District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – Ayawna Webster, who was an aide and chief of staff for former District of Columbia Council Member Harry L. Thomas, Jr., pled guilty today to a criminal tax charge for her role in channeling $110,000 in youth grant funds used to pay for an inaugural ball.

     The guilty plea, which took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

     Webster, 36, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to attempting to interfere with the administration of the Internal Revenue Service laws. The Honorable John D. Bates scheduled sentencing for Nov. 1, 2013.  The charge carries a maximum statutory sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the likely range is up to six months of incarceration and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000.

     Webster is the sixth person to plead guilty to charges in an ongoing investigation into activities involving former Council Member Thomas. Thomas pled guilty last year to charges stemming from a scheme in which he used more than $350,000 in taxpayers’ money that was earmarked for the arts, youth recreation, and summer programs for his own personal benefit, including to pay for vehicles, clothing and trips. He resigned as a condition of his plea agreement and is now serving a 38-month prison sentence.

     The others who have pled guilty include James Garvin and Marshall D. Banks, leaders of one of the non-profits used in the scheme. Both men, from the Langston in the 21st Century Foundation, pled guilty to misprision of a felony, a charge holding them accountable for failing to report and concealing the misappropriation of $392,000 in government grants.  Additionally, Danita C. Doleman, the president of Youth Technology Institute, pled guilty to filing a false return in connection with her assistance in funneling public money to pay for the 51st State Inaugural Ball. Finally, Millicent D. West, the former director and chief executive officer of a non-profit organization that promotes youth opportunities, pled guilty to a criminal tax charge for her role in channeling the youth grant funds to pay for the ball.

     Garvin and Banks were sentenced to three years of supervised probation, 80 hours of community service, and ordered to pay full restitution. Doleman and West are awaiting sentencing.

     “Today Ayawna Webster became the sixth person to plead guilty as part of the investigation of her former boss, Council Member Harry Thomas, Jr.,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “Her guilty plea is another reminder of the foolishness of going along with criminal schemes to placate corrupt public officials.  This investigation is continuing.”    

     “Ms. Webster failed to report the illegal use of public funds, causing money dedicated to District of Columbia youth to be diverted to a single person for their own benefit,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave.  “This plea, along with that of others who helped to conceal this scheme, shows that those who commit corruption, as well as those who allow it, will be held accountable for their actions.”

     “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat public corruption,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly. “Ms. Webster's plea today is a reminder to all that any abuse of the public trust is a serious matter and those violating that trust will be held accountable.”

     Webster worked from January 2007 until December 2010 as Thomas’s director of constituent services. In January 2011, he promoted her to be his chief of staff. In addition to her work duties, Webster was the president of a local chapter of a political organization.

     Thomas, who took office in January 2007 as the Ward 5 representative, served during his first term as Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation and Planning, which involved oversight responsibility for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. In that role, he worked with a non-profit public-private partnership that provided resources and developed programs to benefit children and youth in the District of Columbia.

     The partnership was primarily funded by the District of Columbia government through funds designated by the Mayor and Council for particular youth-related purposes. The partnership provided grants to organizations for programs tailored for children and youth.

     The charge against Webster deals mostly with her role in the 51st State Inaugural Ball, held on Jan. 20, 2009 in the Wilson Building. Thomas was closely involved in the planning. He had sought to host the event, but was prohibited from doing so. He then asked Webster if her political organization would serve as the host. She agreed, and she then organized the event, including booking entertainment and contracting with caterers, janitorial services and decoration providers, at Thomas’s direction.

     The ball was an adult, formal, black-tie event open to members of the public who had purchased tickets for $51 apiece. Webster tried to get a liquor license for the ball, but the request was denied because of its location at the Wilson Building. Before the event occurred, Webster knew that ticket sales were not generating enough money to cover costs. As the event approached, Thomas assured Webster that she would get the funds to pay for the ball. However, after the event, she was unable to pay vendors. Thomas then directed Webster to contact a staff member, who was director of the Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation and Planning.

     On Jan. 29, 2009, this staff member submitted budget paperwork to the public-private partnership seeking a grant of $110,000 for Webster’s political organization that would fund a “youth/young adult inauguration celebration.” The public-private partnership requested that Webster’s organization complete a tax form to enable check processing. At the direction of the staff member, Webster subsequently completed a tax form, backdated to Jan. 4, 2009, that falsely listed her organization’s name as “DC Young America.”  

     The grant recipient eventually was changed to the Youth Technology Institute, another non-profit, and new paperwork was submitted leading to the release of the funds.

