District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Portuguese Engineer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export Technology to Iran Without Approval from the U.S. GovernmentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Joao Pereira da Fonseca, 55, a citizen of Portugal, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a scheme in which he conspired to help an Iranian company unlawfully obtain sophisticated equipment from two companies in the United States.
The plea was announced by Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Channing D. Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and David Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, in San Diego, Calif.
Fonseca, of Coimbra, Portugal, pled guilty to conspiring to unlawfully export goods and technology to Iran and to defraud the United States. He entered the guilty plea before the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan, on the day his trial was to begin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison sentence of 20 months. Judge Sullivan accepted the plea today and scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2017. Upon completion of his prison term, Fonseca faces deportation proceedings.
At the time he entered his guilty plea, Fonseca admitted to taking part in the scheme between October 2014 and April 2016. One of the companies in the United States manufactures machines that help produce sophisticated optical lenses that have both commercial and military uses. The other company manufactures machinery that tests components of inertial guidance systems that have both commercial and military uses. Fonseca was a contractor for a Portuguese engineering company that served as a front company to purchase the machines on behalf of their Iranian client. The Portuguese company claimed that it was purchasing the machines for its own use, but planned to have the machines shipped to Iran. Fonseca is a mechanical engineer whose role in the conspiracy was to travel to the U.S. to approve the machinery and learn how to install and maintain the machinery once it was shipped to its final destination in Iran.
Due to the investigation conducted by a Special Agent from Homeland Security Investigations, the government prevented both machines from leaving the U.S. Fonseca traveled to the United States to receive training on how to use the optical lens equipment in October 2015. He returned to the United States in late March 2016 to be trained on how to use the inertial guidance system equipment at the company that manufactures it. After a week of training, Homeland Security Agents had gathered sufficient evidence to detain Fonseca before he could fly back to Portugal. Soon thereafter, criminal charges were brought against Fonseca. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente, U.S. Attorney Phillips, and Special Agent in Charge Shaw expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated the case from the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Elena Buruncenco and Jorge Casillas; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia; former Litigation Technology Specialist Aneela Bhatia; Legal Assistant Matthew Ruggierio, and Summer Law Clerks Tessa Tilton, Michael Collins, Jessie Michelin, James Murray, Alison Perry, Anthony Ricci, Jared Schwalb and Elizabeth Ulan.
Finally, they commended the work of the attorneys who investigated and prosecuted the case, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frederick W. Yette, Erik Kenerson and Thomas Swanton, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Robert E. Wallace and Amy Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
District Man Sentenced to Year in Prison for Carrying Out Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Tyrone Johnson, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison on federal charges arising from a real estate scheme involving forged mortgage satisfaction documents, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Johnson pled guilty in April 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to charges of bank fraud and making false statements. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Following his prison term, Johnson will be placed on two years of supervised release. He also must pay $337,105 in restitution to Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, as well as a forfeiture money judgment of $170,688.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the time of the guilty plea, SunTrust Mortgage, Inc. loaned a friend of Johnson’s approximately $470,000 in 2008 to purchase residential real estate in the 100 block of 57th Street SE. By 2009, the friend had failed to repay the mortgage loans, and in 2010, SunTrust Mortgage filed a notice of foreclosure with the District of Columbia’s Recorder of Deeds. In April 2013, SunTrust Mortgage began the process of foreclosing on the mortgage and taking possession of the property, due to the friend’s failure to make good and timely payments on the mortgage loans.
Sometime before Oct. 2, 2013, Johnson caused the creation of two phony and forged certificates of satisfaction, which falsely represented that the SunTrust Mortgage loans at the property on 57th Street SE had been paid and that his friend owned the property “free and clear.” According to the statement of offense, on Oct. 2, 2013, Johnson filed these two phony certificates of satisfaction with the Recorder of Deeds.
In or about December 2013, after the fake certificates of satisfaction allowed the friend to sell the property without paying the outstanding mortgages, the title and escrow company wired out the sales proceeds of $337,105, of which approximately $170,688 was obtained by Johnson.
In addition, in 2015, Johnson was required to submit a financial disclosure form to his government agency employer; however, on that form, Johnson failed to disclose the money he obtained from the sales proceeds of the property, knowing that he had obtained the money. This failure to inform his government agency employer was material or important to his employer, and one that resulted in a false statement on his financial disclosure form.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Assistant Director in Charge Vale expressed appreciation for the work performed by those who investigated the case and assisted in preparing it for trial from the FBI, including the Washington Field Office and the FBI Laboratory. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Christopher Toms; former Paralegal Specialists Corinne Kleinman and Kaitlyn Krueger; Litigation Tech Specialist Ron Royal, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who assisted with forfeiture issues. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.
Former D.C. Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Scheme Involving PermitsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Stacie M. Williams, .a former employee of the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), pled guilty today to a federal bribery charge stemming from a scheme in which she accepted cash in return for facilitating the issuance of construction permits.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Williams, 47, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of receipt of a bribe by a public official. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Williams faces a likely range of 12 to 18 months in prison and possible financial penalties. She is to be sentenced on Oct. 19, 2017, by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta.
According to the government’s evidence, Williams worked from March 2004 until August 2016 as a contact representative in DCRA’s Business License Department. She was responsible for reviewing and processing applications for various permits. In two meetings at her workstation in April and June of 2012, Williams accepted a total of $700 in cash from a person who was actually participating in an undercover FBI investigation. In exchange for this money, Williams issued two air conditioning permits and one construction permit. In processing these permits, she did not require the person to take a number and wait in line at DCRA, which is the practice for all customers. She also falsified the requirement calling for the signature of a certified licensed tradesman who would oversee the construction. Instead, she inserted the name of a master licensed tradesman who she knew was not involved in the construction work.
In her plea today, Williams admitted that she often partnered with a co-worker, Lucretia B. Barksdale, in the illegal scheme of issuing DCRA permits to customers. Barksdale, 52, of Oxon Hill, Md. pled guilty to a federal bribery charge in March 2016 and later was sentenced to three years of probation, including 180 days that was to be spent in home detention.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia 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 Paralegal Specialist Christopher Toms and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lionel André. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle N. Bradford, who is prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Pair of Carjackings in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Travon Carter, 18, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a pair of carjackings he committed last year in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.
Carter pled guilty in April 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of carjacking and two related firearms offenses. He was sentenced on July 13, 2017, by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the time of the plea, the first carjacking took place on Oct. 4, 2016, at about 4 a.m. Carter, along with three other individuals, approached a man in the 900 block of Quackenbos Street NW. The victim reported that all four assailants were wearing masks and armed with firearms. At least one of them knocked the victim to the ground. The group stole the victim’s car keys, cellular telephone, and wallet and took off in the victim’s car. The vehicle was found several hours later in the 700 block of Fairmont Street NW.
The second carjacking took place on Oct. 6, 2016, at about 12:45 a.m., this time in the 1200 block of Sheridan Street NW. Carter and two other individuals approached a woman who had just parked her car. One of Carter’s accomplices was wearing a mask and armed with a firearm. The three demanded the victim’s cellular telephone and car keys and left in her car. They hid the vehicle in a parking lot in the 2500 block of Sherman Avenue NW and then got into another vehicle, driven by a fourth person. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) stopped the vehicle within 90 minutes of the carjacking and arrested all four men.
Carter has been in custody since his arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He 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 Sarah McClellan, Chief of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Diana Lim, Karina Hernandez, LaJune Thames, M. Laverne Perry, and Katina Adams-Washington, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Litigation Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia, Jeanie Latimore-Brown, Kimberly Smith, and Paul Howell, and former Litigation Technology Specialist Aneela Bhatia;
Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Romano and Gregory Rosen, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Robbery and Burglary ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Lewis, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to nine years and three months in prison on charges stemming from an armed robbery and two burglaries in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Lewis pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to robbery, second-degree burglary, and contempt. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of five years in prison. The Honorable Kimberley S. Knowles accepted the plea today and sentenced Lewis accordingly.
In a separate case, also in March of 2017, a jury found Lewis guilty of second-degree burglary and second-degree theft, with a finding that the crimes were committed while Lewis was on pretrial release. In that case, the Honorable Juliet McKenna sentenced Lewis today to four years and three months in prison, to run consecutively to the other prison term.
Following completion of his prison terms, Lewis will be placed on three years of supervised release.
In the guilty plea, Lewis admitted taking part in an armed robbery on the afternoon of June 24, 2016, in the 600 block of Buchanan Street NW; a co-defendant, Donathan Taylor, 20, pled guilty to an armed robbery charge for that offense. Lewis also admitted to committing a residential burglary during the daytime hours of Oct. 16, 2015 in the 700 block of Taylor Street NW. Finally, Lewis pled guilty to a contempt charge for leaving a halfway house, where he was being held while awaiting trial, without authorization on June 22, 2016.
The guilty verdict stemmed from a burglary on April 9, 2015 at a home in the unit block of Gallatin Street NW.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the cases from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Latent Fingerprint Unit of the Forensic Science Laboratory of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences.
Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the cases from the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving Lewis and his co-defendant. They include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Romano, Kamil E. Shields and C.B. Buente, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Kociuruba.
District Man Sentenced to 9 1/2-Year Prison Term for Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 37-year-old man was sentenced today to a 9½-year prison term for sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
The man, of Washington, D.C., is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim. He pled guilty in May 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to first-degree child sexual abuse. The plea, which was subject to the Court’s approval, called for a 9½-year prison term. The Honorable Zoe Bush accepted the plea today and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Upon completion of his prison term, the man will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years.
According to the government’s evidence, between late Sept. 30, 2016 and early Oct. 1, 2016, the defendant anally raped his son’s 12-year-old friend, who was at their residence in Southeast Washington for a sleepover. The victim disclosed the assault and an investigation led to the man’s arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the work of the Children’s Advocacy Center, Children’s National Medical Center, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, Forensic Interviewer Tracy Owusu, Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elana Suttenberg and Marisa West, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Two Former Employees of House Member Indicted on Federal Charges in Cyberstalking CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two former staff employees of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives have been indicted following an investigation into the circulation of private, nude images and videos of the member and the member’s spouse, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the United States Capitol Police.
Juan R. McCullum, 35, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of cyberstalking, and a co-worker, Dorene Browne-Louis, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Md., was indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice. The indictment, which was unsealed today, was returned on July 11, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to the indictment, McCullum worked from April 2015 until June 2016 in the House member’s legislative office in Washington, D.C. Browne-Louis worked in the same office from January 2015 until April 2016.
The indictment alleges that, during the course of his employment, McCullum offered in March 2016 to assist the House member in repairing the member’s malfunctioning, password-protected cellular iPhone by taking the device to a local Apple store. According to the indictment, the House member provided McCullum with the device solely to have the iPhone repaired. McCullum was not given permission to take, copy, or distribute any of the contents of the iPhone. The iPhone contained the private, nude images and videos.
As alleged in the indictment, in July 2016, after McCullum left the House member’s staff, he engaged in a course of conduct that included creating a Hotmail account and a Facebook social media account, using a fictitious name, to distribute and post the private images and videos. Further, according to the indictment, he encouraged others on social media to redistribute the images and videos in the member’s congressional district. The indictment alleges that McCullum also sent text messages to Browne-Louis alerting her to his activities as early as July 2, 2016, as well as e-mail messages containing several of the images and videos.
