District of Columbia

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia collected more than $462.4 million in criminal and civil actions and asset forfeitures during the most recent fiscal year, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            All told, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has collected over $2.6 billion in criminal and civil actions and asset forfeitures over the past six fiscal years.

            The totals for Fiscal Year 2015 include over $261.9 million collected in criminal actions and over $28.9 million in civil actions. Another $171.4 million was collected in criminal and civil asset forfeiture actions. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect another $173.3 million in civil actions cases pursued jointly with these offices.

            “Our enforcement efforts have restored over $2.6 billion in recent years to taxpayers and victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Those who break federal laws or who try to cheat the government contracting process should take note. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue criminal and civil actions to achieve justice.”

            Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch earlier announced that the Justice Department collected $23.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015.  The more than $23.1 billion in collections in FY 2015 represents more than seven and a half times the approximately $2.93 billion of the Justice Department’s combined appropriations for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period. 

            Nationally, the largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws.  In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration, and Department of Education.

            Additionally, the U.S. Attorneys’ offices nationwide, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected over $5.3 billion in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2015.

            The U.S. Attorneys’ offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting criminal and civil debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. In the District of Columbia, the Financial Litigation Unit in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office aggressively handles these responsibilities. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

            “The Department of Justice is committed to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding taxpayer resources, and protecting the American people from exploitation and abuse,” said Attorney General Lynch, adding that the collections “demonstrate not only the strength of that commitment, but also the significant return on public investment that our actions deliver.  I want to thank the prosecutors and trial attorneys who made this achievement possible, and to reiterate our dedication to this ongoing work.”

Collections in Civil Actions

            The collections in civil actions by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia included more than $94 million generated by a consent decree between auto manufacturers and the EPA for violation of the Clean Air Act.  Defendants sold, offered for sale, introduced into commerce, delivered for introduction into commerce, or imported into the United States new 2012 and 2013 motor vehicles that failed to conform to the design specifications in their applications for Certificates of Conformity that purportedly covered these vehicles.  In essence, defendants overstated fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions levels.

            The amount also included $58 million, plus interest, paid by the Volvo Truck Corporation, to resolve a District Court judgment and an appellate decision.  The United States Court of Appeals for the District Of Columbia Circuit affirmed the District Court’s final judgment finding that Volvo Truck violated the stipulated consent decree for violating the Clean Air Act.  On April 13, 2012, the District Court ordered Volvo Truck to pay the stipulated penalties.  The defendant’s appeal of this decision was unsuccessful.

            In another case, Children’s Hospital, Children’s National Medical Center Inc. and Children’s Research Institute, collectively Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC), paid $12.6 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false cost reports and other applications to the components and contractors of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as to Virginia and District of Columbia Medicaid programs. The settlement resolved allegations brought in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former employee of CNMC.

Collections in Criminal Actions

            The collections in criminal actions by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia included $155,138,904 paid in a criminal fine by Schlumberger Oilfield Holdings Ltd. (SOHL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schlumberger Ltd. This payment covered a portion of a $232,708,356 penalty that the company must pay the United States for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by willfully facilitating illegal transactions and engaging in trade with Iran and Sudan. The company pled guilty in March 2015 and the penalty was part of a plea agreement later approved by the Court. The monetary penalty also includes an additional payment of $77,569,452 in criminal forfeiture. The criminal fine represents the largest criminal fine in connection with an IEEPA prosecution.

            The collections also included $7.3 million paid on restitution through forfeiture in an investigation that uncovered the largest domestic bribery and bid-rigging scheme in the history of federal contracting cases. The lead defendant was an employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), a branch of the United States Army.  As part of his official duties, Kerry Khan was responsible for placing orders for products and services for the USACE through federal government contracts and for certifying that products and services provided through government contracts were received by the USACE.  From in or about the spring of 2007 through Oct. 4, 2011, Khan along with his co-conspirators devised schemes to obtain USACE contracts from corrupt contractors who paid bribes to receive government contracts.  Khan and his co-conspirators defrauded over $30 million from the government. A total of 20 individuals and one corporation, Nova Datacom, LLC, have pled guilty to federal charges. All defendants consented to forfeit properties acquired from their ill-gotten gains. Khan is now serving a prison term of 19 years and seven months for his role in the scheme.

            The amount also included $242,000 from defendant Gerry D. Mathews, who was a book keeper working at a law firm and had the responsibilities for managing certain partners’ professional corporations.  Beginning in 1995 and continuing every year until May 2005, the defendant embezzled money from the partners and their professional corporations in a variety of ways.  Mathews had pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $312,260.  The Financial Litigation Unit filed writs of garnishments to collect from her 401k, prior employment unused vacation leave and pension.

            In another case, defendant Lindsay Branson III, a former background investigator for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), paid $139,819 in restitution. Branson had pleaded guilty to making a false statement, stemming from his falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors. According to the government’s evidence, in 2010 and 2011, Branson represented that he had interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of a background investigation.  In fact, he had not conducted the interviews or obtained the records of interest.  These reports were utilized and relied upon by federal agencies requesting background investigations to determine whether the subjects were suitable for positions having access to classified information, for positions impacting national security, or for receiving or retaining security clearances. This amount was collected from Branson’s Thrift Savings Plan account and through Treasury Offset Program collections.

Collections in Forfeiture Cases

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia has emphasized the importance of asset forfeiture to fight crime and criminal organizations and to seek justice for victims. Asset forfeiture is a powerful tool that can deprive criminals and criminal organizations of illegal proceeds and instrumentalities of crimes, recover property that may be used to compensate victims, and deter crime. Federal law provides authority to seize and forfeit the proceeds of virtually all serious federal offenses.  Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund and Department of Treasury Asset Forfeiture Fund and are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

            In addition to the $77,569,452 in forfeiture collected in the case involving Schlumberger Oilfield Holdings Ltd., the Office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section collected $92 million in fiscal 2015 under a deferred prosecution agreement with Commerzbank AG, a global financial institution headquartered in Frankfurt, and its U.S. branch, Commerzbank AG New York Branch (Commerz New York). All told, Commerzbank agreed in March 2015 to forfeit a total of $563 million and pay a $79 million fine under the agreement with the Justice Department for violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). According to admissions contained in the deferred prosecution agreement, from 2002 to 2008, Commerzbank knowingly and willfully moved $263 million through the U.S. financial system on behalf of Iranian and Sudanese entities subject to U.S. economic sanctions.  Commerzbank engaged in this criminal conduct using numerous schemes designed to conceal the true nature of the illicit transactions from U.S. regulators.

WASHINGTON – Lorraine Cyr, 58, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for embezzling over $380,000 from her employer and properties that she managed, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Thomas Jankowski, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Cyr, of Palm Bay, Fla., pled guilty in July 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count each of wire fraud and income tax evasion. She was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Royce C. Lamberth. Following her prison sentence, Cyr will be placed on three years of supervised release. She also must pay $380,537 in restitution to a property management company and various other victims of her scheme, as well as $96,112 to the IRS. She also must pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $342,917.

            According to a statement of offense submitted at the plea hearing, Cyr worked from 2001 until 2009 for a property management company, referred to in court documents as “Property Management Company A,” in Washington, D.C. She was vice president of operations during her last four years of employment, handling duties such as management of payroll, bank accounts, budgeting, invoicing, and tax preparation for the company and its clients. The clients consisted largely of cooperative and condominium apartment buildings in the District of Columbia.

            In 2009, Cyr started her own property management company, Lorraine Cyr Management Group, Inc., also in Washington, D.C., in which she performed similar duties for various clients, including some who transitioned to her new firm. In her new role, she had virtually unfettered discretion to manage the business affairs of her clients, who granted her access to bank accounts to manage their operations and expenses.

            Between July and November of 2009, prior to resigning from “Property Management Company A,” Cyr embezzled $37,620, which she used for personal purposes, including spending at casinos and various retailers. Then, between March 2010 and April 2011, while at her own firm, she stole $342,917 in funds from eight clients. She used the money for expenses such as spending at casinos, hotels, amusement parks, clothing stores, restaurants, and other retailers.

            The tax charge stems from Cyr’s evasion of income taxes on the money that she was stealing, as well as the legitimate income that she was earning, during the course of her scheme.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Jankowski and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from IRS-CI and MPD. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Swanton and Anthony Saler, who handled forfeiture issues; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Chris Dobbie; Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, and former Paralegal Specialists Heather Sales and Nicole Wattelet. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Trial Attorney Jeffrey McLellan, of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division, who assisted on the tax matter, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Last, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Brian J. Ourand, 54, the former president of a company that provides financial services and investment advice, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he embezzled more than $1 million from his clients’ bank and credit card accounts.

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

            Ourand, formerly of Washington, D.C. and Chicago, was arrested on Dec. 8, 2015, by the FBI in Chicago. He made his first appearance later that day in the U.S. District Court for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and was released pending further proceedings.  The indictment, which was unsealed today, was returned on Dec. 3, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, where Ourand is to appear on Dec. 21, 2015.

            The indictment charges Ourand with two counts of mail fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and four counts of first-degree theft. It also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds from the crimes.

            According to the indictment, Ourand began working for the Washington D.C.-based financial services company in 1986, and later became a vice president and eventually president of the firm. The company terminated his employment in August of 2011.

            As alleged in the indictment, Ourand and the company provided advisory and financial management services to high net-worth individuals, most of whom were current and former professional athletes. Among the services they provided were paying invoices and bills, coordinating tax preparation, and providing estate planning on behalf of individual clients. The charges involve Ourand’s activities involving four clients, all of whom were current or former professional athletes. According to the indictment, beginning as early as May of 2003, and continuing through July of 2011, Ourand schemed to embezzle money from these clients.

            The indictment alleges that Ourand diverted at least $1 million in total funds from the clients’ bank accounts and credit card accounts to himself and for the benefit of those close to him. It also alleges that Ourand sought to conceal his embezzlement by generating false documentation in support of purported business-related and other authorized expenses.

            Among other things, the indictment alleges, Ourand used the stolen money to pay for hotel stays, meals at restaurants, retail purchases, gym memberships, and other expenses.

            The Securities and Exchange Commission has a separate case pending against Ourand that is awaiting administrative proceedings. The SEC charged Ourand with fraud.

            Charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

            In announcing the indictment, 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 are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Lowell, also of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, and former Paralegal Specialist Heather Sales. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Last, who is prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – Zacchaeus “Zack” Blanding, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 19 years and four months in prison on charges stemming from the shooting death of his friend, Heineken McNeil, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Blanding pled guilty in October 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed.  The plea, which was contingent on the Court’s approval, called for a sentencing range of 18 to 26 years in prison, the exact amount of time to be determined by the judge. The Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston accepted the plea today and sentenced Blanding accordingly. Following his prison term, Blanding will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at approximately 5:25 a.m., the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services was sent to the alley behind the 1200 block of Holbrook Terrace NE.  The fire department was dispatched due to a fire involving brush, a melting trash can, and a dead human body. There were small flames approximately one to two feet high around the body and brush. The body of Mr. McNeil, 19, was later transported to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy was performed. Two bullets that were removed from the head appeared to be from a small caliber firearm. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds to the head and the manner of death was by homicide.

            During the course of the investigation, Blanding was interviewed by homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  During these interviews, he admitted to shooting Mr. McNeil and then setting his body on fire.

            The investigation revealed that in June 2015, Mr. McNeil lived with Blanding in Blanding’s apartment in the 1200 block of Meigs Place NE.  On or about June 21, 2015, Blanding decided to kill Mr. McNeil. He video-recorded himself with his cell phone on June 21, 2015, at approximately 9:17 a.m., saying, “This is going to be the last video I’ll ever make.  I plan on killing three people – my best friend, my mother and her girlfriend . . .” After the murder, Blanding told detectives multiple times that Mr. McNeil was his best friend.

            Approximately 24 hours after the video was recorded, on or about the morning of June 22, 2015, Blanding shot Mr. McNeil twice in the head with a .22-caliber firearm inside Blanding’s bedroom.  He then wrapped the body in a blue blanket.  Blanding then made multiple trips throughout the day on June 22 to conceal the murder he just committed.  He went to a nearby store and bought duct tape to secure the body.  On his way back to his apartment, he found a large garbage can, which he dragged into his apartment.  He placed Mr. McNeil’s body in the garbage can and dragged the can into the back alley of his apartment building.  The body remained in the garbage can most of the day.

            Later that same day, Blanding made another trip to another store to buy shoes and returned to his apartment.  He also went outside for a while in an attempt to “play off” that he had just committed a murder.  On another trip from his apartment, he went to an Auto Zone and purchased a gas canister.  He then returned to his apartment again and took a nap.  Later that evening, he went to a neighboring gas station and filled the gas canister with gas.

            At approximately 5:23 a.m. on June 23, 2015, almost 24 hours after he killed Mr. McNeil, Blanding went into the alley, where the body was still concealed in the garbage can. He doused the body in gasoline and then set it on fire.  He left the body to burn where the Fire and Emergency Medical Services located it. Blanding was arrested on July 8, 2015, and has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and the Fifth Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the work of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the D.C. Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the D.C. 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 Jennifer Clark and Jennifer Allen of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Paralegal Specialist Vanessa Trent-Valentine, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shana Fulton and Christine Macey, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Emanuel “Manny” Guzeh, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 37 years in prison for a 2010 murder in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Guzeh was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 29, 2015, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer Anderson. Following his prison term, Guzeh will be placed on eight years of supervised release.

            At trial, the government’s evidence showed that on Feb. 15, 2010, at approximately 11:30 p.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were called to an apartment in the 900 block of 48th Street  NE,  and discovered the body of Michaeldeon Talley, 33,  who was dead on the hallway floor of the apartment, having been shot several times.

            MPD homicide detectives learned, and the subsequent investigation revealed, that on the night of the murder, Mr. Talley was inside the apartment with his male friend, a girlfriend, and (later) two prostitutes who had advertised on “Backpage.com.”  The two prostitutes knew Mr. Talley and were invited over to “party” with the group.  One of the prostitutes had recently begun dating the defendant, who accompanied the prostitutes to the apartment, but remained outside.  The prostitutes went over to the apartment, socialized with the group, and looked around the apartment for money or valuables to later take with them.  They did not find anything of value at first but, while the prostitutes were still inside, Guzeh decided to bust inside the apartment.  He then went to the back bedroom, kicked open the bedroom door, and shot Mr. Talley in the torso.  Mr. Talley, after pushing his girlfriend out of harm’s way, lunged for the gun and the two men fought.  During the struggle, Guzeh shot Mr. Talley three more times.  Guzeh and the prostitutes then fled the apartment.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips expressed his appreciation for the work of the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also commended the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Debra Joyner, Meridith McGarrity, and Zekiah Wright; Paralegal Supervisor Sharon Newman; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcey Rinker; Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Specialists Wanda Queen and M. LaVerne Forrest; Supervisory Victim/Witness Specialist Michael Hailey; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster, and Homicide Section Law Clerk Adam Bereston. Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended former Assistant U.S. Attorney Holly Shick, who assisted in the investigation of this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gorman and Robert Eckert, who investigated and prosecuted the case at trial.