     In truth, the Youth Technology Institute immediately forwarded nearly the entire amount to Webster’s political organization. In addition to paying expenses for the inaugural ball, Webster received permission from Thomas to use some of the grant funds for other purposes, including expenses she incurred while traveling on behalf of her political organization. Also, funds were used to pay a vendor that supplied services to another of Thomas’s events.

     In her plea, Webster also admitted failing to report her organization’s political activity. During a hearing in February 2010 of the District of Columbia Office of Campaign Finance, for example, she testified that the organization did not have any financial activity during the time period in which it actually obtained $104,500 for expenses associated with the inaugural ball.

     Also, for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009, Webster never filed federal or District of Columbia tax returns on behalf of the organization.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Special Agent in Charge Kelly praised the work of the investigators from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS-CI who worked on the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Matthew Kutz, Mark Crawford and Melissa Matthews; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Diane Hayes, Shanna Hays, Lenisse Edloe and Monica Johnson; Legal Assistant Krishawn Graham, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Fitzpatrick. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan W. Haray, David Johnson, and James E. Smith, who are prosecuting the matter.

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In Series of Burglaries at University Dormitory
-Took Laptops, Other Items in January 2013 at George Washington University-

     WASHINGTON - James Dunmore, 39, of Hyattsville, Md., pled guilty today to first-degree burglary and other felony charges stemming from a series of burglaries he committed this year at George Washington University, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Dunmore pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a total of 12 charges, including first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, second-degree theft, and unlawful entry. The Honorable Robert I. Richter set sentencing for Sept. 13, 2013.  Dunmore faces a potential sentence of more than 20 years in prison.

     According to a proffer of evidence, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Dunmore entered a total of five apartments in January 2013 in the Ivory Tower Dormitory at George Washington University in Northwest Washington. Over two separate days, he took various electronic items, including laptops, and other property belonging to seven students.

     The series of crimes began on Jan. 25, 2013. That day, Dunmore entered the residence hall and went into a student’s apartment while the student was in the shower. He took a laptop and the student’s wallet, which contained the student’s G-World card, a student ID card that can be used to electronically gain entry to the university’s buildings.

     Then, on Jan. 28, 2013, Dunmore entered four more apartments in the same building. He got into the residence hall at about 1:30 p.m. by following another student into the building. First, he went to the sixth floor, where he entered three separate apartments. He took a pillowcase, three laptops, a camera and an iPod from one apartment. In another, a student was asleep in bed when Dunmore entered the room and pretended to be looking for someone he knew; he took an iPod from that apartment. He went into a third apartment on the sixth floor, but left without taking anything after he saw someone there. Dunmore then went to the building’s third floor and entered yet another apartment, taking two laptops, a video game system, and a student’s suitcase, which he used to carry the items away.

     One student became suspicious of Dunmore’s activities and alerted campus police, who stopped Dunmore on his way out of the building with the stolen items in his possession.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the Metropolitan Police Department and the George Washington University Police Department.  He also acknowledged the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Allison Gregory Daniels and Victim/Witness Advocates Kristina Rose and Katina Adams-Washington, as well as Intern Julie Herward.  Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Sroka, who investigated and indicted the case.

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In 2012 Shooting in Southeast Washington
-He and Another Man Targeted Victims Who Were in a Car-

            WASHINGTON - Delonte Smith, 20, of Capitol Heights, Md., was found guilty by a jury today of assault with a dangerous weapon and other charges stemming from a shooting that took place last year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

            Smith, also known as “Unc,” was found guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of one count of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of simple assault. The verdicts followed a two-week trial. The Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow scheduled sentencing for Sept. 20, 2013.

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11, 2012, Smith approached a vehicle that was parked in the 5000 block of H Street SE and told the man in the driver’s seat to get out.  When the driver refused, Smith tried to open the car door, which was locked.  He then walked around the vehicle to the passenger’s side and told the woman in the front passenger’s seat to get out of the car. 

            In the meantime, Smith’s best friend and accomplice, Jeffrey Ray Tyson, 20, also known as “Baby Boy,” approached the driver’s side door and produced a handgun.  Tyson tapped several times on the driver’s side window with the handgun and ordered the driver out of the car.  The driver refused, put the car into drive, and attempted to drive away from the area.  Tyson fired six shots at the vehicle, at least two of which hit the car.  Although neither of the people in the car was hit, the two rounds that struck the vehicle were in the direction of the driver’s head.  The car’s occupants flagged down patrol officers just a few blocks away.