On July 6, 2016, federal law enforcement initiated a criminal investigation into the unauthorized distribution and publication of the images and videos. The charges against Browne-Louis involve text messages from McCullum that she allegedly deleted from her cellular phone, as well as false, incomplete, and misleading statements that she allegedly made to law enforcement and a federal grand jury regarding her knowledge of the activities.
Browne-Louis made her first appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She pled not guilty to the charges and was released on personal recognizance pending a status hearing scheduled for July 19, 2017. McCullum’s first court appearance has not yet been scheduled.
The charge of cyberstalking carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. The charge of obstruction of justice carries a statutory maximum of 20 years of incarceration and potential financial penalties.
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 United States Capitol Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica Jennings and Tejpal S. Chawla of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina, Criminal Investigator John Marsh, Paralegal Specialists Bianca Evans and Matthew Ruggiero, and Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, Thomas Royal and Paul Howell, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed in 2015 Slaying in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Eugene Burns, 25, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses for killing a man in a Southeast Washington apartment, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.
Burns was found guilty by a jury on July 12, 2017, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, 2017. Burns faces a potential sentence of life in prison for the crimes.
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 verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives, officers, and mobile crime technicians who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He 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. He 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 Phillips commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Willoughby, Jr. and Kevin Flynn, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Offense for Illegally Entering White House GroundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jonathan Tran, 27, of Milpitas, Calif., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from an incident earlier this year in which he illegally entered the grounds of the White House, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service.
Tran pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds. The charge carries a statutory maximum of a year in prison and a potential fine. The parties agreed to recommend to the Court that any period of supervised release or probation include conditions, including a prohibition barring Tran from entering the District of Columbia while he is under supervision, except for court appearances and meetings with his lawyer. He also would be required to participate in interviews with the Secret Service to assist in determining potential current and future risks.
The Honorable James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Sept. 25, 2017. Tran remains free on personal recognizance pending the sentencing.
“This guilty plea holds Jonathan Tran accountable for illegally entering the grounds of the White House and putting himself and others at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Thanks to the Secret Service, he was arrested and no one was hurt in this defendant’s reckless and potentially dangerous act.”
“The safety and security of the President, the First Family and all staff and visitors to the White House complex is the Secret Service’s first priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Ebert. “Any attempt to breach security and gain unauthorized access is a serious criminal offense and will be dealt with as such. The Secret Service continuously strives to improve and adapt our protective methodologies and security features to meet the ever growing and evolving threat.”
According to the government’s evidence, on March 10, 2017, at about 11:35 p.m., an officer with the U.S. Secret Service’s Uniform Division saw Tran walking from the east side of the south grounds of the White House complex. Tran, who was wearing a hooded sweater or jacket and carrying a backpack, was approaching the South Portico entrance to the White House. When Tran saw the officer, he altered course and began heading toward the South Lawn. The officer confronted Tran, who claimed to be “a friend of the President.” In a search incident to arrest, two cans of pepper spray were found on Tran, including one inside his jacket pocket.
This case was investigated by the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Mudd of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess HeroinRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Durrette, 45, of Clinton, Md., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison on a federal drug charge stemming from his role in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Washington, D.C. area.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Andre R. Watson, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Baltimore, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Durrette was found guilty by a jury in March 2017 of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams of heroin. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. With his prior conviction for a similar drug offense, Durrette faced a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. He was sentenced by the Honorable Amit P. Mehta. Following his prison term, Durrette will be placed on eight years of supervised release. The judge also ordered Durrette to pay a $5,000 forfeiture money judgment.
The government’s evidence established that Durrette and others participated in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of narcotics between 2009 and 2014. This drug trafficking group mainly involved itself with trafficking very large quantities of marijuana, but also involved itself with redistributing various and significant quantities of heroin and cocaine. In that regard, during the conspiracy, California suppliers frequently sent – or conspired to send – large quantities of marijuana, heroin, or cocaine to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, where Durrette and others participated in the illegal redistribution of one or more of the controlled substances to others in the Washington, D.C., area for profit.
Several others previously pled guilty to charges in the investigation.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, Special Agent in Charge Watson, and Chief Newsham praised the work of the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which in this case involved work from the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department, and HSI. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department. In addition, they commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz, Candace Battle, Rommel Pachoca, Mary Downing, and Teesha Tobias; Legal Assistants Holly Crouse and Peter Gaboton; Intern Zachary Kaplan, and Litigation Technology Specialist Kimberly Smith. Finally, they commended the work of Trial Attorney Andrea G. Duvall of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth F. Whitted and Emory V. Cole, who indicted and prosecuted the case.
Former Hospital Executive Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $390,000 from Medical AssociationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Deborah A. Morrison, a former executive at Providence Hospital, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from her theft of $391,600 from an association of medical professionals, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Morrison, of Bethesda, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to transportation of money taken by fraud. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, she faces a likely range of 24 to 30 months in prison and a fine of up to $95,000. As part of her plea, Morrison has agreed to pay $391,600 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment. She is to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2017, by the Honorable James E. Boasberg.
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 plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips 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 and Joshua Fein. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to Prison Term for His Role in Inauguration Day RiotRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Dane Powell, 31, of Tampa, Fla., was sentenced today to four months of incarceration for his role in the violence and destruction that took place in downtown Washington on Inauguration Day, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
Powell pled guilty on April 28, 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of felony rioting and felony assault on a police officer. Powell was among 234 people arrested in the aftermath of various incidents on January 20, 2017. He was arrested the following day. Powell was the first defendant to plead guilty to felony charges; 15 others have pled guilty to misdemeanor rioting offenses, and charges against 20 other defendants have been dismissed.
The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz sentenced Powell to a total of 36 months in prison, but suspended all but four months of that time on the condition that he successfully complete two years of supervised probation. In sentencing the defendant, Judge Leibovitz said that she credited his early acceptance of responsibility, but at the same time was compelled to take into account the seriousness of his individual acts and choices during the disturbances. Powell was taken into custody immediately after the hearing today to begin serving his prison sentence.
According to a factual proffer signed by the defendant, on January 20, 2017, Powell joined together with more than 200 other people in and around Logan Circle in Washington, D.C. The group formed a “black bloc” in which individual defendants wore black or dark colored clothing, gloves, scarves, sunglasses, ski masks, gas masks, goggles, helmets, hoodies, and other face-concealing and face-protecting items to conceal their identities in an effort to prevent law enforcement from being able to identify the individual perpetrators of violence or property damage. Some of the members of the black bloc were armed with hammers, crowbars, wooden sticks, and other weapons. Powell was among those dressed in black, and had in his possession a gas mask. Powell also attempted to conceal his face with a mask. In addition, Powell was in possession of a hammer, and a heavy wooden stick with a flag attached to it. As part of the proffer, he admitted being part of a group of rioters who moved approximately 16 blocks over a period of more than 30 minutes. He also admitted that he participated in breaking windows at two businesses and throwing a brick, large rock, or piece of concrete at uniformed law enforcement officers during the riot.
The rioting cases are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer A. Kerkhoff and John W. Borchert.
Falls Church Man Sentenced to 5 1/2-Year Prison Term for Sexually Assaulting College Student Who Was Walking on Northwest Washington StreetRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sergio Velasquez Cardozo, 35, formerly of Falls Church, Va., was sentenced today to a 5 ½ year-prison term on charges stemming from an incident in which he snuck up on a college student and grabbed and groped her, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
A jury found Velasquez Cardozo guilty in April 2017 of kidnapping, third-degree sexual abuse, fourth-degree sexual abuse and misdemeanor sexual abuse. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Velasquez Cardozo was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a 10-year period following his release from prison.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1 a.m. on Sept. 17, 2016, the victim was walking home to her apartment on the Georgetown University campus. While walking in the 3400 block of Prospect Street NW, Velasquez Cardozo snuck up behind her, grabbed her in a bear hug, and fondled her breast and buttocks.
Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) happened to be driving slowly right behind, and next to, Velasquez Cardozo when he attacked the woman. They immediately stopped and arrested him. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of officers from MPD’s Second District and from MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. He also expressed appreciation for the work of the Georgetown University Police Department, which arrived on the scene shortly after Velasquez Cardozo was apprehended, and assisted both the victim and the MPD officers. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams, former Paralegal Specialist Joyce Arthur, Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan, and Litigation Technology Specialists Aneela Bhatia and Anisha Bhatia. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen “Katie” Kern and Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
District Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Beating, Maltreating and Abusing 4-Year-Old BoyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Timothy Allen, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison for beating and maltreating a four-year-old boy who was in his care last summer, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Allen’s mother, Suzette Nicole Allen, 45, is to be sentenced on Sept. 15, 2017 in the case. Both defendants pled guilty in April 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree cruelty to children. The pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval, call for prison sentences of 18 months to seven years. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz accepted Timothy Allen’s guilty plea today and sentenced him accordingly. Following completion of his prison term, Timothy Allen will be placed on three years of supervised release; during that time, he is to have no contact with children under the age of 18.
According to the government’s evidence, the child’s mother put the boy and his older brother in the care of the Allen family, who she knew, during the summer of 2016. Over the summer, the Allens beat the child with their hands and with drumsticks. The child’s health deteriorated as a result of these beatings, and by early August, he was having trouble walking. Over the next couple of weeks, the boy grew lethargic and his balance faltered. In text messages, the defendants discussed what was happening. Yet they never sought medical attention.
The boy’s mother received the children back from the Allen family on Aug. 16, 2016, immediately recognized that something was wrong, and rushed him to Children’s National Medical Center. He was found to be suffering from multiple brain contusions, two lacerations to his liver, a hemorrhage in his abdominal cavity, two rib fractures, a fractured finger, a missing tooth, patterned scars to his spine, abdomen, chest and inner thighs, and healing injuries to his forehead, eye, nose, jaw, and chest. The boy was kept at the hospital for 17 days and then spent another 55 days in rehabilitation at another facility.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was alerted by medical professionals and began an investigation that led to the defendants’ arrests last fall. Timothy Allen has been in custody since his arrest. Suzette Nicole Allen is free on personal recognizance pending sentencing, with a condition that she have no contact with children under age 18.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Child Forensic Interview Specialist Tracy Owusu, Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughn, and Paralegal Specialist T.J. McPhail. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Manzo and Melissa Price, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Accosting Teenage Girl at MuseumRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Devone Foote, 35, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a felony charge stemming from an incident last spring in which he sexually accosted a 14-year-old girl who was on a school trip at a museum, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Foote pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of attempted second-degree child sexual abuse. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 18 months in prison. Following his prison term, Foote would be required to register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2017.
Foote was arrested on April 4, 2017 after he allegedly touched seven girls, ages 13 and 14, on the buttocks, while they were visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. He has been in custody ever since. The guilty plea involved one of those offenses.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on April 4, 2017, at approximately 5 p.m., a volunteer at the insect exhibit noticed Foote leering at a group of teenage girls from a few feet away. Foote approached the group and took several pictures. He then touched a 14-year-old girl on the buttocks with his hand and held her hair. He then walked away. He was identified shortly afterward outside the museum and arrested. In his guilty plea, Foote admitted that he acted voluntarily and on purpose, and not by mistake or accident.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Smithsonian Institution Office of Protection Services and from the U.S. Park Police. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 8 1/2 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing 15-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Urlick Evans, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 102 months for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Evans pled guilty in March 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 102-month prison term. The Honorable Reggie B. Walton accepted the plea today and sentenced Evans accordingly. Following his prison term, Evans will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years.
