Clay Streets NE, where he tried to engage her in small talk and told her that she was pretty. The victim told Franklin that she had a boyfriend, concluded her business in the store, and left.
Franklin then followed the victim outside, to a car-for-hire that was waiting to drive her home. As the victim was getting into the back seat of that car, Franklin pushed her in, got in beside her and began fondling her as she tried to fight him off. The driver saw what was going on and got out of the car to come to the victim’s aid. As the driver neared the back door of his car, Franklin fled down the street. The driver and the victim saw some nearby officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and told them what had happened.
The MPD officers spotted Franklin, and with other officers, chased and caught him.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of officers from MPD’s Sixth District and from MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams and Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan. Finally, she commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Southeast Washington BankRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Syles Kealoha, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal bank robbery charge for a hold-up in August 2016 in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Kealoha entered the plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on March 15, 2018 by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras. He faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 30 to 37 months in prison and potential financial penalties
According to the government=s evidence, on Aug. 12, 2016, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Kealoha entered a Wells Fargo bank in the unit block of M Street SE and presented a demand note which stated, “I didn’t come to hurt anyone. Give me all the money or everyone dies.” Kealoha also handed the teller a plastic bag in which to place the money. After reading the note, the teller ducked behind the counter and began placing money into the plastic bag, and pressed the panic button in the bank, triggering law enforcement response.
After banging on the glass to get the teller’s attention, Kealoha fled, leaving the note behind, without obtaining any money. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement obtained video surveillance from the bank, which captured the bank robbery and showed the defendant. The demand note was sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia for testing and analysis. Specifically, the note was tested for the presence of DNA and fingerprints or palm prints. Two palm prints were located on the note and were identified as belonging to Kealoha.
Kealoha was arrested on March 27, 2017.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI Laboratory. They acknowledged the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias, Legal Assistant Peter Gaboton, and Law Clerk Jennifer Newman. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder for Setting Fire That Killed 4-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome C. Lewis, 50, of Washington, DC, has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, second-degree murder, and first-degree cruelty to children in a fire that led to the death of a four-year-old child.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), 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 Gregory M. Dean, Chief of the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (DCFEMS).
Lewis was found guilty on Oct. 25, 2017, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2018. Lewis faces a potential sentence of life in prison without parole.
According to the government’s evidence, Lewis owned a home in the 2600 block of 33rd Street SE. In late 2011, Lewis began renting the first and second floors to relatives while he lived in the basement. In early 2013, his relationship with his tenant-relatives had become strained and he was experiencing a financial crisis. On Feb.17, 2013, in the early hours of the morning, he set fire to his mattress located in his basement living area, causing a fire that spread throughout the basement and to the first floor of the home.
Everyone was able to escape the home, with the exception of four-year-old Samauri Michelle Jenkins. She was rescued from a second floor bedroom by the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. She was taken to a hospital with burns and smoke inhalation, but died from her injuries two days later.
Lewis was arrested on the morning of the fire and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu, Chief Newsham, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Dean commended the work of the D.C. Arson Task Force, which is comprised of members from MPD, the Washington Field Division of the ATF, and DCFEMS. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert; Legal Secretary Dawn White; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Supervisory Administrative Services Specialist Tina Wall, and Administrative Services Specialist Sallie Rynas.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberley C. Nielsen and Michelle D. Jackson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Court Orders Home Health Care Company to Pay United States Nearly $2 Million in Damages in False Claims CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal judge has entered a verdict in favor of the United States and against Dynamic Visions, Inc., and awarded the government $1.98 million in a False Claims Act case, in which the United States demonstrated that employees of the home health care company repeatedly and routinely falsified records to obtain funds from Medicaid.
The award was announced today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Nicholas DiGiulio, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), for the region that includes Washington, D.C.
The decision was issued on Oct. 20, 2017, by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Dynamic Visions, Inc., a corporation that was based in Bowie, Md., was a home health care company that did business in the District of Columbia and that also had a District of Columbia address. Under the Medicaid program, Dynamic Visions was initially approved to furnish elderly and disabled patients with assistance in the day-to-day activities of living, such as bathing, dressing, and taking needed medications. D.C. Medicaid, which is subsidized by the federal Medicaid program, paid for many of Dynamic Visions’ services for low-income patients.
In the fall of 2008, the District of Columbia’s Department of Health Care Finance discovered irregularities in Dynamic Visions’ records during a routine audit, and a team consisting of Special Agents from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General began an investigation. During the investigation, in December 2008, search warrants were executed on Dynamic Visions’ Washington, D.C. offices and the residence of Isaiah M. Bongam, the company’s owner.
The documents collected confirmed that patient files did not contain physician authorizations, called “plans of care,” as required under applicable regulations; contained plans of care that were not signed by physicians or other qualified health care workers; or contained forged signatures in order to cover up the lack of a physician’s authorization. At the conclusion of the investigation, in April 2011, the United States filed a False Claims action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging a massive and routine pattern of fraud carried out between January 2006 and June 2009 by the employees of Dynamic Visions.
Judge Kollar-Kotelly earlier held that Bongam engaged in uncooperative and obstructive behavior when he failed to provide many of Dynamic Visions’ financial records to the United States, withdrew large sums of money out of Dynamic Visions’ business accounts after the government searched Dynamic Visions’ offices, and moved the funds to his own personal accounts, or to the accounts of his two other businesses that had no substantive connection to Dynamic Visions. Accordingly, the Court held that Dynamic Visions was merely an “alter ego” for its owner, and found Bongam to be liable for the conduct of Dynamic Visions.
In its decision to treble the initial $489,744 damages awarded to the United States under the False Claims Act, and to further impose an additional $11,000 civil penalty for each and every one of the 47 invoices at issue submitted by Dynamic Visions, Judge Kollar-Kotelly found that Dynamic Visions’ uncooperative and obstructive conduct during the investigation and the proceeding before the Court justified the trebling of damages and the imposition of the maximum civil penalty possible under the statute.
In announcing the award, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Special Agent in Charge DiGiulio commended the work of those who worked on the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.
Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case and brought it to trial from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell C. Valdez and Paralegal Specialist Idongesit “Benji” Umo.
The lawsuit is captioned United States v. Dynamic Visions, Inc., Civil Action 11-cv-695 (D.D.C.).
Dual Israeli/Russian Citizen Extradited to United States to Face Money Laudering ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Stanislav Nazarov, 46, a dual citizen of Israel and Russia, has been extradited from Israel to face charges in an indictment accusing him of taking part in an international money laundering scheme.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, John L. Phillips, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations for the U.S. Department of Treasury, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Washington, D.C.
Nazarov was among 19 people charged earlier this year in federal indictments outlining various international fraud and money laundering conspiracies. He was arrested in March 2017 in Israel following an undercover investigation and later waived extradition to the United States. Nazarov was brought to the United States on Oct. 19, 2017, and is to make his first appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The indictment charges Nazarov with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering. It includes a forfeiture allegation seeking a money judgment representing the proceeds of the alleged scheme.
