District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – David Tyrone Johnson, 48, of Washington, D.C. has been indicted on charges that he conspired to commit bank fraud and other crimes arising from a real estate scheme involving a forged mortgage satisfaction document.

            The indictment, which was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Johnson, who was arrested today, was named in a six-count indictment that was returned on Aug. 9, 2016. He is charged with federal violations of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, engaging in illegal monetary transactions, and making a false statement, as well as uttering, which is a District of Columbia offense.  The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds that can be traced to the fraud scheme. Johnson pled not guilty to the charges at his first court appearance this afternoon.

            According to the indictment, SunTrust Mortgage, Inc. loaned a friend of Johnson’s approximately $470,000 to purchase residential real estate in the 100 block of 57th Street SE in 2008.  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.

            The indictment alleges that 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.”  The indictment also alleges that 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.

            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.

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Assistant Director in Charge Abbate expressed appreciation for the work performed by those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialist Corinne Kleinman, Paralegal Specialist Kaitlyn Kruger, Litigation Tech Specialist Ron Royal, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who is assisting with forfeiture issues. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham who is prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – Malik Mingo, 19, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to offenses stemming from two separate armed robberies of commercial businesses that were committed in broad daylight last year in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Mingo pled guilty before the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a possible range of 161 months to 180 months in prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison. He is to be sentenced on Oct. 20, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 19, 2015, at approximately 12:50 p.m., Mingo, while masked, and with at least two additional masked individuals, entered Pizza Bolis, a pizza shop in the 1500 block of Alabama Avenue SE. During the course of the robbery, a gun was placed at the head of the cashier and approximately $213 was stolen from the register. Mingo and his accomplices also stole $1,800 and a cellphone from a customer inside the pizzeria. The masked individuals were seen leaving the area in a black Infinity SUV.

            Four days later, on Sept. 23, 2015, at approximately noon, Mingo and his accomplice, Jarred Thomas, entered the “Like That 2” barber shop in the 3300 block of Stanton Road SE, while wearing masks and brandishing loaded firearms. The barber shop was located around the corner from the Pizza Bolis that had been robbed four days earlier. At gunpoint, Mingo ordered everyone to the ground and demanded that they hand over their money. Numerous victims were robbed at gunpoint of cash and possessions. Present during the armed robbery was a small child.

             After the robbery, Mingo was observed leaving the area in a black Infinity SUV that matched the vehicle seen leaving the Pizza Bolis pizzeria. Mingo subsequently was apprehended by the police three blocks from the barber shop and a firearm was recovered in his flight path. The black Infinity SUV used by Mingo was located and identified as having been stolen in a separate armed robbery eight days earlier.

            Thomas, 19, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in May 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to charges stemming from the barber shop robbery, including one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, one count of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was sentenced on July 13, 2016 to a prison term of 121 months.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Violent Crime Task Force of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and 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 Specialist Candace Battle, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Macchiaroli, of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Section, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Tavon Pinkney, 20, William Bass, 18, and Kalif Brown, 23, all of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to prison terms on charges stemming from the shooting death of a man in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            The three men pled guilty to charges in April 2016 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The pleas were contingent upon the Court’s approval. The plea agreements called for a 17-year sentence for Pinkney for second-degree murder while armed and a five-year prison term for Brown for robbery. The third plea agreement called for Bass to be sentenced to a term within the District of Columbia Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines for assault with intent to rob while armed. The Honorable Robert E. Morin accepted the pleas today and sentenced the defendants accordingly; Bass was sentenced to a 5 ½-year prison term. Following their prison terms, all three defendants will be placed on periods of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, just before noon on February 16, 2015, the defendants were driven to the 300 block of 61st Street NE for purposes of conducting a PCP transaction with the victim, Rico Myers, 25, and his friend.  Once there, the defendants entered an alley and Pinkney pulled a gun, demanding the victim’s possessions.

            Bass began going through Mr. Myers’s pockets, while Brown robbed Mr. Myers’s friend.  Mr. Myers began struggling to defend himself and Pinkney then shot him four times.  The defendants ran to the waiting car on 61st Street NE, which then drove off.

            Mr. Myers ran out of the alley and collapsed on a sidewalk in the 300 block of 61st Street NE.  He was taken to a hospital, where all efforts to save his life were unsuccessful.  An autopsy performed by the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death to be homicide.

            In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division, Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and the Sixth Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department, as well as Special Agent Benjamin Inman of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. He also expressed appreciation for the work of the D.C. Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, Victim/Witness Security Specialist M. Laverne Forrest, and Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels.  Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spence, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Jacintoport International LLC (Jacintoport) and Seaboard Marine Ltd. (Seaboard Marine) have agreed to pay $1.075 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the companies violated the False Claims Act in connection with a warehousing and logistics contract for the storage and redelivery of humanitarian food aid.  Jacintoport is a cargo handling and stevedoring firm headquartered in Houston, Texas, and Seaboard Marine, an affiliate of Jacintoport, is an ocean transportation company headquartered in Miami, Florida.

            In its lawsuit, the United States alleged that Jacintoport executed in 2007 a warehousing and logistics contract with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the storage and redelivery of emergency humanitarian food aid.  This contract contained explicit caps on the rates Jacintoport could charge ocean carriers to load humanitarian food aid onto ships (referred to as “stevedoring” charges) bound for crisis areas around the world.  The complaint alleges that beginning around January 2008 and continuing through at least October 2009, Jacintoport, under the supervision and control of Seaboard, charged ocean carriers more for stevedoring than permitted to load over 50,000 tons of humanitarian food aid.  These inflated stevedoring charges were subsequently lumped into other costs for delivering humanitarian food aid and passed on to the United States.

            “USAID’s humanitarian food aid program provides critical assistance to starving people all over the world,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “The Justice Department will hold accountable those who seek to abuse this important program.”  ‪

             “It is unacceptable for companies that do business with the federal government to inflate their costs,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips. “This settlement demonstrates our determination to protect the taxpayers’ dollars – and humanitarian programs – from abuse.”

            The allegations resolved by this settlement were initially brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by John Raggio, a shipping contractor who allegedly received an invoice from Jacintoport that contained the excessive stevedoring charge.  Under the Act’s qui tam provisions, a private citizen, known as a “relator,” can sue on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.  The United States is permitted to intervene in the lawsuit, as it did here.  Raggio will receive $215,000.  Earlier today, the government requested that the case be dismissed.

            This matter was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the USAID Office of the Inspector General.  The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.  The case is United States ex. rel. Raggio v. Jacintoport International, LLC, et al. Case No. 1:10-cv-01908 (D.D.C.).

WASHINGTON – Tavon Moore, 27, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to charges stemming from a domestic violence incident in which he shot his former girlfriend and another man, wounding her and killing him, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Moore pled guilty on July 26, 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of 15 years in prison, which would be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for Sept. 23, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence on March 4, 2016, just before 3 p.m., Moore’s ex-girlfriend and a friend, Noel Rezene, 26, drove to Moore’s apartment in the 3300 block of 23rd Street SE. Also in the car was the 2-year-old child of the ex-girlfriend and Moore. Shortly after arriving, Moore’s ex-girlfriend brought their child to the apartment. She then came across Moore outside the apartment building, and the two argued. During the course of the argument, Mr. Rezene displayed a firearm and asked Moore to stop speaking in a disrespectful manner. The ex-girlfriend then went to retrieve the child from the apartment. Moore also proceeded to return to his apartment. Mr. Rezene followed them both into the building.

            The ex-girlfriend then retrieved the child and fled with her to her car, which was parked in a nearby parking lot. Mr. Rezene then began shooting through the door of Moore’s apartment and into the apartment that was then occupied by the defendant and his family.

            Moore retrieved a firearm from within the apartment and began shooting back through the door at Mr. Rezene, striking him at least once. Mr. Rezene fled towards the car, which by then was occupied by Moore’s ex-girlfriend and the child. As Mr. Rezene neared the car, Moore shot him again, causing Mr. Rezene to stumble and drop his firearm. Mr. Rezene got into the car and Moore’s ex-girlfriend backed the vehicle away, trying to flee.  Moore chased after the car, firing multiple shots into it, striking both Mr. Rezene and the ex-girlfriend.  At least one shot went through the front windshield on the driver’s side.  The child was not struck by any gunfire.

            Moore’s ex-girlfriend drove to a nearby hospital, where Mr. Rezene was pronounced dead from the gunshot wounds inflicted by the defendant.  She received treatment for multiple gunshot wounds to her right arm and the right side of her torso.

            During his plea, Moore acknowledged that he was not acting in self-defense when shooting his ex-girlfriend, and even if his actions against Mr. Rezene were taken in self-defense, by following him outside and continuing to shoot, he used excessive force.

            Moore has been convicted of multiple prior domestic violence assaults against his ex-girlfriend, and was on probation for one of those assaults at the time of the shooting.  That probation has since been revoked.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and the Seventh Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Marcia Rinker of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist; Criminal Investigator John Marsh, and Intern Anthony Jankowski.  He also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Akhi Johnson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Alphonso Roberts, 32, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder while armed for killing a man earlier this year outside a public library, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Michael Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            In another case, Roberts pled guilty earlier this week to a federal firearms offense.

            Today’s plea, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, involved the Feb. 10, 2016 slaying of Maurico Walker. It followed a guilty plea on July 18, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm.

            The pleas, subject to approval in their respective courts, call for Roberts to serve a total of 20 years in prison. The plea agreements call for Roberts to be sentenced to 20 years in prison in the murder case and 15 years in the firearms case, to run concurrently. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing in the murder case for Sept. 16, 2016. The Honorable Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing in the firearms case for Oct. 14, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, the murder took place on Feb. 10, 2016, outside the Anacostia Library, in the 1800 block of Good Hope Road SE. The chain of events began at 4 p.m. in the 2100 block of R Street SE, nearby. The victim, Maurico Walker, 23, and another person had been checking for unlocked car doors in the area. Roberts, who resided nearby, spotted the second person taking items from his Volvo. Roberts confronted the two, and they walked away. Moments later, as Mr. Walker and the second person were walking over the grass lot adjacent to the library Roberts came by in his Volvo. He pulled to the curb, got out of the vehicle, pulled out a handgun and began shooting. Mr. Walker ran back through the lot, but was shot in the back and head and collapsed. He later died from these injuries.

            The firearms charge stems from a search conducted on Feb. 25, 2016, at Roberts’s apartment. During the search, officers recovered, among other items, a loaded Glock 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun from the top shelf of a bedroom closet. The gun was not the murder weapon.  Roberts, who had an earlier felony conviction, was legally barred from possessing any firearm. He was arrested following the search and has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Boxler, and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S Attorney Natalia Medina, who is prosecuting the firearms case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Merikas, who is prosecuting the murder case.

WASHINGTON – Leroy Robinson, 32, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to charges stemming from a recent shoot-out that took place in broad daylight in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Robinson pled guilty on July 20, 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is to be sentenced on Sept. 23, 2016 by the Honorable Neil E. Kravitz.  Robinson faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison on the assault with a dangerous weapon charge and 15 years on the unlawful possession of a firearm charge.  Because he has a prior conviction for a crime of violence, he faces a statutory minimum of three years in prison. Under the District of Columbia Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, he faces a likely range of 36 to 72 months in prison.

            In entering his guilty plea, Robinson admitted to being an initial aggressor in a shoot-out that occurred in broad daylight on the morning of June 1, 2016. According to the evidence, at approximately 9:45 a.m., Robinson and an unknown suspect exchanged gunfire with a group of individuals in the 1300 block of Brentwood Road NE. Surveillance video shows Robinson and the unknown suspect firing gunshots in the direction of two parked cars.  The video further shows the muzzle flash of Robinson’s firearm moments after an innocent civilian entered into one of these cars.  As a result of the gunshots, the side and rear windows of the civilian’s car were destroyed.  Numerous gunshots also struck the front driver’s side and rear of the civilian’s vehicle, which was riddled with bullets.  Amazingly, none of these bullets struck the civilian.

            Robinson was struck by a bullet and crawled away from the scene.  When law enforcement arrived, they saw him in a grassy area across from the area of the shooting, suffering from a gunshot wound.  Law enforcement also found an empty gun holster on his waistband.   

            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 work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tamika Griffin and Richard Barker, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Jarrett Lewis, 35, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from his impersonation of the chief of staff of a member of Congress, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.

     Lewis, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of false personation of an employee or officer of the United States. The charge carries a statutory maximum of three years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Lewis could face up to six months in prison and a fine. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencing for Oct. 13, 2016.