According to a statement of offense submitted during the plea proceedings, at the end of July 2015, the 15-year-old victim ran away from her residence in Baltimore. Once in Washington, D.C., she made contact with her estranged father, and stayed with him for approximately one week until she met Evans.
Evans, who was 39 at the time, asked the girl how old she was and she initially told him that she was 18. He invited her to his apartment in Southeast Washington. Once there, he sexually abused the girl. Shortly thereafter, he was contacted by members of the girl’s family and informed that she was only 15. Specifically, on Aug. 20, 2015, the girl’s parents contacted Evans to inquire about the whereabouts of their daughter. The father requested that Evans return the girl to him. Evans, however, told the parents that she no longer was living with him and that he did not know where they could find her.
After this conversation, the girl continued to live with Evans at his apartment in Washington, D.C. Also, according to the statement of offense, over the course of the next several weeks and up until Evans’s arrest on Sept. 22, 2015, he continued to sexually abuse the girl.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from MPD’s Youth Division and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator John Marsh and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea L. Hertzfeld and Lindsay J. Suttenberg, who prosecuted the matter.
Two District Men Sentenced to 47-Year Prison Terms for Deadly 2009 Gun Battle in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two men, both from Washington, D.C., have been sentenced to 47-year prison terms for their roles in a gun battle in Northeast Washington in which two people were killed, including a 15-year-old innocent bystander, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Sequarn Tibbs, 25, and Earl Jackson, 24, were found guilty by a jury in November 2016 of two counts of second-degree murder while armed, three counts of assault with intent to kill, two counts of aggravated assault, and related weapons offenses. The verdicts followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. They were sentenced on June 30, 2017, by the Honorable Michael Ryan.
Tibbs and Jackson had pled guilty in 2013 to voluntary manslaughter and other charges, but the pleas were subsequently reversed by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. That led to the trial and the jury’s verdict. Additionally, a third co-defendant, Antonio Barnes, 25, pled guilty in September 2016 to voluntary manslaughter and other charges. He was sentenced in November 2016 to a 13-year prison term, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Tibbs and Jackson were part of a group, known as “Young Savage,” associated with the 37th Street/37th Place neighborhood of Southeast Washington. The violence came after the discovery on Oct. 12, 2009 that a burglary took place in the home of Jackson’s mother, located in the Clay Terrace area of Northeast Washington. A .38-caliber revolver, belonging to a juvenile co-conspirator, was stolen during the burglary.
Late Oct. 12, 2009 and early Oct. 13, 2009, Jackson and others, including Tibbs’s brother, Daquan Tibbs, 18, decided that Clay Terrace residents were responsible for the burglary. The group decided to travel to the home of Jackson’s mother in Clay Terrace to identify and find the people responsible and get the property back - with force, if necessary.
They rode to Clay Terrace in a taxicab, while armed with a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a .40-caliber pistol and a .9-mm pistol. Once there, they decided to confront Clay Terrace individuals who were outside in the neighborhood. They demanded the .38-caliber revolver, and, although it remains unclear if money was taken in the burglary as well, also asked for cash.
A male from the Clay Terrace group advised that they did not know who was responsible for the theft, but opined that it was probably a “young’un.” Later, an older Clay Terrace resident came to the Jacksons’ house, and asked about the situation. This person also speculated it was probably “one of the little young’uns,” and left. The older man later came back and returned the gun, not saying where he got it. He said that he did not know anything about the missing money.
Sequarn Tibbs, meanwhile, joined the group in Clay Terrace. Throughout the day, several members of the group smoked marijuana. At one point, Jackson and the juvenile co-conspirator discussed whether they should wait until school was over to see if they could find the “young’uns” responsible for the theft/burglary.
Shortly before 4 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2009, the defendants and others in the group left the house. The group took their guns with them, which included a .45-caliber pistol, a .40-caliber pistol, a .38-caliber revolver, and a .9-mm pistol. They headed to a courtyard known in Clay Terrace as “Briscoe Court,” in the 300 block of 53rd Street NE. A gun battle soon began, with Sequarn Tibbs firing the first shot. During the gunfire, Daquan Tibbs was shot to death by a weapon fired by the juvenile co-conspirator. A 15-year-old boy, Davonta Artis – an innocent bystander – was shot and also killed. Three others were wounded.
In August of 2010, Tibbs and Jackson learned that warrants had been issued for their arrests, and they fled the Washington, D.C. area to avoid being apprehended. Tibbs was captured on Sept. 21, 2010 in New York, and Jackson was captured on Jan. 13, 2012, in North Carolina.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Newsham commended the work of the detectives, officers and mobile crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Park Police. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah Sines; former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Taylor, Sean Tonolli, J.P. Cooney, Sharad Khandelwal and Heather Carlton; Liaison and Operations Manager Linda McDonald; Paralegal Specialists Zekiah Wright, Debra Joyner, Kendra Johnson, Alesha Matthews-Yette, Kwasi Fields, Kelly Blakeney, Sharon Newman, Fern Rhedrick, and Marian Russell; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, William Henderson, and Joshua Ellen; Victim/Witness Advocates Marcia Rinker and Katina Adams-Washington, former Investigative Analyst Larry Grasso, and Investigative Analysts Zachary McMenamin, Durand Odom, and John Marsh. Finally, they praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Nebiyu Feleke and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Noonan, of the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General, who prosecuted the case.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter After Punching and Killing a Man in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Paul Hagans Jr., 37, of Waldorf, Maryland, pled guilty today to a charge stemming from his role in the killing of a man during an altercation earlier this year in Northeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
Hagans pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for him to be sentenced to five years in prison. The Honorable Zoe Bush scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2017.
According to the government’s evidence, on March 2, 2017, at about 3:40 p.m., Hagans was working as a flagger near the 200 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE. Around the same time, the victim, Desmond Joseph, had driven his work truck into the 200 block of Rhode Island Avenue to a building in which he had been doing repair work. At some point, Mr. Joseph exited his truck to move traffic cones out of the way, so that he could drive his truck into a parking lot.
When Hagans noticed that Mr. Joseph had moved the traffic cones, Hagans approached him and began arguing with him. Witnesses were present when the argument took place. One heard Hagans say to Mr. Joseph: “he was a gangsta up there . . . he was a big man up there” (or words to that effect). That witness then observed Hagans throw a single punch, contacting Mr. Joseph’s head, causing Mr. Joseph backwards and hit his head on the street. According to witnesses, as soon as Hagans delivered the punch, Mr. Joseph was “knocked out” and fell backwards off the curb and onto the street. Another witness said that while Mr. Joseph and Hagans were arguing, Mr. Joseph had a cell phone in his hand and appeared to be making a phone call. Witnesses also said that while the two men were arguing, Mr. Joseph never had anything in his hands.
Mr. Joseph, 41, was taken to the hospital with a hematoma to the back, right portion of his head with no brain activity. On or about he died from injuries caused by the defendant.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen and Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed in 2014 Slaying in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jonathan Taylor, 26, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of first-degree murder while armed and other charges in a shooting that killed one man and wounded another in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
The jury returned the verdict on June 28, 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Taylor guilty of assault with intent to kill while armed and two related firearms offenses. The Honorable José M. Lόpez scheduled sentencing for Aug. 25, 2017. Taylor, who has been held without bond, remains in custody.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 13, 2014, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Taylor and three unidentified associates drove together in a gold Honda Accord, looking to kill their target, 25-year-old Dexter Motley. They found Mr. Motley standing on a corner near the unit block of 46th Place NE, talking casually to his friends and their neighbors. Taylor and his associates then drove around the block and approached Mr. Motley on foot. One of the four men—the triggerman—walked by Mr. Motley, as if walking leisurely down the sidewalk. The triggerman then pulled out a revolver and fired five shots at close range, including a fatal shot into Mr. Motley’s forehead. Another shot hit one of Mr. Motley’s friends. The friend was able to flee into an alley and survived the attack. The defendants fled. Taylor later was linked to the crime through information tying him to the Honda Accord and other evidence.
In a separate case, Taylor is awaiting trial on second-degree murder while armed and other charges in the July 4, 2015 slaying of Dwayne Dillard. Mr. Dillard, 23, was fatally shot at about 11 p.m. in the 2600 block of Douglass Place SE. Taylor has pled not guilty.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the U.S. Park Police. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Bradford, Magdalena Acevedo, Christian Natiello, and Michael Spence; Paralegal Specialists Lashone Samuels and Debra Joyner; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators M. Laverne Perry and Tanya Via; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcey Rinker; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown, and Intern Reed Stadler.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas N. Saunders and Jin Park, who prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office to Host Seventh Annual Youth Summit at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the D.C. Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, and a wide variety of law enforcement and community partners are coming together once again to sponsor their 7th annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” Youth Summit on Friday, June 30, 2017, at Friendship Collegiate Academy.
At a time when the District of Columbia has been particularly devastated by a nationwide opioid epidemic, and consistent with the Justice Department’s focus on opioid abuse prevention, this year’s summit will focus on this important subject. Expert speakers will explain that heroin and other opioids are highly addictive and dangerous drugs that can lead to death. Other topics at this year’s summit include steps to prevent human trafficking and runaways, and ways in which youth can engage in peaceful protest when responding to issues in their communities.
The event will be filled with dynamic speakers, entertainment, and invaluable information and resources for our youth.
Youths from throughout the District of Columbia are invited to the free program, which will start at 10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. Friendship Collegiate Academy, 4095 Minnesota Avenue NE, is conveniently located directly across the street from the Minnesota Avenue Metro station in order to provide accessibility for students to attend.
The summit is one of the largest events sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office each year, and has drawn hundreds of youths from throughout the city. The program assembles young people from under-served neighborhoods in the District of Columbia to discuss the most pressing public safety challenges facing their communities. The goal of the program is to reach out to area youth on current public safety topics in an informative and inspiring way.
Numerous partners will be coming together to present the day’s programs. They include the U.S. Attorney’s Office; the D.C. Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force; Friendship Collegiate Academy; the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); Foundation for a Drug Free World; Amazing Gospel Souls, Inc.; Mayor Barry Youth Leadership Institute; Hillcrest Children and Family Center; Collaborative Solutions for Communities; East of the River Family Support Collaborative; the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation; the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health; Exodus Project; Black and Missing, Inc.; Go Go Fitness, Inc.; Healing Broken Wings, Inc., and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
People with questions or interest in bringing a youth group to the Youth Summit may contact External Affairs Specialist Melanie Howard at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (202)-252-6930 or [email protected].
Parents Plead Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter and Other Charges in Starvation Death of Infant DaughterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Jay Crowder, 33, and Trishelle Jabore, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from the starvation-related death of their seven-week-old daughter, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Both defendants pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of voluntary manslaughter, first-degree cruelty to children, and welfare fraud-unlawful food stamp usage. Crowder also pled guilty to a charge of attempted distribution of a controlled substance (synthetic cannabinoid or K2). Crowder’s plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 10 to 12 years in prison. Under the Court’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, Jabore could face a range of six to 15 years in prison. The Honorable José M. Lόpez scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2017.