According to the indictment, Nazarov conspired with others in June 2016 to defraud a large reinsurance company in India. That company fell victim to a cyber-phishing scheme whereby Nazarov’s co-conspirators allegedly tricked a director of that company into wiring $1.4 million to a bank account in the United States. In December 2016, the indictment alleges, Nazarov obtained what he believed to be a portion of that $1.4 million by receiving $50,000 at his location in Israel. According to the indictment, Nazarov received that money by orchestrating a sophisticated money laundering scheme whereby the $50,000 was first transferred to Russia, and then to Nazarov in Israel.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of the Inspector General, and ICE-HSI Washington, D.C. Assistance has been provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Israeli National Police. The FBI Legal Attache in Tel Aviv, Israel, also provided assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Marando and David Kent of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips, Christopher Toms, and C. Rosalind Pressley.
District Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fatally Beating Man at Her ApartmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thomasine Bennett, 68, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison on a charge of voluntary manslaughter for killing her 63-year-old boyfriend at her apartment in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Bennett pled guilty in July 2017 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of 10 years in prison. The Honorable José M. Lopez accepted the plea today and sentenced Bennett accordingly. Following her prison term, Bennett will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on Feb. 17, 2017, at approximately 12:55 p.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received a call to investigate trouble at an apartment in the 700 block of 21st Street NE. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, Walter M. Clark, unconscious and unresponsive inside a hallway closet with multiple bruises to the body. The District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported Mr. Clark to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later determined that Mr. Clark, 63, died from multiple blunt force trauma.
Bennett met police officers when they arrived on the scene. According to the proffer, she stated that her boyfriend was in the back and that he made her smoke “Love Boat” the previous night. She directed officers to the hallway closet. Investigators quoted Bennett as saying that she beat Mr. Clark with a baseball bat over the last day and a half. She was arrested and has been in custody ever since.
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 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 Katherine Earnest, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Business Owner Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Fraudulent Billing Scheme Against Federal GovernmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nikita Davis, 48, a business owner with a firm in Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for a scheme in which she improperly qualified for government contracts and then fraudulently billed the United States more than $1.1 million.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General of the U.S. General Services Administration, made the announcement.
Davis pled guilty in June 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to major fraud against the United States. She was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. The plea agreement calls for her to pay $1,189,697 in restitution to the United States. Upon completion of her prison term, Davis will be placed on three years of supervised release.
Davis was the president and chief executive officer of Federal Acquisition Consultants Inc. (FACI), a company based in Washington, D.C., that specialized in acquisition and program management support. The company was formed in 2007 as an economically disadvantaged, woman-owned, small business.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the plea hearing, Davis made fraudulent representations when she applied in March 2013 for a contract under a GSA program created to streamline the federal procurement process through pre-negotiated prices and terms. GSA provided centralized procurement for the federal government through this program, known as the GSA Multiple Awards Schedule Program (GSA MAS).
The GSA awarded Davis’s company a GSA MAS contract designation in May 2013. Later in 2013, the Department of Commerce solicited requests for quotes from GSA MAS contractors for work related to the mission of the Afghanistan Investment and Reconstruction Task Force. The Task Force, part of the Commerce Department, aimed to facilitate and coordinate activities designed to help Afghanistan develop a sustainable economy, stabilize the market, and create strong Afghan-American partnerships.
Davis’s company submitted quotes and in September of 2013 was awarded seven contracts, worth a total of more than $3.1 million. In April 2014, the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General initiated an investigation into Davis and the company, based on an allegation that she submitted false invoices and made false statements to government agencies. The investigation revealed that, in obtaining the GSA MAS contract designation, Davis made false representations about her company’s past work experience. It also determined that Davis’s company improperly billed and collected from the government a total of $1,189,697 under the contracts by billing improperly for travel, danger pay, insurance, security and labor.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Inspector General Ochoa, and Inspector General Gustafson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Offices of the Inspector General for the General Services Administration and Department of Commerce. 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 Teresa A. Howie and Paralegal Specialist Aisha Keys. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Miller, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to First-Degree Murder While Armed in July 4, 2015 Slaying of Kevin SutherlandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jasper Spires, 21, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of first-degree murder while armed for the July 4, 2015 slaying of Kevin Sutherland on a Metrorail train, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police.
Spires pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence in the range of 30 to 35 years. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff set a hearing for Jan. 12, 2018 to determine whether to accept the plea and sentencing range.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on July 4, 2015, at approximately 12:43 p.m., Spires was standing near the fare machines at the entrance to the Rhode Island Avenue – Brentwood Metro Station, in the 900 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE, when 24-year-old Kevin Sutherland entered the station. Mr. Sutherland proceeded through the turnstiles and up the escalator to the platform, where he walked toward the front end of the platform to wait for a downtown-bound Red Line train.
A short while later, Spires followed through the entrance and up the escalator. As he stepped off the escalator and onto the platform, Metro digital surveillance cameras captured Spires putting gloves on his hands. Spires also walked towards the front end of the platform.
When a downtown-bound Red Line train arrived, both Spires and Mr. Sutherland boarded the second car of the train. Mr. Sutherland sat down near the middle of the car, in a seat facing inward, towards the center of the car. As the train traveled between the Rhode Island Avenue and NOMA-Gallaudet University Metro stations, Spires approached Mr. Sutherland and snatched Mr. Sutherland’s cellphone from his hand. Spires then began to attack Mr. Sutherland with a knife. He stabbed Mr. Sutherland repeatedly in the abdomen, upper right back, left side, right side, left arm, and right arm. As Spires stabbed him, Mr. Sutherland fell to the floor of the train. Spires continued to stab Mr. Sutherland as he lay on the floor. He also kicked Mr. Sutherland in the body and head. At the end of the attack, Spires threw Mr. Sutherland’s cellphone at him, striking him in the head.
During this attack, witnesses aboard the train attempted to notify the train’s operator. Spires menaced one of these witnesses with his knife and told the witness to “Shut up.” He also menaced two other witnesses on the train with a knife and took their property. When the train pulled into the NOMA-Gallaudet station, Spires walked off the train and ran down the stairs leaving the platform. He discarded the knife in a trashcan before continuing his flight. As he hopped the exit turnstiles of the station, Spires dropped a backpack. He hesitated for a moment, as though he would stop to pick up the backpack, but then continued his flight without retrieving the backpack. Meanwhile, Metro employees and some civilians who had been on the train with Mr. Sutherland called 911, and some witnesses sat with Mr. Sutherland as they waited for emergency personnel to arrive. By the time first responders got to the scene, Mr. Sutherland was unresponsive and emergency personnel pronounced Mr. Sutherland to be deceased.
Spires was arrested on July 6, 2015, and has been in custody ever since.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia conducted an autopsy on Mr. Sutherland. During the autopsy, the deputy medical examiner observed 19 stab wounds and 16 cutting wounds on Mr. Sutherland’s body. Several of the stab wounds were very deep and caused damage to Mr. Sutherland’s internal organs.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Chief Newsham, and Chief Pavlik commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Metro Transit Police. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Bode Cellmark Forensics.