     According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the plea, from September 2014 through May 2015, Lewis falsely claimed to be a chief of staff for the Honorable John Lewis, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He did so to request admission and special privileges at a high-end restaurant, bar and lounge in Miami’s South Beach area and to seek field passes from the Washington Redskins for a football game. The scheme came to the attention of Congressman Lewis’s actual chief of staff, and led to a law enforcement investigation.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Verderosa commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Capitol Police. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr., who is prosecuting the matter.

The United States filed a False Claims Act complaint against DynCorp International Inc. (DynCorp) alleging that it knowingly submitted inflated claims in connection with a State Department contract to train Iraqi police forces (CIVPOL contract), the Department of Justice announced today.  The United States filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  DynCorp, which is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Tucker Holdings Inc.       

In April 2004, the State Department’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs awarded the CIVPOL contract to DynCorp to provide training for civilian police forces in Iraq and other services needed to support that effort, such as trainers, guards, translators, vehicles and living quarters for contractor personnel.  In its complaint, the United States alleges that DynCorp knowingly allowed one of its main CIVPOL subcontractors to charge excessive and unsubstantiated rates for hotel lodging, translator, security guard and driving services and overhead expenses, and included these charges in the claims it submitted under the CIVPOL contract to the State Department.  The complaint also alleges that DynCorp added its own markup to its subcontractor’s excessive charges, thereby further inflating the claims it submitted to the government. 

“Companies that contract with the United States have an obligation to deal fairly and openly with the government,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “Attempting to take advantage of the American taxpayers in times of war is a shameful abuse of this responsibility.”

“The United States relies on its contractors to be forthcoming with accurate information and to act responsibly in return for receiving the taxpayers’ money,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia.  “Our office is committed to recovering funds from those who fail to adhere to those responsibilities and obligations.” 

The civil complaint in this action is the result of an investigation by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the State Department’s Office of Inspector General. 

The case is captioned United States v. DynCorp International, Inc., No. 1:16-cv-01473 (D.D.C.).  The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. 

WASHINGTON - The United States filed a False Claims Act complaint against DynCorp International Inc. (DynCorp) alleging that it knowingly submitted inflated claims in connection with a State Department contract to train Iraqi police forces (CIVPOL contract), the Department of Justice announced today.  The United States filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  DynCorp, which is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Tucker Holdings Inc.      

            In April 2004, the State Department’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs awarded the CIVPOL contract to DynCorp to provide training for civilian police forces in Iraq and other services needed to support that effort, such as trainers, guards, translators, vehicles and living quarters for contractor personnel.  In its complaint, the United States alleges that DynCorp knowingly allowed one of its main CIVPOL subcontractors to charge excessive and unsubstantiated rates for hotel lodging, translator, security guard and driving services and overhead expenses, and included these charges in the claims it submitted under the CIVPOL contract to the State Department.  The complaint also alleges that DynCorp added its own markup to its subcontractor’s excessive charges, thereby further inflating the claims it submitted to the government.

            “Companies that contract with the United States have an obligation to deal fairly and openly with the government,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “Attempting to take advantage of the American taxpayers in times of war is a shameful abuse of this responsibility.”

            “The United States relies on its contractors to be forthcoming with accurate information and to act responsibly in return for receiving the taxpayers’ money,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips. “Our office is committed to recovering funds from those who fail to adhere to those responsibilities and obligations.”

            The civil complaint in this action is the result of an investigation by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the State Department’s Office of Inspector General.

            The case is captioned United States v. DynCorp International, Inc., No. 1:16-cv-01473 (D.D.C.).  The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

WASHINGTON- Floyd L. Middleton, 47, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from the theft of over $140,000 from a religious charity where he worked in an administrative capacity, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Middleton pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of interstate transportation of stolen property. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Middleton faces a likely range of 15 to 21 months in prison and a fine of up to $30,000. The plea agreement also calls for Middleton to pay $142,484 in restitution. The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper scheduled sentencing for Oct. 12, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, the scheme took place between February 2009 and October 2014, when Middleton was employed by an organization referred to in court documents as “Charity A,” a religious charity. During this period, Middleton embezzled $142,484 in funds through false representations and invoices. For example, he established the property management company that managed the apartment building where he resided in the charity’s computer system as a legitimate vendor. He then submitted false invoices leading to payments to that property management company for his personal benefit. Middleton also made false representations to secure reimbursement for personal funds that he never expended.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Assistant Director in Charge Abbate 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 case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Angela Lawrence and Assistant U.S. Attorney Muyiwa Bamiduro, who is prosecuting the matter.

WASHINGTON – Warren Graves, 63, a former District of Columbia government official, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from his failure to fully report income on federal tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Philips and Thomas Jankowski, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

            Graves, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to subscribing to a false tax return. The charge carries a statutory maximum of three years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Graves faces a likely range of 12 to 18 months of incarceration and a potential fine of up to $55,000. The plea agreement calls for him to pay the United States Treasury a total of $220,987 in restitution. The Honorable Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for Oct. 25, 2016.

            Graves was Chief of Staff for the District of Columbia’s Office of City Administrator from 2011 to 2015. Prior to that, from 2007 to 2011, he was a contractor who worked within the D.C. government.

            According to the government’s evidence, Graves owned a company that provided consulting services to individuals and entities in Washington, D.C. The work generally consisted of arranging meetings between District of Columbia government officials and private businesses and individuals. In general, the arrangements with clients involved performing services in exchange for a future stream of payments totaling an agreed amount. Most of this work was done prior to 2009, but Graves continued to receive payments for prior services in the following years, including in years when he was a District of Columbia government employee.

            In his plea, Graves admitted that he claimed false expenses on his tax returns for the tax years of 2009 to 2013 and that he omitted items of income in some of those years. This resulted in the under-reporting of $536,091 in income, leading to a loss of tax revenue to the U.S. government of $220,987.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Jankowski commended the work of those who investigated the case from of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Department of Justice’s Tax Division. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Marston, who is prosecuting the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Atkinson, who assisted in the investigation.

WASHINGTON – Marlon A. Wilson, 35, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 16-year prison term for a robbery and a theft that he committed at two restaurants on the same night in 2014, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Wilson was found guilty by a jury in December 2014 of robbery, first-degree theft, second-degree theft, and credit fraud. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced on July 15, 2016, by the Honorable Milton C. Lee. Following his prison term, Wilson will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sunday, July 6, 2014, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Wilson entered a restaurant in the 500 block of Florida Avenue NW, ordered an iced tea, and then stole a wallet from a customer’s bag. The bag had been hanging over the back of her chair. Wilson left the tavern and then walked to another restaurant in the 600 block of T Street NW, a few blocks away. Once again, he ordered an iced tea. He then stole a wallet from a purse of a customer whose bag likewise was hanging on the back of her chair. Wilson then went to a nearby drug store and used one of the stolen credit cards to purchase two $480 gift cards.

            The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested Wilson soon afterward in the area. He was caught with credit cards from both victims, as well as numerous gift cards. Wilson was subject to sentencing enhancements in this case because of his prior criminal history, which includes convictions for robbery, burglary, and theft and credit card fraud-related crimes.

            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 handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Paralegal Specialist Rochelle Mills; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Connolly, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler.

WASHINGTON – Vineet Kalucha, 52, an investment fund manager from Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for obstructing justice in an investigation into his business activities that was being conducted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Kalucha pled guilty to the charge in February 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer. Upon completion of his prison term, Kalucha will be placed on two years of supervised release.

            A business partner, George Palathinkal, 55, of Singapore, pled guilty in March 2015 to a federal charge of perjury. He is awaiting sentencing before Judge Collyer.

            According to the government’s evidence, Kalucha formed Aphelion Fund Management LLC (“Aphelion Management”) in 2012 and was its majority owner, partner and chief investment officer. Palathinkal was the general partner and chief financial officer. The company served as the investment adviser and general partner for two unregistered hedge funds (known as “the Aphelion Funds”).

            In 2013, according to the government’s evidence, Kalucha, Palathinkal, and Aphelion Management began soliciting new investors for the Aphelion Funds. Kalucha subsequently provided potential investors with marketing materials for Aphelion Management, using inaccurate performance statistics. Among other things, he altered a report prepared by an accounting firm hired by Aphelion Management to review prior investment performance and caused this report to be sent to prospective investors.

            The accounting firm became aware of the misrepresentations and demanded that Kalucha cease distributing the altered report and that he provide notice to those who received it. He incorrectly reported back to the firm that only one copy of the altered report had been distributed.

            The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission began an investigation of Aphelion Management in January 2014, including an investigation into the propriety and reasonableness of payments from Aphelion Management to Kalucha.  Kalucha provided investigative testimony before the SEC on Feb. 25, 2014. Among other things, he testified that he had entered into a written promissory note for “about $350,000” with Aphelion Management. Kalucha later told Palathinkal that he had testified before the SEC that there were written promissory notes covering loans that the two of them had purportedly taken from Aphelion Management.

            Knowing that these notes did not exist, Kalucha told Palathinkal that he would have Aphelion Management’s outside counsel prepare such written loan documents. Kalucha and Palathinkal later signed two such documents, both said to be promissory notes. One purportedly showed a loan of up to $350,000 for Kalucha and the other was for a loan of up to $200,000 for Palathinkal.  Although these documents were actually signed in early March 2014, they were dated January 1, 2013.  Kalucha and Palathinkal provided these documents to the SEC.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Assistant Director in Charge Abbate commended the work of those who investigated the case for the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the SEC. They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Document Management Analyst John Lowell and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Seeley. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Barry Tillman, 59, who worked as the office manager for a church and its affiliated non-profit organization, has been sentenced to 156 days of incarceration and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service for a scheme in which he embezzled over $150,000, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Tillman, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in April 2016 to wire fraud. He was sentenced on July 13, 2016, by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of the jail time, which is to be served over 52 weekends, he will be placed on five years of probation. Tillman also must pay a total of $153,754 in restitution.

            According to the government’s evidence, Tillman began work in 2008 as an office manager for the Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church, as well as City Gate, an affiliated non-profit organization that provided support for youth through after-school and summer educational programs. The organization also provided support to low-income families by supplying meals and job training. Tillman’s responsibilities included bookkeeping and accounting duties.

            From January 2009 through May 2013, Tillman processed salary payments to himself through both direct deposit and salary checks. He allowed the direct deposits knowing that he was receiving his salary by check, which resulted in him being paid twice. He kept a total of $153,754 of these electronic transfers for himself for his own use and benefit.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case, including Criminal Investigator Juan Juarez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of others who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator Stephen Cohen; Paralegal Specialist Kaitlyn Krueger; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall; former Paralegal Specialist Jessica Mundi, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Jarrett. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Howie, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Jarred Thomas, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a  prison term of 121 months on charges stemming from a broad daylight armed robbery last year at a barber shop in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Thomas pled guilty in May 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, one count of using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer. Upon completion of his prison term, Thomas will be placed on four years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 23, 2015, at approximately noontime, Thomas and his accomplice entered the “Like That 2” barbershop in the 3300 block of Stanton Road SE, while wearing masks and brandishing loaded firearms. At gunpoint, Thomas ordered everyone to the ground and demanded that they hand over their money. Numerous victims were robbed at gunpoint of cash and their possessions, including four barbers and four customers. A four-year-old child also was in the shop at the time of the robbery.

            After the robbery, Thomas was observed leaving the area in a black Infinity SUV. Thomas was subsequently apprehended by the Metropolitan Police Department three blocks from the barber shop and a firearm was recovered in his flight path. The black Infinity SUV used by Thomas was located and identified as having been stolen in a separate armed robbery eight days earlier.

            At the time of his arrest, Thomas was on probation following a 2015 conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for attempted robbery.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Violent Crime Task Force of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and 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 Specialist Candace Battle, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Macchiaroli, of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Section, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Mir Islam, 22, of New York, N.Y., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison on three federal charges stemming from a conspiracy to commit various crimes related to the “swatting” and “doxing” of dozens of victims, and from a false bomb threat made against a university in Arizona and a pattern of online harassment constituting cyber-stalking against a university student, all occurring between February and September 2013.

            The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona, and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Islam pleaded guilty on July 6, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a total of three charges. They included one count of conspiracy to commit a range of federal offenses, including identity theft; access device fraud; social security number misuse; computer fraud; wire fraud; assaulting federal officials; and interstate transmission of threats. The other charges included one count of threatening and conveying false information concerning the use of explosives and one count of cyber-stalking.