According to a proffer of facts presented at the plea hearing, on Nov. 6, 2016, Jabore gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Trinity. The infant weighed 4 pounds, 14.5 ounces, but was considered at term and healthy. At the time of her birth, both the mother and child tested positive for THC, an active ingredient in marijuana. Both parents had prior experience parenting newborn children. They received approximately $995 in welfare funds, including food stamps. They paid $9.80 in rent and $50 for Internet service, and they spent money on cigarettes and marijuana; according to Jabore, she and Crowder smoked marijuana most days. Around Thanksgiving, they sold some of their food stamps to a family member for $150.
On the evening of Dec. 24, 2016, the baby was put to bed in her car seat with a bottle at 7 p.m. At approximately 9 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2016, Crowder entered his and Jabore’s bedroom, where the baby was still in her car seat. Crowder picked up the child and felt that her body was limp. Crowder attempted to feed her a bottle but she would not take it. The baby’s breathing appeared labored at that time, and Jabore said that her lips were yellow. Jabore and Crowder monitored the baby’s condition for about three hours. At noon, Jabore called 911 and stated that the baby was unconscious and not breathing. Jabore and Crowder reported that she had no signs of illness or any falls or trauma and had not been involved in any accidents.
The D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were dispatched to the defendants’ home in Southwest Washington. The baby was taken to the Emergency Department at Children’s National Medical Center. Hospital staff attempted advanced life-saving measures, but the child was pronounced dead at 12:26 p.m. A doctor reported that she appeared cachectic and had what appeared to be blood in her diaper.
According to the evidence, the baby did not get adequate food or nutrition. She lost over 10 ounces in weight from the time she was born. Additionally, the infant suffered 13 rib fractures and clavicle fracture at various stages of healing and severe diaper rash. Neither parent had taken her for medical treatment or care. She was in the exclusive care of Jabore and Crowder.
Even though Jabore and Crowder had money and their home had plenty of food for older children and adults, their baby starved to death. The parents were providing a fraction of the recommended amount of formula in an effort to make it go further. Alternatively, when not giving formula, they were giving their newborn cow’s milk (powdered milk or evaporated milk), which is harmful to an infant’s digestive tract. Chemists with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested a bottle found on the scene. Their testing revealed the bottle contained mostly water and had very little nutritional value.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia determined that the baby’s death was caused by malnutrition and hyponatremia[1], that the fractured ribs and clavicle fracture were contributing factors, and that the manner of death was homicide.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives, officers, and others who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, analysts from the Food and Drug Administration, and medical personnel from Children’s National Medical Center. He also expressed appreciation to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences for assistance in the investigation. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Stephanie Gilbert; Criminal Investigators Tommy Miller, Durand Odom, Nelson Rhone, Sharon Johnson, Shannon Alexis, and Chris Brophy; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kahn, and Intern Emily Yu. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who is prosecuting the case.
[1] Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs when the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Mayo Clinic Staff, Diseases and Conditions Hyponatremia, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445 (last updated May 28, 2014).
District Man Pleads Guilty to Broad-Daylight Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marquese Kelsey, 30, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to carrying out a broad-daylight robbery of a bank in downtown Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Kelsey pled guilty before the Honorable James E. Boasberg in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of bank robbery. Kelsey faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 63 to 78 months in prison and potential financial penalties. He also is subject to an order of restitution and a forfeiture money judgment. Judge Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Sept. 18, 2017.
The government’s evidence established that on June 1, 2017, at approximately 3:15 p.m., Kelsey entered a PNC bank in the 800 block of Seventh Street NW and handed a note to a bank teller that stated, “I need you to give me all big bills, no dye packs. I’m carrying a loaded weapon. Any quick movements and someone is going to get hurt!!!”
In response, the bank teller gave Kelsey approximately $1,734. After handing over the money, the bank teller alerted a bank employee that a robbery was occurring, and the bank’s silent alarm was activated. In response, members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes MPD detectives, as well as First District MPD officers, responded to the bank.
Based on information given to MPD’s Crime Solvers Tip Line, law enforcement learned that an individual who frequented Franklin Square Park had discussed participating in the bank robbery and was in possession of a large sum of money. Law enforcement also learned that the suspect had been arrested for solicitation hours after having committed the bank robbery. Based on this information, law enforcement was able to identify the suspect as Kelsey, who matched the bank surveillance video. After the solicitation incident, Kelsey ran from Third District MPD officers and in the process, hid an amount of cash on private property. The owner of the property subsequently alerted law enforcement to the presence of the money. After law enforcement officers retrieved the money, it was determined that at least some of the bills could be traced to the bank robbery.
Kelsey was arrested on June 3 and has been in custody ever since. At the time of his arrest, Kelsey was on supervised release for attempted robbery and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and had been released from incarceration less than 30 days earlier on those charges. Kelsey now faces formal revocation of his supervised release and additional incarceration, separate from the above-referenced sentence, from the U.S. Parole Commission.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and First and Third District MPD officers in quickly investigating and arresting Kelsey. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Macchiaroli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle and Teesha Tobias, and Legal Assistant Latoya Wade.
District Man Found Guilty of Murder Charge in Slaying of Woman in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Delonte Wynn, 36, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree premeditated murder while armed for the fatal stabbing of a woman in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Zoe Bush scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2017.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 13, 2015, at about 6:30 p.m., the masked defendant stabbed Darlene Bryant once in the back of the neck inside the stairwell of a building in the 4300 block of Wheeler Road SE. He then fled the scene. Ms. Bryant, 46, made her way down the stairs, stumbled across the street, and banged on a neighbor’s door until he came and called 911. Ms. Bryant was too injured to talk. Within seconds of the 911 call being placed, she slumped down and died on the neighbor’s front steps.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Tanya Via; Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia; Criminal Investigator John Marsh, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Deborah Sines, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Two District Men Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Women in Separate Attacks Within 35-Minute PeriodRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Terrez Crocker, 21, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, and Andre Walker, 28, was sentenced to a five-year prison term on charges of robbing and assaulting two women in separate attacks, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
In April 2017, a jury found Crocker guilty of one count each of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery, fleeing from law enforcement, reckless driving, destruction of property, and receipt of stolen property, as well as three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle during a crime of violence. The jury found Walker guilty of one count each of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery, and fleeing from law enforcement.
The defendants, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced by the Honorable Ronna Lee Beck in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Following completion of their prison terms, each will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, at about 6:45 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, 2015, a young woman was walking by herself on 61st Street NE at the intersection of Eads Street NE. She was walking home after work when she noticed a white Volkswagen Jetta parked in the intersection. Unbeknownst to her, Crocker and Walker were waiting in that vehicle, which had been stolen in Maryland approximately three weeks earlier. GPS evidence placed Crocker at the scene of the car theft during the time-frame in which the vehicle was stolen.
As they sat in the stolen Jetta, Crocker and Walker directed their two female accomplices to jump out of the vehicle to steal the woman’s purse and cell phone. The two female accomplices followed Walker and Crocker’s directive, jumped out of the vehicle, and snatched the woman’s purse and cell phone, and then returned to the vehicle where Crocker and Walker were waiting. The four assailants then fled the scene.
Shortly thereafter, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Crocker, Walker, and their two female accomplices spotted their second victim, another young woman walking near the intersection of Southern Avenue and Bass Place SE on her way home from church. The woman also noticed the white Volkswagen Jetta. Unbeknownst to her, as she walked, Crocker and Walker again directed their two female accomplices to jump out of the car to rob her. At the direction of Crocker and Walker, the two female accomplices again jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to take the woman’s purse. However, the woman fought back, fending off her attackers and thwarting the robbery. The two female accomplices then ran back to the Volkswagen Jetta, where Crocker and Walker were waiting.
Both victims were able to provide information to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including the make and model of the vehicle used during the commission of the robberies and a partial license plate tag number.
Members of MPD’s Fifth and Sixth Districts canvased the area in search of the suspects’ vehicle, which was spotted at East Capitol Street and Benning Road NE. Officers attempted to pull over the vehicle. However, Crocker and Walker ignored the directive of the police and sped away. Crocker, the driver, fled from the police, driving at a high rate of speed, driving erratically, and committing multiple traffic violations during the pursuit. Eventually, Crocker crashed the Volkswagen Jetta near the intersection of 57th Place and A Street SE. All four assailants then fled on foot and were apprehended within blocks of the crash site. The two female accomplices, an adult and a juvenile, pled guilty to charges in the case.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He 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 Jennifer Kerkhoff, Paralegal Specialists Richard Cheatham, Lashone Samuels, and Donville Drummond, and Intelligence Research Specialist Zachary McMenamin. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Laura Crane, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to Four-Year Prison Term for Armed Assault at Northwest Washington Pizza RestaurantRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Edgar Maddison Welch, 29, of Salisbury, N.C., was sentenced today to four years in prison on charges stemming from an incident in which he carried a loaded AR-15 assault rifle and a revolver into a Northwest Washington pizza restaurant, scattering employees and customers, and fired his assault rifle into a door.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Welch pled guilty on March 24, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a federal charge of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, and a District of Columbia charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Following his prison term, Welch will be placed on three years of supervised release. While on supervised release, Welch is to receive a mental health assessment; he also was ordered to stay away from the restaurant while on release. Additionally, he must pay $5,744 in restitution for property damage he caused during the incident.
In sentencing the defendant, the judge declared that “the extent of the recklessness in this case is breathtaking,” adding that it was only through “sheer luck” that no one was injured.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sunday, December 4, 2016, Welch transported three loaded firearms, together with ammunition, from North Carolina to Washington, D.C. The firearms included a 9mm AR-15 assault rifle loaded with approximately 29 rounds of ammunition, a fully-loaded, six-shot, .38-caliber revolver, and a loaded shotgun with additional shotgun shells. He drove directly to the Comet Ping Pong restaurant, in the 5000 block of Connecticut Avenue NW. According to the government’s evidence, Welch was motivated, at least in part, by unfounded rumors concerning a child sex-trafficking ring that supposedly was being perpetrated at the establishment.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Welch parked his car and armed himself. At about 3 p.m., he marched inside the restaurant, which was occupied by employees and customers, including children. He was carrying the AR-15 assault rifle and the revolver. He was carrying the AR-15 openly, with one hand on the pistol grip, and the other hand on the hand guard around the barrel, such that anyone with an unobstructed view could see the gun.
The customers and employees fled the building. At one point, Welch encountered a locked room and attempted to force open the door, first using a butter knife and then discharging his assault rifle multiple times into the door.
A few minutes later, an unaware employee entered the restaurant, carrying pizza dough. Welch saw the employee and turned toward the worker with the assault rifle, causing the worker to immediately fear he would be shot. The worker fled. Welch was left alone in the restaurant. After spending more than 20 minutes inside, he left his firearms and exited the restaurant unarmed. He was then arrested and has remained in custody ever since. No one was injured.
The assault rifle and revolver were recovered inside the restaurant. A shotgun also was recovered from the defendant’s car, along with a box of shotgun ammunition.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, which executed search warrants, seized evidence, and conducted interviews. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant and Karina Hernandez, Paralegal Specialists Chela Okonji and Bianca Evans, and Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, who assisted with forfeiture issues.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Demian S. Ahn and Sonali D. Patel, who prosecuted the case.
Home Improvement Contractor Found Guilty of Defrauding Customers and Hiding Assets from Creditors in Bankruptcy ProceedingsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Michael L. Rosebar, 53, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of defrauding customers of his home improvement business and personal creditors, making false statements in bankruptcy proceedings, and defrauding a government program for needy families, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Inspector in Charge Robert B. Wemyss of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division.