They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan, David Gorman, Michelle D. Jackson, Colleen M. Kennedy, Silvia Gonzalez-Roman, Mark Aziz, Kara Traster, and Anwar Graves; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Forensic Operation Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Criminal Investigators Durand Odom and Mark Crawford; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney, Sandra Lane, Lashone Samuels, and Michelle Chambers; former Paralegal Specialists Karen Hansen and Vanessa Trent- Valentine; the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit, including Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Marcia Rinker and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, and Administrative Services Specialist Sallie Rynas.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Macey and Kathryn Rakoczy, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Found Guilty of Murder and Other Charges in 2011 Killing of Government WitnessRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stanley Moghalu, 30, of Bowie, Md., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to kill, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and other charges in an attack that killed one man, who was a government witness, and wounded another man in Northeast Washington.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Moghalu was found guilty following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable José M. López scheduled sentencing for Jan. 26, 2018. Moghalu faces a potential sentence of life in prison without parole.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 14, 2011, shortly after 5 p.m., Moghalu and an accomplice ambushed Ronald D. Smith and Charles Harrison at the intersection of 21st and M Streets, NE. Mr. Smith, 27, was killed in the attack. Mr. Harrison was shot nine times, losing the use of his right arm, but survived his injuries.
An investigation determined that Mr. Smith was killed because he was a government witness in an investigation into the May 2011 murder of Ervin L. Griffin in the 1200 block of 18th Street NE. One defendant, David Warren, now 31, and formerly of Washington, D.C., was later found guilty of first-degree murder while armed and other charges in Mr. Griffin’s slaying and sentenced to 36 years in prison.
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 (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura R. Bach; Lead Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenn Kirschner and Gilead Light, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison on Murder and Other Charges in 2015 ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Beasley, 45, of Laurel, Md., was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for a shooting that killed one man and wounded another, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Beasley was found guilty by a jury in July 2017 of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and related weapons offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable José M. López. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Saturday, April 25, 2015, Darryn Conte, his older brother, and a close family friend went to the Takoma Station Tavern in Northwest Washington to support their friend, a percussionist in a band. At the end of the night, at about 2 a.m. on April 26, 2015, the close family friend was driving Mr. Conte to his truck that was parked nearby when they were approached by Beasley. An argument ensued. Mr. Conte and his close friend eventually drove into the next block, the 400 block of Butternut Street NW, where Mr. Conte’s vehicle was parked, to wait for Mr. Conte’s brother and the percussionist.
As they waited, Beasley approached their vehicle. While Mr. Conte’s brother and the percussionist looked on, Beasley opened fire on the vehicle. Mr. Conte, 39, was shot multiple times and died. His friend was shot once and survived his injury. Beasley was arrested on April 30, 2015 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Chrisellen Kolb, Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Coleman; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Diana Lim; Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Joshua Ellen; Litigation Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia and Kimberly Smith; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews-Yette, and Interns Sanjana Biswas, Alexandra Maher, and Simone Umwalla.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Wheeler and Michelle D. Jackson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Foreign National Sentenced to 31 Months in Prison for Leadership Role in Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Pakistani citizen was sentenced today to 31 months in prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle undocumented migrants from Pakistan into the United States.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu of the District of Columbia and Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York made the announcement.
Sharafat Ali Khan, 32, a Pakistani citizen and former resident of Brazil, pleaded guilty on April 12, to one count of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States for profit before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the District of Columbia. Khan was extradited to the United States from Qatar on July 13, 2016. Following his prison term, Khan will be deported back to Pakistan.
“Combatting human smuggling and illegal migration is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice, and we will continue to work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt smuggling networks operating across the globe,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “This prosecution should serve as an example that whether at home or abroad, smugglers who facilitate illegal migration into the United States will be brought to justice and held accountable.”
“Sharafat Khan was at the center of a vast human smuggling network that preyed on the desperation of foreign nationals hoping to get into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “He was responsible for organizing, coordinating and controlling smugglers and lower-level associates of the operation. His actions put his clients – and the United States – at significant risk. His arrest, conviction and sentence should deter others from engaging in this rapacious, dangerous conduct.”
“Sharafat Khan organized an intricate network that was open to the highest bidder to transport undocumented migrants, regardless of who they were, from Pakistan and elsewhere through Brazil and Central America and then into the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Melendez. “He has admitted that the journey included severe conditions that caused a considerable risk of serious bodily harm or death. Today’s sentencing highlights our relentless law enforcement efforts, both foreign and domestic, to track down organizations who make a profit from smuggling undocumented migrants through U.S. borders without prejudice and with a clear disregard for those who may end paying the final price.”
According to admissions in the plea agreement, between March 2014 and May 2016, Khan and other co-conspirators organized and arranged the unlawful smuggling of large numbers of undocumented migrants to the United States. For their smuggling operation, Khan admitted that he and his co-conspirators used a network of facilitators to transport undocumented migrants from Pakistan and elsewhere through Brazil and Central America and then into the United States by land, air or sea travel. Khan further admitted that he was responsible for managing safe houses for the migrants and arranging a network of associates in other countries to serve as escorts during different legs of the smuggling route. Khan also admitted that voyages included harsh conditions that caused a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death – including lengthy foot hikes with little food and water through the Darien Gap, a dangerous tropical forest area in Panama. At sentencing, the court found that Khan was a primary organizer or leader of the conspiracy.
The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
HSI New York investigated this case with assistance from HSI Brazil, Mexico, Panama and Washington, D.C. field offices; the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force, FBI Miami Field Office; the Human Smuggling Cell; the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service in Brasilia, Brazil; the Brazilian Federal Police and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with the defendant’s extradition and foreign legal assistance requests. The Justice Department thanks the Government of Qatar for their assistance with the extradition in this case. Senior Trial Attorney Michael Sheckels of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Kohl and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard DiZinno of the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Foreign National Sentenced to 31 Months in Prison for Leadership Role in Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Pakistani citizen was sentenced today to 31 months in prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle undocumented migrants from Pakistan into the United States.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu of the District of Columbia and Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York made the announcement.
Sharafat Ali Khan, 32, a Pakistani citizen and former resident of Brazil, pleaded guilty on April 12, to one count of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States for profit before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the District of Columbia. Khan was extradited to the United States from Qatar on July 13, 2016. Following his prison term, Khan will be deported back to Pakistan.
“Combatting human smuggling and illegal migration is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice, and we will continue to work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt smuggling networks operating across the globe,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “This prosecution should serve as an example that whether at home or abroad, smugglers who facilitate illegal migration into the United States will be brought to justice and held accountable.”
“Sharafat Khan was at the center of a vast human smuggling network that preyed on the desperation of foreign nationals hoping to get into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “He was responsible for organizing, coordinating, and controlling smugglers and lower-level associates of the operation. His actions put his clients – and the United States – at significant risk. His arrest, conviction and sentence should deter others from engaging in this rapacious, dangerous conduct.”