WASHINGTON – Rives M. Grogan, 50, of Mansfield, Texas, was sentenced today to 21 days of incarceration on a federal charge stemming from a disturbance that he caused on April 28, 2015, at the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Grogan pled guilty on Sept. 25, 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of picketing or parading in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1507, which covers illegal demonstrations within federal court buildings. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. Upon completion of his prison term, Grogan will be placed on one year of supervised release. During that time, he is ordered to stay away from the Supreme Court.

            Grogan has a history of convictions for disorderly conduct and similar offenses, including cases involving other disturbances over the years at the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court and on Capitol grounds during the 2013 Presidential inauguration. The guilty plea in this case stems from his actions on the morning of April 28, 2015, as the Supreme Court was in session, with all nine Justices present and presiding.

            According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the guilty plea, on the date of the disturbance, the Justices were considering whether a state’s constitutional and statutory bans on recognition of marriages of same-sex couples validly entered in other jurisdictions violate the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the U.S. Constitution and whether a state’s refusal to recognize a judgment of adoption of a child issued to a same-sex couple by the courts of a sister state violates the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

            Due to the historical significance of the issues before the Supreme Court that day, the courtroom was full with civilians, members of the Supreme Court bar, and other professional attendees.

            Grogan entered the courtroom at about 10:30 a.m., as arguments were under way.  A short time later, he stood and began yelling statements in a very loud, forceful voice toward the front of the courtroom, where the Justices were seated at the court bench. Among other things, he stated that “the Bible teaches if you support gay marriage, you could burn in hell for eternity.” Police officers attempted to detain him, but Grogan refused to leave his bench. Then, as officers attempted to grab him and take him out of the courtroom, he continued to shout statements. This continued as he was escorted through the building and to a holding area. He could still be heard by attendees in the courtroom.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips expressed appreciation for the work of the Police Department of the U.S. Supreme Court, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator Derek Starliper; Paralegal Specialist Carolyn Carter-McKinley, and Legal Assistant Holly Crouse. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela S. George, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Hassain Smart, 20, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to charges stemming from sexual assaults he committed against two women in an alley in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Smart pled guilty on Dec. 9, 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of first-degree sexual abuse while armed, first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, robbery while armed, and kidnapping while armed.  The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison term of 27 to 33 years.  Upon release, Smart would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.  The Honorable Jennifer Anderson scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 1 a.m. on June 25, 2015, the two victims began to open the door to their home in the unit block of T Street NW when Smart, a stranger, approached from behind and brandished what appeared to be a black handgun.  He led both women through a dark alley into a muddy area between a fence and a vacant house under construction.  Smart raped both women in the alley while continuing to brandish the weapon.

            After the sexual assaults, Smart refused to allow the victims to leave until they surrendered their cell phones and a debit card to him.  When he finally left, the victims contacted law enforcement, and detectives from the Sexual Assault Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded and immediately began an investigation.

            An MPD patrol officer in the Seventh District spotted the defendant, who matched the description given by the victims. Smart was arrested after police found the victims’ cell phones and debit card and the weapon in his possession.  Smart then confessed to kidnapping, robbing, and sexually assaulting both women while brandishing the weapon.

            After reporting the assault to the police, the victims were transported to Washington Hospital Center for a Sexual Assault Nurse Examination (SANE), which included collection of forensic evidence.  Bode Technologies later conducted DNA testing and concluded that the major male profile found on intimate swabs from a victim’s SANE kit matched the DNA profile of the defendant.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit, the Fifth and Seventh Police Districts, and crime scene technicians.  He also expressed appreciation to Bode Technologies. He also commended those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan and Paralegal Specialists Tierra Nanches and Jason Manuel.  Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Zubrensky and Julianne Johnston, who are prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that the investigation into corrupt spending in federal and local political campaigns, including the 2010 mayoral election in the District of Columbia, has concluded.

            No additional charges are expected to be filed in the investigation related to the federal and local political campaigns, which uncovered evidence of over $3.3 million in illegal contributions to various campaigns between 2006 and 2011. A total of 12 people pled guilty to charges in the investigation, including seven who pled guilty to offenses directly involving or connected to the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral election.

            In a related action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office today filed motions asking judges to begin setting sentencing dates for the seven people who have pled guilty but have yet to be sentenced in the investigation.

            In every criminal trial, the government bears the burden of proving a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Department of Justice policy provides that no prosecution should be initiated against any person unless the government believes that the person probably will be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury, sitting as an unbiased trier of fact, and that the jury’s guilty verdict probably will be sustained by a reviewing court. In this investigation, based on a thorough review of the available evidence and applicable law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has concluded that the admissible evidence is likely insufficient to obtain and sustain a criminal conviction against any other individuals related to the federal and local political campaigns.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia worked with the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) on the investigation, which began in 2011. In addition to campaign-related offenses, the investigation uncovered numerous instances of obstructive conduct by several of the defendants, as described further below, to conceal the extent of the wrongdoing.

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            Those who have pleaded guilty to charges involving the mayoral election were the following:

            Jeffrey E. Thompson: Thompson pled guilty in March 2014 and admitted taking part in a scheme in which he and his companies, Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio and Associates (TCBA) and D.C. Healthcare Systems, Inc. (DCHSI), secretly channeled more than $3.3 million in illegal contributions to at least 28 political candidates and their campaigns, including candidates for the offices of President of the United States and Mayor of the District of Columbia. In his guilty plea, Thompson admitted, among other things, to secretly channeling more than $668,800 to pay for campaign activities in connection with a mayoral campaign in the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral election.

            Eugenia C. Harris: Harris, the owner of two businesses in the District of Columbia, pled guilty in July 2012 and admitted to conspiring to disguise the source of campaign contributions in federal and local elections, including the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral campaign. As part of her guilty plea, she also admitted taking part in steps to conceal the illegal activities, such as causing others to shred and destroy a large volume of paper records maintained by her businesses because they could have revealed the extent of her involvement in the mayoral election.

            Vernon Hawkins:  Hawkins pled guilty in August 2013 to making a false statement to federal authorities investigating allegations involving the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral campaign. Among other things, Hawkins twice gave cash that he obtained from Harris to persuade a potential witness to leave the area so that he would be unavailable to speak with federal agents.

            Mark Long: Long pled guilty in September 2014 to conspiring to defraud the District of Columbia’s Office of Campaign Finance by funding and concealing contributions in excess of those permitted under D.C. campaign finance laws. In his plea, Long admitted that he received payment for campaign-related work during the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral campaign from Harris, who had received the funds from Thompson.

            Howard L. Brooks: Brooks pled guilty in May 2012 to making a false statement to federal agents investigating activities in the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral campaign. He was sentenced to probation and community service.

            Thomas W. Gore: Gore pled guilty in May 2012 to obstructing justice by destroying records in the federal investigation and making campaign contributions in the name of another person related to the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral campaign. He was sentenced to six months in prison.

            Stephanie Reich: Reich pled guilty in August 2015 to a charge of making a false statement to obtain unemployment compensation. The offense involved claims for unemployment compensation that she submitted for a time period in which she was working on the 2010 District of Columbia mayoral campaign. She was sentenced to probation.

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            Those who have pleaded guilty in the broader investigation were the following:

            Lee A. Calhoun: Calhoun, an executive for one of Thompson’s companies, pled guilty in June 2013 to a federal charge of knowingly and willfully permitting the name of one or more persons to be used to make campaign contributions in the name of another person and aiding and abetting campaign contributions to be made in the name of another. The offense stemmed from a scheme in which he and others helped disguise that Thompson and Thompson’s company were the actual source of more than $150,000 in contributions to federal, District of Columbia, and other political campaign committees and political action committees.

            Stanley Straughter: Straughter, the owner of a business based in Philadelphia, Pa., pled guilty in June 2013 to a federal charge of knowingly and willfully making, and aiding and abetting and causing to be made, unlawful corporate campaign contributions to federal campaigns. The offense stemmed from a scheme in which he and others helped conceal the fact that Thompson and one of Thompson’s companies were the actual source of more than $125,000 in contributions to various federal, state and local campaigns.

            Troy White: White, the owner of a marketing company based in New York, pled guilty in September 2013 to a federal tax charge stemming from his failure to file corporate income tax returns, including failing to report more than $600,000 his company received for services it provided in support of a 2008 presidential campaign. He was sentenced to probation.

            Kelvin Robinson: Robinson, a former candidate for the Council of the District of Columbia, pled guilty in June 2014 to a charge of conspiring to violate District of Columbia campaign finance laws by defrauding the District of Columbia’s Office of Campaign Finance. The charge involved $33,500 in secret contributions from Thompson to Robinson’s 2010 campaigns for At-Large Member and Ward 6 seats on the Council of the District of Columbia.

            Jeff Smith: Smith, a former candidate for the Council of the District of Columbia, pled guilty in June 2014 to filing a false and misleading report with the District of Columbia’s Office of Campaign Finance that concealed campaign contributions in excess of those permitted under D.C. campaign finance laws. The charge involved $140,000 in secret contributions from Thompson to Smith’s 2010 campaign for the Ward 1 seat on the Council of the District of Columbia. Smith was sentenced to 60 days in jail, in addition to community service, probation, and a $10,000 fine.

**

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating alleged violations of federal and District of Columbia laws governing the financing of political campaigns in addition to all matters involving allegations of public corruption within the local government.

WASHINGTON – Carlos Parks, 19, was sentenced today to 22 years in prison and Troy Robinson, 21, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for their roles in the slaying of a man outside a housing complex in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Parks pled guilty on July 22, 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed for the death of Tywayne Thompson. The plea, which was contingent on the Court’s approval, called for 12 to 24 years of incarceration. Robinson pled guilty to the charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed for the same murder.  His plea, also contingent on the Court’s approval, called for 10 to 15 years of incarceration. The Honorable Jennifer Anderson accepted the pleas today. Parks and Robinson, both of Washington, D.C., will be placed on five years of supervised release following their prison terms.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 24, 2013, at approximately 1:20 a.m., Parks and Robinson were outside in the Potomac Gardens Housing Complex in the 700 block of 12th Street SE. At that time, Parks and Robinson were each armed with semi-automatic pistols.  A few minutes later, they approached Mr. Thompson, 25, who was also outside in the Potomac Gardens Housing Complex. They began to speak with him.

            Robinson then began shooting at Mr. Thompson.  At least one bullet from Robinson’s gun hit the victim. Parks then also began shooting at Mr. Thompson, and at least one bullet from Parks’s gun hit Mr. Thompson in his buttocks and exited through his abdomen. Mr. Thompson was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he died as a result of the wound from the shot fired by Parks through his buttocks and abdomen. Mr. Thompson was unarmed, and neither defendant was acting in self-defense.

            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 First 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, La June Thames, M. Laverne Forrest, David Foster, and Michael Hailey of the Victim/Witness Unit; former Paralegal Specialist Mia Beamon; Paralegal Specialist Sandra Lane; and Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.  Finally, he praised the efforts of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Kravis, who investigated and indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Christopher Bruckmann, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Rolando de la Rocha, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 22 years in prison on one charge of production of child pornography and another charge of first-degree child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            De la Rocha pled guilty in August 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Upon completion of his prison term, de la Rocha will be placed on 25 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, de la Rocha was the former boyfriend of the girl’s mother, and lived with the family in Northwest Washington until January 2014. In May of 2015, the girl’s mother called the Metropolitan Police Department to report that she had discovered a recording in which de la Rocha is seen sexually assaulting her child. A subsequent examination of de la Rocha’s cellphone led to the discovery of videos depicting two such incidents.

            A warrant was issued for the defendant’s arrest, and de la Rocha was arrested on May 29, 2015. He admitted to police that he produced the recordings and said that he had set up an iPad to film the sexual acts in the girl’s room without her knowledge. The girl told police about several incidents that took place when she was 12 or 13, and that ended in 2013. She expressed a fear of talking to police but ultimately agreed to an interview about the defendant’s conduct.

            De la Rocha has been in custody since his arrest.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department, including those from the Third District and the Youth Investigations Division. They also expressed appreciation for the work of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Joyce Arthur and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea L. Hertzfeld, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Jamil Betts, 24, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder while armed for fatally shooting a man earlier this year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Betts pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to the murder charge as well as to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from a separate, unrelated attack. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for Feb. 5, 2016.  The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison term of 20 years on both charges.

            According to the government’s evidence, the murder victim, Andre McConnell, 26, was with friends in the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace SE on April 27, 2015.  At around 8:30 that night, Mr. McConnell engaged in a brief verbal argument with an unidentified individual.  Shortly thereafter, Betts approached Mr. McConnell and the group with whom Mr. McConnell was gathered.  Betts took out a gun, aimed and fired it at Mr. McConnell, and struck Mr. McConnell twice in the lower back.  A second individual also was hit with one gunshot wound to the leg.  Mr. McConnell was transported to Prince George’s Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

            In the second case, the government’s evidence showed, on the afternoon of May 29, 2015, Betts and another individual approached a woman and her daughter at gunpoint in the area of the 3400 block of A Street SE.  Betts, holding the gun, and the other individual attempted to force their way into the woman’s apartment, which was occupied by other individuals.  After realizing that the victims called 911, Betts and the other individual attempted to leave the area by car.  In the process of driving away from the scene, Betts, who was seated in the front passenger side of the vehicle, aimed his gun at one of the victims outside the apartment building and fired one shot, nearly hitting the victim.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division, crime scene officers, and the Sixth and Seventh Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Christina Principe; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Supervisor Security Specialist Michael Hailey; Victim/Witness Program Specialists Lesley Slade, Laverne Forest, and Wanda Queen;  and Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julianne Johnston and Sumit Mallick, who investigated and prosecuted the assault case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard DiZinno and Robert Eckert, who investigated and prosecuted the homicide case.

WASHINGTON – Mark Alan Wall, 57, a real estate agent and broker from Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison on a theft charge stemming from the embezzlement of over $100,000 of his clients’ money, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Wall pled guilty to first-degree theft in May 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson. The judge sentenced Wall to a total of 24 months in prison, but suspended all but a year and a day of that time on the condition that he successfully complete three years of supervised release. Also, Wall was ordered to pay $117,000 in restitution to three victims of his crime.