A jury returned the guilty verdicts on June 20, 2017, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Rosebar was found guilty 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 scheduled sentencing for Sept. 14, 2017. Rosebar, who was first indicted in this case in February 2016, was held pending sentencing.
Rosebar’s wife, Erin M. Rosebar, 40, is scheduled to stand trial on Nov. 6, 2017 on related charges in the case. She has pled not guilty.
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.
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 verdicts, U.S. Attorney Phillips 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.
Former Letter Carrier Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge, Admits Dumping More Than 15,000 Pieces of MailRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Christopher Newton, 22, a former U.S. Postal Service employee, pled guilty today to a federal charge for dumping more than 15,000 pieces of mail that he was supposed to deliver, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Paul L. Bowman of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
Newton, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to obstruction of mails. The charge carries a statutory maximum of six months in prison and potential financial penalties. He is to be sentenced on Sept. 6, 2017, by the Honorable Senior Judge Ellen S. Huvelle.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Newton worked from December 2015 until May 16, 2016 as a city carrier assistant. He was ultimately assigned to the River Terrace Post Office in Northeast Washington, and his responsibilities included collecting, sorting, and delivering mail to postal customers on routes he was assigned.
On May 16, 2016, a local television news station informed the Postal Service that mail had been found in a catch basin in an area serviced by the River Terrace Post Office. According to the statement of offense, managers went to the intersection of Douglas Street and Anacostia Avenue NE, where they recovered 74 pieces of mail that had been protruding from the catch basin. On the following day, postal investigators returned to the scene. A manhole cover near the catch basin was removed, and from the sewer, investigators recovered 17 large trash bags of mail – an estimated 15,000 pieces. The mail was soaking wet and clumped together, and it shredded to pieces as it was picked up. This mail was unsalvageable due to sewer contamination.
The catch basin was located on a route serviced by Newton. On May 16, 2016, after a supervisor confronted him about the first batch of dumped mail, Newton announced that he was quitting his job immediately. In his guilty plea, Newton admitted that he alone dumped the mail that was recovered on May 16 and May 17, 2016.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Bowman commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, including Special Agent Michael Wu. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Aisha Keys and Brittany Phillips, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Miller, who is prosecuting the matter.
Former Charity President Pleads Guilty to Embezzling MoneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Thomas Burch, 75, of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty today to a federal charge of wire fraud, arising from his embezzlement while he was the president of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Burch pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces an estimated range of 12 to 18 months in prison, as well as a fine of up to $55,000. He also is subject to a forfeiture money judgment of $75,000. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled sentencing for Oct. 5, 2017.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, 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.
The amount of the charity’s money spent by Burch on non-business related travel, clubs, restaurants, hotels, and women between the years 2012 and 2016 was at least $149,317.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips 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 is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Honors More Than 100 Officers and Agents for Outstanding Work in Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office today honored more than 100 law enforcement officers, agents, and investigators for their outstanding work on dozens of cases that led to the convictions of murderers, sexual predators, fraudsters, and other criminals. The event took place at the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips said the Office’s 35th Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony recognized the exceptional work performed by honorees on a wide variety of investigations, including those involving violent crimes, narcotics trafficking, fraud and public corruption, and national security matters. Their efforts led to convictions in 41 cases that had an impact locally, nationally, and internationally.
“The citizens of the District of Columbia, and indeed, people throughout the world, depend upon the dedication shown each day by the thousands of law enforcement officers here in the nation’s capital who protect us from harm,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Their commitment to public safety and the criminal justice system is a constant, extending 24 hours a day, and today we recognize their outstanding work.”
The ceremony honored the achievements of people from 17 agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the FBI, the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Metro Transit Police Department, and other partners. The Sex Offender Investigations Squad of the U.S. Marshals Service received special recognition for an array of work, including its efforts to locate and arrest offenders who fail to maintain their sex offender registration.
Among cases highlighted today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognized the detective work performed by the Metropolitan Police Department that led to the first-degree murder conviction last year of Joe Anthony Barber for the 1984 slaying of a woman at her apartment in Southeast Washington. Barber was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison.
Other MPD detectives and a Metro Transit Police officer were honored for work leading to the conviction last year of Demetrius Banks for a series of attacks in 2015 in which he assaulted five women at knifepoint who were walking home alone from Metro stations; he sexually assaulted two of the victims. Banks was sentenced in March 2017 to life in prison with no possibility of release, plus 82 years.
In another case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognized MPD’s detective work that led to the conviction of Jared Kline, a former emergency room staff nurse who sexually abused three patients in separate incidents at area hospitals. Kline was found guilty by a jury last year and subsequently sentenced to 45 months in prison and must register for life as a sex offender.
A team from the U.S. Capitol Police was recognized for the arrest and conviction of Larry Russell Dawson, a Tennessee man who was caught with a handgun while being screened at the United States Capitol Visitor Center. Dawson brandished the weapon during the March 28, 2016, confrontation with law enforcement, ignored orders to drop it, and was shot by police. Police recovered the gun, a Daisy spring-loaded BB gun. In color, shape, weight, and other outward appearances, the gun resembled a semi-automatic handgun. Dawson pled guilty to a federal offense and was sentenced in March 2017 to 11 months in prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also honored the U.S. Capitol Police the case of Douglas Hughes, a Florida man who flew a gyrocopter onto the West Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on April 15, 2015. He pled guilty to a federal offense and was sentenced to 120 days in jail.
The ceremony also honored the investigators whose work led to the convictions of the owners of a home health care agency for a scheme in which they and others defrauded the District of Columbia Medicaid program of over $80 million. Florence Bikundi was sentenced last year to 10 years in prison. Her husband, Michael D. Bikundi, Sr., was sentenced to a seven-year prison term. The investigative team included the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the U.S. Secret Service, and the Office of the Inspector General for the District of Columbia (D.C. OIG).
The U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Columbia-Superior Court created the Sex Offender Investigations Squad in 2011. Today’s honorees included Deputy U.S. Marshals as well as investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Inspector General’s Office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In just over six years, the squad has arrested hundreds of people for violating sex offender registration requirements and other offenses, as well as others accused of various violent offenses
District Man Found Guilty of Kidnapping and Raping His WifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 49-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of various felony charges 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 Channing D. Phillips announced.
The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, was found guilty 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. The defendant is to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2017, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee. Under the District of Columbia’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, he faces a minimum of 24 years in prison. 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 verdicts, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised 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. He 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.
He 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 Phillips commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa S. West and Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
United States Files Complaint to Forfeit More Than $1.9 Million from China-Based Company Accused of Acting as a Front for Sanctioned North Korean BankRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The United States has filed a complaint to civilly forfeit $1,902,976 from Mingzheng International Trading Limited (Mingzheng), a company based in Shenyang, China. The complaint alleges that Mingzheng is a front company that was created to launder United States dollars on behalf of sanctioned North Korean entities.
According to the complaint, Mingzheng conspired to evade U.S. economic sanctions by facilitating prohibited U.S. dollar transactions through the United States on behalf of the Foreign Trade Bank, a sanctioned entity in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and to launder the proceeds of that conduct through U.S. financial institutions.
The forfeiture action was announced today by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Michael DeLeon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office.
The action represents one of the largest seizures of North Korean funds by the Department of Justice.
“This complaint alleges that parties in China established and used a front company to surreptitiously move North Korean money through the United States and violated the sanctions imposed by our government on North Korea,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Sanctions laws are critical to our national security and foreign policy interests, and this case demonstrates that we will seek significant remedies for those companies that violate them.”
“The FBI has dedicated substantial resources to investigate complex illegal monetary transactions involving foreign adversaries. This specific case has significant national security implications,” said Special Agent in Charge DeLeon. “The men and women of the FBI's Phoenix Field Division worked diligently to identify the illegal transactions. We hope this sends a strong message to those who utilize US banking systems for illegal activities.”
The complaint was filed on June 14, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the complaint, Mingzheng is owned by a Chinese national and is based in Shenyang, China. Mingzheng allegedly operated as a front company for a foreign-based branch of the North Korea-based Foreign Trade Bank (FTB). In March 2013, the U.S. Treasury Department designated the Foreign Trade Bank as a sanctioned entity pursuant to the Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators Sanctions Regulations. The designation noted that the Foreign Trade Bank is a state-owned bank, and “acts as North Korea’s primary foreign exchange bank.” The designation further noted that North Korea uses the Foreign Trade Bank to facilitate millions of dollars in transactions on behalf of actors linked to its proliferation network.
The United Nations Panel of Experts reported in 2017 as to how North Korean banks have been able to evade sanctions and continue to access the international banking system. Specifically, despite strengthened financial sanctions, North Korean networks are adapting by using greater ingenuity in accessing formal banking channels. This includes maintaining correspondent bank accounts and representative offices abroad, which are staffed by foreign nationals making use of front companies. These broad interwoven networks allow the North Korean banks to conduct illicit procurement and banking activity.
An FBI investigation revealed that Mingzheng’s alleged activities mirror this money laundering paradigm. Specifically, Mingzheng acts a front company for a covert Chinese branch of the Foreign Trade Bank. This branch is operated by a Chinese national who has historically been tied to the Foreign Trade Bank.
The government is seeking to forfeit $1,902,976 that was transacted in October and November of 2015 by Mingzheng, via wire transfers, using their Chinese bank accounts. These U.S. dollar payments, which cleared through the United States, are alleged to violate U.S. law, because Mingzheng was surreptitiously making them on behalf of the Foreign Trade Bank, whose designation precluded such U.S. dollar transactions.
The claims made in the complaint are only allegations and do not constitute a determination of liability.
The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S Attorneys Arvind K. Lal, Zia M. Faruqui, Christopher B. Brown, Deborah Curtis and Brian P. Hudak are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Toni Anne Donato.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Series of 10 Home Burglaries in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gererd Hall, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for a series of residential burglaries, mostly targeting the Greenway Apartment Complex in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Hall pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to 10 counts of second-degree burglary for offenses committed on different dates. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of six years in prison. The Honorable Kimberley S. Knowles accepted the plea today and sentenced Hall accordingly. Following his prison term, Hall will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, between July of 2015 and July of 2016, Hall was responsible for a total of 18 burglaries of apartment units, taking items including cash, numerous televisions, laptops, video game consoles, and jewelry. Most of Hall’s crimes involved entering Washington, D.C. apartments through unlocked windows, then carrying out the items through the front door. He targeted apartment units mostly in the Greenway Apartment Complex, which was in close proximity to his own home.
In his plea, Hall admitted to committing crimes on these 10 dates and at these locations:
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July 15, 2015, about 10 p.m.: 3500 block of A Street SE.
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August 18, 2015, about 11:30 p.m.: 3400 block of A Street SE.
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September 19, 2015, about 5:45 p.m.: 400 block of 37th Place SE.
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October 18, 2015, about 12:45 a.m.: 3500 block of A Street SE.
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November 12, 2015, about 11:30 p.m.: 3400 block of B Street SE.
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January 31, 2016, about 9:15 p.m.: 3500 block of East Capitol Street SE.
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February 28, 2016, about 10 p.m.: 3500 block of East Capitol Street SE.
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April 1, 2016, about 11:15 p.m.: 3800 block of Bay Lane SE.
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April 11, 2016, about 11:55 p.m.: 200 block of 36th Street SE.
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July 18, 2016, about 7:15 p.m.: 3500 block of B Street SE.