“Sharafat Khan organized an intricate network that was open to the highest bidder to transport undocumented migrants, regardless of who they were, from Pakistan and elsewhere through Brazil and Central America and then into the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Melendez. “He has admitted that the journey included severe conditions that caused a considerable risk of serious bodily harm or death. Today’s sentencing highlights our relentless law enforcement efforts, both foreign and domestic, to track down organizations who make a profit from smuggling undocumented migrants through U.S. borders without prejudice and with a clear disregard for those who may end paying the final price.”
According to admissions in the plea agreement, between March 2014 and May 2016, Khan and other co-conspirators organized and arranged the unlawful smuggling of large numbers of undocumented migrants to the United States. For their smuggling operation, Khan admitted that he and his co-conspirators used a network of facilitators to transport undocumented migrants from Pakistan and elsewhere through Brazil and Central America and then into the United States by land, air or sea travel. Khan further admitted that he was responsible for managing safe houses for the migrants and arranging a network of associates in other countries to serve as escorts during different legs of the smuggling route. Khan also admitted that voyages included harsh conditions that caused a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death – including lengthy foot hikes with little food and water through the Darien Gap, a dangerous tropical forest area in Panama. At sentencing, the court found that Khan was a primary organizer or leader of the conspiracy.
The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
HSI New York investigated this case with assistance from HSI Brazil, Mexico, Panama and Washington, D.C. field offices; the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force, FBI Miami Field Office; the Human Smuggling Cell; the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service in Brasilia, Brazil; the Brazilian Federal Police, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with the defendant’s extradition and foreign legal assistance requests. The Justice Department thanks the Government of Qatar for their assistance with the extradition in this case. Senior Trial Attorney Michael Sheckels of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Kohl and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard DiZinno of the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Home Improvement Contractor Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Defrauding Customers of Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars and Hiding Assets from Creditors in Bankruptcy ProceedingsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Michael L. Rosebar, 54, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for defrauding customers of his home improvement business and personal creditors of hundreds of thousands of dollars, making false statements in bankruptcy proceedings, and defrauding a government program for needy families.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Inspector in Charge Robert B. Wemyss of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division.
A jury found Rosebar guilty on June 20, 2017, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of six federal counts of concealment of bankruptcy assets, three federal counts of false oaths and statements in bankruptcy, and three counts of wire fraud. He also was found guilty of violating District of Columbia laws, including three counts of first-degree fraud related to his home contracting business and one count of first-degree fraud related to a scheme to defraud the District of Columbia’s public assistance (or welfare) program. The Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan sentenced him today.
Judge Hogan stated that he will issue an order of restitution at a later date. Additionally, he ordered Rosebar to pay a $75,000 forfeiture money judgment. Following his prison term, Rosebar will be placed on three years of supervised release.
“Michael Rosebar coldly took advantage of people who trusted him with home improvement work, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from customers who paid him for projects that he half-started or didn’t start at all,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “In some cases, he caused his victims, including senior citizens, to live in dangerous conditions for years. He also treated our court system as his personal weapon against victims, and repeated his fraud by lying to judges and creditors in fraudulent bankruptcy and other civil proceedings. Now he is being held accountable for these crimes.”
“After being solicited through the mail, many unfortunate victims in this case were harmed twice. Not only did they lose their original payments, they had to pay more money for additional repairs. Postal Inspectors will continue to protect consumers with our pursuit of criminals who misuse the mail to further their fraud schemes,” said Inspector in Charge Wemyss.
Rosebar’s wife, Erin M. Rosebar, 41, pled guilty on Oct. 10, 2017, to a charge of first-degree fraud. She is to be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, Rosebar operated businesses under several names, including EMR Construction Contractors. From at least February 2008 through January 2015, according to the evidence, he misrepresented himself to clients as a licensed home-improvement, electrical and heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) contractor. However, at no time during that period did Rosebar have a business or professional license from the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
Rosebar recruited customers at home improvement stores, through referrals, and by acting as a sub-contractor on projects. According to the government’s evidence, he negotiated contracts with customers for substantial home improvement or HVAC projects, which he could not, and did not intend to, complete. During the trial, the government presented evidence related to numerous home renovation projects and a project to install air conditioners at an apartment complex in Atlanta. According to the government’s evidence, Rosebar received more than $800,000 from 2008 through 2013 for these projects. Rosebar not only abandoned these projects before completion, his demolition and other improper and unskilled work destroyed many residents’ homes. One senior citizen victim paid Rosebar over $380,000, and her home was an uninhabitable disaster with no proper roof when Rosebar abandoned the job. This woman lost her life savings to Rosebar, and was forced to live in a small portion of the home for seven years.
According to the government’s evidence, Rosebar’s fraud extended beyond the victims who testified at trial. All told, the government has estimated that victims lost more than $1.3 million as a result of Rosebar’s conduct from 2001 through 2016.
While scamming numerous victims, Rosebar filed for bankruptcy protection three times in the period between 2008 and 2013. The jury found him guilty of charges related to false statements he made during these proceedings, in which he understated his income and overstated his expenses.
The jury also found Rosebar guilty of receiving benefits to which he was not entitled from the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services. From 2010 until 2014, Rosebar earned hundreds of thousands of dollars from his contracting fraud victims, and yet received benefits through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after falsely reporting that he had no income, was unemployed, and had no assets other than his family home.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Inspector in Charge Wemyss commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General.
They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Nicole Hinson and Mark Fitzgerald; former Criminal Investigator Juan Juarez; Paralegal Specialists Aisha Keys and Jessica Mundi; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Joshua Ellen; Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Selden, now with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marston and Anthony Saler, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting Man in Early Evening Attack in June 2017Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deangelo Paris Belton, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a felony charge stemming from a shooting that occurred in June 2017 near a busy intersection in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Belton pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of aggravated assault while armed. The plea, which is subject to the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentencing range of five to six years in prison. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15, 2017.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 12, 2017, at approximately 6:20 p.m., the victim was walking near the intersection of Nannie Helen Burroughs and Minnesota Avenues NE when he passed Belton and two other males. The victim and Belton knew one another, and the victim is the father of Belton’s cousin’s child. Belton and the victim briefly exchanged words about whether Belton was still mad at the victim for a fistfight they had several months earlier.
During this exchange, Belton pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at the victim, hitting him and causing him to fall in the street. Belton then fired several more shots at the victim before fleeing. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen and waist, that required surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing rehabilitation and treatment.
Following the shooting, Belton fled to Georgia. He was later apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service and brought back to the District of Columbia in August 2017 to face charges.
In announcing the plea, 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 the U.S. Marshals Service. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Smalky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Stranger Near Metro StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dashayn James Slade, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for sexually assaulting a stranger who he grabbed while she walked to work near a Metro station in 2009 in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Slade pled guilty in July 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of attempted first-degree sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Following his prison term, Slade will be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. He also must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, early in the morning on Dec. 22, 2009, the victim was walking to work near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station in the 700 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE. Slade, a stranger to her, grabbed her from the Rhode Island Avenue overpass and pulled her over a concrete wall. Slade then pulled her across railroad tracks and snow until they reached a pile of railroad timber. He then sexually assaulted her.