            In his guilty plea, Islam admitted to “swatting” and “doxing” numerous individuals, to communicating a false shooting and bomb threat on a university campus in Arizona, and to committing a pattern of online harassment against a university student. “Swatting” is the act of placing emergency 9-1-1 type calls to police departments, usually through Internet-based telecommunication relay services, to make false claims of homicides or other assaultive or criminal conduct by, or against, other targeted individuals at the locations of those individuals.  These false 9-1-1 communications are intended to result in, and usually did result in, a tactical police response, including SWAT teams, to the targeted, unsuspecting victims’ residences.  “Doxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the Internet personal identifying information (“PII”) and other sensitive information about an individual, including, for example, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, credit information, employers, and details regarding the individual’s children and other family members.

            “The crimes committed by this defendant violated the privacy of dozens of people, fostered identity theft, and endangered the safety of many others,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Mir Islam put people at risk on the Internet and in their own homes, placed responding police officers at risk, created a dangerous situation on a college campus, caused substantial emotional distress to numerous victims, and diverted law enforcement from work they could be doing to protect the public. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and hopefully will deter others from similar actions.”

            “This crime not only diverted first responders from actual life-threatening emergencies and wasted their valuable time and resources, but it also caused severe emotional distress to a large number of victims,” said U.S. Attorney Leonardo. “We hope this prosecution will deter others from engaging in similar dangerous and criminal behavior in the future.”

            “Making false threats diverts critical law enforcement resources, and places first responders and the public at significant risk of physical injury and harm, which is unacceptable,” said Assistant Director in Charge Abbate.  “The FBI takes ‘swatting’ and ‘doxing’ attacks very seriously because such illegal conduct jeopardizes public safety and places innocent people in harm’s way by exposing private and personal information.  Working closely with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues to refine technological capabilities and investigative techniques to prevent these types of crimes, and to track down criminals who commit them.”

            According to court documents, Islam and his co-conspirators “swatted” and “doxed” numerous individuals from February through August 2013. Islam and his co-conspirators committed the doxing and swatting to entertain themselves, to exact revenge for official conduct they found objectionable, to express animus toward certain victims, and for their own notoriety. The investigation is continuing.

            Swatting: “Swatting” in many instances is an assault with a deadly weapon in which the police are used as proxies to commit the assault.  By definition, the crime entails an armed police response.  When the responding officers are threatened in the fake 9-1-1 communications with physical harm or death if they respond, as some were by Islam and his co-conspirators, the officers invariably arrive at the premises in force, with guns drawn and trained on the premises and its occupants.  The prospect for injuries or fatalities in such a police response is manifest.  According to the government’s evidence, Islam and his co-conspirators swatted at least 20 celebrities and state and federal officials. For example, a former member of Congress from Michigan was swatted because of federal legislation he sponsored; a former State Representative, who is now a member of Congress, was swatted because of anti-swatting state legislation he sought to enact, and an Assistant United States Attorney was swatted in retaliation for a particular prosecution he participated in.

            Doxing: According to the government’s evidence, Islam and his co-conspirators posted the PII of at least 50 celebrities and state and federal officials on different websites that all shared the domain name “Exposed,” which were accessible to anyone, anywhere.  The natural, inevitable, and intended consequence of this publication of names, social security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, credit reports, and the like, was the use of that information by countless others to illicitly obtain credit cards and other finance-related accounts using the identities of the doxing victims, causing many victims to suffer continuing credit issues. The publication of the victims’ personal identifying information also revealed to any other would-be harassers or assailants how and where to contact the victims.

            Additionally, according to the government’s evidence, on March 22, 2013, Islam separately falsely reported a shooting and explosives incident on the campus of a university located in Arizona.  Using a 9-1-1 Internet relay system, Islam reported that a man on campus had a gun and a rifle and was shooting people on campus.  Islam further stated that the man was shooting up the area and that he had explosives and was going to blow up buildings.  In response to Islam’s false report, the local police, university police, and the FBI responded to the campus to investigate, including SWAT Teams and a Police Department Bomb Squad.  The campus was placed in lockdown, with flash text messaging sent to the student population advising of a potential active shooter situation.

            Islam made the false shooting and explosives report as part of Islam’s cyber-stalking of a student attending that university.  Over the course of several months after the false bomb threat, according to the government’s evidence, Islam repeatedly called or sent text messages to this student and some of her friends, occasionally threatening them.  Islam impersonated state and federal law enforcement officials to try to collect information about the student.  Islam further acquired unauthorized access to the student’s e-mail and social media accounts, and then downloaded information from those accounts and changed the passwords to the accounts, thereby denying the student access.  Islam created a social media account in which he assumed a false identity, including photographs of someone other than Islam, pretending to be a student attending the student’s university.  Islam used this account and identity to attempt to befriend the student.  Islam’s prolonged harassment of the student caused the student to suffer substantial emotional distress.

            Islam, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bangladesh, was arrested in September 2013 and has been in custody in this case since July 2015. In addition to the prison time, the Honorable Randolph D. Moss ordered Islam to be placed on three years of supervised release following the prison term; during that time, Islam must agree to computer monitoring and other conditions.

            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  Assistance was provided by the FBI’s Phoenix, New York and Los Angeles Field Offices; the United States Secret Service’s Boston Field Office, and the Los Angeles, Boston, and Fairfax County, Va., Police Departments.  The Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) also provided support.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin A. Weiss of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Anderson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

WASHINGTON – Ernest Johnson, 21, formerly of Baltimore, Md., was sentenced today to a 39-year prison term for stabbing his ex-girlfriend and two others in her apartment in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Johnson pled guilty in October 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence in the range of 35 to 40 years in prison. The Honorable Milton C. Lee accepted the plea today and sentenced Johnson accordingly. Following completion of his prison term, Johnson will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, Johnson was previously in a romantic relationship with one of the victims, a 24-year-old woman. On the date of the attack, Aug. 15, 2015, they were no longer in a romantic relationship. At that time, Johnson’s ex-girlfriend was in a romantic relationship with another man. The ex-girlfriend was living with her 75-year-old grandmother in an apartment in Northeast Washington.

            On Aug. 15, 2015, at approximately 4:30 a.m., Johnson entered the ex-girlfriend’s apartment through the balcony door. First, he went into the grandmother’s bedroom and began to strangle her, causing her to lose consciousness. He also stabbed her numerous times in the back, head, and neck. Johnson then entered the second bedroom, where his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend were asleep. He locked the door behind him. Johnson then stabbed his ex-girlfriend approximately 28 times in back, arm, neck, chest, hand, and other parts of her body. He also stabbed the new boyfriend several times in the head, and the knife went through his skull.

            Two witnesses were asleep in the living room of the apartment. One heard the screaming and broke into the locked bedroom, picked up a vacuum cleaner, and hit Johnson with it to stop the attacks against his ex-girlfriend and the boyfriend. The second witness also came into the room to assist.  Johnson then left the apartment, fleeing the scene.

            Two knives were recovered inside the apartment.

            All three victims were transported to the hospital by ambulance. The grandmother remained at the hospital for approximately nine days. Doctors believed that she may have had a laceration to the inside of her throat, and so she was not permitted to eat food or liquid through her mouth for approximately one week. The man was at the hospital for two days and was released. Several days thereafter, however, he began to have seizures and was readmitted for approximately four days. Since this incident, he has had memory issues and headaches. Finally, Johnson’s ex-girlfriend was admitted to the hospital for almost two months. She has severe spinal cord damage from the stabbing that initially left her paralyzed. Through extensive physical therapy, she has regained some motor skills, but remains significantly impaired and frequently confined to a wheelchair.

            Johnson was apprehended in Baltimore shortly after the attack. He has been in custody ever since. In a custodial interview after his arrest, he admitted to the stabbings.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Joyce Arthur, former Paralegal Specialist Erica Vample, and Victim/Witness Advocate Meshall Thomas. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Paul Williams, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 38 years in prison for raping and assaulting two women in separate attacks in Northeast Washington within a three-week period in November 2014, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Both women were strangers that Williams and his accomplice, Rai-Jon Gerald, kidnapped off public sidewalks and forced into deserted areas, where Williams and Gerald sexually assaulted them. One attack took place on Thanksgiving Day.

            Williams pled guilty in March 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of armed robbery. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison sentence between 35 and 38 years. It also required the defendant to register as a sex offender for life upon his release. The Honorable Michael Ryan accepted the plea at a hearing today and sentenced Williams accordingly. The judge called the defendant’s actions “shocking.” Following his prison term, Williams will be placed on 15 years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of Nov. 7, 2014, Williams and Gerald planned to rob a convenience store at 49th Street and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. When a suspicious employee thwarted their plans, Williams and Gerald, armed with a BB gun that looked like a real handgun, walked eastbound down Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. They soon spotted a woman walking alone, whom they approached. Gerald displayed the gun to the woman, while Williams grabbed her by the hair and forced her to the ground. Williams then put the woman in a headlock and dragged her into a deserted alley near an abandoned wooded lot. There, in the dark and amidst such debris as discarded mattresses and tires, Williams and Gerald orally and vaginally raped the woman. They also robbed her of cash and phones, and Williams threatened to kill her if she reported the assault.

            Three weeks later, on Nov. 27, 2014 – which was Thanksgiving Day - Williams and Gerald again met up in the early morning hours to rob the convenience store at 49th Street and Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. Once again, their plans were thwarted, causing them to head down Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue in search of other victims. They encountered a woman, who, like their first victim, was a complete stranger to them. Armed with a BB gun and Taser, Williams and Gerald assaulted the woman, robbing her of her purse and forcing her off the sidewalk toward tall bushes at nearby Kelly Miller Middle School. While Gerald led the way, Williams dragged the woman, repeatedly striking her in the head and face with his gun. Once behind the bushes, Williams forcibly removed the woman’s clothing and orally sexually assaulted her. Williams also attempted forced vaginal sex. Throughout, the woman fought back. In response, Williams continued to pistol whip her, as well as strike her in the face with his fists. Williams and Gerald Tasered the woman multiple times. With Williams’s assistance, Gerald also sexually assaulted the woman orally, and attempted to do so vaginally.

            A neighbor heard the woman’s screams and the sounds of her being Tasered. He called the police, who quickly arrived on scene. Gerald escaped, but Williams was arrested nearby hiding in a yard. Williams has been in custody since his arrest.

            Gerald, 21, also of Washington, D.C., was identified and arrested two months later, and he earlier pled guilty to first-degree sexual abuse, attempted first-degree sexual Abuse, and two counts of robbery. He is awaiting sentencing.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Division, the patrol officers who responded, and the crime scene officers who processed both crime scenes. He thanked the District of Columbia Forensic Nurse Examiners who examined the victims shortly after the assaults, the FBI’s Footwear Examiners, the forensic biologists and DNA analysts at Bode Cellmark Forensics and the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences, and Teel Technologies, which performed forensic analysis of the defendant’s phone.

            U.S. Attorney Phillips also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughn; Paralegal Specialists Jessica Moffatt and Joyce Arthur; Legal Assistant Brendan Coyne; Criminal Investigation Unit Investigator John Marsh; Information Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, Aneela Bhatia, Paul Howell, and Joshua Ellen; Investigative Analyst William Hamann; Witness Security Specialist Michael Hailey; current and former interns Allison Denton, Stephanie Dinan, Emma McArthur, and Marissa Moshell; former Paralegal Specialist Chantal Corrigan; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Morgan, and Assistant U.S Attorney Jodi Lazarus, who assisted with the initial investigation of the case. Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John L. Hill and Kara Traster, who investigated, indicted, and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A federal district court judge sentenced a Virginia man today to 47 months in prison for his involvement in a far-reaching stolen identity refund fraud scheme in which he worked with others to seek over $1.5 million in income tax refunds through the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations John L. Phillips of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

           Bradley King, 35, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is among approximately 20 participants in this scheme who have pleaded guilty to charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  According to court documents, the overall case involves the filing of at least 12,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns that sought refunds of at least $42 million. King pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims, one count of theft of public money and one count of aiding and abetting in fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents.