Hall was arrested on July 18, 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from Metropolitan Police Department, especially the detectives of the Sixth Police District. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rizwan Qureshi and Kathryn Rakoczy and Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Baset, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Armed Robbery and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donathan Taylor, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to seven years in prison for two robberies and a home break-in, all committed in broad daylight and in different neighborhoods, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
Taylor pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of armed robbery, robbery, and destruction of property. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of seven years in prison. The Honorable Kimberley S. Knowles accepted the plea today and sentenced Taylor accordingly. Following his prison term, Taylor will be placed on five years of supervised release.
In his guilty plea, Taylor admitted involvement in three crimes: damaging a door during a home break-in that took place at about 10:30 a.m. on April 1, 2015, in the 200 block of 17th Street NE; a robbery that took place at about 11:35 a.m. on May 25, 2016, in the 1600 block of G Street SE, and an armed robbery that took place at about 2:45 p.m. on June 24, 2016, in the 600 block of Buchanan Street NW. A co-defendant, Robert Lewis 21, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in the latter robbery and is awaiting sentencing on July 14, 2017.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Latent Fingerprint Unit of the Forensic Science Laboratory of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Romano and Kamil E. Shields, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 17 1/2-Year Prison Term for Sexual Assault in Court CellblockRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome M. Holliway, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 17 ½ years in prison for attacking another defendant last fall while they were in a courthouse cellblock, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Holliway pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree sex abuse. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of 17 ½ years in prison. The Honorable José M. Lόpez accepted the plea today and sentenced Holliway accordingly. Following his prison term, Holliway 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, on Nov. 11, 2016, Holliway and the victim were held in the same cellblock at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Both had finished their court hearings and were awaiting transport back to the District of Columbia Jail. At approximately 11:35 a.m., Holliway began attacking the victim -- beating, biting, kicking, and sexually assaulting him, mostly in the toilet area behind a metal divider.
After the attack, Holliway pulled the naked victim up by his chains and stated, “Don’t tell anyone that I did this, tell them a ghost did it or the devil did it or something.”
In a separate matter, Holliway also pled guilty in March to a charge of attempted threats. Judge Lopez sentenced Holliway to 180 days in prison for this offense. The plea agreement called for the sentence imposed in this case to run concurrently with the 17 ½ years for the sexual assault. In this matter, Holliway admitted calling his estranged wife’s telephone and leaving a voicemail on Oct. 5, 2016, in which he threatened to beat her and kill anyone she loved.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the cases from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist D'Yvonne Key, Victim/Witness Advocate Supervisor Dr. Lorraine Chase, and Victim/Witness Advocate Shawn Slade. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the sexual assault, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Poulin, who investigated and prosecuted the threats matter.
Deputy Director of USAID Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Contract-Steering SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – BethAnne Moskov, a deputy director for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), pled guilty today to charges stemming from a contract-steering scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Jonathan Schofield, Special Agent in Charge for the USAID Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations.
Moskov, 53, of Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and making false statements to law enforcement. The plea agreement, which is subject to Court approval, requires the Court to impose a sentence within the range of no prison time to a year and a day in prison. The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper scheduled sentencing for August 28, 2017.
“By engaging in cronyism and contract-steering, this defendant chose to reward a friend with federal money instead of actively seeking the most qualified and cost-effective bidder,” said U.S Attorney Phillips. “The prosecution of this case underscores our determination to protect taxpayer dollars and demand that contracting officials act fairly and within the law.”
“The American taxpayer expects federal employees to execute their duties and obligations conscientiously and in a dispassionate, fair manner that puts public good ahead of private gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Schofield. “Here we see an unfortunate exception; an official who used her position to benefit herself. Though the damage in reputational harm and erosion of public trust is difficult to quantify, the resolute investigation and prosecution of Ms. Moskov is a reminder that legal and ethical standards for federal employees are not haphazard and consequences for such transgressions can be grave.”
According to the plea documents, Moskov worked from July 2012 through August 2016 as the USAID Deputy Director for the Office of Health, Infectious Disease, and Nutrition. Her office was located at USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C. The charges involve her dealings with a person identified in the documents as “Co-Conspirator A,” a close personal friend who worked as a consultant for various projects for USAID, as well as the private sector. Moskov and “Co-Conspirator A” took trips together and was the man of honor at her wedding.
In June 2014, according to the plea documents, Moskov wanted to hire “Co-Conspirator A” for a consultancy contract. She was the approving and selecting official for the contract, and the person to be chosen for the work was to report to her. Moskov provided internal government document templates needed for the consultancy to “Co-Conspirator A.” In an e-mail at the time, Moskov told him that “we need to jump thru a few hoops and will go through the motions but you will (sic) selected in the job – any time you spend putting this together add it as days to your consultancy…thanks peaches.”
In July 2014, “Co-Conspirator A” prepared a Selection Memo and other consultancy documents from the templates for Moskov. The Selection Memo listed “Co-Conspirator A” as the highest ranked candidate. Later that month, Moskov selected him as the “best consultant to fill the project order.” The Selection Memo included language taken verbatim from the version provided by “Co-Conspirator A.” “Co-Conspirator A” was paid a total of $22,480.85 for the consulting project, according to the plea documents.
Additionally, during an investigation, law enforcement learned that Moskov had used her government e-mail account in 2012 to ask “Co-Conspirator A” for a loan to help her in financing a house. “Co-Conspirator A” agreed to loan her the funds. In an e-mail, Moskov thanked “Co-Conspirator A” for the loan and wrote, ““Send me your CV again and let me float it here with the 2 missions as well as some of my contacts around town …there is SOOO much work going on here! I got to get you in the system.” “Co-Conspirator A” wired her $7,100.
In December 2015, Special Agents with the USAID Office of Inspector General interviewed Moskov at USAID headquarters. She falsely stated that she had repaid the entire $7,100 loan from “Co-Conspirator A.” In reality, she had paid nothing back.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Schofield commended the Special Agents who investigated the case from the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kristy Penny and Joshua Fein. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who is prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Gun Offenses, Including Role in Robbery of Food Market in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Anthony Morgan, 28, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to eight years in prison on two gun charges, including one stemming from the robbery of a food market on Independence Day last summer in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Morgan pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, to possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a prior crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan. Following his prison term, Morgan will be placed on two years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the morning of July 4, 2016, Morgan and another man entered the Good Food Market located in the 2000 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE. Morgan had a mask on his face and carried a black handgun. Once inside the store, Morgan approached a store employee and demanded that the worker open the cash register. Morgan then immediately reached into the register and grabbed all of the cash inside. Prior to leaving the store with the money, Morgan pointed his handgun at a second victim. Both Morgan and his accomplice fled the scene.
The Metropolitan Police Department investigated the crime and obtained video surveillance. MPD created and distributed look-out bulletins from still shots in the surveillance, leading to Morgan’s arrest. During a search of Morgan at the time of his arrest, MPD recovered a semi-automatic handgun. Morgan previously was convicted in a 2007 robbery case.
A co-defendant, Alfonzo Jackson, 27, also of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in May 2017 to a robbery charge and is to be sentenced on July 14, 2017.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips 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 Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, Paralegal Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie and Diana Lim, Katina Adams-Washington, and LaJune Thames of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Goodwin, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Attacking Man in Downtown IntersectionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – George Joyner, 50, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to an 11-year prison term on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the slaying of a man last summer in downtown Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.
Joyner pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 11 years in prison. The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo accepted the plea on June 2, 2017, and sentenced Joyner accordingly. Following his prison term, Joyner will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 8, 2016, at approximately 7:30 p.m., Joyner became involved in a physical altercation with Keon Parker, 28, who was walking in the area of the intersection of Second and E Streets NW. At some point during the altercation, Joyner began to assault Mr. Parker with a sharp object. Mr. Parker fell to the ground, and Joyner continued to attack him. Onlookers rushed to the aid of Mr. Parker, as did the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. Mr. Parker was declared dead at approximately 8:10 p.m. He had been stabbed in the neck and torso.
Joyner was apprehended in the area soon after the attack by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He made several statements to police indicating that he was involved in an altercation with Mr. Parker at the intersection.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Zekiah Wright and Kelly Blakeney, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Willoughby, Jr., who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Six of His StudentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Manuel Fernandez, 35, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to sexually assaulting six of his students while working as a teacher at the Latin American Montessori Bilingual Charter School (L.A.M.B.), announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Fernandez pled guilty in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia to two charges of Second Degree Child Sexual Abuse, one charge of Attempted Second Degree Child Sexual Abuse, and three charges of Misdemeanor Sexual Abuse of a Child. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison term of 1.5 to 8 years. Upon release, Fernandez would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for September 7, 2017 at 2:00 pm.
According to the plea documents, while Fernandez was a teacher at L.A.M.B., he touched multiple students on their genitalia while in his classroom and in the school basement. He touched both male and female students, both under and over their clothing.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Tracy Owusu, Lezlie Richardson and Elsa Maltese, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit, former Intern Emma McArthur, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessi Camille Brooks and J. Matt Williams, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Offense Involving Sale of Unlicensed SoftwareRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Bilecky, 34, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a scheme in which he illegally sold computer software at below- market prices by circumventing the product registration and licensing requirements, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Bilecky pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of trafficking in circumvention devices. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Bilecky faces a likely range of 10 to 16 months in prison and a fine of up to $40,000. He also is subject to an order of restitution. The Honorable Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing for August 18, 2017 at 10:30 am.
According to the plea documents, Bilecky came to the attention of the FBI after he advertised various computer software products for sale at below market prices, on websites such as eBay and Craigslist. An undercover FBI Special Agent posed as a prospective buyer and arranged to purchase a product made by Autodesk, Inc., at a fraction of its retail cost.
Like other software programs, the product made by Autodesk had a license key. A software license key is a pattern of numbers and/or letters provided to a licensed user of a software program. License keys typically are created and delivered once the user has paid for the program and has agreed to the terms of use. A license key prevents a developer’s software from being copied, shared, or otherwise used illegally by non-licensed users.
A separate class of software programs, known as “keygen cracks,” have been created with the purpose of bypassing the legal product registration and license key activation process by generating counterfeit license keys. According to the plea documents, Bilecky used this software in illegally providing the Autodesk product to the undercover agent. A subsequent investigation revealed that Bilecky sold the same “keygen crack” to seven other individuals between February and April of 2013 for commercial advantage and private financial gain.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips 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 worked on the matter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan P. Hooks and Allen O’Rourke, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Marando, who is prosecuting the case.
Seven People Charged with Conspiring to Steal Trade Secrets for Benefit of Chinese Manufacturing CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging seven individuals with conspiring to steal trade secrets from a business in the U.S. on behalf of a company in China that was engaged in manufacturing a high-performance, naval-grade product for military and civilian uses.
On May 23, 2017, two defendants were arrested in Washington, D.C., three in the Southern District of Texas, and one in the District of Massachusetts. All are charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. The government also filed a related civil forfeiture complaint in the District of Columbia for two pieces of real property which were involved in, and are traceable to, the alleged illegal conduct.
Those arrested and charged include four U.S. citizens: Shan Shi, 52, of Houston, Texas; Uka Kalu Uche, 35, of Spring, Texas; Samuel Abotar Ogoe, 74, of Missouri City, Texas; and Johnny Wade Randall, 48, of Conroe, Texas. Also charged were Kui Bo, 40, a Canadian citizen who has been residing in Houston, and Gang Liu, 31, a Chinese national who has been residing in Houston as a permanent resident.