Slade was identified using DNA evidence years after the offense and arrested in January 2016. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including the Sexual Assault Cold Case Unit, which investigated the case. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key and Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris. Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elana Suttenberg and Stuart D. Allen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Fatally Shooting Man in Broad DaylightRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Seth Holmes, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for killing a man earlier this year in Southwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Holmes pled guilty in August 2017 to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of at least 10 years and up to 14 years in prison. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz accepted the plea today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and sentenced Holmes accordingly. Following his prison term, Holmes will be placed on five years of supervised release.
The government’s evidence demonstrated that on May 9, 2017, at approximately 2:05 p.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received a call to respond to a shooting that occurred in the 100 block of Irvington Street SW. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, Damonta Thompson, semi-conscious and unresponsive suffering from a gunshot wound to his body. The District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported Mr. Thompson to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later determined that Mr. Thompson, 25, died from a gunshot wound to the back.
Further investigation by MPD officers revealed that just prior to the shooting, Holmes pulled his vehicle into the 100 block of Irvington Street SW, where he observed Mr. Thompson. Holmes and Mr. Thompson exchanged words. Holmes then pulled his vehicle down the street, got out, and shot his gun four times in the direction of Mr. Thompson, hitting him one time in his back. Mr. Thompson died a short time later.
Approximately, three days after the shooting, Holmes fled the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area to a relative’s residence in St. Petersburg, Fla. On June 5, 2017, Holmes was located by the U.S. Marshals Service and arrested at the residence. He was then transported back to the District of Columbia and was formally charged.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. She also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Allen and Jennifer Clark, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia M. Long, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 4 1/2-Year Prison Term for Robbing Man of His SUV in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marcquise Smith, 27, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of four and a half years for robbing a man of his sport utility vehicle last summer, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Smith pled guilty to a robbery charge in August 2017 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Juliet McKenna. Upon completion of his prison term, Smith will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to a factual proffer submitted at the time of the plea hearing, on June 27, 2017, at approximately 11:25 p.m., Smith approached two men after they had just parked a black Nissan Pathfinder in the unit block of P Street NE. While pretending that he was armed, Smith demanded that the driver of the SUV give him everything that he had, including his car keys. The victim gave his car keys to Smith, who then unlocked the vehicle and rode off.
The victims provided a description of the suspect, including that he was wearing jeans and a black belt with a silver buckle, and that he covered the majority of his face with a yellow T-shirt. Law enforcement broadcast a lookout for the stolen black Nissan Pathfinder with Tennessee tags. Within minutes, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) observed the black Nissan Pathfinder heading eastbound in the 1300 block of New York Avenue NE. The officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, but Smith refused to listen to the officers’ commands and fled southbound on West Virginia Avenue NE.
The officers pursued the black Nissan Pathfinder with full emergency equipment activated, until Smith crashed the stolen vehicle at 19th Street and Maryland Avenue NE. Smith fled on foot, but officers quickly located him inside an apartment building. At the time he was arrested, Smith was wearing blue jeans, a brown belt with a golden buckle, red tennis shoes and was shirtless. Law enforcement subsequently located an orange T-shirt in the road that Smith drove on during his flight from the police, and the victim who handed Smith his car keys identified him as the assailant. Smith has been in custody since his arrest.
In 2008, Smith committed a series of robberies in the District of Columbia and he later pled guilty to armed robbery and other offenses. He was sentenced in October 2011 to more than five years of incarceration, and was eventually placed on supervised release on May 12, 2017. Within six weeks of his release back into the community, Smith committed the robbery.
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 efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn, who prosecuted the matter.
Former D.C. Schools Employee and Business Owner Accused of Carrying Out Bid-Rigging SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former employee of the District of Columbia Public Schools and a business owner, her longtime friend, have been indicted on charges stemming from an alleged bid-rigging scheme involving contracts for administrative assistants valued at nearly $300,000.
The indictments were announced today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Amber R. Crowder, 39, of Washington, D.C., the former schools employee, and Shauna Marie Brumfield, 39, of Sacramento, Calif., the business owner, were indicted on Oct. 10, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Both were indicted on five counts of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of engaging in a money laundering conspiracy, three counts of money laundering, and one count of first-degree fraud. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes.
Crowder was arrested today in Washington, D.C., and Brumfield was arrested today in Sacramento. Crowder pled not guilty at her first appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and was released on personal recognizance pending further court proceedings. Brumfield is expected to make her first appearance later today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
According to the indictment, Crowder held various positions with the Office of Special Education (OSE), a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. The charges involve the school system’s awarding of two contracts for administrative assistants to a company called A Simple Solution. Brumfield was identified as the firm’s registered agent and her residence, then in Northeast Washington, was listed as its principal place of business. According to the indictment, Crowder and Brumfield were close personal friends since childhood.
In the summer of 2012, according to the indictment, Crowder was tasked with identifying and recommending a company to provide temporary administrative assistants for the Office of Special Education to aid in the scheduling of meetings related to services being provided for special education students in the 2012-2013 school year. The indictment alleges that she took a series of steps to steer two administrative assistant contracts to A Simple Solution, including falsely representing during the selection process that A Simple Solution had staff with educational experience and specialized in providing staff to educational institutions throughout the United States when in fact it had no staff and had never performed any work.
The indictment also alleges that Brumfield used Crowder’s knowledge of the estimated cost of the project to submit a price quote for A Simple Solution. Additionally, the indictment alleges Brumfield used the alias “Marie Matthews” when communicating with the school system on behalf of A Simple Solution, and Crowder referred to “Marie Matthews” as the contact person for A Simple Solution, to conceal the fact that Crowder was recommending the awarding of the contracts to her close personal friend.
According to the indictment, from October 2012 until March 2014, the District of Columbia Public Schools mailed approximately $222,000 in checks to A Simple Solution. From January 2013 until August 2013, the indictment alleges, Brumfield transferred approximately $19,164 from the bank account for A Simple Solution to Crowder’s own bank account.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas and Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi, Kristy Penny, Joshua Fein, and Aisha Keys.
Congressional Staffer Charged with Filing False Security Clearance FormRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A congressional staffer was charged today with filing a false security clearance form, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
According to the indictment, Issac Lanier Avant, a resident of Arlington, Va., was a staff member employed by the House of Representatives since approximately 2000. Since 2002, Avant has been the Chief of Staff for a member of Congress. In approximately December 2006, he began an additional position for the House Committee on Homeland Security, including Deputy Staff Director and Staff Director. The indictment charges that from 2008 through 2012, Avant earned wages of approximately $170,000 and failed to file an individual income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during those years. Avant allegedly had no federal income withheld during those years because in May 2005, he caused a form to be filed with his employer that falsely claimed he was exempt from federal income taxes. According to the indictment, Avant did not have any federal tax withheld from his paycheck until the IRS mandated that his employer begin withholding in January 2013.