           King was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle of the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, he must also pay $493,436 in restitution to the IRS and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $5,400.  Following his prison term, King will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, King participated in a massive and sophisticated stolen identity refund fraud scheme that involved an extensive network of more than 130 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance.  The refunds were sought for tax years 2005 through 2013, often in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, residents of assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated prisoners.  Returns were also filed in the names of and refunds were issued to, people who were willing participants in the scheme.  The refunds listed more than 400 “taxpayer” addresses located in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

           According to documents filed with the court, King’s involvement in the scheme began in 2008 and continued through July 2015.  Initially, he permitted co-conspirators to use his name, social security number and residential address for the creation and submission of fraudulent income tax returns.  From March 2010 through July 2015, he recruited others to provide him with means of identification for use in preparing and filing fraudulent returns.  He also recruited others to permit the use of their residential addresses on fraudulent returns that he prepared and filed.  King split the proceeds of the fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks with his co-conspirators.  In addition, he and others used bank accounts for the negotiation of refund checks that were issued in the names of other persons.  Finally, according to the court documents, he sold fraudulently obtained refund checks to another individual in June 2015.

            Taking together the losses generated by the use of residential addresses and bank accounts under his control, including checks associated with his co-conspirators, King was responsible for the filing of approximately 444 fraudulent returns that sought more than $1.5 million.  These actions led to a total actual loss of approximately $493,436 to the U.S. Treasury, based on the negotiation of a total of 153 U.S. Treasury checks listing addresses under his control and/or negotiated by his recruits.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo, Special Agent in Charge Jankowski, Inspector in Charge Kelokates and Assistant Inspector General Phillips commended those who investigated the case.   They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein and Paralegal Specialists Donna Galindo and Julie Dailey.  Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein of the District of Columbia’s Fraud and Public Corruption Section and Trial Attorneys Jeffrey B. Bender and Thomas F. Koelbl and former Trial Attorney Jessica Moran of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Shawn Gray, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 100 months in prison on charges stemming from a shooting in which he fired at an unmarked van full of police officers in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Gray earlier pled guilty, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, a District of Columbia offense, and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony, a federal offense. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. Gray has remained incarcerated since his arrest on Jan. 26, 2013.

            According to the government's factual proffer, on Jan. 26, 2013, at about 7:10 p.m., officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were operating an unmarked burgundy minivan in the 1600 block of Montello Avenue NE. The officers were wearing casual clothing and operating as a unit in a robbery intervention program.

            As the officers drove through the block, they spotted Gray and another individual acting suspiciously. After the officers drove around and re-entered the block, Gray suddenly fired multiple gunshots at the van. One bullet entered the van and passed between the four officers inside, and others apparently hit houses across the street.

            Gray fled, but was soon found hiding underneath a parked vehicle in the rear of the alleyway from which he had fired. Seven spent shell casings were found on the ground. The gun itself was ultimately recovered from the ground near where the defendant was seized.  At the time of the shooting, Gray was on supervised release for a 2009 conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for carrying a pistol without a license.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Paralegal Specialist Starla Stolk, and Paralegal Specialists Tisha Tobias, Kim Hall, and Jessica Moffatt.  Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincent Caputy, who indicted the case, and Stephen J. Gripkey, who handled the case thereafter.

WASHINGTON – Tarsem Singh, 61, a businessman from Fairfax, Va., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for conspiring to commit fraud on the United States by illegally obtaining over $6 million in contracts that were meant for small, disadvantaged businesses.

            The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips; Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA); Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA); and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Singh pled guilty to the charge in December 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Judge Walton also fined Singh $25,000 and ordered him to pay $119,165 in restitution. After his prison term, Singh will be placed on three years of supervised release and required to perform community service.

            The fraudulent activities involved the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, a program named for Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. This program was created to help small, disadvantaged businesses compete in the American economy and access the federal procurement market. To qualify for the 8(a) program, a business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a U.S. citizen (or citizens) of good character who meet the SBA’s definition of socially and economically disadvantaged.  The firm also must be a small business (as defined by the SBA) and show a reasonable potential for success.  Participants in the 8(a) program are subject to regulatory and contractual limits. Also, under the program, the disadvantaged business is required to perform a certain percentage of the work.

            According to the government’s evidence, from Jan. 12, 2000, through January 12, 2009, Singh and his wife, through a firm described in court documents as “Company A,” which specialized in construction and renovating and altering buildings, obtained millions in federal contracts.   On Jan. 12, 2009, “Company A” graduated from the SBA’s 8(a) program and was no longer eligible for contracts awarded through the program.

            On Jan. 12, 2009 - the same day that “Company A” graduated from the 8(a) program – “Company A” assisted a firm described in court documents as “Company B” apply to the 8(a) program.  “Company B” was certified to participate in the 8 (a) program on May 1, 2009.  Shortly after “Company B” was certified, Singh caused himself to be named its vice president.

            As the vice president of “Company B,” Singh was contacted by government personnel about federal contracts and, in some circumstances, made the decision on whether the company would bid on these projects. However, “Company B” was little more than a shell company that “Company A” helped create as it was graduating from the 8(a) program.  “Company B” lacked the employees to perform the 15% of the labor it was required to provide on the projects that Singh bid.  Throughout the life of the contracts obtained through this scheme, “Company B” had only one employee who performed work on the projects it was awarded.  Singh used a combination of “Company A” personnel and sub-contractors to staff projects awarded to “Company B.”

            From August 2009 through December 2010, “Company B” obtained a total of $6,808,552 in more than 25 federal contracts in this manner from the General Services Administration. The scheme generated at least $90,397 in profits for “Company A.” In addition, Singh received at least $28,768 in compensation attributable to the contracts.         

            To disguise the activities, Singh took a variety of steps, including:

•             Obtaining magnetic logos bearing the name of “Company B”
•             Directing a “Company A” employee to place “Company B’s” magnetic logos on a “Company A” vehicle when the vehicle would be used at construction sites for projects awarded by GSA.
•             Using and directing other “Company A” employees to use “Company B” e-mail accounts when corresponding with the government about contracts awarded to “Company B.”

•             Instructing “Company A” employees to tell GSA representatives that they were representing “Company B” on certain jobs.

            This investigation was conducted by the Inspector General’s Offices of the U.S. General Services Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Graves and John Marston of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

WASHINGTON – Dustin Evans, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to a 62- month prison term for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Evans pled guilty on April 19, 2016, in the United States District Court for District of Columbia, to the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm after being convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.  The Honorable John D. Bates sentenced Evans on June 29, 2016, to a total of 62 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on October 31, 2015, at approximately 7:00 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department received information that a black male wearing a dark-colored jumpsuit with tennis shoes and dreadlocks, was pointing a firearm at an unknown person in front of 2307 Good Hope Court, Southeast, in the District of Columbia.  Several officers observed Evans, who matched the lookout description, in front of 2307 Good Hope Court, Southeast.  The officers approached Evans, who fled the area, and when the officers followed Evans, an officer observed Evans throw a firearm to the ground.  The recovered firearm was determined to be a Glock 17, 9mm, semi-automatic firearm, and contained 17 rounds of ammunition.  Evans was detained, and law enforcement subsequently determined that Evans had been previously convicted of an offense that was punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the officers, and others who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Including Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Jason Edwards, 32, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty on Wednesday of five felony charges stemming from an incident last Halloween in Northeast Washington in which he shot a man, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            On June 29, 2016, Edwards was found guilty by a jury of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.  The Honorable Anita Josey-Herring presided over the trial. Sentencing is scheduled for August 30, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, on October 31, 2015, Edwards arranged to purchase marijuana from the victim, his former coworker.  The two men communicated via text message to set up the meeting.  Edwards had the victim meet him in the 3100 block of Channing Street, NE.  Instead of purchasing marijuana, Edwards—who was wearing a Batman costume—took out a gun and shot the victim in the upper chest.  As the victim ran away, Edwards chased him down the street and fired six additional shots, one of which struck the victim in his leg.  Fortunately, neither gunshot wound was fatal.  The victim was able to identify Edwards by first name within minutes of police arriving on the scene.  During its investigation, the government obtained cell site data from Edwards’ phone that placed him in an area consistent with where the shooting took place.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips praised the work of those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of Forensic Sciences, and the FBI.  He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Litigation Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia and Aneela Bhatia; and Paralegal Specialist Donville Drummond. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Laura Crane, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Joe Anthony Barber, 58, formerly of Woodbridge, Va., was found guilty today of first-degree murder while armed for the 1984 slaying of a woman at her apartment in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Barber was found guilty by a jury following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30, 2016. Barber faces a sentence of 20 years to life in prison for the crime.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 1, 1984, the body of the victim, Rachel Cox, 43, was found at 6:30 a.m., when her daughter came home to their apartment in the 3300 block of Sixth Street SE.  Ms. Cox was found on the floor, partially covered with a comforter, with her hands tied behind her back, her underwear at her feet, and 12 stab wounds to her torso, which injured her liver and heart.  The victim’s daughter had last seen her mother on New Year’s Eve just before midnight.

            Vaginal swabs taken from the body during the 1984 autopsy were submitted for DNA analysis in April 2013.  Semen was found on the swabs and a profile was developed.  Barber was identified as a suspect through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a web of state and national databases containing DNA profiles from convicted offenders and crime scenes that is used as an investigative tool. Barber’s profile was in the system as a result of a 1984 conviction in an unrelated rape case. Further investigation led to Barber’s arrest in November 2013, and he has been in custody since that time.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated 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 Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Paul Howell; Paralegal Specialists Alesha Matthews Yette, Debra Joyner, Stephanie Siegerist, and Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Karen Giannakoulias, and Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Tonya Jones and Katina Adams-Washington. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney and S. Vinét Bryant, who investigated, indicted and prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has completed its review of the fatal shooting of Darick Napper by a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer on Nov. 19, 2015, at an intersection in Northeast Washington. After a careful review of all of the evidence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against the officer involved in the fatal shooting of Mr. Napper.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and MPD conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included interviews of law enforcement and civilian witnesses and assessing photographs, DNA, diagrams, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, the autopsy report, and other evidence.

            According to the evidence, the shooting took place on Nov. 19, 2015, at approximately 1:52 p.m., at the intersection of Clay Terrace and 53rd Street NE. Mr. Napper walked up a hill next to a neighborhood community center, where he encountered the MPD officer, who was sitting in her cruiser finishing some paperwork before the end of her shift.  Mr. Napper leaned down and put his face near the officer’s partially opened driver’s side window. He had a large knife raised up and visible in his hand. The officer immediately reported to the dispatcher that she had a “man standing in front of me with a knife” and told the dispatcher to send back-up.

            The officer then slowly reversed her cruiser to put space between her and Mr. Napper, and then got out and stood behind her open door.  At that point, the officer did not have her weapon out.  She repeatedly ordered Mr. Napper to “drop the knife, drop the knife,” which was heard over the radio by responding officers.  Mr. Napper ignored her commands and started banging on the hood of the cruiser, damaging the vehicle. The officer took out her weapon and again told Mr. Napper to drop the knife.  He replied, “I will kill you out here,” and moved quickly towards her.  The officer fired one shot that fatally wounded Mr. Napper in the upper left chest area.

            In addition to the knife, which had a nine-inch blade, at the time of the confrontation with the officer, Mr. Napper was wearing a camouflaged “brass knuckles knife” – which is brass knuckles with serrated knives over each knuckle – in his left hand.

            Moments before the shooting, multiple civilian witnesses reported seeing Mr. Napper threatening several civilians outside the community center.  Mr. Napper had both the “brass knuckles knife” and the large knife, described by one witness as a “butcher knife.”  As one of the civilian witnesses called 911, Mr. Napper approached the MPD officer’s vehicle.

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer used excessive force under the circumstances.

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 fully and completely investigated.  The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, and a wide variety of law enforcement and community partners are coming together again this year to sponsor their sixth annual “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence” Youth Summit.

            The event is Thursday, June 30, 2016, at Friendship Collegiate Academy.

            The sixth annual summit will focus on youth making better decisions to achieve success, youth’s role in preventing violent crime, and the need to cooperate with law enforcement to solve violent crime. The event will feature dynamic speakers, entertainment, and valuable information and resources for our youth.

            Youths from throughout the District of Columbia are invited to the free program, which will start with the doors opening at 10 a.m. and run to 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 each year 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.

            This year, a key topic will be awareness and prevention of human trafficking.  Tina Frundt, a human trafficking survivor and founder of Courtney House, will to speak to teens about the dangers of being lured and manipulated into the nationally growing travesty of human trafficking. Younger children will learn about gun safety and gang prevention.  The summit will also include an information fair in which more than 20 non-profit organizations will provide information on youth development programs, mentoring, and education activities.

            Numerous partners will be coming together to present the day’s programs, including the  U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Friendship Collegiate Academy; the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); the Mayor Barry Youth Leadership Institute; the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General; 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 D.C. Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force; Project Shine, and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children The effort is supported by Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing gun and gang crimes. Those 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].