Additionally, charges were filed against one Chinese national living in China, Hui Huang, 32, an employee of the Chinese manufacturing firm allegedly involved in tasking employees of the Houston company.
The charges were announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, Director Douglas Hassebrock of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Export Enforcement, and Chief Richard Weber of IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the trade secrets were stolen in order to benefit a manufacturer located in China; this manufacturer was the only shareholder for a company that had been incorporated in Houston. Between in or about 2012 and the present, the affidavit alleges that the Chinese manufacturer and employees of its Houston-based company engaged in a systematic campaign to steal the trade secrets of a global engineering firm, referred to in the affidavit as “Company A,” that was a leader in marine technology.
The case involves the development of a technical product called syntactic foam, a strong, light material that can be tailored for commercial and military uses, such as oil exploration; aerospace; underwater vehicles, such as submarines; and stealth technology. According to the affidavit, the Chinese manufacturer intended to sell syntactic foam to both military and civilian, state-owned enterprises in China – part of a push toward meeting China’s national goals of developing its marine engineering industry.
The affidavit alleges that the conspirators took part in the theft of trade secrets from Company A, a multi-national company with a subsidiary in Houston that is among the major producers of syntactic foam. The affidavit identifies a number of trade secrets allegedly taken from the company between January and June of 2015, including secrets that allegedly were passed to people associated with the Chinese manufacturer and Houston-based company.
Defendant Shi was hired by the Chinese company on a contract basis in March 2014 in order to bring in experts, set up a design team, and push forward marine buoyancy technology. That same month, Shi incorporated the new company in Houston that was owned by the Chinese manufacturer.
The affidavit alleges that defendants Shi and Bo then began to systematically target U.S. employees with experience in the production of syntactic foam. Between late 2014 and early 2015, the new company in Houston hired two former Company A employees, defendants Ogoe and Liu, by offering a combination of cash incentives and high paying positions. Uche, who was at the time a current employee of Company A, provided trade secrets to Ogoe, the affidavit alleges. Defendant Randall, who was at the time a current employee of Company A, allegedly provided at least one stolen trade secret to Ogoe.
Ogoe provided these trade secrets as well as additional information to the company owned by the Chinese manufacturer in Houston shortly after being hired, the affidavit alleges. Liu also provided Company A trade secrets shortly after being hired.
Some of these trade secrets were sent by Shi and Bo and others to defendant Huang, an employee of the manufacturer in China, so that the Chinese manufacturer could create a functional syntactic foam manufacturing facility, the affidavit states.
The maximum penalty for a person convicted of conspiring to commit theft of trade secrets is 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The defendants are expected to make their initial court appearances today: Shi and Liu in the District of Columbia; Bo in the District of Massachusetts; and Ogoe, Uche and Randall in the Southern District of Texas. Huang remains at large.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Houston Field Office, Commerce’s BIS Office of Export Enforcement, and the IRS-CI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Pearlman and Zia Faruqui of the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney John L. Hill.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Assaulting Man with Metal Pipe in Dispute at Northeast Washington Towing CompanyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dominic White, 30, of Lanham, Md., was sentenced today to 8 years in prison on a charge of aggravated assault while armed, for assaulting a man with a metal pole at a towing establishment in Northeast Washington. In addition, White was sentenced to 1 year in prison on charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, to run consecutively, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
A co-defendant, Phanessa Haynes, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 9 months of incarceration with the time suspended and 18 months of supervised probation for her role in the insurance fraud scheme.
White and Haynes were found guilty by a jury on March 24, 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. They were sentenced by the Honorable Juliet McKenna. Following their prison terms, defendant White will be placed on 5 years of supervised release. White was ordered to pay $1535 and Haynes $500 in restitution to State Farm Insurance.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 4, 2014, at approximately 5 p.m., Haynes arrived at a towing company in the 1000 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE to pick up her car, which was getting its rims and tires replaced. She quickly noticed that the job wasn’t completed to her standards and became angry at the man who was doing the work. She called her boyfriend – White - multiple times expressing her frustrations.
White raced over and once arriving, picked up a metal pipe. Haynes pointed to the victim, and said, “That’s him, that’s the one.” White rushed to the victim and struck him with the metal pipe a couple of times, hitting and injuring him. He then dropped the pipe and fled. The victim’s head injuries required 18 staples and resulted in debilitating migraines for approximately a year. Following the attack, other employees at the towing shop called 911 and one gave a partial license tag of White’s car. White was later identified as the owner of a car with the same make and color described by witnesses, with a similar tag.
Further investigation showed that Haynes and White were involved with an insurance policy that was purchased by Haynes, which led to her car being at the towing establishment on the day of the assault. Soon after purchasing the policy, and making sure it covered tires and rims, Haynes filed a claim with the insurer for “stolen” rims.
White was arrested on March 30, 2015, and Haynes was arrested at the scene on Nov. 4, 2014.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team and the U.S. Marshals Service. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Rickard, Daniel Lenerz, Jocelyn Ballantine, Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez, Kathryn Rakoczy, and Opher Shweiki; Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan; Paralegal Specialists Richard Cheatham, Debra McPherson, Crystal Waddy, and Tiffany Fogle; Criminal Investigator, Melissa Matthews; Litigation Technology Specialists, Josh Ellen and Leif Hickling; Investigative Analyst, Zachary McMenamin, and Computer Forensic Examiner; John Marsh.
Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Seifert and David Misler, who investigated and indicted the case, and Monica Trigoso and Alysa Kociuruba, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Making Bomb Threats Against Union StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Cherry, 58, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison on a federal charge stemming from a 911 call he made last summer that falsely claimed numerous bombs were set to go off at Union Station, announced Channing D. Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Neil Trugman, Chief of the Amtrak Police Department.
Cherry’s call led to an emergency response by law enforcement and the evacuation of the train station, as well as disruptions of train service, until the claim was found to be a hoax. In addition to the call regarding Union Station, which was the basis for the guilty plea, Cherry admitted making another two 911 calls with a bomb threat in downtown Washington.
Cherry pled guilty in February 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to threatening and conveying false information concerning use of an explosive. He was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay$36,153 in restitution to Amtrak.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, on Monday, July 25, 2016, at approximately 6:20 p.m., Cherry placed a call to 911 reporting there were two bombs “ready to go off in this building, one building 1818 Pennsylvania Avenue, next building is three blocks away. You figure it out, you figure it out.” Edward R. Murrow Park is located at 1818 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. The White House is within three blocks of that address. The United States Secret Service was notified of the threat. The World Bank is located on H Street facing the park and the numbers 1818 are prominently displayed on the side of the building. At approximately 6:31 p.m., the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received another call stating, “There are two bombs.” This was followed by another call in which nothing was said. At about 6:32 p.m., a call back to the number received a voicemail for “James.”
On Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at approximately 5:06 p.m., at the beginning of the evening rush hour, Cherry placed another call to 911 using the same cell phone that he used two days earlier. This time, he reported that “there are eight bombs at Union Station set to go off” and threatened to kill “all you white people,” describing them as pigs.
Union Station, located at 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, is the main interstate train station for Washington, D.C., used by interstate National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) trains, local Metro Transit trains, and MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) and VRE (Virginia Railway Express) trains serving commuters from Maryland and Virginia. In addition, it is a major commercial center, with numerous retail outlets, and dining establishments.
The 911 threat call prompted an immediate emergency response. Union Station was evacuated and a sweep conducted of the exterior and interior of the building by Amtrak police, Capitol Police and Metro Transit Police K9s. The FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force was mobilized and began an investigation. The Metropolitan Police Department assisted with guarding the exterior of the building, monitoring pedestrian travel while the other agencies conducted a sweep for hazardous materials.
After a thorough investigation, officials determined that the threat was a hoax. No explosive devices were found. Six Amtrak trains and numerous passengers were disrupted as a result of the threat, which caused a monetary loss for Amtrak in the amount of $36,153. There were also five MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) and two VRE (Virginia Railway Express) trains serving commuters from Maryland and Virginia delayed as a result of the threat.
A law enforcement investigation determined that Cherry was the subscriber and registered owner of the cell phone used to make the false bomb threats. Cherry was arrested in Southeast Washington on Dec. 16, 2016 and has been in custody ever since. Upon arrest, Cherry told law enforcement that he made the threat against Union Station when he was high and drunk.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Trugman commended the work of the emergency responders and those who investigated all of the hoax calls from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Amtrak Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Capitol Police, the Metro Transit Police, and the U.S. Secret Service. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Mac Caille Petursson and Jorge Casillas, and Legal Assistant Matthew Ruggiero. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda J. Johnson, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in October 2016 AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor Purdie, 56, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge stemming from an incident in October 2016 in which he repeatedly kicked and punched another man in the face, causing the victim’s death a few months later, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Purdie pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of voluntary manslaughter. The Honorable Jose M. Lopez scheduled sentencing for July 28, 2017.
According to the government’s evidence, during the early morning hours of October 2, 2016, Purdie briefly interacted with the victim, Richard Lewis, in front of Union Station at 50 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. At some point, a dispute arose and Purdie punched Mr. Lewis, who immediately fell to the ground. Purdie proceeded to repeatedly kick and punch Mr. Lewis, who had been rendered unconscious and was motionless throughout the assault. An occupant in a nearby vehicle sounded the car’s horn in an attempt to alert Purdie so that he would stop his assault. Purdie then kicked Mr. Lewis once more and fled the scene.
Members of the Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to the area, as were members of the D.C. Fire and EMS Department. Mr. Lewis was transported to a local hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition as a result of suffering a fractured skull and severe hemorrhaging in his head. He never regained consciousness and was subsequently transferred to a long-term healthcare facility. On January 6, 2017, Mr. Lewis succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Zekiah Wright and Kelly Blakeney, Victim/Witness Specialist Marcia Rinker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles J. Willoughby, Jr., who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Shooting in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a detective from the Metro Transit Police who was involved in the fatal shooting on July 4, 2016, of Sidney Washington, Jr. in Northeast Washington.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included interviews of civilian and law enforcement witnesses as well as a review of photographs, diagrams, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, video surveillance footage, the autopsy report, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department, Metro Transit Police Department, and District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
According to the evidence, on July 4, 2016, officers and detectives with the Metro Transit Police Department were deployed to the area near the Deanwood Metro Station in Northeast Washington amid concerns about rival gangs and potential violence. At approximately 10:30 p.m., two rival groups began shooting fireworks at each other and into the Metro station. Metro Transit Police officers and detectives dispersed the two groups.
At least one team of two detectives remained in the area and parked in the 4900 block of Quarles Street NE; they were in an unmarked vehicle but wore tactical clothing that had “POLICE” written across the front. While parked in the area, the detectives saw Mr. Washington walk to the intersection of 49th and Quarles Streets NE, and display a silver handgun.
According to the evidence, the detectives saw Mr. Washington discharge the firearm toward a large crowd of people that were approximately 50 to 75 feet away. The detective behind the driver’s wheel of the unmarked police car pulled up next to Mr. Washington and yelled, “Police!” Instead of surrendering, Mr. Washington turned toward the detective and discharged his firearm at close range, striking the driver’s side door of the police car at least twice. The detective returned fire, striking Mr. Washington, who fell to the ground, landing in a seated position. Then, while in a seated position, Mr. Washington discharged additional rounds at the detective, and the detective fired back until Mr. Washington fell backwards onto the ground.