In 2008 and again in 2013, for his position with the Committee on Homeland Security, Avant allegedly completed a Standard Form 86, “Questionnaire for National Security Positions” (SF-86), in order to receive a Top Secret security clearance. The indictment charges that on Sept. 18, 2013, Avant willfully made a false statement by responding “no” to the following question on a SF-86: “In the past seven (7) years have you failed to file or pay federal, state, or other taxes when required by law or ordinance?”
If convicted, Avant faces a statutory maximum prison term of five years, as well as a term of supervised release and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Liu thanked special agents of the FBI, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marston and Assistant Chief Todd Ellinwood of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Congressional Staffer Charged with Filing False Security Clearance FormRead the Press Release
A congressional staffer was charged today with filing a false security clearance form, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
According to the indictment, Issac Lanier Avant, a resident of Arlington, Virginia, was a staff member employed by the House of Representatives since approximately 2000. Since 2002, Avant has been the Chief of Staff for a member of Congress. In approximately December 2006, he began an additional position for the House Committee on Homeland Security, including Deputy Staff Director and Staff Director. The indictment charges that from 2008 through 2012, Avant earned wages of approximately $170,000 and failed to file an individual income tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during those years. Avant allegedly had no federal income withheld during those years because in May 2005, he caused a form to be filed with his employer that falsely claimed he was exempt from federal income taxes. According to the indictment, Avant did not have any federal tax withheld from his paycheck until the IRS mandated that his employer begin withholding in January 2013.
In 2008 and again in 2013, for his position with the Committee on Homeland Security, Avant allegedly completed a Standard Form 86, “Questionnaire for National Security Positions” (SF-86), in order to receive a Top Secret security clearance. The indictment charges that on Sept. 18, 2013, Avant willfully made a false statement by responding “no” to the following question on a SF-86: “In the past seven (7) years have you failed to file or pay federal, state, or other taxes when required by law or ordinance?”
If convicted, Avant faces a statutory maximum prison term of five years, as well as a term of supervised release and monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Liu thanked special agents of the FBI, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marston and Assistant Chief Todd Ellinwood of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to 2009 Murder of Pamela Butler in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jose Rodriguez-Cruz, 52, of Arlington, Va., pled guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder for the 2009 strangulation murder of his girlfriend, Pamela Butler, at her home in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Rodriguez-Cruz has been in custody since his arrest on April 8, 2017. His guilty plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 12-year prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The guilty plea also requires Rodriguez-Cruz to provide law enforcement with the location of Ms. Butler’s body, which was never found. The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo accepted the plea today and sentenced the defendant accordingly.
If Rodriguez-Cruz refuses to assist law enforcement in locating Ms. Butler’s body, or if he misleads police or otherwise does not make his best efforts to provide the location, the plea agreement is to be declared null and void, and he will face the original charge in the case of first-degree premeditated murder.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, Rodriguez-Cruz and Ms. Butler, 47, were involved in a romantic relationship. On Feb. 13, 2009, at approximately 8:20 p.m., Rodriguez-Cruz entered Ms. Butler’s home in the 5800 block of Fourth Street NW. He turned off her home security alarm system. A few hours after entering the house, while in the basement area, he and Ms. Butler had an argument concerning the defendant’s job and financial status, which Ms. Butler believed he was not doing enough to improve or elevate.
During the argument, Rodriguez-Cruz punched Ms. Butler in the face with his fist. She then fell to the floor. At that point, as stated in the proffer, Rodriguez-Crus straddled Ms. Butler’s body and strangled her with his hands around her neck, until she died from asphyxia.
Later that night and early the following morning, Rodriguez-Cruz turned off the outside motion sensor lights of Ms. Butler’s home security system. He then carried Ms. Butler’s body to the first floor area and lowered her body out of a window, the proffer states. He then carried the body to his car, which was parked on nearby Oglethorpe Street NW. Next he removed several objects from Ms. Butler’s home. Then, he drove away and disposed of the body.
Over the next two days, according to the proffer, Rodriguez-Cruz came to Ms. Butler’s home and continued to take items out of the house. On Feb. 16, 2009, he disposed of Ms. Butler’s cellphone in an effort to avoid detection for this crime.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the officers, detectives and other personnel who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Gillice, Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews-Yette, and Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah Sines and Glenn Kirschner, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Former Charity President Sentenced for Embezzling MoneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Thomas Burch, 75, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today to five months of incarceration, to be followed by five months of home detention, for embezzling at least $149,317 while he was the president of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Burch pled guilty in June 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to wire fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Following his jail term, Burch will be placed on two years of supervised release, with the first five months of that on home detention. He also was ordered to pay $75,000 in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the time of the plea, Burch was the president of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, Inc. (“NVVF”), a nonprofit organization incorporated in Washington, D.C., until 2016 when it was disbanded. NVVF solicited donations from the public, representing that their mission was “to provide help and support for American Veterans and their families through the generosity of the American people.” While the NVVF utilized some of its donated revenues to support the NVVF’s purported mission, Burch misappropriated portions of the donations to pay for food and lodging with no business purpose, and made repeated payments to women, who were personal acquaintances of Burch.
Burch had unilateral control over the NVVF’s “Emergency Assistance Program,” which accounted for tens of thousands of dollars of the NVVF’s operating expenses annually during the years 2012 to 2016. Burch represented to the NVVF’s Board of Directors the Emergency Assistance Program was a discretionary program that he ran as President of the NVVF, and that in fact, there was no oversight of Burch’s spending from the program in the distribution of smaller grants, generally between $100 to $300. In spite of Burch’s representation to NVVF employees and the Board of Directors that individual grants generally ran from $100 to $250 with the intent of providing only a one-time payment to recipients who were “usually Veteran family members with small children who are in chronic destitute circumstances,” Burch used the Emergency Assistance Program to give money to women who often were engaged in personal relationships with him. Burch also submitted expense reports claiming reimbursements for business lodging, travel, and meals, when in reality he spent the money on personal visits to clubs, restaurants, and hotels in Baltimore.
According to the government’s evidence, Burch spent at least $149,317 of the charity’s money on non-business related travel, clubs, restaurants, hotels, and women between the years 2012 and 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge Vale expressed appreciation for the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Washington Field Office of the FBI. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Christopher Toms and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman, who is assisting with forfeiture issues. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.
Business Owner and Former D.C. Schools Employee Accused of Carrying Out Fraudulent Billing SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The owner of a tutoring and mentoring business and a former employee of the District of Columbia Public Schools have been indicted on federal charges alleging that they conspired to fraudulently bill the school system more than $200,000 for services that they falsely claimed had been provided to students with special needs.
The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
John A. Faulkner, Jr., 39, the business owner, and Isaiah Johnson, 37, the former D.C. Public Schools employee, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft; nine counts of mail fraud; five counts of wire fraud; seven counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of first-degree fraud. Faulkner also was indicted on two counts of money laundering, and Johnson also was indicted on one count alleging that he engaged in official acts affecting a personal financial interest. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes.