            According to a statement of the offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, from about July 2010 to at least May 2013, Wall stole from real estate clients who had entrusted their money to him. He entered into agreements with clients to serve as their agent in purchasing residential property in the District of Columbia. The agreements stated that the clients would not be paying Wall an advance fee, nor did they agree to pay him a percentage of the purchase price. Instead, as in an arrangement typical of residential real estate sales of existing homes, Wall would be paid his commission by the seller of the property upon the completion of the transaction.

            Wall convinced his clients to provide as their earnest money deposit an amount of money greater than typically used, saying that he would hold it in escrow for their benefit to demonstrate that they had sufficient money to close on future sales.  He assured his clients that the money remained theirs unless and until they purchased a property.  If the clients were unable to quickly succeed with an offer to purchase a home, Wall convinced them to deposit additional money telling them that it would strengthen their negotiating power for future offers.

            As a licensed real estate agent and broker, Wall had a fiduciary duty to keep earnest money deposit client funds in a separate escrow bank account. Agents/brokers may not commingle the escrow funds with their own funds, use the escrow funds for a purpose other than the purpose for which they were entrusted to them, or fail to return the money when directed by the client.

            Wall deposited the clients’ earnest money deposit checks into his operating account, rather than his escrow account. If the clients became dissatisfied with him and asked about their money, he assured them that their earnest money deposit money was maintained in an escrow account held at a federally insured bank.  Wall did not maintain his clients’ money for their benefit; rather, he spent their money on himself and his expenses within a few weeks or months of receiving the funds. He also borrowed money from another person, falsely representing that he needed money to pay expenses of a real estate closing; having received the money, Wall used the money to replace the money he had stolen from clients in order that the settlement on their District of Columbia home may proceed. After the closing on the home, Wall falsely stated that the settlement did not occur and that buyers were forced to file a lawsuit against the sellers of the property. He did not repay the loan.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation for the work performed by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division-Financial Crimes Section as well as by Special Agent Juan Juarez of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  They also acknowledged the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Kristy Penny and Corinne Kleinman, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Ravi Singit, 41, of Rockville, Md., pled guilty today to a charge of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, 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).

            Singit pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced Feb. 11, 2016 by the Honorable Senior Judge John D. Bates. Singit faces a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison and a potential fine of up to $250,000. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum of 15 years upon his release from prison.

            According to the government's evidence, on Aug. 26, 2015, Singit contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had posted an ad on a social network site.  Over the next several days, Singit engaged in e-mail, phone, and text message conversations with the undercover officer, whom the defendant believed had access to a purported under-age girl. During this period of time, Singit arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child.

            On Aug. 31, 2015, Singit traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C.  When he arrived at the meeting place, he was arrested.

            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 guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassidy Kesler Pinegar, who is prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – Rashad Hough, 25, was sentenced today to 17 years and 11 months in prison and Larnell Wilkerson, 21, was sentenced to a 14 ½-year prison term for committing a violent home invasion earlier this year in Northeast Washington in which one victim was shot, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Hough and Wilkerson, both of Washington, D.C., each pled guilty in September 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to armed robbery, first-degree burglary while armed, armed kidnapping, and unlawful possession of a firearm.  Hough also pled guilty to aggravated assault while armed. The Honorable Patricia A. Broderick sentenced both defendants today. After their prison terms, each man will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on March 6, 2015, at about 10:40 p.m., Hough and Wilkerson robbed two men at gunpoint outside of an apartment building in the 1300 block of Holbrook Street NE. They then forced the two victims inside an apartment, intending to steal additional property.  Two grandparents and their 12- and 14-year-old grandchildren were inside the apartment.  Hough and Wilkerson demanded property from the six victims while holding them at gunpoint.  Despite pleas not to hurt anyone, Hough shot one victim in the leg, causing him extreme pain and permanent disfigurement.

            In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Fifth District of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  He also expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman, who investigated and indicted the case, and Adrienne Gurley, who also investigated the matter.

WASHINGTON – Robert Paris, 52, of Temple Hills, Md., was sentenced today to a 10-year prison term on charges of voluntary manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol and PCP, stemming from a crash that killed a woman who was standing beside a disabled van along the roadway of Suitland Parkway, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Paris pled guilty in September 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in an Alford plea.  Under such a plea, the defendant does not admit the allegations but agrees that the government has enough evidence to secure a conviction; Paris entered an Alford plea because of his intoxication by alcohol and PCP at the time of the crash, and his inability to recollect events. He has been in custody since his arrest.  The Honorable Jennifer Anderson sentenced him today. Following his prison term, Paris will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2015, Paris was seen by an off-duty officer from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) driving a Ford Ranger truck from a ramp onto eastbound Suitland Parkway in Southeast Washington.  The officer observed the Ford Ranger merge at a high rate of speed, far in excess of the 45 mph speed limit, and swerve over to the left lane.

            While attempting to catch up to Paris’s truck, the officer saw the truck sideswipe a disabled van that was straddling the right lane and shoulder of Suitland Parkway.  The victim, Tomika Early, 32, had been standing next to the driver’s side of the van, and was struck by Paris’s truck and thrown approximately 160 feet forward and to the right.  Ms. Early was immediately killed by the extensive impact injuries.

            After sideswiping the van and killing Ms. Early, Paris continued to speed eastbound on Suitland Parkway, and struck second vehicle and then a street light pole before coming to a stop.

            The officer immediately stopped and approached Paris’s wrecked truck, and saw Paris in the driver’s seat.  The officer attempted to talk to Paris, and it was apparent to the officer that Paris was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.  The officer also saw an opened beer can on the floorboard of the truck, and a number of additional crushed empty beer cans in the bed of the truck.  Paris was taken to Prince George’s Hospital Center to be treated for minor injuries.  There, his blood was drawn.  His blood was later analyzed and it was determined that Paris’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.131 g/100mL.  A driver whose blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 g/100mL or greater is considered under District of Columbia law to be per se driving under the influence of alcohol.  Paris’s blood was also found to contain a concentration of 25 ng/mL of PCP, which indicates that he was actively under the influence of PCP when the crash occurred. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department, including members of the Major Crash Investigations Unit, the Driver Impairment Unit and the Seventh District. He also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Sandra Lane and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Douglas Hughes, 62, of Ruskin, Fla., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from the April 15, 2015 incident in which he flew a gyrocopter into Washington, D.C., and landed on the Front Lawn of the Capitol, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Kim C. Dine, Chief of the United States Capitol Police, and David C. Williams, Inspector General for the United States Postal Service.

            Hughes pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of operating as an airman without an airman’s certificate. The charge is a felony that carries a statutory maximum of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for April 13, 2016. As part of the plea agreement, Hughes has agreed to the forfeiture of his gyrocopter, which was seized on the day of the incident.

            “Douglas Hughes put himself and countless others in danger when he flew his gyrocopter without a license into our country’s national defense airspace, and through the three no-fly zones protecting the nation’s capital,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Douglas Hughes’s flight also caused a lockdown of the U.S. Capitol Building, and traffic delays in downtown Washington, D.C.  With the defendant pleading guilty to the lead charge of his indictment, a felony, this prosecution will hopefully deter others from violating the highly restricted airspace surrounding Washington, D.C.”

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 15, 2015, Hughes drove to the Gettysburg Regional Airport in Pennsylvania and unpacked his gyrocopter for a flight to Washington, D.C. Hughes had never had an airman’s certificate (pilot’s license) and he did not license his aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration. Hughes also did not file a flight plan with the FAA or any other governmental agency, and he did not seek to obtain any official authorization before or during his flight. Hughes had modified his aircraft and placed a U.S. Postal Service insignia on it. Although Hughes worked for the U.S. Postal Service, and was wearing an agency jacket, he was not acting in any official capacity at the time.

            Hughes placed two bins into the gyrocopter, carrying letters addressed to members of the U.S. Congress. He then flew the gyrocopter into Washington, D.C. from Gettysburg, Pa., passing through three no-fly zones. This federally restricted airspace includes, among other places, the National Mall, the White House, and the U.S. Capitol area.

            Hughes flew over the National Mall and landed his gyrocopter in the early afternoon on the Front Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. He was quickly arrested, and the gyrocopter was seized as evidence. No weapons were found on Hughes or his aircraft.

            A federal grand jury indicted Hughes on May 20, 2015, on a total of six charges. In return for pleading guilty to the lead count of the indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has agreed to dismiss the remaining charges.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Chief Dine, and Inspector General Williams commended the work of those who investigated the case from the U.S. Capitol Police and the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Postal Service. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the United States Park Police and the Federal Aviation Administration. Finally, they praised the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Devron Elliott and Michelle Holland; Legal Assistants Bianca Evans and Donice Adams, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal S. Chawla and Michael J. Friedman, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Donta Winslow, 32, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for stabbing his ex-girlfriend while they were in her car in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Winslow pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison sentence to be set within the range of 13 to 16 years. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, Winslow was previously in a romantic relationship with the victim. She had ended the romantic relationship, however. In the late morning of Aug. 14, 2015, Winslow approached and then got into the victim’s car. At one point, near the intersection of 46th and Meade Streets NE, Winslow forced the victim to pull the car onto a curb. The victim was in the driver’s seat, and Winslow was in the passenger seat.

            Winslow took out a knife and stabbed the victim multiple times in the body, including in the back of her neck, back, and chest. The victim was curled down, facing forward in the seat, when Winslow stabbed her. A witness approached the car and confronted Winslow, causing him to get out of the car and run away.

            When officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to the scene, they found the victim motionless on her side. She was transported to the hospital via ambulance. She had approximately 11 stab wounds to her body, and two collapsed lungs. She 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 of her motor skills, but remains significantly impaired and unable to walk on her own.

            Winslow fled the scene and was apprehended in Washington, D.C., shortly after the incident. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department and the 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 Specialists Erica Vample and Joyce Arthur, 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 – The government announced today that it has joined a lawsuit alleging that Inchcape Shipping Services Holdings Limited and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, Inchcape) violated the False Claims Act by knowingly overbilling the U.S. Navy for ship husbanding services from years 2005 to 2014.  Inchcape is a marine services contractor headquartered in the United Kingdom.

            As a ship husbanding services provider, Inchcape arranged for the provision of goods and services to Navy ships at ports in several regions throughout the world, including southwest Asia, Africa, Panama, North America, South America and Mexico.  Inchcape’s services typically included the provision of food and other subsistence items, arrangement of local transportation, waste removal, telephone services, ship-to-shore transportation and force protection services.  The lawsuit, which was unsealed today, alleges that Inchcape knowingly overbilled the Navy by submitting invoices that overstated the quantity of goods and services provided, billed at rates in excess of applicable contract rates and double-billed for certain goods and services.

            “Those who contract with the federal government and accept taxpayer dollars must follow the rules,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “The Department of Justice will not tolerate contractors who submit false claims to defraud the armed forces or any other agency of the United States.”

            “Ensuring that federal contractors deliver the goods and services at the agreed upon prices in return for receiving the taxpayers’ money is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia.  “This lawsuit reflects our commitment to combat fraud against federal government agencies.”

            “The Department of the Navy continues to hold contractors accountable for the agreements they have made to supply our fleet,” said Captain Amy Derrick, a senior spokeswoman for the Department of the Navy. “We also continue to expect strict adherence to higher standards within the Department and expect the same from industry.”

            The lawsuit was brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act by three former employees of Inchcape, Noah Rudolph, Andrea Ford and Lawrence Cosgriff.  Under the act, a private citizen may bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.  The government may intervene in the case, as it has done here.  The False Claims Act allows the government to recover treble damages and penalties from those who violate it.

            The case is being handled jointly by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Department of the Navy and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

            The case is captioned United States ex rel. Rudolph v. Inchcape Shipping Services Holdings Limited, et al., No. 1:10-cv-01109 (D.D.C).  The claims alleged in the case are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

WASHINGTON – Kenneth Gaines, 51, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a six-year prison term for a violent burglary of a home in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Gaines pled guilty in July 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree burglary, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.  He was sentenced on Nov. 16, 2015, by the Honorable Juliet McKenna.  After his prison term, Gaines will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 4, 2015, at about 11:15 p.m., Gaines entered the apartment of one of the victims, in the 3900 block of Fourth Street SE.  While inside, Gaines took out a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun and a .40 caliber Beretta semi-automatic handgun, and ordered the victim and his two houseguests to give him all their money and car keys.  One of the victims was able to wrestle the handguns from Gaines and sustained an injury to the head during the struggle.  The victims were able to subdue Gaines shortly before police arrived on scene.   

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Seventh District.  He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Daphne Nelson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah C. Santiago and Kondi Kleinman, of the Felony Major Crimes Trial Section, who prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Daniel Savage, 33, of Chester Springs, Pa., was sentenced today to 37 months in prison on a federal charge of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, 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).

            Savage pled guilty in September 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Upon completion of his prison term, Savage will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

            According to the government's evidence, on April 14, 2015, Savage contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had posted an ad on a social network site.  Over the next several days, Savage engaged in e-mail, phone, and text message conversations with the undercover officer, whom the defendant believed had access to a purported under-age boy. During this period of time, Savage arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child.

            On April 18, 2015, Savage traveled from his residence in Pennsylvania to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C.  When he arrived at the meeting place, he was arrested.

            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 praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Joyce Arthur and Tiffany Jones, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea L. Hertzfeld and Lindsay Suttenberg, who prosecuted the case.

            WASHINGTON –Florence Bikundi, and her husband, Michael Bikundi, the owners of Global Healthcare, Inc., a home care agency, have been found guilty by a jury of health care fraud, money laundering, and other charges stemming from a scheme in which they and others defrauded the District of Columbia Medicaid program of over $80 million.

            The verdicts were announced by Channing D. Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; 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.; James M. Murray, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service; and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

            The verdicts were returned on Nov. 12, 2015, and followed more than four weeks of trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2016. The charges carry statutory maximums of decades in prison. In addition to prison terms, Florence and Michael Bikundi are subject to a forfeiture money judgment equal to the total proceeds they acquired as a result of this scheme. Judge Howell also will determine if the Bikundis must forfeit $11 million seized from various bank accounts, their home in Mitchellville, Md., and five luxury vehicles.

                “Over a period of more than four years, Florence and Michael Bikundi raided the Medicaid program of $80 million through massive and systematic fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “The money they stole for their own benefit could and should have been used to help others who were truly in need.  Instead, they used the proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including a million-dollar home, a $140,000 Land Rover, a $120,000 Porsche, and a $75,000 Mercedes Benz. This prosecution reflects our determination to protect taxpayer dollars and the citizens of the District of Columbia. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will actively combat health care fraud.”