After the scene was secured, mobile crime technicians recovered a Colt .45-caliber pistol, which was near Mr. Washington’s body. The technicians also recovered nine 45-mm cartridge casings and one 9 mm cartridge casing from the intersection where Mr. Washington was observed discharging the weapon.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland determined that Mr. Washington, 21, died from multiple gunshot wounds. An autopsy determined that Mr. Washington had five gunshot wounds, including two to the chest, one to the upper abdomen, one to the right forearm, and one to the right buttock.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the detective used excessive force under the circumstances. To the contrary, there is sufficient evidence that the detective was acting in self-defense and defense of others at the time of the shooting.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove such violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. A conclusion that “there is insufficient evidence” is not meant to suggest anything further about what evidence, if any, exists.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics and Firearms Charges Relating to His Operation of an Open-Air Drug MarketRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marques Henderson, 36, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to narcotics and firearm offenses stemming from his operation of an open-air drug market in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Andrew 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 before the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan 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. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Sept. 8, 2017.
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, along 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 Phillips, 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 Anthony Scarpelli and Christopher Macchiaroli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section and Paralegal Specialist Candace Battle.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Killing of Man Following Fistfight in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Anthony Wade, 30, of Washington, D.C., and his uncle, Antwain Bailey, 47 of Temple Hills, Md., were sentenced to prison terms today for their roles in the killing of a man last year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced. Wade was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Bailey to a 13-year prison term.
Both men entered guilty pleas in January 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Wade pled guilty to second-degree murder while armed, and Bailey pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed.
The pleas, which were contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for Wade to be sentenced to between 15 and 24 years in prison and for Bailey to be sentenced to 13 years. The Honorable Milton C. Lee accepted the pleas today and sentenced the defendants accordingly. Following their prison terms, the men will be placed on five years of supervised release. They also will be required to register as gun offenders.
According to the government’s evidence, in the late afternoon of March 9, 2016, Bailey had a verbal altercation with the victim, Aubrey Dansbury, in an apartment in the 800 block of Chesapeake Street SE. During the argument, Wade called his uncle, Bailey, and provided Bailey with his location. Wade then walked outside and Mr. Dansbury followed. Once outside, the two men began to fist fight. People from the neighborhood tried unsuccessfully to break up the fight.
As the fight continued, Bailey drove onto the block in a black Lexus sedan. Bailey parked the car and got out, and Wade ran over to him. When Mr. Dansbury and Wade began to fight again, Bailey intervened and walked Wade to the front of the car. Bailey then handed Wade a gun. Wade turned and began shooting at Mr. Dansbury, who was standing at the back of the Lexus. Wade fired the gun at least two times, but neither shot hit Mr. Dansbury. The gun jammed. Wade handed the gun to Bailey, who unjammed the weapon and handed it back. Wade then repeatedly fired the gun as he followed Mr. Dansbury around the car. Mr. Dansbury got inside of the back seat of the sedan to seek cover. Wade then shot Mr. Dansbury multiple times. Mr. Dansbury fell out of the car onto the sidewalk. Bailey got into the driver’s seat and Wade got into the back seat and the car pulled off. Mr. Dansbury, 27, died from the gunshot wounds on March 17, 2016.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim and Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrienne Dedjinou, Matthew Massey and Allessandra Stewart, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 22 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Pierre Mercer, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 22 months in prison on a federal firearms offense for carrying a semi-automatic handgun in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mercer pled guilty in July 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. He was sentenced on May 18, 2017, by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Following his prison term, Mercer will be placed on two years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 22, 2015, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Criminal Interdiction Unit went to an apartment in the 1300 block of Savannah Street SE to serve a search warrant. Officers were in full uniform and were operating unmarked police vehicles. Upon arrival, officers observed three individuals at the rear of the location, within several feet from the door. Additionally, officers recognized one of the individuals as Mercer.
Officers stopped the three individuals and conducted protective pat downs of them. As Mercer was being patted down, he began to struggle and actively resist by not allowing officers to conduct a thorough pat down of him. During the struggle, Mercer bit an officer on her right middle finger, causing a minor cut to the affected area. Mercer than spontaneously stated, “Okay, I got a gun on me.” Officers lifted up Mercer’s shirt, revealing an elastic band around his stomach area concealing a black and silver handgun.
The firearm recovered from the defendant was a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun. There were 10 .40 caliber bullets in the magazine of the handgun, with no rounds in the chamber. Ammunition, a bullet-resistant vest, an ID bracelet for Pierre Mercer, and other items were recovered in a search of the residence.
In an earlier case, Mercer was sentenced in March 2004 to a seven-year prison term after pleading guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to conspiracy and armed robbery charges.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Series of Thefts from Retail Establishments, Robbery, Other CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Edward Lee Staton, Jr., 53, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 137 months in prison for a series of crimes he committed over a 19-month period, including the robbery at knifepoint of an elderly tourist and numerous thefts from retail establishments, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today. In three of the incidents, Staton brandished a knife in the direction of store employees who tried to stop him.
Staton pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to 12 offenses committed on different dates, including charges of robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, second-degree burglary, simple assault, second-degree theft, possession of a prohibited weapon, and failing to appear for a court hearing. He was sentenced on May 10, 2017 by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Following completion of his prison term, Staton will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, between February 2015 and September 2016, Staton was responsible for more than 35 incidents, ranging from shoplifting to robbery. The crimes led to more than $30,000 in reported losses. Most of Staton’s crimes involved entering Washington, D.C. retail establishments and using a large trash or laundry bag to steal a significant volume of retail items, such as clothing, medication, and toiletries. In his guilty plea, Staton admitted to 11 incidents, as well as failing to appear for a court hearing last summer. In some instances, Staton targeted the same store on more than one occasion.
In his plea, Staton admitted to committing crimes on these dates and at these locations:
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Dec, 30, 2015, about 2:40 p.m.: Gap store, 600 block of 11th Street NW.
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Jan. 11, 2016, about 5:25 p.m.: CVS, 3200 block of Connecticut Avenue NW.
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Jan. 30, 2016: about 3:10 p.m.: CVS, 400 block of 8th Street NW.
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June 17, 2016, about 1:30 p.m.: CVS, 500 block of 12th Street SE.
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June 20, 2016, about 3 p.m.: District Taco, 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. In this incident, Staton took a woman’s wallet.
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July 2, 2016, about 9:45 p.m. CVS, 400 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW.
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July 10, 2016, about 8:50 p.m.: Staton took the wallet of an elderly tourist who was walking down 900 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW. He also brandished a knife at the tourist and two people who tried to intervene.
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July 21, 2016, about 7 p.m.: Banana Republic, 600 block of 13th Street NW.
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Aug. 8, 2016, about 2:30 p.m.: Banana Republic, 600 block of 13th Street NW.
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Aug. 9, 2016, about 4:25 p.m.: TJ Maxx, 600 block of 13th Street NW.
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Sept. 13, 2016, about 2:35 p.m.: CVS, 500 block of 12th Street SE.
Staton was arrested on Sept. 13, 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, especially the detectives of the First Police District. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the CVS Organized Retail Crime Unit as well as the Mid-Atlantic Organized Retail Crime Alliance. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacie Weston, Veronica Sanchez, and Douglas Klein; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenna Bush; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Lynda Randolph, and Legal Intern Devin Barrett. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Floyd, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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District Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Illegal Commercial Fireworks in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – LaQuinn Williams, 68, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to two months of incarceration, to be followed by a month of home confinement, for selling commercial grade fireworks/explosives, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Williams pled guilty in January 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to transport or receipt of explosive materials by a prohibited person. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. Upon completion of his prison term, Williams will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received a tip in 2015 that an associate of Williams was selling illegal fireworks. An MPD task force officer assigned to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted an undercover purchase of commercial grade fireworks. The investigation continued, and Williams and his associate were arrested on June 8, 2015, when Williams showed up in a van in Northeast Washington for a second anticipated sale of commercial grade fireworks, similar to those used in pyrotechnic fireworks shows. At the time, Williams had 63.7 pounds of illegal explosives that, if ignited, could blow up his vehicle and surrounding vehicles. Upon seizing the items, ATF had an expert in the handling of explosives remove them from the vehicle, to be stored in an underground facility pending resolution of the case.
Williams earlier had pled guilty in July 2010, also in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of conspiracy to deal in explosive materials. In that case, he accepted responsibility for 300 pounds of display grade fireworks, one of the largest amounts of explosives ever recovered by ATF in a residence in the District of Columbia. In that case, Williams acknowledged under oath [i]f not properly handled and/or shot into the air, or if intentionally exploded while on the ground,” the explosives could be “dangerous or lethal.”
ATF has jurisdiction over these highly regulated and dangerous explosives that regularly result in injuries to members of the community if misused or mishandled.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Newsham commended the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Candace Battle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Macchiaroli, who prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 10-Year Prison Term for Shooting at People and Vehicles in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marc S. Jeffers, 23, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges stemming from an incident in which he randomly shot a gun at vehicles and passersby on a busy street in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Jeffers pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The plea, which was subject to the Court’s approval, called for a 10-year prison term. The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo accepted the plea on May 10, 2017, and sentenced Jeffers accordingly. Following his prison term, Jeffers will be placed on a period of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 7, 2016, shortly before 1:45 p.m., Jeffers was walking on Georgia Avenue NW, headed towards Randolph Street, while armed with a semi-automatic handgun. Jeffers came out of a restaurant at Georgia Avenue and Quincy Street NW and shot the handgun three times into the ground. He then pointed the gun at two people who exited the restaurant immediately before him and shot at them.
Jeffers then continued to walk on Georgia Avenue, pointing the gun at people on the street and then at a bus. He also shot his handgun at a four-door sport utility vehicle. As the motorist in the SUV was driving north in the 3700 block of Georgia Avenue, he heard several gunshots coming from his left side. The motorist felt his vehicle being hit and drove away. When he eventually flagged down officers to report what had happened, the motorist saw that a bullet struck the rear passenger door of his car, causing damage to the door.
Jeffers then walked into the middle of the street from the east side of the 3800 block of Georgia Avenue and fired several shots at another Metrobus that was traveling on the block. Several riders on the bus reported seeing Jeffers continue to walk northbound on Georgia Avenue as he fired the handgun. Several riders got on the floor of the bus to take cover.
An officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was in a Safeway in the 3800 block of Georgia Avenue when multiple people came into the store to report that a man was walking northbound on Georgia Avenue and shooting a handgun at passersby. The officer left the Safeway on his mountain bike and saw Jeffers across the street. The officer approached Jeffers, got off his mountain bike, took cover behind a sports utility vehicle parked on the west side of the street, and ordered Jeffers to drop his firearm. Jeffers ignored the commands and continued along Georgia Avenue. Jeffers then pointed his handgun north on Georgia Avenue and began shooting at an unknown subject. Once Jeffers began shooting, the officer left his cover behind the sports utility vehicle and approached him. According to the government’s evidence, the officer discharged his service weapon in an attempt to disarm Jeffers, who briefly fell to his knees, but did not drop the handgun. The officer continued to order Jeffers to drop the handgun, but Jeffers got up off his knees, and continued to walk north on Georgia Avenue. Jeffers then lifted the gun up to his chest level, at which point the officer discharged his weapon again. Jeffers was hit twice by the officer’s gunfire and fell to the ground.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Newsham expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Debra McPherson and Lashaune Briggs. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonali D. Patel, who investigated and prosecuted the case.