The indictment was returned on Sept. 14, 2017, and unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Faulkner and Johnson, both of Baltimore, Md., pled not guilty today at their first appearances in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They remain free on personal recognizance pending a status hearing set for Oct. 30, 2017.
The indictment alleges that the men carried out a scheme from at least July of 2012 through at least July of 2014 involving fraudulent invoices submitted to the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) for services performed under the Compensatory Education Program.
The Compensatory Education Program awards services to eligible students to assist with their educational needs and development. Students awarded compensatory education services have learning, mental, and/or behavioral disabilities that create an educational barrier that prevents them from reaping the full benefits of education. Services consist of tutoring, individualized education, monitoring, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral and psychological analysis. Once DCPS approves specific services, parents or guardians receive letters specifying the services that can be provided. They also receive a list of independent providers, or vendors.
According to the indictment, Faulkner owned a company that in 2011 became eligible to be paid by DCPS as a vendor for tutoring and mentoring services. Johnson was a DCPS compliance case manager who was responsible for notifying parents or guardians, via letters, that their children were entitled to obtain the services of the independent providers. In that role, according to the indictment, Johnson had access to students’ names as well as compensatory education letters and the forms used to create those letters.
The indictment alleges that Faulkner and Johnson created or caused to be created false and fraudulent timesheets purporting to reflect compensatory education services provided to students that had, in fact, not been performed. These documents allegedly included the names and, in some instances, the signatures of individuals who purportedly provided services, the DCPS students and the students’ parents or guardians. Faulkner, Johnson and others used these means of identification without the knowledge or permission of the individuals, the indictment alleges. According to the indictment, Faulkner attached these timesheets to invoices to DCPS. He received payments and distributed a portion of the proceeds to Johnson, the indictment alleges.
According to the indictment, DCPS sent at least $217,366 in payments for services that never were performed.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrienne Dedjinou and Peter C. Lallas, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who is handling forfeiture issues, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, and Paralegal Specialists Joshua Fein, Aisha Keys, and Jessica Mundi.
District Teenager Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jarod Ingram, 17, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 14-year prison term for a series of armed robberies he committed earlier this year against people responding to sales notices on “OfferUp, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Ingram was charged as an adult given the serious nature of his crimes. He pled guilty in April 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to armed robbery and firearms offenses. He was sentenced on Sept. 29, 2017, by the Honorable Thomas J. Motley. Following his prison term, Ingram will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Ingram committed four robberies in less than three weeks of victims who set up meetings by using the digital application “OfferUp,” which permits users to buy or sell items. The victims were planning to purchase iPhones or a laptop computer that were listed on the site.
The first armed robbery took place at about 7:15 p.m. on Jan. 20, 2017, in the 300 block of Taylor Street NE. The victim was robbed of $300 that he had brought for an iPhone. The second crime took place at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2017, in the 400 block of Taylor Street NE, with another victim likewise surrendering $300 at gunpoint.
Two more armed robberies took place on the following day, Feb. 5, 2017. The first occurred at noon in the 600 block of Riggs Road NE; in this instance, Ingram robbed a woman of $500 and took an iPhone out of her pre-school son’s hands. Finally, at 3:50 p.m. on Feb. 5, 2017, Ingram robbed a man of $250 in the 4900 block of Third Street NW. An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) led to Ingram’s arrest the following day.
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 efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donville Drummond, Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosen, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Davon Rashad Wood, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of second-degree child sexual abuse for groping a 12-year old girl as she was walking into a community aquatic center, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Wood pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and is to be sentenced Dec. 12, 2017 by the Honorable José M. López. Following his prison term, Wood will be placed on a period of supervised release. He will must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 26, 2017, at about 10:45 a.m., the victim was walking into the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center in the 600 block of North Carolina Avenue SE. Wood held the door for the girl as she entered the aquatic center, then grabbed her buttocks as she walked past him. His actions were captured on the aquatic center’s security cameras. The girl did not know Wood. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) provided clips from security footage to the local media in hopes of getting the public’s assistance. Several people then called MPD to identify the man as Wood. Wood was arrested at his home in Southeast Washington on July 2, 2017.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu praised detectives from MPD’s Youth Division, the aquatic center employees who provided MPD with footage from the center’s security cameras, and members of the public, who helped identify Wood as the perpetrator. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams and Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
Former Bank Teller Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Stealing More Than $185,000 from Homeless CustomerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former bank teller pled guilty today to stealing more than $185,000 from a longtime customer of the bank, a homeless man, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Phelon Davis, 29, of District Heights, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to interstate transportation of stolen property. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Davis faces a likely range of 18 to 30 months in prison and a potential fine. The plea agreement calls for Davis to pay $185,440 in restitution and an equal amount in a forfeiture money judgment. Davis will be sentenced at a later date by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the plea hearing, Davis worked in 2014 as a teller at a national bank in Washington, D.C. One of the bank’s longtime customers, who was homeless and earned money as a street vendor, maintained more than one account with the bank. However, by October 2014, his accounts had gone dormant due to a lack of activity.
In October 2014, the customer attempted to deposit thousands of dollars into one of his accounts. Because he lacked identification and the accounts had gone into dormant status, Davis instructed the customer where to go to obtain identification documents and a Social Security card. In reviewing the customer’s accounts, Davis noticed that the customer had a surprisingly large balance. As a result, Davis devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain the customer’s money.
Later that month, Davis used the identification means of the customer to fraudulently open a new account in the customer’s name. He forged the customer’s signature on the application and had an ATM card issued for the newly opened account. Over the next two years, without the customer’s knowledge, Davis logged into the customer’s accounts online and transferred money between the accounts. All told, from approximately Oct. 22, 2014 through Oct. 26, 2016, Davis used ATMs on 144 occasions to withdraw $185,440 from the customer’s accounts. The customer, meanwhile, did not receive bank statements during this time, did not use e-mail, and did not have access to a computer.
Davis used the stolen money for his personal benefit, including funding a down payment on his residence, paying off personal debt, and paying for vacations in Jamaica, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge Vale commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator Shannon Alexis, Paralegal Specialist Jessica Mundi, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman, who is prosecuting the matter.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Armed Robbery in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Anthony Williams, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a six-year prison term after earlier pleading guilty to robbing a man at gunpoint in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Williams pled guilty in July 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of armed robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable Danya A. Dayson. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early evening of Jan. 4, 2017, Williams and an accomplice approached the victim, who was walking in the 2300 block of Lincoln Road NE. Williams pointed a firearm at the victim’s head and said, “If you want your life, don’t move.” The victim raised his hands above his head, but Williams nonetheless struck him on the right side of his face with either the handgun or a fist. At the direction of Williams, the accomplice removed items from the victim’s pockets, including his cellphone and wallet, containing cash and credit cards. Williams and his accomplice then fled the area.
Subsequent investigation determined that Williams had been at the location of the armed robbery. In addition, the victim later reported that one of his stolen credit cards had been used fraudulently at fast-food restaurants and 7-Eleven stores, and the 7-Eleven video surveillance footage depicted an individual matching Williams’s description.