            “These defendants defrauded government health care programs designed to provide for those in need,” said Assistant Director in Charge Abbate of the FBI.  “The relentless work of agents, analysts, and prosecutors exposed this conspiracy to steal government funds and brought to justice those responsible. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work aggressively to prevent and uncover fraud targeting the Medicaid program and maintain the integrity of our nation’s health care system.”

            “It’s outrageous that these fraudsters would steal tens of millions of Medicaid dollars meant to provide health care services to poor and disabled individuals just to enrich themselves,” said Special Agent in Charge DiGiulio, of the HHS Office of Inspector General.  “Our agency is dedicated to uprooting such fraud schemes and bringing criminals to justice.”

            “The recent verdicts in this Medicaid fraud case demonstrate the effectiveness of law enforcement partnerships in the dismantling of criminal enterprises defrauding American health care systems which ultimately impact American citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Murray of the U.S. Secret Service. “This investigation and the resulting arrests should alert criminals that law enforcement will not cease to pursue them.”

            “My Office is fully committed to defending the public from people seeking to defraud the District government,” said Inspector General Lucas of the District of Columbia. “This verdict demonstrates that the OIG plays a lead role, in concert with our District, state, and federal partners, in aggressively investigating and prosecuting health care providers who unlawfully enrich themselves at D.C. taxpayers’ expense. I would like to thank all of the staff from my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for having tirelessly pursued this case since 2009. Without their tenacity through this long investigation and trial, the District would not be able to recoup the money fraudulently paid to Global and its principals.”

**

            Florence Bikundi, 52, also known as Florence Ngwe and Florence Igwacho, has been in custody since her arrest in February 2014. She was found guilty by the jury of 12 charges: one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of health care fraud; one count of Medicaid fraud; and seven counts of money laundering. Michael D. Bikundi, Sr., 63, was found guilty of 10 charges: one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of health care fraud; and seven counts of money laundering.

            According to evidence presented at trial, Florence Bikundi, a former nurse, and her husband owned Global Healthcare, Inc. According to the government’s evidence, Florence Bikundi was not entitled to take part in the Medicaid program and fraudulently got approval as a provider. Then, the government’s evidence showed, she and her husband led a scheme to bill Medicaid for services that never were provided – recruiting others, including family members, into the scam, and creating fraudulent paperwork to hide the illegal activity.

            The D.C. Medicaid program is funded jointly by District of Columbia tax dollars and federal tax dollars. Medicaid provides for home care services to be performed by personal care aides, working for eligible home care agencies. Doctors or advanced practice registered nurses must examine beneficiaries and authorize them to receive these services. The aides are to follow a plan of care and assist Medicaid beneficiaries in performing activities of daily living, such as getting in and out of bed, bathing, dressing, keeping track of medication, and so forth.

            In 1999, Florence Bikundi went by her maiden name of Florence Igwacho.  In August 1999, the Virginia Board of Nursing revoked the nursing license of Florence Igwacho.  In March 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General notified Florence Igwacho in writing that she was excluded from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and all federal health care programs due to the revocation.

            Florence Bikundi subsequently concealed her past – namely, the Medicaid exclusion and the revocation of her nursing license - when she applied for a Medicaid provider number for Global Healthcare in June 2009 using the name of Florence Bikundi.  She also used three forged signatures on her Medicaid provider application.  Florence Bikundi married Michael Bikundi in September 2009.

            From August 2009 through February 2014, Florence and Michael Bikundi used Global HealthCare to carry out a massive fraud, the government’s evidence showed. Year after year, the D.C. Medicaid program was billed for personal home health aide services that were not provided to Medicaid beneficiaries. Phony time sheets, patient files and employment files were created. Global Healthcare generated increasing amounts of payments as the years continued, going from roughly $1.35 million in 2009 to $14.27 million in 2011 to $27.16 million in 2013.

            According to the government’s evidence, the Bikundis used the proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle. In just over three years, they spent $1.3 million to purchase and renovate a newly built home. They also used the proceeds for a $140,000 Land Rover, a $120,000 Porsche, a $75,000 Mercedes Benz, a $70,000 Cadillac and a $36,000 BMW.

            Seven others earlier pled guilty to charges in the investigation, including Florence Bikundi’s son, and Florence Bikundi’s two sisters.

**

            Bikundi was among 25 people charged in February 2014 following a wide-ranging investigation that uncovered numerous, separate schemes involving fraud, kickbacks, and false billings in the growing field of home care services for D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries. So far, 23 defendants have either pled guilty or been found guilty of charges. Those pleading guilty include people who worked as personal care aides in the home care industry, patient recruiters who demanded money for access to Medicaid beneficiaries, and others.

            The various investigations were conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service; the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor; the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. Assistance was provided by the District of Columbia’s Department of Health Care Finance and other agencies.

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lionel A. André, Anthony Saler, and Michelle Bradford, of the Office’s Fraud and Public Corruption Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, is assisting during the forfeiture proceedings. Criminal Investigator Nicole Hinson, also of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was the prosecution’s law enforcement representative during the trial.

            Assistance in this case and the other investigations was provided by Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui, Ted Radway, Michael Friedman, Chrisellen Kolb, and Michelle Zamarin; Financial Analyst Bryan J. Snitselaar; Deputy U.S. Marshal Wayne Rollock of the U.S. Marshals Service; Paralegal Specialists Toni Donato, Donna Galindo, Krishawn Graham, Tasha Harris,  Corinne Kleinman, and Kristy Penny; Legal Assistants Angela Lawrence, Jessica McCormick, and Christopher Samson; Litigation Support Specialist Ron Royal, and former Forensic Accountant Maria Boodoo.

WASHINGTON – Joshua Mebane, 20, of Waldorf, Md., was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for the November 2012 killing of a taxicab driver in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Mebane was found guilty by a jury in September 2015, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of first-degree murder while armed and nine other charges, including conspiracy, assault with intent to commit robbery while armed, and firearms offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer Anderson.

            A co-defendant, Linda Bury, also 20, earlier pled guilty to charges of second-degree murder while armed and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. She is awaiting sentencing.

            According to the government’s evidence, Mebane and Bury, both 17 years old at the time, met online in October of 2012.  Dissatisfied with their respective home environments, they made a plan to run away together.  On Nov. 1, 2012, Mebane took a taxi from his family home in Waldorf, Md., to Bury’s family home in Parkton, Md. They then took a cab into the District of Columbia, and they stayed at a motel in Northeast Washington from Nov. 2 to Nov. 7, 2012.

            In light of a dwindling money supply, Mebane and Bury devised a plan to commit a robbery of a taxicab driver on the evening of Nov. 7, 2012. A few minutes before 9 p.m., they randomly hailed a taxicab and instructed the driver, Muhammad Quadeer, to drive them to the rear of Hamilton Junior High School in the 1400 block of Brentwood Parkway NE.  Once in the rear of the building, Mebane put on a black latex glove, pulled a 9mm pistol from a nylon bag, and fatally shot Mr. Quadeer, 44, once to the back of his head.

            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 District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences; Bode Technologies; the Charles County, Md. Sheriff’s Department; the Baltimore County, Md. Police Department, and the Gallaudet University Department of Public Safety. In addition, he acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donovan; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Paralegal Specialists Kwasi Fields and Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Victim/Witness Security Specialist David Foster. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney George A. Pace, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A 30-year-old man from Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to a prison term of 11 years and three months on a felony charge stemming from the sexual abuse of a child who is a relative, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced

            The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty in September 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree child sexual abuse. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison sentence of 11 years and three months. It also called for him to register for life as a sex offender. The Honorable Michael Ryan accepted the plea today and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following the prison term, the defendant will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            The charge stems from the man’s sexual abuse of a female relative when she was 10 to 11 years old. According to the government’s evidence, the defendant, on multiple occasions, went to the child’s home in Northwest Washington, where he engaged in various sexual acts with her. In May of this year, the girl disclosed vaginal discomfort to her mother, and was taken to Children’s National Medical Center. There, doctors diagnosed the child with Trichomonas, a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Afterwards, the child disclosed that the defendant had been sexually abusing her for the past one and a half to two years.

            After the defendant’s arrest in July, the government obtained a urine sample from him, which was sent to the Johns Hopkins University’s STD Laboratory. The lab results showed that he possessed Trichomonas, the same STD he transferred to the child. The defendant has been in custody since his arrest.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Investigations Division. He acknowledged the critical services provided to the complainant at the District of Columbia Children’s Advocacy Center, and the specialized medical treatment provided at the Children’s National Medical Center. He further commended the vital assistance provided by Dr. Jonathan Zenilman, Dr. Charlotte Gaydos, and Laboratory Manager Laura Dize from the Infectious Diseases Department at Johns Hopkins University. Finally, he commended the efforts of staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Child Forensic Interview Specialists Tracy Owusu and Karen Giannakoulias; Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughn; Paralegal Specialist Joyce Arthur; Legal Intern Allison Denton, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John L. Hill, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – A 34-year-old man from Washington, D.C. pled guilty today to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances for sexually abusing his 13-year-old daughter, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a prison sentence between 9 ½ and 23 years. It also requires the defendant to register as a sex offender for 10 years upon his release. The Honorable Jennifer Anderson scheduled sentencing for Jan. 29, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, the abuse occurred between July 19 and July 27, 2014 in Southeast Washington. The defendant, who is the victim’s father, was watching television with her in the defendant’s room. The defendant removed the victim’s pants and underwear, and sexually assaulted her. Afterwards, he apologized to the victim, promising that he wouldn’t sexually abuse her again.

            The defendant, who left the Washington, D.C. area, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in New York City on Sept. 10, 2015. He admitted having had sex with the victim. He also wrote the victim an apology letter, asking her to forgive him.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Investigations Division and of the Deputy U.S. Marshals based in New York. He also commended the efforts of staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Child Forensic Interview Specialists Tracy Owusu and Karen Giannakoulias; Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson; Paralegal Specialist Joyce Arthur, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John L. Hill, who is prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON – Cephus Hollis, 18, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of numerous charges stemming from two violent carjackings in Northeast Washington within a four-day period in September 2014, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Hollis was found guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of a total of 15 charges, including assault with intent to kill while armed, armed carjacking of a senior citizen, and aggravated assault of a senior citizen while armed. He is to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2016, by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. He has been in custody in this case since his arrest in May 2015.

            According to the evidence presented at trial, Hollis and a co-conspirator went out on the evening of Sept. 7, 2014 to steal cars in the Riggs Park neighborhood of Northeast Washington and surrounding areas.  After stealing their first car that night, they used it to drive around and steal or attempt to steal numerous other cars.

            In the early morning hours of Sept. 8, 2014, Hollis and the co-conspirator saw a 62-year-old man delivering copies of the Washington Post, and followed him as he did this for several stops.  At one stop, in the 5800 block of Eastern Avenue NE, the newspaper delivery man got out of his car to throw a paper onto the doorstep. Hollis then got into the front seat. Hollis assumed the victim had left the keys in the ignition. The victim had not, and when he returned to the car, Hollis confronted him and demanded the keys. When the victim would not surrender the keys, Hollis punched and kicked him, and the co-conspirator joined in.  They beat the victim until they broke his wrist, dislocated his shoulder, broke the orbital bones around his eye, and caused other injuries. Then, after they beat him, they took the cars he was using to make the deliveries. A few days later, that car ran out of gas and was abandoned in the middle of the street.  Fingerprints recovered from it matched the defendant and the co-conspirator.

            Four days later on Sept. 12, 2014, at about 5 p.m., Hollis ordered Chinese food to be delivered to his own house in the 400 block of Oneida Street NE.  When the delivery driver arrived, he parked in front of the house and called Hollis, who acknowledged ordering the food.  As the driver walked up to Hollis’s porch, Hollis came out of the house. Without saying anything, Hollis stabbed the driver in the head.  The driver fell to the ground and Hollis kept stabbing him.  The driver somehow broke free and fled to his car. He locked the door, hoping the car would keep him safe.  But as he looked out the car window, he saw that Hollis had his car keys and was walking towards the car.  Using the electronic key fob, Hollis unlocked the car.  The driver locked the car again, smearing his own blood over the controls as he did so.  Hollis, however, kept coming and unlocked the car again, got inside, and resumed stabbing the driver.

            The driver got out of the car. Hollis got out, too, ran around the car, and stabbed the driver again.  In total, the driver was stabbed at least seven times, including to the head, face, chest, hands, and arms.  In addition to his numerous lacerations and puncture wounds, the victim sustained a partially collapsed lung.  Hollis then fled in the delivery driver’s car, which was recovered the next day.  DNA evidence tying Hollis to the crime was recovered from inside the car.  A phone later recovered from Hollis’s pocket was shown to have placed the call ordering the food, and received the call from the delivery driver when he arrived with the food.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives of the Fourth Police District of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Special Agents from the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force. He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Fogle and Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie; Lead Paralegal Specialist Kwasi Fields; Paralegal Supervisors Darline Douglas and Anthony Griffith; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim; Intelligence Analysts Shannon Alexis and Sharon Johnson; Information Technology Specialists Aneela Bhatia, Anisha Bhatia, Paul Howell, Claudia Gutierrez, Jeanie Latimore-Brown, William Henderson, and Leif Hickling; Criminal Investigators Nelson Rhone and Chris Brophy; Elizabeth Trosman, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Rickard and John Mannarino of the Appellate Division; and Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation. Finally, he praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Katherine Earnest, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran, 43, a member of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias Colombianas (FARC) terrorist organization, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 27 years in prison on hostage-taking charges stemming from the 2003 kidnappings of three U.S. citizens in Colombia.

            The sentencing was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Division.

            Navarrete Beltran was extradited from Colombia to the United States in November 2014 to face charges in a superseding indictment that was returned in February 2011.  He pleaded guilty on Aug. 26, 2015, to three counts of hostage-taking.  He was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District of Columbia. Navarrete Beltran is among three FARC leaders who have been convicted for their roles in the hostage-taking.

            “Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran participated in the hostage-taking and captivity of three Americans by the FARC, a Colombian terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “This case underscores our resolve to hold accountable those who target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world, no matter how long it takes.”

            “Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran and other FARC guerillas ruthlessly subjected their American hostages to constant threats of violence while holding them in one camp after another in the remote jungles of Colombia,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “For over 16 months, this defendant was among the armed guards who prevented their escape.  Today’s 27-year sentence provides justice for the three victims who were subjected to repeated barbaric abuse by the defendant and others while part of this terrorist organization.”

            “Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran now faces a long time behind bars for his participation in the hostage-taking of three U.S. Citizens in Colombia,” said Special Agent in Charge Piro. “To all hostage-takers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions.”