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WASHINGTON - Charles Young, 35, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 17 ½ years in prison for sexually abusing seven different male students at Dunbar Senior High School, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  The abuse occurred between January 2013 and May 2014, during which time the defendant worked at Dunbar as a business manager and assistant track coach.

            Young pled guilty in February 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to seven felony counts of sexual abuse, including first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, attempted first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and multiple counts of attempted second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.  Each of the seven counts concerns a different victim.  He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. Upon completion of his prison term, Young will be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life. He also must register as a sexual offender for the remainder of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, from 2012 to 2014, Young was employed as Dunbar’s business manager and was responsible for managing the school’s finances.  Although he did not teach any classes, he served as a senior class advisor, designed and distributed Dunbar school apparel, volunteered as an assistant boys’ track coach, and held other responsibilities that regularly put him in contact with students.

            Between January 2013 and May 2014, Young sexually abused seven male students, all between the ages of 14 and 17 years old.  All the incidents occurred on the Dunbar campus, which is located in the 100 block of N Street NW.  In one incident that occurred in the fall of 2013, a 15-year-old came to Young’s office to borrow a shirt to wear at basketball practice. Young led the boy into a closet next to his office that contained Dunbar apparel, closed the door, and eventually began performing oral sex on the student.  In another incident that occurred in February or March 2013, a 17-year-old came to Young’s office to pay school fees. Once alone with the student, Young had him lift his shirt and pull down his pants and underwear purportedly so that he could show the student, who was an athlete, muscle groups he needed to strengthen. Young had the student pull down his pants and underwear, began touching the student’s penis with his hand, and pressed his mouth to the student’s penis.

            On multiple occasions, Young used his position as a track coach to sexually abuse his juvenile victims.  In one incident in November 2013, Young brought a 16-year-old to an empty bathroom after track practice, purportedly to provide him some additional one-on-one coaching.  Inside the bathroom, he began touching the student on his stomach, pointing out muscle groups the defendant claimed needed work.  Young gradually began lowering the student’s shorts before grabbing the boy’s penis and attempting to pull it out of his pants.  In a separate incident that occurred in January or February of 2014, Young called a 14-year-old to his office to try on the new track team uniforms.  After the student disrobed, Young began touching the student’s abdomen, pointing out exercises he could do to deepen his abdominal muscles.  Young began touching the student near his groin and began pulling the student’s underwear down, exposing his penis. He then touched the boy’s penis with his hand.

            The defendant would also voice concerns about student hygiene as a ploy to sexually abuse them.  On multiple occasions, Young, while alone with a male student, would claim that the student smelled bad, apply hand sanitizer or lotion to his hand, and begin rubbing the boy’s abdomen, claiming that he was getting rid of the smell.  Young would then attempt to reach into the boy’s pants and touch his penis.

            The abuse came to light in November 2014 when one of the students reported to Dunbar administrators that the defendant had sexually abused him.  That student’s disclosure triggered an investigation that ultimately uncovered seven different students whom Young had sexually abused over the span of just three school semesters.  Young has been in custody since his arrest in November 2014.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work performed by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division. They also recognized the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Litigation Technical Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown, Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key, Criminal Investigators John Marsh and Mark Fitzgerald, former Legal Interns Stephanie Dinan and Emma MacArthur, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb and Sarah McClellan.  Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi Lazarus, who conducted much of the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Park and Julianne Johnston, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Thomas Harper, a former officer and owner of MCC Construction Company (MCC), pled guilty today to conspiring to obstruct justice before the Small Business Administration (SBA).  Harper also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $165,711.

            The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division; Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA); Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA); Brian J. Reihms, Special Agent in Charge of the Central Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).

            “This prosecution and the broader investigation that led to these charges demonstrate the resolve of law enforcement to protect the integrity of federal contracting rules meant to assist small, disadvantaged businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “We are committed to ensuring that the benefits of this important government program go only to those companies that truly are socially and economically disadvantaged and deserving of the work.”

            “Today's guilty plea ensures that the defendant does not profit from his crimes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hesse. “The Antitrust Division will continue to work with our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and in law enforcement to expose and punish schemes like this that defraud taxpayers and legitimate small business owners.”

            “The FBI will aggressively investigate those who seek to profit by fraudulently competing for government contracts intended for small businesses,” said Assistant Director in Charge Abbate.  “I want to thank the dedicated FBI special agents and analysts, as well as our partner agencies, for their hard work in protecting fair federal contracting opportunities for socially and economically disadvantaged businesses in our community.”

            “Fraudulently passing work through eligible small businesses to a large business does not provide taxpayers the best value and certainly does not support the role of small businesses as engines of economic development and job creation.  In fact, it subverts the purpose of SBA’s preferential contracting programs and harms the small businesses the programs are designed to assist,” said SBA Inspector General Gustafson. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their leadership and dedication to serving justice.”

            “This fraudulent scheme deceived taxpayers and deprived legitimate small businesses of lucrative contracts,” said GSA Inspector General Ochoa. “We are committed to rooting out such exploitative conduct.”

            “The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to working with our partner agencies to combat fraud impacting the Department of Defense's vital programs and operations and maintain the integrity of the procurement system," said Special Agent in Charge Reihms.

            “There is an absolute need and purpose to assist small and disadvantaged businesses in the contracting process," said Director Robey, "Special Agents from Army CID will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to make every contribution possible to bring persons to justice who violate that purpose."

            Harper, 46, of Colchester, Conn., was charged in a criminal information on June 6, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, with one count of conspiring to obstruct proceedings before a department or agency.  He waived the requirement of being charged by way of federal indictment, agreed to the filing of the information, and accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. According to the government’s calculations, Harper could face a potential range of 10 to 16 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled a status hearing in the case for Sept. 20, 2016.

            According to court documents, MCC and others conspired with two companies that were eligible to receive federal government contracts set asides for small, disadvantaged businesses with the understanding that MCC would, illegally, perform all of the work.  In so doing, MCC was able to win 27 government contracts worth over $70 million from 2008 to 2011.  The scope and duration of the scheme resulted in a significant number of opportunities lost to legitimate small and disadvantaged businesses.

            Court documents state that in one of these contracts, the GSA contracting officer filed a protest with the SBA, claiming that one of the companies was other than a small business because of its relationship with MCC.  The SBA opened a proceeding to determine whether MCC’s bid on behalf of one of the companies violated SBA rules and regulations. Harper and others took steps to corruptly influence, impede, and obstruct the SBA size determination protest by willfully and knowingly making false statements to the SBA about the extent and nature of the relationship between MCC and one of the companies.

            Court documents also state that MCC violated the provisions of the SBA 8(a) program.  The SBA 8(a) development program is designed to award contracts to businesses that are owned by “one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.”  To qualify for the 8(a) program, a business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by a U.S. citizen (or citizens) of good character who meet the SBA’s definition of socially and economically disadvantaged.  The firm must also be a small business (as defined by the SBA) and show a reasonable potential for success.  Participants in the 8(a) program are subject to regulatory and contractual limits.  Also, under the program, the disadvantaged business is required to perform a certain percentage of the work.  For the types of contracts under investigation here, the SBA 8(a)-certified companies were required to perform 15 percent or more of the work with its own employees.

            Earlier this year, MCC pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit fraud on the United States by illegally obtaining government contracts that were intended for small, disadvantaged businesses and agreed to pay $1,769,924 in criminal penalties and forfeiture.

            The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Inspector General of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the Central Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).

            The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Graves and John Marston of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Craig Y. Lee and Trial Attorneys Kevin B. Hart and Justin P. Murphy of the Antitrust Division.

WASHINGTON – Andre Hammond, 35, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 94 months in prison for sexually abusing a female child and committing a crime of violence while failing to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Michael Hughes, U.S. Marshal for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            Hammond pled guilty in September 2014, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of failure to register as a sex offender and one count of commission of a crime of violence while failing to register as a sex offender, in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  He also pled guilty to one count of second-degree child sexual abuse.  He was sentenced on June 21, 2016, by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Following his prison term, Hammond will be placed on 20 years of supervised release.

            Hammond has one prior misdemeanor conviction, in 2009, in the District of Columbia for a sex offense involving a different minor female victim, which requires him to register as a sex offender.  According to the government’s evidence, he initially registered in the District of Columbia but soon moved to Maryland and did not register his new address with the District of Columbia Sex Offender Registry or with any Maryland registry. In 2011, Hammond moved from Maryland back to the District, but continued to falsely register a District of Columbia address where he was not actually residing. While failing to properly register as a sex offender in the District of Columbia, Hammond then committed a new sex offense involving a child who he repeatedly molested over the course of almost four years. He was arrested in October 2013.

            As part of an overall strategy to combat child exploitation, the U.S. Marshals Service launched a nationwide operation to target sex offenders who violate SORNA by knowingly failing to comply with their sex offender registration requirements.  SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.  The Adam Walsh Act also provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the U.S. Marshals Service, to assist states in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and U.S. Marshal Hughes praised the work of Senior Inspector Floriano Whitwell and other members of the D.C. Superior Court Sex Offender Investigations Section of the U.S. Marshals Service, who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donhue Troy Griffith, Victim/Witness Advocate Elsa Maltese, Forensic Child Interviewer Karen Giannakoulias, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh.  Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heide Herrmann and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah McClellan, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office today honored about 170 law enforcement officers, agents, and investigators for their outstanding work on dozens of cases that led to the convictions of murderers, sex offenders, gang members, 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 34th 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. The efforts reflect the courage and commitment demonstrated on a daily basis by law enforcement on behalf of the community.

            “Thousands of law enforcement officers work long and unpredictable hours to protect the citizens of the District of Columbia from threats at home and overseas,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Their dedication to public service and justice inspires those of us who work with them on a daily basis. Today’s ceremony is a way to express our appreciation for their work.”

            The ceremony honored the achievements of people from 23 agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the FBI, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI),  the Metro Transit Police Department, the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department and other partners. Their efforts led to convictions in more than 50 cases that had an impact locally, nationally, and internationally.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office recognized the detective work performed by the Metropolitan Police Department in the investigation into the July 4, 2013 murder of 22-year-old Omar Sykes, a student at Howard University. Mr. Sykes was killed and another Howard University student was attacked in a botched attempted armed robbery in the 700 block of Fairmont Street NW. The MPD investigation led to the arrest of a man who pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree murder while armed and was sentenced to 28 ½ years in prison.

            Another team of MPD detectives and an evidence technician was honored for work on the investigation into the August 2011 murder of 91-year-old Viola Drath at her home in Georgetown. Their efforts led to the arrest and prosecution of Ms. Drath’s husband, Albrecht Muth, who had attempted to orchestrate the crime scene in an effort to make it look like his wife died of natural causes. MPD worked tirelessly to prove that Muth had indeed strangled his wife and then positioned her body to make it appear as if she fell in the bathroom and struck her head on the tub. Muth was found guilty in 2014 of first-degree (premeditated) murder with the aggravating circumstances that the murder was especially heinous, cruel, and inflicted on a vulnerable victim. He is serving decades in prison for the crime.

            The honorees also included a team from the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that investigated a drive-by shooting that wounded 13 people in March 2013 on North Capitol Street. The violence stemmed from a rivalry between two groups of people that flared up at a nearby nightclub. Gunmen fired a total of 38 shots from two separate cars into a crowd of people walking back to their homes or cars at the Tyler House neighborhood or Sursum Corda neighborhood. Ultimately, 14 individuals were convicted of crimes related to the mass shootings. During this investigation, several other violent crimes were closed, along with over 50 commercial burglaries.

            The ceremony also recognized a team from MPD and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that conducted an extensive investigation into activities of MS-13 in the Washington, D.C. area. Ultimately, 20 MS-13 members were charged with racketeering and related offenses in U.S. District Court. The defendants were charged with four murders, two attempted murders, and numerous other crimes, including kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, extortion, and obstruction of justice. Nearly all pleaded guilty to charges. Three MS-13 leaders went to trial and were found guilty of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, murder and other charges. Two of the three leaders were sentenced last year to life in prison and the other was sentenced to a 30-year term.

            Additionally, three members of the Metro Transit Police Department were honored for their work leading to the arrest and conviction of a man who stabbed a transgender girl in July 2014 while she was on board a Metrorail train. The victim, 15, was attacked in the late afternoon while on a Green Line train approaching the Fort Totten Metro station in Northeast Washington Her attacker pleaded guilty to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, with a hate crime enhancement, and he was subsequently sentenced to 56 months in prison.