On Jan. 9, 2017, two witnesses identified Williams as the person recorded in the 7-Eleven video surveillance footage. In addition, one of the witnesses stated that Williams had a dark-colored firearm. That same day, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to a residence in the 1300 block of W Street SE in an attempt to locate Williams. Police found him in one of the bedrooms, underneath a bed. In the same room, police also located a green jacket with fur around the collar that appeared to be the same jacket worn by the person in the 7-Eleven video. In the pocket of the green jacket, law enforcement located a fully loaded Glock .45-caliber magazine that Williams acknowledged belonged to him. Williams was arrested and has been in custody ever since.
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 former Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Goodwin. Finally, she commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges for Two Shootings in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Randy Sparrow, 31, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from two separate shootings that occurred in Southeast Washington within a 48-hour period last summer, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Sparrow pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm based on a prior conviction for a crime of violence and one count of felony assault on a police officer while armed. The plea, which is subject to the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of eight years in prison, consisting of two consecutive statutory mandatory minimum terms in prison. The Honorable Marisa Demeo scheduled sentencing for Dec. 14, 2017.
According to the government’s evidence, the first of the two shootings took place on July 8, 2017. At approximately 2:35 a.m., Sparrow, who was driving a green and black Ford Crown Victoria, chased the victim, who was driving a separate car, through various locations in Southeast Washington. As Sparrow pursued the victim, he shot at him multiple times with a firearm, striking him once in the left arm. Sparrow and the victim had met in jail approximately six or seven years ago and were with two different groups inside the jail that did not get along. Sparrow was convicted of armed robbery in 2004.
The second shooting took place on July 10, 2017. At approximately 2:05 a.m., in the 1900 block of Savannah Street SE, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) came into contact with Sparrow during the stop and subsequent arrest of an individual that Sparrow referred to as his “little brother.” After Sparrow became upset and tried to interfere, MPD officers placed him in handcuffs, which were later removed. At approximately 2:20 a.m., four of the MPD officers left the location in an unmarked police vehicle and drove eastbound on Savannah Street SE. Sparrow followed them in a green and black Ford Crown Victoria and fired multiple shots at the officers with a firearm, striking their vehicle at least once. Sparrow then made a U-turn and fled in the opposite direction. He ran a red light, hit another vehicle at the intersection of Stanton Road SE and Alabama Avenue SE, and crashed into a tree in front of a school in the 3200 block of Stanton Road SE. Sparrow fled the vehicle and block on foot, leaving behind a Glock 19, 9mm handgun. He was arrested later that morning.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Witness Security Specialists Debra Cannon and Tanya Via. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Smalky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Jessie K. Liu Takes Office as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jessie K. Liu has taken office as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. She succeeds Channing D. Phillips, who had been serving in the position since Oct. 19, 2015.
President Trump nominated Ms. Liu on June 12, 2017 to serve as U.S. Attorney, and the Senate confirmed the nomination on Sept. 14, 2017. She was sworn in by Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. She formally took office at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24.
Ms. Liu, 44, had been Deputy General Counsel for the United States Department of the Treasury. She previously was a partner at the law firms of Morrison & Foerster LLP and Jenner & Block LLP, where her practice focused on litigation, investigations, and compliance.
In addition to her work in private practice, U.S. Attorney Liu has extensive experience with the Department of Justice. From 2002 until 2006, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, handling criminal and appellate cases. She then moved to the Department of Justice, where she served in a series of positions until 2009, including Deputy Chief of Staff for the National Security Division, Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, and Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division.
“I am honored to return to the United States Attorney’s Office and looking forward to working with the people here, our many law enforcement partners, and the community,” said U.S. Attorney Liu.
U.S. Attorney Liu graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1995 and obtained her juris doctorate from Yale Law School in 1998.
Because of its size and varied responsibilities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is unique among the 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the nation. It is the largest of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, with more than 300 attorneys and a similar number of support employees. The Office is responsible for the prosecution of all federal crimes, including terrorism, public corruption, firearms, and other offenses, as well as the prosecution of all serious local crime committed by adults in the District of Columbia. The Office also represents the United States and its departments and agencies in civil proceedings filed in federal court in the District of Columbia.
As she took on her new responsibilities, U.S. Attorney Liu thanked Mr. Phillips for his many years of public service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice.
District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Two Violent Attacks, Including a MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Jamil Betts, 26, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a pair of violent attacks in Southeast Washington, including a murder, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Betts pled guilty in December 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison term of 20 years on both charges.
The Honorable Michael Ryan accepted the plea and sentenced Betts on Sept. 22, 2017. Following his prison term, Betts will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the murder victim, Andre McConnell, 26, was with friends in the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace SE on April 27, 2015. At around 8:30 that night, Mr. McConnell engaged in a brief verbal argument with an unidentified individual. Shortly thereafter, Betts approached Mr. McConnell and the group with whom Mr. McConnell was gathered. Betts took out a gun, aimed and fired it at Mr. McConnell, and struck Mr. McConnell twice in the lower back. A second individual also was hit with one gunshot wound to the leg. Mr. McConnell was transported to Prince George’s Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
In the second case, the government’s evidence showed, on the afternoon of May 29, 2015, Betts and another individual approached a woman and her daughter at gunpoint in the area of the 3400 block of A Street SE. Betts, holding the gun, and the other individual attempted to force their way into the woman’s apartment, which was occupied by other individuals. After realizing that the victims called 911, Betts and the other individual attempted to leave the area by car. In the process of driving away from the scene, Betts, who was seated in the front passenger side of the vehicle, aimed his gun at one of the victims outside the apartment building and fired one shot, nearly hitting the victim.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division, crime scene officers, and the Sixth and Seventh Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant, Jennifer Clark, and Shawn Slade; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Victim/Witness Program Specialists Lesley Slade, Laverne Forest, and Wanda Queen; Criminal Investigators Durand Odom, Mark Crawford, and Nelson Rhone, and Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels. Finally, she acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julianne Johnston and Sumit Mallick, who investigated and prosecuted the assault case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard DiZinno and Robert Eckert, who investigated and prosecuted the homicide case.
District Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Co-Worker at Group HomeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adeniyi Joseph Omilana, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a co-worker at a group home for individuals with disabilities in Southwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Omilana pled guilty in June 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of attempted second-degree sexual abuse before the Honorable Judith Bartnoff. Following his prison term, Omilana will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, early on March 26, 2017, Omilana and the victim were working the midnight shift at the group home operated by Lifeline Inc. in the 3900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SW. At about 1:30 a.m., the victim became tired and fell asleep on a sofa in the living room. About 30 minutes later, the victim awoke and noticed her underwear and pants were down to her ankles and one leg was removed from her clothing. Omilana was on the floor, kneeling beside the victim, and his hand was on her leg as he was attempting to pull up her pants and underwear. The victim confronted him as he was attempting to pull up her pants. Omilana admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the victim.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, including the Sexual Assault Unit, which investigated the case. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist T.J. McPhail, Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart D. Allen, who investigated and prosecuted the case.