            According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the plea hearing, the FARC is an armed, violent organization in Colombia, formed in 1964 as the armed wing of the Colombian Communist Party.  It has evolved into a major armed force financed by drug trafficking, hostage-taking and extortion.  International human rights organizations have repeatedly accused the FARC of serious crimes, including kidnapping, murder, use of land mines, threats, the recruitment of minors, forced displacement and hostage-taking.  The FARC was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State in 1997 and remains so designated.

            As described in the statement of offense, Navarrete Beltran was a member of the First Front in the FARC’s Eastern Bloc.

            In his plea, he admitted taking part in the hostage-taking of three U.S. citizens, Marc D. Gonsalves, Thomas R. Howes and Keith Stansell.  These three individuals, along with Thomas Janis, a U.S. citizen, and Sergeant Luis Alcides Cruz, a Colombian citizen, were seized on Feb. 13, 2003, by the FARC after their single engine aircraft made a crash landing near Florencia, Colombia.  Janis and Cruz were murdered at the crash site by members of the FARC.

            For the next five and a half years, according to the statement of offense, Gonsalves, Howes, Stansell and many others were held prisoners by the FARC and used to bargain with the Colombian government.  Along with about a dozen Colombian hostages, they were forced to march from one site to another to prevent their rescue.  They were threatened, chained and forced to participate in proof-of-life videos.  In early October 2006, the hostages were delivered to the FARC’s Eastern Bloc’s First Front and were held prisoners by the First Front of the FARC.

            From October 2006 through mid-June 2008, according to the statement of offense, Navarrete Beltran and other guerillas kept the hostages under the control of the FARC’s First Front.  In particular, Navarrete Beltran often served as an armed guard of the American hostages.

            In July 2008, the Colombian military conducted an operation which resulted in the rescue of the hostages.  All told, members of the FARC held the Americans hostage for 1,967 days.

            This investigation is being led by the FBI’s Miami Field Division.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Kohl and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez of the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney David Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

            Substantial assistance in the case was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the department’s Judicial Attachés in Colombia, the FBI’s Office of the Legal Attaché in Colombia and the FBI’s Washington, D.C., Field Office.

Three Hostages Were Held in Colombia for More Than Five Years

Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran, 43, a member of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias Colombianas (FARC) terrorist organization, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 27 years in prison on hostage-taking charges stemming from the 2003 kidnappings of three U.S. citizens in Colombia.

The sentencing was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Division.

 Navarrete Beltran was extradited from Colombia to the United States in November 2014 to face charges in a superseding indictment that was returned in February 2011.  He pleaded guilty on Aug. 26, 2015, to three counts of hostage-taking.  He was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District of Columbia. Navarrete Beltran is among three FARC leaders who have been convicted for their roles in the hostage-taking.

“Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran participated in the hostage taking and captivity of three Americans by the FARC, a Colombian terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.  “This case underscores our resolve to hold accountable those who target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world, no matter how long it takes.”

“Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran and other FARC guerillas ruthlessly subjected their American hostages to constant threats of violence while holding them in one camp after another in the remote jungles of Colombia,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips.  “For over 16 months, this defendant was among the armed guards who prevented their escape.  Today’s 27-year sentence provides justice for the three victims who were subjected to repeated barbaric abuse by the defendant and others while part of this terrorist organization.”

“Diego Alfonso Navarrete Beltran now faces a long time behind bars for his participation in the hostage-taking of three U.S. Citizens in Colombia,” said Special Agent in Charge Piro.  “To all hostage-takers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions.”

According to a statement of offense submitted as part of the plea hearing, the FARC is an armed, violent organization in Colombia, formed in 1964 as the armed wing of the Colombian Communist Party.  It has evolved into a major armed force financed by drug trafficking, hostage-taking and extortion.  International human rights organizations have repeatedly accused the FARC of serious crimes, including kidnapping, murder, use of land mines, threats, the recruitment of minors, forced displacement and hostage-taking.  The FARC was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State in 1997 and remains so designated.

As described in the statement of offense, Navarrete Beltran was a member of the First Front in the FARC’s Eastern Bloc.

In his plea, he admitted taking part in the hostage-taking of three U.S. citizens, Marc D. Gonsalves, Thomas R. Howes and Keith Stansell.  These three individuals, along with Thomas Janis, a U.S. citizen, and Sergeant Luis Alcides Cruz, a Colombian citizen, were seized on Feb. 13, 2003, by the FARC after their single engine aircraft made a crash landing near Florencia, Colombia.  Janis and Cruz were murdered at the crash site by members of the FARC.

For the next five and a half years, according to the statement of offense, Gonsalves, Howes, Stansell and many others were held prisoners by the FARC and used to bargain with the Colombian government.  Along with about a dozen Colombian hostages, they were forced to march from one site to another to prevent their rescue.  They were threatened, chained and forced to participate in proof-of-life videos.  In early October 2006, the hostages were delivered to the FARC’s Eastern Bloc’s First Front and were held prisoners by the First Front of the FARC.

From October 2006 through mid-June 2008, according to the statement of offense, Navarrete Beltran and other guerillas kept the hostages under the control of the FARC’s First Front.  In particular, Navarrete Beltran often served as an armed guard of the American hostages.

In July 2008, the Colombian military conducted an operation which resulted in the rescue of the hostages.  All told, members of the FARC held the Americans hostage for 1,967 days.

This investigation is being led by the FBI’s Miami Field Division.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Kohl and Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez of the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney David Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Substantial assistance in the case was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the department’s Judicial Attachés in Colombia, the FBI’s Office of the Legal Attaché in Colombia and the FBI’s Washington, D.C., Field Office.

WASHINGTON – A resident of the District of Columbia pleaded guilty today to a charge stemming from his involvement in a far-reaching stolen identity refund fraud scheme in which he and others working with him obtained over $315,000 through the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking refunds, the Justice Department announced.

            Ezekiel Raspberry, 39, is the second defendant to plead guilty to federal charges in recent weeks.  Approximately 14 people 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 $40 million from the U.S. Treasury.

            The guilty plea was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Inspector in Charge David G. Bowers 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.

            Raspberry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims. Sentencing was set for Jan. 15, 2016. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Raspberry faces an advisory guideline range of 24 to 30 months in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 at his sentencing before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle of the District of Columbia.  In addition, as part of his plea agreement, Raspberry must pay $315,076 in restitution to the IRS.       

            According to the government’s evidence, Raspberry 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 2012, often in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated prisoners.  In other cases, the refunds were sent 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, from September 2008 through November 2010, Raspberry and others conspired to defraud the IRS of approximately $315,076 through the filing of 145 fraudulent federal income tax returns. Raspberry received refund checks from a co-conspirator and deposited them into his bank account. He would then withdraw the funds and provide them to the co-conspirator, keeping a portion of the proceeds for himself.

            The refund checks were generated by filing false U.S. federal income tax returns, attaching the Schedule C or C-EZ Net Profit From Business, which falsely claimed that each “taxpayer” operated a business as a sole proprietorship, including a “barber” or “childcare.” The returns falsely stated that the “taxpayer” had gross receipts and two or more dependent children, when, in fact, the “taxpayer” was either a victim of identity theft, was misled into providing his or her identifying information, or was a willing participant in the scheme. No such business had been operated by the “taxpayer;” and the “taxpayer” had no such dependents.

            In a related action, Bernard Rankin, 43, of Glenarden, Maryland, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2015, to conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims. Rankin admitted permitting the use of his residential address and bank account in the scheme and recruiting another individual to deposit fraudulently obtained tax refund checks into that individual’s bank account as well.

            In announcing the pleas, Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Jankowski, Inspector in Charge Bowers 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 Specialist Donna Galindo.  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 - Antoine Gibson, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to six years in prison for burglarizing an apartment on the Georgetown University campus while a student was asleep inside, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Gibson pled guilty in July 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to first-degree burglary as well as a violation of the Bail Reform Act. He was sentenced on Nov. 4, 2015, by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick.  Following his prison term, Gibson will be placed on three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 6, 2015, at about 8 p.m., Gibson entered the Henle Village apartment complex on the Georgetown University campus.  He went to the fourth floor and entered the victims’ apartment, which was occupied at the time by a sleeping student.  Gibson stole a laptop from the living room before heading to the upstairs bedrooms.

            The sleeping student awoke to find Gibson, a stranger, standing in the hallway, and confronted him.  Gibson denied doing anything illegal and left.  The student called the campus police, who found Gibson a short time later within blocks of the main campus gate with the laptop in his backpack.  Gibson later failed to appear for the first status hearing in the case in Superior Court. He was later arrested on a bench warrant executed by the U.S. Marshals Service.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the officers of the Georgetown University Department of Public Safety, as well as the crime scene officers and detectives and officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Second District.  He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including David Foster, La June Thames, and Katina Adams-Washington of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, and Litigation Technology Assistant Aneela Bhatia.  Finally, he praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Earnest, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Daniel Rosen, 45 of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 32 months of incarceration on charges stemming from a series of incidents between 2012 and 2014 in which he secretly took video recordings of women in various stages of undress by aiming his cellular phone through their apartment windows in Northwest Washington.

            The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Rosen, a former senior official of the U.S. State Department, pled guilty on July 29, 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to six counts of voyeurism and five counts of stalking. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston to a total of 11 years in jail. The judge suspended all but 32 months of the time on the condition that he successfully complete five years of probation upon his release from jail.

            “Daniel Rosen trawled city neighborhoods in the late-night hours, sneaking into alleys and aiming his camera into the windows of women who had no idea they were being recorded,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “This sexual exploitation and invasion of privacy took place over a period of years and shattered the victims’ sense of safety and security. This sentence holds him accountable for the harm he caused to so many women and hopefully will deter others from similar conduct.”

            According to a factual proffer submitted at the plea hearing, over the course of a three-year period, Rosen purposefully positioned himself outside of the windows of women who resided in basement-level apartments that faced rear, isolated alleys. The women believed they were shielded from outside view by the use of curtains, blinds, or the fact that their windows were situated in enclosed, hard-to-access to areas, either behind fences, through back residential alleys, or down a flight of basement steps. Once positioned behind these women’s apartments, Rosen peered through their windows and used his iPhone to record them. The activities took place in the areas of Mount Pleasant, the U Street Corridor, and Adams Morgan.

            Rosen recorded the women in various stages of undress, capturing some in the most intimate and private moments in their bedrooms and bathrooms.  Several women had their blinds or curtains drawn, but Rosen was able to maneuver himself and his cell phone in between the cracks or small openings of the blinds to make his recordings.

            All of the recordings took place during the late evening hours, thus enabling Rosen to hide in the shadows as he recorded these women in their lit bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. At times, Rosen would engage in this conduct while walking his dog, thus disguising his true intentions. None of the women were aware that Rosen was watching and recording them, and none gave Rosen permission to watch and record them.  For several of these women, the defendant returned on more than one occasion to record their private moments.    

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition, they expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator John Marsh, Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay Suttenberg and Andrea L. Hertzfeld, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

WASHINGTON – Romeo T. Hayes, 28, and his brother, Ronald J. Hayes, Jr., also known as “Rocky,” 20, of Washington, D.C., entered guilty pleas today to charges stemming from the shooting of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Detective Thurman Stallings, and the attempted shooting of MPD Officer Shaquinta Gaines, both of whom were off-duty.

            The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Under what is known as the Alford doctrine, Romeo T. Hayes pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to eight felonies and one misdemeanor. Specifically, he pled guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill stemming from the shooting of Detective Stallings; one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (gun); one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle; three counts of felony destruction of property; one count of fleeing from a law enforcement officer; and one count of misdemeanor destruction of property.  Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit the allegations but agrees that the government has enough evidence to secure a conviction.

            The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a 10-year prison sentence. The Honorable Jennifer Anderson scheduled sentencing for Feb. 19, 2016.

            Ronald J. Hayes, Jr., who otherwise is serving a 12-year sentence for two counts of vehicular manslaughter in Prince George’s County, Md., pled guilty to one count of tampering with physical evidence.  The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of 16 months in prison. He also is to be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2016.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Tuesday night, Aug. 12, 2014, both Romeo T. Hayes and Ronald J. Hayes, Jr., together with several other individuals, were at a home in Glenarden, Md.  Romeo Hayes was consuming tequila and also taking drugs known as “Mollies,” a toxic mixture of laboratory-created or synthetic chemicals that stimulates the central nervous system and causes euphoric highs similar to those created by ecstasy.

            At some point, Romeo Hayes indicated that he wanted to go to a nightclub known as the Opera Ultra Lounge, in the 1400 block of I Street NW.  Accordingly, in the early morning hours of Aug. 13, 2014, Romeo Hayes and another individual left the home to head to the nightclub. Romeo Hayes drove there in a red 2013 Nissan Altima that he knew recently had been stolen from a rental car agency at Ronald Reagan National Airport.  Video footage from the nightclub captured Romeo Hayes and his companion entering the nightclub at about 12:50 a.m.

            Video footage also captured Romeo Hayes and his companion leaving the Opera nightclub at approximately 2:24 a.m.  Because Romeo Hayes had been drinking alcohol, and had consumed drugs known as “Mollies,” as well as some marijuana, the individual who was with Romeo Hayes obtained the car keys to the stolen red 2013 Nissan Altima and assumed the role as driver.  Romeo Hayes sat in the front passenger seat.  Romeo Hayes had a black Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine in the stolen red 2013 Nissan Altima.

            The individual who was with Romeo Hayes started to drive back to the house in Glenarden, Md. As the individual drove outbound on Suitland Parkway in Southeast Washington, in the right lane, just before the exit for Alabama Avenue SE, at about 2:47 a.m., Romeo Hayes fired two or three gunshots from the window adjacent to the front passenger seat.  The gunshots were directed at a white Nissan Maxima occupied by Officer Gaines, who was in the left lane and who was off-duty at the time and driving home.  One of the bullets fired by Romeo Hayes struck the white Nissan Maxima, causing substantial damage to the car.

            Thereafter, with Officer Gaines following behind, the individual who was with Romeo Hayes sped off and drove to Southern Avenue, where – in the left lane – he came to a stop light at the intersection of Southern and Pennsylvania Avenues SE.  In the right lane, also at the stop light, was Detective Stallings, who was alone in a GMC Yukon Denali, and who was off-duty but on his way to work.  From the front passenger seat, Romeo Hayes fired multiple gunshots at Detective Stallings, striking him with a bullet in the left forearm and inflicting significant damage to the driver-side of the GMC Yukon Denali.