            The ceremony also recognized a team from the FBI’s Washington Field Office that investigated a Ponzi scheme that cost investors approximately $28.6 million. The scheme collapsed, victimizing more than 150 people. The FBI’s work led to the arrest and prosecution of a Maryland man who pled guilty to securities fraud. He is serving a 28 ½-year prison term.

            On the international front, a team from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division was honored for its work on the investigation of the Sept. 16, 2007, shooting at Nisur Square in Baghdad, Iraq, that resulted in the killing of 14 unarmed civilians and the wounding of numerous others. Four Blackwater USA security contractors were found guilty in 2014, following a 10-week trial, of charges stemming from the shootings. The crime scene was large and the investigation required much international travel, both by witnesses and investigators. A total of 71 witnesses, including 30 from Iraq, testified at the trial, representing the largest group of foreign witnesses ever to travel to the United States for a criminal trial.

WASHINGTON – Terrence Atchison and Barry Bloomfield have been indicted by a grand jury on a total of 21 charges, including assault with intent to kill while armed and assault with intent to kill a minor while armed, stemming from a shooting earlier this year at a barber shop in Southeast Washington, announced Channing D. Phillips, the United States Attorney, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Atchison, 20, and Bloomfield, 27, both of Washington, D.C., are to be arraigned on the charges on June 23, 2016 at a hearing before the Honorable Zoe Bush in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The indictment, which was returned on June 15, 2016, includes a range of offenses. The lead charge carries a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison.

            The indictment followed an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department into the shooting, which took place on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, at approximately 1:40 p.m. at Wrenn’s Barber Shop in the 1000 block of Eighth Street SE. The barber shop is a longstanding family business in the neighborhood. At the time of the shooting, the shop was bustling with customers. The customers included the two victims: an adult, who was shot in the leg and ankle, and his 21-month-old son, who was shot in the leg.

            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.

            Atchison was arrested on Feb. 17, 2016, and Bloomfield was arrested on Feb. 18, 2016. They have been in custody while awaiting further court proceedings.

            In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who are investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of those handling the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Allison Daniels and Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa N. Walters and Thomas N. Saunders, who are prosecuting the matter.

WASHINGTON – Deandre Britton, 27, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 90-month prison term after earlier pleading guilty to stabbing a security officer after a shoplifting incident in downtown Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Britton pled guilty in February 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced on June 15, 2016, by the Honorable Anita Josey-Herring. Upon completion of his prison term, Britton will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 11, 2015, at approximately 3:10 p.m., Britton entered the Macy’s Department store at Metro Center, in the 1200 block of G Street NW. He placed assorted items of clothing into a bag and walked out without paying.  Two security officers tried to stop Britton and retrieve the stolen items. Without provocation, he stabbed one of them in the upper arm and left wrist several times. The stabbing caused nerve damage to the security officer’s arm. Britton fled, and police broadcast a look-out for him. He was arrested later that day after Metro Transit Police stopped him at Union Station.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Nurudeen Elias, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Michael Johnson, 50, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a bank robbery charge involving a hold-up last year in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Johnson pled guilty to the charge on June 21, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In entering his guilty plea, Johnson also admitted responsibility for an additional bank robbery and an attempted bank robbery.  He is to be sentenced on Sept. 20, 2016 by the Honorable Richard J. Leon. He faces a statutory maximum of 25 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 70 to 87 months in prison and a potential fine of $20,000 to $200,000.

            Johnson remains held without bond pending sentencing.

            According to the government=s evidence, on Saturday, June 6, 2015, at approximately 12:40 p.m., Johnson walked into a Wells Fargo Bank in the 3300 block of 14th Street NW. He approached a bank employee and inquired about opening a joint bank account.  When the employee asked about the second party for the joint account, Johnson stated that he was not there to open an account, but there “for the money.”  Shortly thereafter, Johnson grabbed the bank employee and forced her to the teller stations with what appeared to be a handgun pointed at her body.  He threatened to shoot the employee if the tellers did not give him money.  A bank teller gave him $910 from one of the teller drawers. Johnson took the cash and fled the bank.

            Within a few minutes of the bank robbery, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department saw Johnson in the 1300 block of Kenyon Street NW, a short distance from the Wells Fargo bank.  When they attempted to approach him, he fled.  After a brief chase, the officers subdued Johnson and later recovered the stolen money in his pants.  After Johnson was placed under arrest, he was interviewed by law enforcement. He admitted to robbing the Wells Fargo bank.   He also told law enforcement where he discarded the weapon he had used when he fled from the bank.  The weapon, a knife shaped like a gun, was recovered shortly thereafter.  

            The other crimes took place in the weeks leading up to the Wells Fargo Bank robbery.

            On May 15, 2015, at approximately 11:35 a.m., Johnson walked into a Wells Fargo Bank in the 1900 block of Seventh Street NW. He told a bank employee that he was there to open an account.  After the employee asked for his identification, Johnson handed her a note demanding money and threatening to hurt the employee.  The employee told Johnson that she did not have any money at her desk, but that she would get some cash from the teller.  As she stood, she pressed the alarm button under her desk.  Johnson told her that he saw her push the button and then left the bank. He was later identified by a witness from surveillance video from the bank.

            On May 21, 2015, at about 1:15 p.m., Johnson walked into a Citibank in the 3200 block of 14th Street NW. He approached a teller and handed over a note demanding money.  Johnson then said, “Give me the cash right now,” while making a threatening gesture towards a customer in a nearby teller line.  The teller gave Johnson $1,745 and he fled from the bank.  The note was later processed for fingerprints, and a latent print matching Johnson was recovered.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the actions of those who worked on the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office 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 Catherine O’Neal and Legal Assistant Peter Gaboton.  Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamila Hodge, who is prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – David Bernier, 52, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a scheme in which he forged military records and made false statements in an attempt to collect over $700,000 under a federal law meant to protect active duty military members from suffering losses through mortgage foreclosures.

            The guilty plea was announced by Channing D. Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General for the Department of Justice, and James Springs, Inspector General for the National Archives and Records Administration.

            Bernier pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of making a false statement. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 24 to 30 months in prison and a potential fine of $10,000 to $95,000. The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4, 2016.

            The scheme involved Bernier’s claims that he was entitled to protection under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a law that provides protections for military members as they enter active duty. Among other things, the law prohibits non-judicial foreclosures against service members who are in military service or within the applicable post-service period, as long as they originated their mortgages before their period of military service began.

            In 2012, the United States settled two lawsuits against financial institutions accused of improperly foreclosing on mortgages of active duty military service personnel. The court agreements led to the creation of settlement funds out of which payments would be made to qualified individuals whose homes had been wrongfully foreclosed upon.

            Bernier filed two such claims in 2014, involving foreclosures that took place in 2008 and 2009 of two condominiums he owned in Fort Lauderdale. In both claims, Bernier stated that the properties were foreclosed upon while he was on active duty in the U.S. Air Force in Iraq. He also provided documentation claiming he had received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Citation for conduct in Iraq from July 2008 to March 2010. Under the settlement agreements, if the claims were valid, Bernier could have received a total of $730,000.

            However, the financial institutions were unable to substantiate Bernier’s claims, leading him to submit follow-up documents and make statements attesting to his service. In fact, an investigation determined that the documents Bernier had submitted were forgeries. At the time that Bernier supposedly was in Iraq, he was in fact working in the state of Washington. No money was paid to Bernier, whose actions became the subject of a criminal investigation.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Inspector General Horowitz, and Inspector General Springs commended those who investigated the case from the Offices of Inspector General for the Department of Justice and the National Archives and Records Administration. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Document Management Analyst John Lowell, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who is prosecuting the matter.

WASHINGTON – Javar Harris, 37, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to five years in prison on a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Harris pled guilty in March 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced on June 17, 2016, by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Upon completion of his prison term, Harris will be placed on four years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of July 2, 2015, law enforcement officers performed a traffic stop of Harris’s vehicle in the 1600 block of Oates Street NE. Harris was consuming an alcoholic beverage in a plastic cup and had a bottle of tequila in his possession. When exiting the vehicle, Harris had an odor consistent with an alcoholic beverage. Located in the center console glove compartment of the vehicle — between the passenger seat and the driver’s seat — was 116.8 grams of crack cocaine. At the time of his arrest, Harris had been twice convicted of distribution related cocaine convictions in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Narcotics and Special Investigations Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. He 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, of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Section, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Craig Allen Lee, 44, formerly of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to an 18-year prison term for sexually assaulting a teenage girl at an apartment in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Lee, a convicted sex offender, was found guilty in February 2016 of attempted first-degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. Upon completion of his prison term, Lee 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, the attack took place Sept. 18, 2011, at an apartment that the girl was visiting in Southeast Washington. Sometime in the middle of the night, Lee crept into the bedroom where the victim was sleeping.  The victim woke to find Lee rubbing her buttocks as she was on her stomach.  He then pulled down her sweat pants and underwear and sexually assaulted her. Two days later, the victim told a counselor and her mother.  They called the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The girl was taken to Children’s National Medical Center. A thigh swab showed DNA consistent with the defendant’s.

            Lee was arrested in 2012 and has been in custody ever since. He was convicted in 1997 of second-degree rape of a 12-year-old girl in Prince George’s County, Md.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. He also expressed appreciation for the work performed by Children’s National Medical Center and the assistance that was provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Bode Technologies.

            U.S. Attorney Phillips acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists D’Yvonne Key, Troy Griffith, and Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Litigation Technology Supervisor Joshua Ellen; Information Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia, Aneela Bhatia, William Henderson, and Thomas R. Royal; Investigative Analysts William Hamann, Sharon Johnson, Shannon Alexis, and Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Bates, Sharon Donovan, and Chrisellen Kolb. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter V. Taylor and Kara Traster, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taylor and Sarah McClellan, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Stephanie Carethers, 47, of Capitol Heights, Md., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for taking approximately $702,000 in federal retirement pension benefits after her mother’s death, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Norbert E. Vint, Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

            Carethers pled guilty in March 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree theft. She was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.  Following her prison term, Carethers will be placed on three years of supervised release. She also must pay $668,934 in restitution. Other losses earlier were recovered.

            According to a statement of offense submitted at the time of the plea and signed by the defendant, OPM manages pension benefits for retired employees of the U.S. government.  The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) is a retirement system covering federal employees who entered covered federal service before Jan. 1, 1987.  Upon retirement from civil service, the federal employees covered by CSRS become CSRS annuitants and are entitled to CSRS benefits throughout their lifetimes.  In addition, a CSRS annuitant has the option to elect a survivor benefit for his/her spouse; if selected, a spousal benefit allows for the annuitant’s surviving spouse to continue to receive a reduced amount of benefits throughout the spouse’s lifetime.

            OPM pays retirement annuity benefits to the retired federal government employee only during his/her lifetime; payments cease upon the employee’s death.  OPM pays survivor annuity benefits to the annuitant’s spouse only during his/her lifetime; payments cease upon the spouse’s death.

            The defendant’s mother worked for the federal government from 1941 to 1986.  From 1941 to 1945, she worked for the Executive Office of the President for Emergency Management, and then worked for the U.S. State Department from 1945 to 1986.  She died on April 23, 2001. The defendant’s father also worked for the U.S. government until his retirement in June 1986. He died on March 7, 2002, surviving his wife by about one year.

            Although Carethers notified Maryland’s Division of Vital Records that her mother died, she did not notify OPM.  Unaware of the death, OPM paid approximately $495,967 in retirement annuity benefits from 2001 until March 2010 by way of direct deposits into a SunTrust Bank savings account solely in the name of the defendant’s parents.

            Although Carethers likewise notified Maryland’s Division of Vital Records that her father died on March 7, 2002, she did not notify OPM.  However, OPM learned of his death and suspended his retirement annuity benefits in July 2002. Carethers subsequently called OPM’s Office of Retirement Programs, identifying herself as the daughter.  She requested that survivor annuity benefits application forms be sent to her mother, not disclosing that her mother actually was deceased. She then caused an application to be sent to OPM fraudulently requesting survivor annuity benefits for her mother; the application contained the forged signature of her mother. Because her mother was deceased, she was not eligible for survivor annuity benefits. Based on this application and unaware of the death of the defendant’s mother, OPM paid approximately $206,982 in survivor annuity benefits. These payments were directly deposited into a SunTrust Bank checking account solely in the name of the defendant’s parents.