            Wounded, Detective Stallings rammed the red 2013 Nissan Altima in an effort to disable it and to prevent the shooter and any other occupants from escaping.  When that occurred, the stolen red Nissan Altima pivoted in front of the GMC Yukon Denali. Romeo Hayes fired an additional volley of shots at Detective Stallings, striking him three additional times in the chest and shoulder area, and also damaging the windshield behind which he sat.

            At the urging of Romeo Hayes, the individual who was with him managed to drive off.  He turned left off of Southern Avenue onto Massachusetts Avenue.  There, in the 4200 block of Massachusetts Avenue SE, just off of Southern Avenue SE, Romeo Hayes again began to shoot at the white Nissan Maxima occupied by off-duty Officer Gaines, who had been following them, who had reported the license tag number for the stolen red Nissan Altima to a 9-1-1 call-taker, and who had witnessed the collision between the Altima and the GMC Yukon Denali at the intersection of Southern and Pennsylvania Avenues SE.

            After this third and last shooting, the individual who was with Romeo Hayes drove rapidly back to the house in Glenarden. He parked near that residence and ran inside, followed by Romeo Hayes.  Inside the residence were Ronald Hayes, Jr., and several other individuals.  The individual who was with Romeo Hayes quietly told Ronald Hayes, Jr., about the shootings, and expressed concern that Romeo Hayes fired gunshots for no apparent reason and may have killed someone.  He also gave Ronald Hayes, Jr., the keys to the red 2013 Nissan Altima.

            Romeo Hayes gave the Glock 17 9mm pistol with the extended magazine to his brother, who quickly concealed – and later hid – the gun.  Romeo Hayes and Ronald Hayes, Jr., then began to argue. Their voices were elevated and firm.  Ronald Hayes, Jr., demanded to know exactly what Romeo Hayes had done, and why.  For his part, Romeo Hayes demanded the car keys for the stolen red 2013 Nissan Altima.  Romeo Hayes said he wanted to purchase some gasoline and “blow the car up,” to degrade and devalue it as evidence.  Following several minutes of loud argument, Romeo Hayes obtained the car keys from his brother.

            Romeo Hayes then left and ran back to the stolen red 2013 Nissan Altima, which had suffered significant damage on the passenger side when it was rammed by the GMC Yukon Denali driven by Detective Stallings.  Romeo Hayes drove off, and soon was spotted and followed by the police.  Multiple police units, including MPD officers, Prince George’s County Police Department officers, and a United States Park Police helicopter, were involved in the pursuit of the stolen red Nissan Altima.  Romeo Hayes drove at a high rate of speed, and attempted to elude the police during this pursuit.

            The pursuit came to an end in the 5500 block of Hunt Place NE, between 3:45 a.m. and 4 a.m., where Romeo Hayes ultimately was arrested. He has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division Homicide Branch, crime scene officers, and the Sixth and Seventh Police Districts of the Metropolitan Police Department.  They also commended the work of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Prince George’s County, Md., Police Department, and a helicopter unit of the United States Park Police.  They expressed appreciation of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Derek Starliper, Durand Odom, and Mark Crawford; Paralegal Specialist Debra Joyner; Investigative Analysts Shannon Alexis and Zachary McMenamin, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Ballantine, Karen Seifert, John Marston, Lindsey Merikas, and Jessica Brooks.  Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Brittin, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – NetCracker Technology Corp. has agreed to pay $11.4 million and Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) has agreed to pay $1.35 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that they used individuals without security clearances on a Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) contract, the Justice Department announced today.

            NetCracker is a telecom software and services company headquartered in Waltham, Mass., and CSC is an information technology services company headquartered in Falls Church, Va. NetCracker and CSC implemented software used to help manage the telecommunications network used by the U.S. Department of Defense.  The work was done pursuant to a contract with DISA, under which CSC was the prime contractor and NetCracker was a CSC subcontractor.  From 2008 through 2013, NetCracker allegedly used employees without security clearances to perform work when it knew the contract required those individuals to have security clearances, resulting in CSC recklessly submitting false claims for payment to DISA.

            “Protecting the federal procurement process from false claims is central to the mission of the Department of Justice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.  “We will continue to ensure that the government receives what it pays for when federal monies are used to purchase services.”

            “Companies that do business with the federal government have a responsibility to fully meet the terms of their contracts,” said U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia. “In addition to holding these two companies accountable for their contracting obligations, this settlement shows that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will take appropriate measures necessary to ensure the integrity of government communications systems.”

“This NetCracker case is a prime example of how the DISA IG works to detect and prevent fraud schemes within the Agency and recuperate funds for the U.S. government,” said Colonel Bill Eger, Inspector General (IG) of DISA.

            The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and obtain a portion of the government’s recovery.  The civil lawsuit was filed in the District of Columbia by John Kingsley, a former NetCracker employee.  Mr. Kingsley will receive $2,358,750 as his share of the recovery in this case.

            This resolution in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation branch and the DISA IG Office.

            The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Kingsley v. NetCracker Technology Corp. Civil Action 1:11-cv-00629 (D.D.C.).  The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

WASHINGTON – Erik Postell, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 40 years in prison for killing a man in 2013 in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

     Postell was found guilty by a jury in July 2015 of first-degree murder while armed and three firearms offenses stemming from the slaying of Paul Danzo Tanoh. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Postell was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Following his prison term, he will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, on March 21, 2013, at about 2:45 a.m., Postell fatally shot Mr. Tanoh, 24, as Mr. Tanoh sat in the driver's seat of his car, which was stopped in the 1000 block of 17th Street NW.  The shooting followed a brief physical altercation between Postell and Mr. Tanoh that took place inside a nearby nightclub 15 minutes earlier.

     Following the confrontation at the nightclub, Postell retrieved a .45 caliber handgun from a parked car and tracked down Mr. Tanoh. He then stood alongside Mr. Tanoh's driver's side window and fired at him nine times. Postell fled in a vehicle driven by another man, Michael Smith.  Smith, 35, of Camp Springs, Md., previously pled guilty to multiple felonies for his role in the murder of Mr. Tanoh and is to be sentenced Nov. 20, 2015. Postell was taken into custody on Oct. 11, 2013, and had been held without bond ever since.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the detectives, officers and others who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service; the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences; Bode Technologies; Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen Dwyer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia; Trial Attorney Jessica N. Moran of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In addition, he acknowledged the work of those who handled the murder case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lynda Randolph, Donville Drummond, Sandra Lane, Alesha Matthews, and Kalisha Johnson-Clark; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, Kimberly Smith, Thomas “Ron” Royal, Paul Howell, Aneela Bhatia, Anisha Bhatia, Claudia Gutierrez, Joshua Ellen, and Karen McColman; Intelligence Specialists Sharon Johnson, Zachary McMenamin, and William Hamann; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and La June Thames, Katina Adams-Washington, and David Foster, all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit.

     Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Liebman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Selden, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Damairzio Wells, 18, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 10-year prison term on charges stemming from three robberies in Northeast Washington during a three-month period this year, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

     Wells pled guilty in September 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to two counts of robbery and one count of armed robbery, involving three separate crimes. He was sentenced on Oct. 29, 2015, by the Honorable Yvonne Williams.  Upon completion of his prison term, he will be subject to five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, in two separate incidents, on Feb. 15, 2015 and Feb. 24, 2015, Wells placed orders at two different restaurants to lure the delivery drivers to locations in Northeast Washington. Once the drivers arrived, he robbed them at gunpoint. After the first robbery, Wells bragged in a Facebook post that “EatGood we eatin good erynight,” with a picture of the food and cash he had stolen. In the second robbery, Wells thrust the gun into the driver’s mouth, causing significant injuries.  The gun used in this robbery was recovered and the muzzle of the gun contained the DNA of the delivery driver and of Wells.

     In the third incident, on May 24, 2015, Wells was driving his car in the 1300 block of Monroe Street NE when he chanced upon a college student returning from a day of work.  Wells pulled the car up and blocked the student’s path.  Two unknown individuals jumped out of the car and demanded the student’s bag with the threat that they had a weapon.  The car driven by Wells was located by officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) within minutes from where the robbery had occurred, and Wells was arrested.  An imitation firearm was recovered from the car driven by Wells, along with the proceeds of the robbery.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  He acknowledged the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donville Drummond and Victim/Witness Coordinator Jennifer Clark.  Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff, Nebiyu Feleke and Laura Crane, who investigated and indicted the case.

WASHINGTON – Rickey Jones, also known as Heritage Rickey Jones, 22, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from the shooting death of a man last year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Jones pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of voluntary manslaughter and carrying a pistol without a license.  He is to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2016, by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. The plea, which is contingent on the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of ten years in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, Jones and the victim, Kirk Perry, 50, got into verbal arguments in the 2400 block of Elvans Road SE over Mr. Perry’s dog.  During those arguments, Jones said, “I got a 4-5 with an extended clip for your dog.”  Mr. Perry and a family member left the area and went to a nearby laundromat.

            About three hours after the argument, Mr. Perry returned to his apartment complex.  While bringing laundry into the apartment, he again saw Jones outside.  After a mutual associate approached Mr. Perry and suggested that he speak with Jones, Mr. Perry returned outside in hopes of settling their dispute.  At approximately 12:35 a.m., on Dec. 1, 2014, Mr. Perry had a conversation with Jones that occurred in between two parked cars in a parking lot of the apartment complex on Elvans Road where they both resided.  At the time of that conversation, Mr. Perry had a firearm tucked into his waistband.

            Jones, armed with a pistol, fired at Mr. Perry and Mr. Perry was struck multiple times.  When Mr. Perry fell to the ground face down, Jones continued firing his weapon.  Mr. Perry suffered 13 gunshot wounds, including two in his back.  When medical and law enforcement personnel arrived, they transported Mr. Perry to a nearby medical facility where Mr. Perry was pronounced dead.

            In announcing the guilty 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 for the work of the D.C. Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the D.C. 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 Jennifer Clark; Victim/Witness Security Specialist Tanya Via; Paralegal Specialists Zekiah Wright and Debra Joyner; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Eckert, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Antoine Woodfolk, 51, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a prison term of three years for a burglary last summer of a residence in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Woodfolk pled guilty in August 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree burglary.  He was sentenced on Oct. 23, 2015, by the Honorable Anita Josey-Herring. Following his prison term, he will be placed on two years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on July 17, 2015, at about 2:15 P.M., the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) received a 911 call regarding a burglary in progress at a residence in the 6300 Block of 16th Street NW. Although the residents were not present, MPD officers were informed that one of them observed, via an online surveillance system, an unknown individual kicking the front door, entering the residence, and leaving with a red and white bicycle.  When officers arrived, they observed Woodfolk walking down the front porch pushing a red and white bicycle. Woodfolk attempted to flee on the bicycle and was apprehended a short time later. In his possession, officers found a GPS device, a silver watch, and the bicycle.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali D. Kargbo, of the Felony Major Crimes Trial Section, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

            WASHINGTON –Michael Lee Smith, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 100 months in prison on a federal charge stemming from an investigation into the sale of drugs from a home in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Smith pled guilty in August 2015, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and aiding and abetting. He was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan. Following completion of his prison term, Smith will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 19, 2014, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department’s First District vice unit executed a search warrant at a home in the 5400 block of C Street SE.  Smith and two other men were in the house. One man, the person who lived at the residence, was quickly detained by police next to a chair in the living room, where a plastic wrap that contained approximately 6.5 grams of crack was recovered. Smith and the other man, meanwhile, ran out the back door. They jumped a fence in the back yard and escaped. However, they were later identified and captured by MPD officers.

            Overall, officers recovered over 170 grams of crack cocaine in a search of the residence, including 149.6 grams from a plate that was on top of a china cabinet in the dining room. Officers also recovered empty zip lock bags, a glass bowl, a scale spoon, a razor blade, and other items used to manufacture and distribute narcotics. In his guilty plea, Smith accepted responsibility for possession with the intent to distribute more than 112 grams but less than 196 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Levi Ruffin, 37, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today of charges stemming from a nighttime attack on a woman as she tried to enter her home in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips. 

            Ruffin was found guilty by a jury of six counts: kidnapping while armed; third-degree sexual abuse while armed; first-degree burglary while armed; attempted robbery while armed; assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault causing significant bodily injury. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced by the Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston on Dec. 18, 2015.  He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for all offenses except for assault with a dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum of 10 years, and assault causing significant bodily injury, which carries up to three years in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 14, 2013, at about 9 p.m., the victim was entering the door to her home in Northwest Washington after an outing with her friends. As she entered the residence, she was rushed from behind by Ruffin, who placed his hand over her mouth.  Ruffin pulled out a knife, placed it next to the woman’s face, and demanded she drop her belongings.  Ruffin then forced her inside her home and demanded money. When the woman told Ruffin she had no money and attempted to give him her credit cards, Ruffin slapped the credit cards away and began to sexually assault her. The woman fought Ruffin when he touched her.  During the fight, Ruffin cut the woman on both her hands and bit her face and back.

            The bite marks on the woman’s face were swabbed for potential DNA.  DNA was recovered from those bite marks and was traced to Ruffin.  A warrant for Ruffin’s arrest was issued, and when Ruffin was arrested on Aug. 6, 2014, he was found to have generally matched the description the woman gave of the attacker.  Ruffin also had a knife that matched the description provided by the woman of the knife used during the attack.

            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 District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Bode Technologies. In addition, he acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Mark Morse and Wanda Trice; Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan; Litigation Technology Specialist Karen McColman; Criminal Investigators Nelson Rhone and Melissa Matthews; Legal Interns Emma McArthur and Meghan Monahan, and Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenechukwu Okocha and Akhi Johnson, who prosecuted the matter, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi Lazarus, who indicted the case.

WASHINGTON – Ernest Johnson, 21, of Baltimore, Md., pled guilty today to three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed 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 the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Jan. 22, 2016.

            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 unable to walk on her own. She had several surgeries on her left hand and has not regained full use of it.

            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 plea, 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 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.

Defendant Operated Out of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, Spain, France, Italy, Panama and Luxembourg

Gregory Joel Sitzmann, 65, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for his role as the leader of an international drug trafficking and money laundering ring that operated for at least 14 years out of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, France, Italy, Spain and other countries. 

The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Clark E. Settles of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) in Washington, D.C., and Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

Sitzmann, who was born in Iowa, had most recently resided in Colombia.  He was found guilty by a jury on May 21, 2012, of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.  The verdict followed a six-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  Sitzmann was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman of the District of Columbia.  Upon completion of his prison term, Sitzmann will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.  The judge also ordered Sitzmann to pay a $500,000 fine.

According to the government’s evidence, Sitzmann used and conspired to use numerous individuals and artifices to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia and Mexico into the United States and into numerous countries around the world.  For example, Sitzmann used commercial airplanes, and luggage, automobiles and trucks with secret compartments to move the drugs.