            From 2001 to 2010, Carethers used the fraudulently obtained payments that OPM sent after her mother’s death to buy items and services for herself and others.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Acting Inspector General Vint expressed appreciation for the work performed by Special Agents and analysts from OPM’s Office of Inspector General.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Kaitlyn Krueger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Tyi Michael Tunstall, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for various schemes in which he used personal identifying information from others to steal more than $75,000, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service.

            At the time of these offenses, Tunstall was on probation in an earlier fraud case. He used some of the proceeds of these schemes to pay his court-ordered restitution in the earlier case.

            Tunstall pled guilty in March 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to wire fraud and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Following his prison term, Tunstall will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must perform 100 hours of community service and pay $21,614 in restitution and an identical amount as a forfeiture money judgment.

            Tunstall previously pled guilty in September 2013 to a charge of mail fraud. He was sentenced in March 2014 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to five years of probation, with special conditions that he complete six months of home confinement to be followed by 20 weekends in jail. He also was ordered to pay $61,543 in restitution in that case.

            According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Tunstall worked from July 2014 to July 2015 for a company that managed a senior citizens’ apartment complex in Washington, D.C., first as an office assistant and later as the complex’s manager. From Sept. 8 through Oct. 27, 2015, he worked at a staffing agency that assigned him to a call center for three credit unions. He used both workplaces as a means to carry out his schemes, as outlined below:

            Identity Theft and Fraud at the Apartment Complex:

            In one scheme, Tunstall stole the personal identifying information of an 83-year-old resident of the complex and used the information to open multiple accounts at financial institutions from March 2015 to October 2015. He used one card multiple times, causing American Express to incur $1,785 in losses. Tunstall also placed orders on a credit account at Montgomery Ward, causing $225 in losses.

            In a separate scheme, Tunstall diverted to himself at least 22 checks and money orders from tenants to the apartment complex, totaling $8,723. These checks and money orders were intended to be used for rent, cable and community room rental. Tunstall added his name to the payee and/or memo line of the checks and money orders and kept them for his personal use.

            Tunstall also created 18 additional counterfeit checks, using the names of the apartment complex and two other persons whose information he obtained. Some of these checks were returned, but Tunstall eventually received $1,640.

            Identity Theft and Fraud at the Call Center:

            While working at the credit union call center, Tunstall accessed a credit union member’s bank accounts. He created a counterfeit check using this account information in the amount of $61,525 and deposited it into his personal bank account. He also transferred $20,000 of the victim’s money to an account that he controlled and that he had set up in the name of the 83-year-old victim.

            Tunstall used $52,512 of the proceeds from these schemes to pay off his restitution balance in the earlier case at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

**

            In addition to these acts, while he was on probation, Tunstall made a series of false representations to his probation officer and submitted forged documents to the Court, regarding his employment and other issues. This led to a probation revocation hearing on Oct. 29, 2015. At that time, Tunstall told the Court that he was able to pay the balance of his restitution because his grandmother had provided the money. In fact, as Tunstall well knew, he used the money that he had fraudulently obtained from others to pay off the restitution balance. His probation was revoked after the hearing and he has remained in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Special Agent in Charge Ebert commended those who investigated the case from the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Montgomery County, Md. Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who assisted with forfeiture issues; Criminal Investigator Nicole Hinson; Document Management Analyst John Lowell; Paralegal Specialist Christopher Toms, and Victim/Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant and James Brennan.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Franklin “Giovanni” Torres, 33, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 21 years in prison on child pornography and sexual abuse charges involving a teenage boy, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), announced today.

            Torres was found guilty by a jury on March 11, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and first-degree sexual abuse of a minor. He was sentenced on June 15, 2016, by the Honorable Senior Judge Ellen S. Huvelle. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on supervised release for the rest of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, Torres resided from January 2014 until April 2015 with the victim’s family at an apartment in Northwest Washington. The victim, a teenage boy, had only been in the U.S. for less than two years since immigrating from El Salvador and reuniting with his parents, who had come to the U.S. several years earlier, planning to obtain jobs and then send for their son. The boy’s parents allowed Torres to stay in their apartment after he lost his job and needed a place to stay. After Torres was living with the family for several months, the victim’s mother discovered a naked photo of a male child with his face obscured on the defendant’s Facebook page.  The boy in the photo turned out to be the victim, and the photo was taken by Torres during an incident in which Torres had sexually abused him.

            Shortly after the victim’s mother confronted Torres about the photo, he deleted it from Facebook and apologized to her.  The victim’s mother later surreptitiously obtained a copy of the deleted photo from Torres’s cell phone, and she found additional naked photos of the victim.  She and her son reported the activities to the police several months later, after Torres moved out of their apartment. The boy also revealed to police that Torres sexually abused him.

            This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD.  In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Joyce Arthur and Troy Griffith; Information Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia and Aneela Bhatia, Criminal Investigator John Marsh, and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea L. Hertzfeld and Denise A. Simmonds, who prosecuted the case.

          The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia offers its deepest condolences in the wake of the unconscionable violence that occurred June 12, 2016 at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Our office condemns this horrific terrorist attack against the LGBT community and its allies. We send our thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of the victims.

           As Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates stated, “Words cannot express the depth of our sorrow or the measure of our grief for all those whom we lost and all those whose lives have been changed forever.  What happened in Orlando … was a horrifying act of evil and of terror.  For the LGBT community, Pulse was more than a place to celebrate and see friends. It was a place that promised safety, inclusion and the freedom for people to be themselves – the same promise our country has made to all of us.  This was an attack on that promise.  It was an attack on our values, on our country and on our national community.  It was an attack on who we are as a nation and as a people.  And our country as a whole stands united in its response to this cowardly and despicable act.”

            The U.S. Attorney has made a concerted effort, through our Hate Bias Task Force, our participation on the Mayor’s Office on LGBT Affair’s Violence Prevention and Response Team, and other outreach efforts, to build relationships with the LGBT community. We stand in staunch support and solidarity with LGBT communities in Orlando and here in Washington, D.C. 

            Together with our law enforcement partners, we will do all that we can to assist the LGBT community during this troubling time and to strengthen safety and security.

WASHINGTON – Quad/Graphics Inc. has agreed to pay $750,000 to the United States to resolve allegations that the firm violated security requirements involving personally identifiable information on contracts with the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO).

            The settlement agreement was announced today by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Michael A. Raponi, Inspector General for the U.S. Government Publishing Office.

            The company, based in Sussex, Wisconsin, specializes in print solutions, such as retail inserts, publications, catalogs, direct mail, packaging, books, and directories. Since January of 2013, it provided printing services under contracts with the GPO. These contracts involved the electronic receipt and printing of Social Security Administration forms that contain personally identifiable information, protected from disclosure under the federal Privacy Act and other laws. Under the contracts, the company was to meet security requirements involving the handling of documents with personally identified information, including the handling of waste.

            The agreement resolves allegations stemming from an investigation by the GPO Office of Inspector General of a company facility in Chalfont, Pennsylvania. As a result of the investigation, the United States alleged civil claims arising from its contention that Quad/Graphics failed to comply with the security requirements. For example, the government alleged, Quad/Graphics failed to dispose of waste according to GPO procedures; used malfunctioning security cameras to monitor production runs and the bale room; allowed unauthorized employees who had not undergone required background checks to work on the contracts, and altered sign-in sheets to conceal the fact that the unauthorized employees had access to the secure work area.

            In addition to the $750,000 payment, Quad/Graphics has agreed to a series of changes in the way it trains its employees on the handling of documents containing personally identifiable information and in the actual physical layout of its printing facility to maximize security of personal identification information.

            The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

            The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia and the GPO Office of Inspector General. In announcing the settlement, U.S. Attorney Philips and Inspector General Raponi commended the work of Special Agent Keith D. Olive, who investigated the case from the Inspector General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell C. Valdez of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

WASHINGTON – Malik Lloyd, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a total of 42 months in prison on charges of felony assault, destruction of property, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs stemming from a car crash early Jan. 1, 2016 in downtown Washington that caused significant injuries to at least three people, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Lloyd pled guilty on March 30, 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to three counts of assault with significant bodily injury, one count of destruction of property, and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug.  In a separate case, Lloyd pled guilty on that same date to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

           The Honorable Zoe Bush sentenced Lloyd to 42 months in prison for the assault and destruction of property charges in connection with the Jan. 1, 2016 incident, as well as six months in prison for driving under the influence, and a 36-month prison term in the separate drug case. The sentences are to run concurrently. After his prison term, Lloyd will be placed on two years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 1, 2016, at about 1:30 a.m., Lloyd was driving a Chrysler 200 northbound on 17th Street NW. He struck a Honda CRV that was also driving on 17th Street.  After the collision, Lloyd drove away, making a right turn onto L Street NW and driving up onto the sidewalk in front of Barcode, a bar located in the 1600 block of L Street NW. The car that he was driving struck a tree box, tree, and several pedestrians on the sidewalk before finally striking a light pole on the north side of the sidewalk.

            At least 13 people were assaulted as the result of the collision; some were injured directly by the vehicle and others indirectly by flying debris. At least three people incurred significant bodily injury that required immediate hospitalization or medical treatment. After the crash, while being treated by emergency medical personnel, Lloyd stated to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) that he had two glasses of champagne.

            The MPD officer smelled an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Lloyd’s mouth and observed that Lloyd’s eyes were bloodshot. At Howard University Hospital, Lloyd admitted to drinking in the club and smoking marijuana prior to going there. At the time of testing, his alcohol concentration level was 0.20 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, which is beyond the legal limit in the District of Columbia. There was also the presence of marijuana in his blood. Lloyd has been in custody since his arrest after the crash.

            The other case stemmed from a search carried out by law enforcement on Oct. 30, 2014, of Lloyd’s residence in the 6000 block of Clay Street NE. According to the government’s evidence, MPD members found significant quantities of drugs inside the residence, including bottles of liquid PCP and multiple stashes of crack cocaine.  MPD members also found drug paraphernalia, suggesting the packaging and distribution of narcotics, including multiple digital scales, cutting agents, and small “zip” bags used for street-level distribution of narcotics.  MPD members also found boxes of ammunition and three firearms, including two semi-automatic handguns that were found in Lloyd’s bedroom.

            In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated each of the cases for the Metropolitan Police Department, as well as the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General, which handled the prosecution of the charge of driving while under the influence.  He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the DEA and the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.  He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle and Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Earnest, Michael Romano, Thomas Saunders, and Anwar Graves prosecuted the cases.

WASHINGTON – Markell Alston, 23, and Darryl Malloy, 21, both formerly of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to second-degree murder while armed in the broad daylight slaying of a man in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Both men pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to the murder charge in the death of Kevin Owens. Each also pled guilty in separate cases to assault with a dangerous weapon. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 23, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, Alston and Malloy were good friends who lived in the Woodland Terrace area of Southeast Washington. Mr. Owens, 22, was from the Congress Park area of Southeast Washington. In December 2014 and January 2015, Alston was angry that Mr. Owens had started dating the mother of two of Alston’s children.

            On Jan. 19, 2015, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, at about 2 p.m., Mr. Owens parked his car in the 3400 block of 13th Place SE, in the Congress Park area. While Mr. Owens was sitting in the driver’s seat of his car, Alston and Malloy approached the vehicle from behind. Both defendants were armed, and both fired multiple shots at Mr. Owens. They then ran away. Mr. Owens, who was struck by seven bullets, was found on the street near the driver’s side of his car.  The shooting was captured by a high-definition surveillance video camera installed in the area by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In a separate case, Alston pled guilty to assaulting another inmate while he was in custody at the D.C. Jail in a noontime incident on Nov. 18, 2015. According to the government’s evidence, he and another inmate stabbed the victim with sharp objects. A corrections officer ran over and halted the attack. The victim was taken to a hospital and treated for 23 stab wounds, including on his head, neck, back, and arms.

            Malloy pled guilty to accosting a contractor who was installing safety lights on the afternoon of Sept. 15, 2014, on the roofs of buildings in the Woodland Terrace area. While the contractor was on a ladder, Malloy approached him, pulled a gun from his waistband, and yelled that he did not want the lights installed.

            In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the murder case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the FBI, and Bode Cellmark Forensics. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Zekiah Wright, former Paralegal Specialist Karen Hansen, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Criminal Investigators John Marsh and Durand Odom, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Supervisor Security Specialist Michael Hailey, and Victim/Witness Security Specialists M. Laverne Forrest and Tanya Via.

            Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natalia Medina, Jeffrey Nestler, Lindsey Merikas, and Dineen Baker, who investigated and secured indictments in the various cases.