Evidence showed that Sitzmann has been involved in drug smuggling and money laundering since at least the 1980s and that he provided hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to a Hells Angels motorcycle gang in Montreal throughout the 1990s.  He maintained corporations and bank accounts in Panama, Switzerland, Luxembourg and elsewhere to facilitate his money laundering and the purchase of assets.  

“Gregory Joel Sitzmann was a career wholesale cocaine trafficker who operated an international drug conspiracy at the highest levels that involved over 1,300 kilograms of cocaine,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips.  “He directly acquired cocaine from the drug cartels of Colombia and Mexico to transport into the United States and other countries around the world.  Now, after years of eluding justice, he has been convicted and will spend an appropriately significant amount of time in prison for his crimes.  This case shows our determination to combat narcotics traffickers at the highest levels in all corners of the world.”

“The strong investigative work of our HSI special agents and law enforcement partners dismantled this international drug trafficking organization – one that operated on multiple continents and supplied a significant amount of cocaine to the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Settles.  “Today’s sentence concludes Sitzmann’s long journey from drug kingpin to being just another convicted drug trafficker.”

“The defendant in this case attempted to delay justice for several years,” said Chief Lanier.  “Today’s sentencing is yet another example of the resolve that we, as law enforcement, have towards following through on investigating and prosecuting drug traffickers to the greatest extent possible.”

Sitzmann was indicted on Aug. 7, 2008, by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia for activities that took place during the 1990s and at least until 2004.  The day after the indictment, Sitzmann was deported from France to the United States, where HSI special agents arrested Sitzmann.  He has been in custody ever since.  The defendant delayed trial for years, utilizing numerous attorneys while alternating with demands to represent himself.

The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.  The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

In recent years, investigations by this task force have led to the arrests and indictments of dozens of people from drug organizations that operate in the Washington, D.C., area.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Settles and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation for the work of the many dedicated people who pursued the investigation, including the HSI special agents and the investigators from the MPD.  They also thanked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Colombian National Police, the French National Police, French Customs, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Bahamas Police for assistance in the investigation.  They acknowledged the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Crystal Barclay, Candice Sisco and David Hollingsworth; Legal Assistants Tammy Scott and Diane Brashears; Victim/Witness Coordinator Dawn Tolson-Hightower; and Litigation Technology Specialists Ron Royal and Joshua Ellen.

Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Sharad Khandelwal of the District of Columbia, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON - Gregory Joel Sitzmann, 65, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for his role as the leader of an international drug trafficking and money laundering ring that operated for at least 14 years out of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, France, Italy, Spain and other countries.

            The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips; Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C.; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Sitzmann, who was born in Iowa, had most recently resided in Colombia. He was found guilty by a jury on May 21, 2012, of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The verdict followed a six-week trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Sitzmann was sentenced by the Honorable Paul L. Friedman. Upon completion of his prison term, Sitzmann will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. The judge also ordered Sitzmann to pay a $500,000 fine.

            According to the government’s evidence, Sitzmann had used and conspired to use numerous individuals and artifices to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia and Mexico into the United States and into numerous countries around the world. For example, Sitzmann used commercial airplanes, automobiles and trucks with secret compartments, and luggage with secret compartments, to move the drugs.

            Evidence showed that Sitzmann has been involved in drug smuggling and money laundering since at least the 1980s and that he provided hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to a Hells Angels motorcycle gang in Montreal, Canada, throughout the 1990s. He maintained corporations and bank accounts in Panama, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and elsewhere to facilitate his money laundering and the purchase of assets. 

            “Gregory Joel Sitzmann was a career wholesale cocaine trafficker who operated an international drug conspiracy at the highest levels that involved over 1,300 kilograms of cocaine,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “He directly acquired cocaine from the drug cartels of Colombia and Mexico to transport into the United States and other countries around the world. Now, after years of eluding justice, he has been convicted and will spend an appropriately significant amount of time in prison for his crimes. This case shows our determination to combat narcotics traffickers at the highest levels in all corners of the world.”

            “The strong investigative work of our HSI special agents and law enforcement partners dismantled this international drug trafficking organization – one that operated on multiple continents and supplied a significant amount of cocaine to the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Settles. “Today’s sentence concludes Sitzmann’s long journey from drug kingpin to being just another convicted drug trafficker.”

            “The defendant in this case attempted to delay justice for several years,” said Chief Lanier. “Today’s sentencing is yet another example of the resolve that we, as law enforcement, have towards following through on investigating and prosecuting drug traffickers to the greatest extent possible.”

            Sitzmann was indicted on Aug. 7, 2008 by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia for activities that took place during the 1990s and at least until 2004. The day after the indictment, Sitzmann was deported from France to the United States, where HSI special agents arrested Sitzmann. He has been in custody ever since. The defendant delayed trial for years, utilizing numerous attorneys while alternating with demands to represent himself.

            The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

             In recent years, investigations by this task force have led to the arrests and indictments of dozens of people from drug organizations that operate in the Washington, D.C. area.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Special Agent in Charge Settles, and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation for the work of the many dedicated people who pursued the investigation, including the HSI special agents and the investigators from the MPD. They also thanked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Colombian National Police, the French National Police, French Customs, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Royal Bahamas Police, for assistance in the investigation. They acknowledged the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Crystal Barclay, Candice Sisco, and David Hollingsworth; Legal Assistants Tammy Scott and Diane Brashears; Victim/Witness Coordinator Dawn Tolson-Hightower, and Litigation Technology Specialists Ron Royal and Joshua Ellen.

            Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Sharad Khandelwal, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Russell J. Sveda, 69, and Richard V. Schachter, 56, most recently of Alexandria, Va., and Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla., pled guilty today to charges of health care fraud stemming from a scheme to submit false claims for non-existent medical reimbursements through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Foreign Service Benefit Plan.

            The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Inspector in Charge David G. Bowers of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Washington, D.C., Division.

            Sveda and Schachter, who were indicted in July 2015, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They are to be sentenced on Jan. 20, 2016, by the Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan.  Under the advisory sentencing guidelines, they face a possible sentence of 18 to 24 months. They also agreed to pay $257,000 in restitution and to forfeit an identical amount in a money judgment.

            According to a statement of offense signed by the government as well as both defendants, Sveda is a former U.S. State Department employee, now retired. He is entitled to participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program, the federally-funded health benefit program provided by the U.S. government for federal employees, retirees, and their eligible spouses and dependents.  State Department Foreign Service employees and retirees, like Sveda, and federal employees living overseas, have the option of choosing the Foreign Service Benefit Plan of Washington, D.C., as their health insurance plan. Participants of this plan, like Sveda, pay for medical services and medications up front and then submit claims via facsimile or mail and are reimbursed by a check sent through the U.S. Postal Service or a payment electronically transferred into their bank account.

            Schachter is Sveda’s spouse and has acted on behalf of Sveda in demanding payments for medical insurance claims. Between February 2007 and October 2010, Sveda and Schachter submitted to the insurance carrier for Foreign Service Benefit Plan claims for pharmaceutical items and services purportedly obtained from a German pharmacy, Stadt-Apotheke Fussen, located in Fussen, Germany. Similarly, from May 2007 through October 2012, Sveda and Schachter submitted claims for medical services Sveda allegedly obtained from various German doctors, clinics, and hospitals. Sveda’s claims used the names and addresses of various doctors, clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies, and other health care service providers, located in Germany.

            Since at least 2007, Sveda and Schachter have engaged in extensive foreign travel and extended stays at spas. Government travel records — such as passport stamps and the U.S. government’s records of border crossings — as well as documents obtained from airlines, ocean line operators, credit and debit card payments, and a major spa company, establish that Sveda was traveling across the Atlantic, receiving spa treatments in Massachusetts, or otherwise traveling outside of Germany on the dates when Sveda and Schachter claimed Sveda was in Germany receiving medical services from doctors, clinics, hospitals, or other health care providers. Based on information the government has received to date, $257,000 of those claimed medical services, purportedly performed in Germany, are known to be false based on dates when travel and other records establish that Sveda was not in Germany.

            In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Inspector General McFarland, Assistant Director in Charge Abbate, and Inspector in Charge Bowers expressed appreciation for the work performed by Special Agents and analysts from OPM’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI, as well as by Postal Inspectors and analysts with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  They also acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Donna Galindo, Kristy Penny, John Lowell, Jessica Mundi, and Corinne Kleinman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Radway and Diane Lucas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who is prosecuting the case.

WASHINGTON - Darrell Best, 46, a former member of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), pled guilty today to one count of production of child pornography, one count of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Best pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for Best to be sentenced to 18 years in prison.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, the Court will determine at Best’s sentencing the period of supervised release that Best will serve following the completion of his prison term.  Best will also be required by law to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. If he approves the plea, the Honorable Reggie B. Walton is to sentence Best on Feb. 26, 2016.

            In addition to working as a police officer, Best was the head pastor of a church in Southeast Washington. The sexual abuse charges stem from incidents involving two minor females who knew and trusted him through the church. Best pled guilty to second-degree sexual abuse of a minor based on his sexual abuse of one of the girls on Dec. 3, 2014 at MPD Headquarters.  He pled guilty to first-degree sexual abuse of a minor based on his sexual abuse of the other girl on Feb. 14, 2015 while inside the church.

            On March 14, 2015, after one of the girls told her parents about the abuse, the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division began investigating the case. Best was arrested two days later and has been in custody ever since.

            Following Best’s arrest, investigators obtained a search and seizure warrant from the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for Best’s cellular phone. A forensic examination of the phone revealed seven images depicting child pornography, which Best had produced using one of the victims.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. In addition, they acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Paralegal Specialist Donhue Troy Griffith, and Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah D. McClellan and Lindsay Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – James Leroy Burney, 32, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a minor, stemming from his fondling of a 16-year-old girl while she slept at her mother’s home, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Burney pled guilty on Oct. 21, 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on Dec. 18, 2015 by the Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston.  He faces a statutory maximum sentence of seven-and-a-half years in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 13, 2015, the girl was spending the night with her mother, who she was visiting in Southeast Washington.  Twice during the night, Burney slipped into a bedroom and fondled the girl. The Metropolitan Police Department got a warrant for Burney’s arrest, and arrested him on Sept. 16, 2015.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of MPD’s Youth Services Division, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists D’Yvonne Key and Joyce Arthur; Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan; and La June Thames and Katina Adams-Washington, both of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.

WASHINGTON - Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch today recognized a team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington Field Office for the successful prosecution of four former security guards for Blackwater USA on charges stemming from their roles in the Sept. 16, 2007, shooting at Nisur Square in Baghdad, Iraq, that resulted in the killing of 14 unarmed civilians and the wounding of numerous others.

            The team members were among 279 Justice Department employees and 33 individuals outside of the department to receive Attorney General Awards at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.  Today’s 63rd annual ceremony recognized individuals for their outstanding service and dedication to carrying out the missions of the Department of Justice.

            The team that worked on the Blackwater investigation was honored with the award for Distinguished Service, one of the Justice Department’s highest honors.

            “The individuals being honored today stand out within a department that holds all of its employees and partners to an extremely high standard of excellence,” said Attorney General Lynch.  “They have put in long hours, made immense sacrifices and, in some cases, placed themselves in harm’s way.  They have taken on issues that once seemed intractable, and made progress on problems that once seemed impossible.  And their outstanding work is an inspiration to public servants everywhere.”

            “These awards reflect the unwavering dedication to justice displayed by lawyers and support staff of our Office and others across the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “The Nisur Square shooting presented a test as to whether our criminal justice system was capable of holding these American contractors accountable for their criminal acts overseas against foreign nationals. Those who worked on this case persevered through years of incredibly challenging work to prosecute those responsible for the shooting of innocent, unarmed Iraqi civilians, securing convictions that reaffirmed the commitment of the American people to the rule of law."

            “It took an enormous amount of investigative expertise, persistence and fortitude to ensure that justice and accountability was attained in this case,” stated Assistant Director in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.  “The team’s ability to overcome each of the monumental challenges faced is a testament to their remarkable skill and unwavering commitment to ensuring the rule of law is faithfully applied.  These individuals showed tremendous courage, dedication and integrity in following through on the successful pursuit of justice.”

            The Distinguished Service Award is one of the Justice Department’s highest honors for employee performance. Recipients exemplify the highest commitment to the Justice Department’s mission. The team members from the U.S. Attorney’s Office who were honored today include: Jonathan M. Malis, Chief of the Criminal Division; T. Patrick Martin, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division; Gregg A. Maisel, Chief of the National Security Section; Kenneth C. Kohl, Deputy Chief of the National Security Section; Jay I. Bratt, former Deputy Chief of the National Security Section; Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Crabb, Jr., Christopher R. Kavanaugh, and David Mudd; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Asuncion; and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Mr. Bratt and Mr. Asuncion are now Deputy Chiefs with the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Mr. Kavanaugh is now with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Virginia.

            Other team members who were recognized today include Attorney Demetra Lambros, of the Appellate Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Brian M. Rasmussen, formerly the FBI’s Assistant Legal Attaché (ALAT) in Baghdad and now Supervisory Special Agent of the FBI’s Houston Field Office, and Special Agents Marc Daniel Hess, Jeremy David Moore, Thomas F. O’Connor, and Katrice Stubbs, of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

            Those honored today represented a much larger group from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and other agencies that played an integral part in the extraordinary and unprecedented investigation and subsequent trial. These many contributors showed remarkable professionalism, tenacity, and courage throughout the investigation and prosecution of the security guards who were accused of taking part in the shooting in and around Nisur Square, a busy traffic circle in the heart of Baghdad. Those killed included 10 men, two women, and two boys, ages 9 and 11. At least another 18 victims were injured.

            The four security guards who stood trial worked for Blackwater USA, a private security contractor that was paid by the U.S. government to provide protective services to U.S. officials. They were found guilty by a jury on Oct. 22, 2014, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Over the course of 11 weeks, the government presented testimony from 71 witnesses, including over 30 from Iraq. This represented the largest group of foreign witnesses ever to travel to the United States for a criminal trial. The witnesses included 13 people who were wounded in the shootings, as well as relatives of many of those who died. The government’s witnesses also included nine members of “Raven 23,” the Blackwater team that was on the scene on the day of the shootings, including one former security guard who pled guilty in December 2008.

WASHINGTON – Ricky B. Reaves, 53, a former background investigator who did work under contract for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), pled guilty today to a charge stemming from his falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management.

            Reaves, of Lorton, Va., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to making a false statement. The Honorable Richard J. Leon scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2016. The charge carries a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As part of the plea, Reaves has agreed to pay $91,124 in restitution to the federal government.

            According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Reaves was employed by USIS, formerly known as U.S. Investigations Services, Inc., as an investigator under contract to conduct background investigations on behalf of OPM’s Federal Investigative Services.