WASHINGTON - Michael Lawrence Rosebar, 53, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on charges alleging that he defrauded customers of his home improvement business and personal creditors, as well as on charges alleging that he made false statements in proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today. Rosebar also is accused of defrauding government programs that aid unemployed people and needy families.

            A grand jury returned a 45-count superseding indictment on June 9, 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The superseding indictment includes a total of 26 bankruptcy-related charges first filed against him in an indictment in February 2016, and adds 19 new charges related to the bankruptcy proceedings and two other alleged fraud schemes.

            Rosebar is charged with 32 federal counts, including 26 counts of concealment of bankruptcy assets; two counts of making false declarations in bankruptcy; one count of making a false oath or account in bankruptcy; and three counts of wire fraud. He additionally is charged with 13 counts of violating District of Columbia laws, including two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree fraud and 11 counts of first-degree fraud. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of a money judgment representing all proceeds of any criminal acts outlined in the federal charges.

            Rosebar, who pleaded not guilty to charges in the first indictment, is to be arraigned on the new charges on June 22, 2016, by the Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan.

            “As alleged in the indictment, this home improvement contractor made false statements in bankruptcy proceedings, defrauded clients and creditors, and cheated government programs,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “The prosecution of this case reflects our broader determination to protect consumers and government programs from fraud.”

            According to the indictment, Rosebar operated businesses under several names, including EMR Construction Contractors. From at least February 2008 through January 2015, the indictment alleges, Rosebar 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 indictment, he negotiated contracts with customers for substantial home improvement or HVAC projects, which he did not intend to complete. He required an initial payment prior to starting work, hired unskilled day laborers or family members for the projects, and then abandoned job sites after doing minimal or otherwise insufficient work, the indictment alleges. The indictment includes charges related to 10 such projects, in which clients paid over $500,000, from 2008 through 2014.

            In addition, according to the indictment, Rosebar filed three times for bankruptcy in the period between 2008 and 2013. The first case was dismissed within two months of its filing. The second case ran from 2008 through its dismissal in 2011. The third case was filed in 2013.

            The indictment alleges that, in one of his bankruptcies, Rosebar concealed from his creditors nearly $300,000 of earnings generated between 2008 and 2010. In another of the bankruptcy cases, according to the indictment, he made false declarations about his earnings in court filings and at a meeting of creditors. All told, according to the indictment, since 2008, Rosebar has taken in around $800,000, mostly from home-improvement clients, without paying his creditors, and without disclosing the bulk of these earnings properly in bankruptcy.

            The indictment also accuses Rosebar of receiving benefits to which he was not entitled from the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services. From 2010 until 2014, according to the indictment, Rosebar 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.

            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.

            In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marston, who is prosecuting the case. He also commended the efforts of Criminal Investigator Stephen Cohen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who investigated the case, as well as Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi and John Lowell, 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, U.S. Attorney Phillips expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.

WASHINGTON – Michael Gayle 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 24-year prison term on a charge of second-degree murder stemming from the brutal strangling and stabbing of his estranged wife at her home in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Gayle pled guilty in April 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Following his prison term, Gayle will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of June 29, 2014, Gayle went to the home of his wife, 31-year-old Eboni Domally, in the 5200 block of Queens Stroll Place SE. On that date, Gayle was no longer living at the home, having moved out over two months earlier. After arriving at the home, Gayle strangled Ms. Domally, and then later stabbed her, causing extensive sharp force injuries to Ms. Domally. These injuries eventually led to Ms. Domally’s death.  Ms. Domally’s young son observed the events and ran to get help.

            Gayle left the home before help arrived.  He was ultimately arrested on July 22, 2014, by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force at his mother’s home in Charlotte, N.C. He has been in custody ever since.

            Gayle pled guilty in 2012 in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Md., to assault and burglary charges stemming from another incident in September 2011 with his wife.

            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 expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Capital Area regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Patricia A. Riley, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialists Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie and Kendra Johnson; former Lead Paralegal Specialist Kwasi Fields. and Librarian Lisa Kosow. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Magdalena Acevedo and Amy H. Zubrensky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Ivan Lamont Robinson, a licensed nurse practitioner who was based in Southeast Washington, has been indicted on federal charges that he distributed oxycodone outside the legitimate scope of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.

            The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips; Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Division Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Nicholas DiGiulio, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), for the region that includes Washington, D.C.; Robert E. Craig, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Robinson, 44, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on June 7, 2016, by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, on a total of 55 felony counts. The indictment became public today, and Robinson is to appear in court at a later date. The case is assigned to the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Each of the 55 counts carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the charges carry a potential range of 97 to 121 months in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, Robinson conducted a pain management practice from 2011 until 2013 in the 2000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. His practice received numerous complaints from civilians in the area and from other health care professionals, including pharmacists, who suspected that he was operating a “pill mill” rather than a medical pain management practice.

            Law enforcement executed numerous search warrants involving his practice on June 19, 2013.  After a meeting with officials of DEA, he voluntarily relinquished his DEA license, which had authorized him to write prescriptions for controlled substance medication.  Under D.C. Board of Health rules, he had been permitted to write prescriptions and treat certain patients without supervision by a licensed physician. The indictment alleges that he wrote 55 prescriptions for various patients.  Each patient received the same prescription, that is, 60 tablets of 30 mg oxycodone.

            “Pill mill” prosecutions are common in the United States, but this appears to be the first of its kind to be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. “Pill mill” is a shorthand terminology for a medical practice which begins selling prescriptions to customers, usually for cash.  Pill mill practices are characterized by practitioners who cease treating patients.  For example, when a health care professional ceases conducting medical histories of patients, refrains from conducting physical examinations, neglects to keep adequate medical records listing diagnosis and treatment plans, and simply sells patients prescriptions for opioids, like oxycodone, in exchange for cash, then such conduct is not in the usual course of professional practice.  In those instances, health care professionals can face prosecution for distribution of controlled substances.

            “Doctors and health care professionals have a responsibility to the public to prescribe opioid medications carefully, and when there is a legitimate medical purpose to do so, and not merely to feed someone’s addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to combatting the problem of opioid abuse.”

            “Most health care professionals adhere to strict standards when caring for their patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Colder. “However, in this instance, Mr. Robinson is accused of using his position to prescribe oxycodone for the sole purpose of making money, ultimately putting lives in danger. This indictment, numerous search warrants and subsequent arrest demonstrates that DEA is dedicated to dismantling “pill mill” operations. When prescriptions are obtained through rogue pain management clinics and then sold on the streets, it creates and feeds a new generation of users and addicts. These addicts will continue to abuse the illegal prescriptions, or switch to a cheaper and more potent drug; heroin. DEA would like to thank its law enforcement partners for their diligent efforts to keep the citizens of Washington, D.C. safe.”

            “This indictment is part of an ongoing effort by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) to aggressively investigate allegations of health care fraud that affect the Department of Defense and put its personnel at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig. “DCIS will continue working with our law enforcement partners to make health care fraud an investigative priority.”

            According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2011, three-quarters of prescription overdose deaths involved a prescription for an opioid pain reliever, such as oxycodone.  While these medicines have a legitimate medical use for alleviating pain, they are in such great demand that opioids and heroin are now the number one drug threat to our region and to the nation. As President Obama pointed out in May 2016, "Drug overdoses now take more lives every year than traffic accidents. Deaths from opioid overdoses have tripled since 2000. A lot of the time, they're from legal drugs prescribed by a doctor.”

             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.

            In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Colder, Special Agent in Charge DiGiulio, Special Agent in Charge Craig, and Chief Lanier commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Dominguez and John Han, who are prosecuting the case. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by Paralegal Specialist Jeannette Litz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Finally, they acknowledged the work of those who are investigating the case, including Metropolitan Police Department Officer Karen Taylor Arikpo and DEA Drug Diversion Investigator Shirley Powell, both from the DEA’s Tactical Drug Diversion Squad; Special Agent Tracy McFadden of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Special Agent Nacieve Owens of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service.

WASHINGTON – Antwon Pitt, 22, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of charges stemming from a sexual assault against a woman he attacked while she was working from her Southeast Washington home, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Pitt was found guilty of charges of first-degree sexual abuse, kidnapping, first-degree burglary, robbery, threats, and felony assault. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Pitt will be sentenced on Aug. 19, 2016 by the Honorable Florence Pan. He remains in custody pending further court proceedings.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 13, 2015, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the victim was alone and working at home on her computer. Suddenly she saw Pitt standing in her apartment. He had entered through an unlocked door. After learning that the woman was alone, he grabbed her and slammed her onto the floor. He proceeded to violently press his hand over the victim's mouth and nose as he forced her down the hall with his other hand around her throat.  Once in the victim's bedroom, he raped the victim on her own bed.  After the rape, he took the victim's phone, demanded her passcode, and left.  The victim was taken to the hospital where she was treated for her injuries, which included fractured facial bones requiring surgery.

            The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) obtained surveillance footage from the alley by the victim's building showing a suspect walking through the alley after the rape wearing a backpack and bright orange shoelaces.  MPD was then able to track the victim's phone to a gas station in Mitchellville, Md., where Pitt, who matched the description of the person in the surveillance footage and the description provided by the victim, was stopped.  At the time of his stop, Pitt had the victim's phone and checks made out to the victim's husband, as well as a pair of gloves. Pitt’s DNA and the victim's DNA were found on gloves. At the time of the crime, Pitt was on release in a pending drug case.

            Pitt is awaiting trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges related to another burglary that took place on Oct. 6, 2015 in Northeast Washington. The victim in that case awakened to discover a man in her home. The man robbed her of her cellphone, wallet, and other personal belongings and fled. Pitt has pled not guilty to charges in that case.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Metro Transit Police Department, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, Sorenson Forensics, and Signature Science, LLC. He acknowledged the efforts of a team that worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Donhue Troy Griffith and D’Yvonne Key, Victim/Witness Advocates Tracey Hawkins and Veronica Vaughan, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McClellan and Luke Jones, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Dhyru Jamaal Gillis, 21, of Hyattsville, Md., has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for robbing a bank in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Gillis pled guilty in March 2016 to a charge of bank robbery. He was sentenced on June 6, 2016, by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Following his prison term, Gillis will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 19, 2015, at approximately 9:55 a.m., Gillis entered a SunTrust Bank branch in the 5000 block of Connecticut Avenue NW. He passed a demand note to the teller stating that, “[t]his is a robbery give all your $100 $50, $20 you got 30 seconds.”  Fearing for her safety and the safety of others, the teller turned over $2,344.

            In addition to admitting to that robbery, in his guilty plea Gillis admitted attempting to rob a Citibank branch in the 5700 block of Connecticut Avenue NW, just three days earlier, on Oct. 16, 2015.  He wound up leaving the bank without getting any money.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier commended the actions of the FBI and Metropolitan Police Department officers who worked to solve this case.  They also expressed appreciation for the work of Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Finally, they commended efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Meguiel Jackson, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison on a charge of malicious disfigurement while armed for cutting a woman approximately 28 times, all over her body, with a knife in an attack that occurred at an apartment building in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Jackson pled guilty in March 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 12-year prison sentence. The Honorable José M. López accepted the plea today and sentenced Jackson accordingly. Following his prison term, Jackson will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Jan. 22, 2016, Jackson entered an apartment building in the 4700 block of C Street SE.  He was brought to an apartment by the victim, and she permitted him into her bedroom.  Jackson became angry when the victim refused to allow him to inspect her cellular telephone to see her text messages.  At one point, he said words to the effect of “I am tired of you ---,” and began to assault her. She lost consciousness.  While she was unconscious, Jackson took a knife and began to cut her.

            Jackson cut the victim’s body approximately 28 times all over, including her face, her chest, her back, her buttocks, and her legs.  Some of the wounds were so deep that tissue was exposed.  Jackson ultimately broke the knife in the process of cutting her.  He then left the building later that evening. He was arrested Jan. 30, 2016 and has been in custody ever since.

            The victim was found to have suffered a total of 28 wounds to the face and body. Also, during the attack, she received a broken jaw and a broken orbital bone in her face.  The victim is permanently disfigured as a result of the injuries inflicted by Jackson.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sixth District, the patrol officers who responded in a major snowstorm to the crime scene, and the crime scene officers who processed the scene.  U.S. Attorney Phillips also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Shawn Slade; Supervisor Security Specialist Michael Hailey; Victim/Witness Security Specialist M. Laverne Forrest; and Paralegal Specialist Tierra Nanches.  Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and Julianne Johnston, who investigated and prosecuted the case.