            Between July 2010 and March 2011, in more than two dozen Reports of Investigations on background investigations, Reaves represented that he had interviewed a source or reviewed a record­ regarding the subject of the background investigation. In fact, he had not conducted the interviews or obtained the records of interest. These reports were utilized and relied upon by the agencies requesting the background investigations to determine whether the subjects were suitable for positions having access to classified information, for positions impacting national security, or for receiving or retaining security clearances, or for positions of public trust.

            Reaves’ false representations have required Federal Investigative Services to reopen and rework numerous background investigations that were assigned to him during the time period of his falsifications, at an estimated cost of at least $91,124 to the U.S. government.

            Federal Investigative Services has a robust integrity assurance program which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information.  The falsification of investigative case work by the defendant was detected through the program.

            This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2008 involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Reaves, 20 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.

            Federal Investigative Services, through its workforce of approximately 6,000, including 5,200 field investigators, is responsible for conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contractors, on individuals either employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. Federal Investigative Services conducted more than 2.3 million investigations during the 2014 fiscal year. More than 655,000 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.

            In performing background investigations, the investigators conduct interviews of individuals who have information about the person who is the subject of the review. In addition, the investigators seek out, obtain, and review documentary evidence, such as employment records, to verify and corroborate information provided by either the subject of the background investigation or by persons interviewed during the investigation.  After conducting interviews and obtaining documentary evidence, the investigators prepare a Report of Investigation containing the results of the interviews and document reviews, and electronically submit the material to OPM in Washington, D.C. OPM then provides a copy of the investigative file to the requesting agency, which can use the information to determine an individual’s eligibility for employment or a security clearance.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Inspector General McFarland praised the efforts of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nathaniel Smith and Special Agent Christopher  Sulhoff, OPM, Office of the Inspector General, and Philip Kroop and Kevin Cassidy, OPM, Federal Investigative Services. They also acknowledged the work of Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein, who investigated and prosecuted this matter.

Combined with Payments to Regulators, Bank to Pay $787.3 Million

Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB), a corporate and investment bank owned by Crédit Agricole S.A. and headquartered in Paris, has agreed to forfeit $312 million and enter into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia for CACIB’s violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA).  CACIB employs over 7,000 employees and has a presence in over 30 countries.  The bank has also entered into settlement agreements with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the New York County District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS).  In total, CACIB will pay $787.3 million in criminal and civil financial penalties.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Chief Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. of New York County.

A one-count felony criminal information and a related civil forfeiture complaint were filed today in federal court in the District of Columbia charging CACIB with knowingly and willfully conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit violations of IEEPA and TWEA.  CACIB has waived federal indictment, agreed to the filing of the information and civil forfeiture complaint, and has accepted responsibility for its criminal conduct and that of its employees.

CACIB is to pay $156 million to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and $156 million to the New York County District Attorney’s Office.

The New York County District Attorney’s Office is also announcing today that CACIB has entered into a separate deferred prosecution agreement, and that, in the corresponding factual statement, CACIB admitted that it violated New York state law by falsifying the records of New York financial institutions.

In addition, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is announcing that CACIB has agreed to a cease and desist order, to take certain remedial steps to ensure its compliance with U.S. law in its ongoing operations and to pay a civil monetary penalty of $90.3 million.  DFS is announcing CACIB has agreed to, among other things, employ a compliance consultant for a period of one year and pay a monetary penalty of $385 million to DFS.  The Treasury Department’s OFAC has also levied a fine of approximately $329.5 million, which will be satisfied by the payments to federal and local agencies.

“Sanctions laws are critical to both our national security and foreign policy interests,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips.  “CACIB, through its subsidiaries, violated our laws and our interests by conducting business on behalf of entities in Sudan.  CACIB’s subsidiaries succeeded in these efforts, in large part, by hiding their conduct from CACIB’s employees in the United States.  In this case, the overwhelming majority of the unlawful conduct occurred at a foreign subsidiary that no longer exists.  Although CACIB moved quickly to end these unlawful transactions and fully cooperated with investigators, today’s resolution demonstrates that there will be significant consequences for any financial institution that allows its foreign subsidiaries that do not intend to respect U.S. law to, nevertheless, access the U.S. financial system.”

“The financial penalties imposed on Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank send a powerful message to any financial institution that prioritizes profits over adherence to the law,” said Assistant Director Campbell.  “This investigation is another example of our commitment to work closely with our federal and state partners to ensure compliance with U.S. banking laws to promote integrity across financial institutions and to safeguard our national security.”

“Today’s announcement is another significant milestone on an international stage that should send a clear warning to other global financial institutions,” said Chief Weber.  “IRS-CI’s work in this investigation, as well as prior sanction cases, has proven the ability of IRS-CI and our partners to expose violations of IEEPA and TWEA sanctions.  We will continue to use our financial expertise to uncover these types of violations and hold financial institutions accountable for international criminal violations.”

“With this resolution, as well as eight previous agreements, my office and our partners are sending a clear message that financial institutions must comply with sanctions against rogue nations,” said District Attorney Vance.  “Over the course of our investigation, it was revealed that subsidiaries of Crédit Agricole illegally moved hundreds of millions of dollars through the U.S. on behalf of clients in Sudan, Iran, Cuba and Burma.  This type of conduct requires the bank be held accountable, and I would like to thank all our partners for their efforts to ensure that our financial system is protected.”

According to documents released publicly today, between August 2003 and September 2008, CACIB subsidiaries in Geneva knowingly and willfully moved approximately $312 million through the U.S. financial system on behalf of sanctioned entities located in Sudan, Burma, Iran and Cuba.  Specifically, during this time period, these CACIB subsidiaries employed deceptive practices that concealed the involvement of banks designated as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) and other corporate entities in financial transactions that transited through the United States and thereby deprived the United States and CACIB’s New York branch and other U.S. financial institutions of the ability to filter for, and consequently block or reject, sanctioned payments.  The bank’s conduct caused approximately $312 million in unlawful transactions to transit through the United States financial systems—although nearly all of the bank’s violations involved Sudanese business organizations.  CACIB subsidiaries also unlawfully caused transactions on behalf of clients located in Burma, Iran and Cuba to unlawfully transit through the United States as well.

According to court documents, CACIB’s employees were aware of U.S. sanctions against Sudan and the fact that the sanctions applied to payments the bank sent to the United States.  Further, CACIB has acknowledged that compliance personnel within CACIB subsidiaries in Geneva were aware of the U.S. sanctions against Sudan and that these sanctions applied to payments the bank sent through the United States.  Despite this knowledge, compliance personnel authorized payments on behalf of the bank’s Sudanese customers.

CACIB has admitted that its employees permitted 11 Sudanese banks to maintain U.S. dollar accounts with CACIB—six of the Sudanese banks were SDNs.  CACIB’s subsidiaries relied primarily on non-transparent payment messages, known as cover payments, to mask the unlawful payments that were sent through the United States. 

This case was investigated by the IRS-CI and the FBI’s New York Field Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Graves, Maia L. Miller and Zia Faruqui of the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Petalas assisted in the investigation.

The New York County District Attorney’s Office also conducted its own investigation in conjunction with the Department of Justice.  The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the DFS and the Treasury Department’s OFAC provided assistance with this matter. 

WASHINGTON- Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB), a corporate and investment bank owned by Crédit Agricole S.A. and headquartered in Paris, France, has agreed to forfeit $312 million and enter into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for CACIB’s violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA).  CACIB employs over 7,000 employees and has a presence in over 30 countries.  The bank has also entered into settlement agreements with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the New York County District Attorney’s Office, and the New York State Department of Financial Services.  In total, CACIB will pay $787.3 million in criminal and civil financial penalties.

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia; Joseph S. Campbell, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Chief Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. of New York County.

            A one-count felony criminal information and a related civil forfeiture complaint were filed today in federal court in the District of Columbia charging CACIB with knowingly and willfully conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit violations of IEEPA and TWEA.  CACIB has waived federal indictment, agreed to the filing of the information and civil forfeiture complaint, and has accepted responsibility for its criminal conduct and that of its employees.

            CACIB is to pay $156 million to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and $156 million to the New York County District Attorney’s Office.

            The New York County District Attorney’s Office is also announcing today that CACIB has entered into a separate deferred prosecution agreement, and that, in the corresponding factual statement, CACIB admitted that it violated New York State law by falsifying the records of New York financial institutions.

            In addition, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System is announcing that CACIB has agreed to a cease and desist order, to take certain remedial steps to ensure its compliance with U.S. law in its ongoing operations, and to pay a civil monetary penalty of $90.3 million.  The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) is announcing CACIB has agreed to, among other things, employ a compliance consultant for a period of one year, and pay a monetary penalty to DFS of $385 million.  The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has also levied a fine of approximately $329.5 million, which will be satisfied by the payments to federal and local agencies.

            “Sanctions laws are critical to both our national security and foreign policy interests,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips.  “CACIB, through its subsidiaries, violated our laws and our interests by conducting business on behalf of entities in Sudan.  CACIB’s subsidiaries succeeded in these efforts, in large part, by hiding their conduct from CACIB’s employees in the United States.  In this case, the overwhelming majority of the unlawful conduct occurred at a foreign subsidiary that no longer exists. Although CACIB moved quickly to end these unlawful transactions and fully cooperated with investigators, today’s resolution demonstrates that there will be significant consequences for any financial institution that allows its foreign subsidiaries that do not intend to respect U.S. law to, nevertheless, access the U.S. financial system.”

            “The financial penalties imposed on Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank send a powerful message to any financial institution that prioritizes profits over adherence to the law,” said Assistant Director Campbell. “This investigation is another example of our commitment to work closely with our federal and state partners to ensure compliance with U.S. banking laws to promote integrity across financial institutions and to safeguard our national security.”

            ‎“Today’s announcement is another significant milestone on an international stage that should send a clear warning to other global financial institutions,” said Chief Weber. “IRS-CI’s work in this investigation, as well as prior sanction cases, has proven the ability of IRS-CI and our partners to expose violations of IEEPA and TWEA sanctions. We will continue to use our financial expertise to uncover these types of violations and hold financial institutions accountable for international criminal violations.”

            “With this resolution, as well as eight previous agreements, my Office and our partners are sending a clear message that financial institutions must comply with sanctions against rogue nations,” said District Attorney Vance. “Over the course of our investigation, it was revealed that subsidiaries of Crédit Agricole illegally moved hundreds of millions of dollars through the U.S. on behalf of clients in Sudan, Iran, Cuba, and Burma. This type of conduct requires the bank be held accountable, and I would like to thank all our partners for their efforts to ensure that our financial system is protected.”

            According to documents released publicly today, between August 2003 and September 2008, CACIB subsidiaries in Geneva, Switzerland, knowingly and willfully moved approximately $312 million through the U.S. financial system on behalf of sanctioned entities located in Sudan, Burma, Iran, and Cuba.  Specifically, during this time period, these CACIB subsidiaries employed deceptive practices that concealed the involvement of banks designated as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) and other corporate entities in financial transactions that transited through the United States and thereby deprived the United States and CACIB’s New York branch and other U.S. financial institutions of the ability to filter for, and consequently block or reject, sanctioned payments.  The bank’s conduct caused approximately $312 million in unlawful transactions to transit through the United States financial systems—although nearly all of the bank’s violations involved Sudanese business organizations. CACIB subsidiaries also unlawfully caused transactions on behalf of clients located in Burma, Iran, and Cuba to unlawfully transit through the United States as well.

            According to court documents, CACIB’s employees were aware of U.S. sanctions against Sudan and the fact that the sanctions applied to payments the bank sent to the United States.  Further, CACIB has acknowledged that compliance personnel within CACIB subsidiaries in Geneva were aware of the U.S. sanctions against Sudan and that these sanctions applied to payments the bank sent through the United States.  Despite this knowledge, compliance personnel authorized payments on behalf of the bank’s Sudanese customers.

            CACIB has admitted that its employees permitted 11 Sudanese banks to maintain U.S. dollar accounts with CACIB—six of the Sudanese banks were SDNs.  CACIB’s subsidiaries relied primarily on non-transparent payment messages, known as cover payments, to mask the unlawful payments that were sent through the United States.

            This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and FBI’s New York Field Office.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Graves, Maia L. Miller, and Zia Faruqui of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Petalas assisted in the investigation.

            The New York County District Attorney’s Office also conducted its own investigation in conjunction with the Department of Justice.  The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control provided assistance with this matter.

WASHINGTON – Christopher Willis, 22, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges stemming from his use of a firearm during a robbery of a convenience store and a store customer, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Willis pled guilty in August 2015, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of attempted robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on Oct. 16, 2015, by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Upon completion of his prison term, he must complete three years of probation.

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 11:20 a.m. on June 3, 2015, Willis was walking around the parking lot of a convenience store in the 3500 block of Wheeler Road SE, with a loaded handgun.  Several customers were coming in and out of the store. Willis approached one of the customers in the parking lot, brandishing a handgun, and forced the customer to give him his car keys. Willis then entered the store and, at gunpoint, he robbed a store clerk. When police arrived at the scene, they found Willis with the store’s proceeds.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  He also expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Channing D. Phillips took office today as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. He succeeds Vincent H. Cohen, Jr., who had been serving as Acting U.S. Attorney since April 1, 2015.

     President Obama nominated Mr. Phillips on Oct. 8, 2015, to serve as U.S. Attorney, and the nomination is pending Senate confirmation. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch appointed Mr. Phillips to serve as Interim U.S. Attorney, effective today.

     Mr. Phillips, 57, has served as Senior Counselor to Attorney General and Deputy Associate Attorney General in the Department of Justice since 2010.  From 1994 to 2010, he served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where he held a number of managerial positions including Acting U.S. Attorney, Principal Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief of Staff to the U.S. Attorney, and Special Counsel.

     U.S. Attorney Phillips met with senior management today, expressing his excitement at being back at the U.S. Attorney's Office.  He acknowledged a need and readiness to hit the ground running given several high-profile matters that await his immediate focus and attention.  To help in that effort, he announced that he had named James Dinan, the current head of the Justice Department’s Professional Misconduct Review Unit, to serve as the Principal Assistant United States Attorney.  Mr. Dinan, a seasoned and well-respected prosecutor, most recently served in the Office as Criminal Division Chief and Chief of the Narcotics and Gang Section. Mr. Dinan first joined the Office in 1989.

     As he took on his new responsibilities today, U.S. Attorney Phillips thanked Mr. Cohen and Denise Simmonds, the outgoing Principal Assistant United States Attorney, for their exceptional work in leading and moving the Office forward since the departure of former U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. at the end of March 2015.