            Tyson died as the result of a homicide five days later, in an unrelated incident.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed appreciation for the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD,) 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 Antoinette Sakamsa and Tony Griffith; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Claudia Gutierrez; Victim/Witness Advocate Jim Brennan, Victim/Witness Supervisor Michael Hailey, Victim/Witness Security Specialist Tanya Via, and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard E. DiZinno, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – John Solano, 30, a former teacher from Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     Solano entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer is to sentence him on Oct. 2, 2013. Solano faces a sentence of not less than five years and no more than 20 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.  Solano has been incarcerated since his arrest on March 8, 2013.

     According to the government's evidence, Solano, who was then a teacher at McKinley Tech High School in Northeast Washington, engaged in inappropriate sexual communications with several current and former students. Specifically, in December 2012, Solano engaged in inappropriate and sexually explicit text message communications with a 16-year-old student. During the course of that correspondence, at Solano’s request, the student sent and Solano received images of child pornography.

     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 Machen, Assistant Director Parlave 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.

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For First-Degree Murder While Armed
And Other Charges in Christmas 2009 Attack
-Gunshots Killed One Man, Wounded Two Others-

WASHINGTON – Marlo Garcia, also known as “Lupita,” 24, was sentenced today to a prison term of 55 ½ years following his conviction for first-degree murder while armed and other charges in a shooting on Christmas Day 2009 that killed one man and wounded two others, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Garcia, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury in March 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury found him guilty of three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and related weapons offenses. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck sentenced him this afternoon.

According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 25, 2009, Garcia was invited by his friend, Miguel Romero, to attend a Christmas party at about 4 a.m. at a rooming house in the 5400 block of Fourth Street NW. Garcia brought a .25-caliber handgun to the location, and while there, he went out in an alley to shoot it.  When told to stop, he became agitated.

Garcia then went inside the residence and began dancing and groping his friend’s girlfriend. Mr. Romero’s cousin approached Garcia to calm him, and Garcia shot him in the head. He then shot the girlfriend in the head and shot Mr. Romero in the back, neck and head. Garcia then fired yet another shot but missed a fourth person at the apartment. Mr. Romero, 21, died immediately. The other two shooting victims still have bullets lodged in their brains.

After shooting the victims, Garcia fled the apartment. He was arrested two days later.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers, and mobile crime scene officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rakoczy, Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, and Melissa Milam, Iris Vega, Marcia Rinker, Laverne Forrest, Michael Hailey, Katina Adams and David Foster, all of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia G. Wright, who prosecuted the case.

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            WASHINGTON –Seventeen people, including a Prince George’s County, Md., police officer, have been indicted on federal charges in connection with an ongoing investigation by the FBI/Metropolitan Police Department Safe Streets Task Force into a network that distributed heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and prescription pills in the Washington, D.C. area.

            The charges were announced today by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The defendants, most of whom were arrested this week, are named in a pair of indictments returned on July 11, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The indictments were unsealed today.

            One indictment charges 16 defendants – 14 men and two women - with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, PCP, marijuana, and methamphetamines. The indictment against these defendants also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds derived from the crimes, as well as assets used to commit the offenses.

            The police officer, Vanessa Edwards-Hamm, 38, is named in the second indictment. She was charged with one count of tampering with documents or proceedings and one count of unlawful notice of electronic surveillance. According to the indictment, she alerted another person or persons of electronic surveillance in an effort to obstruct, impede and prevent the investigation. Hamm was arrested Monday and appeared in court later that afternoon. She was released on personal recognizance pending further court proceedings.

            The drug conspiracy charge carries a statutory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years of incarceration. Edwards-Hamm faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison on the charge of tampering with documents and proceedings and up to five years on the charge of providing unlawful notice of electronic surveillance.

            The drug conspiracy indictment alleges that the 16 defendants conspired to carry out the drug operation from December 2011 through July of this year, when it was broken up by law enforcement. According to the government’s evidence, the drugs were distributed in the Potomac Gardens and Hopkins housing complexes in Southeast Washington, as well as in Prince George’s County, Md., and locations in northern Virginia.

            “In this case, a police officer sworn to uphold the law is accused of undermining law enforcement by revealing covert electronic surveillance,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “That officer has been charged along with a far-reaching criminal network that distributed heroin, cocaine, and PCP through the D.C. area.  This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable drug dealers and the people who enable their illicit activities."

“With this week’s arrests, drug dealers who enjoyed a rich network to ply their trade within Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia have been removed from our neighborhoods and taken into custody,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Along with our law enforcement partners and through the Safe Streets Task Force, the FBI is focused on stopping the movement and sale of drugs on our streets and bringing those who profit from it to justice.”

            “This community has been plagued with drugs and violence for quite some time,” said Police Chief Lanier. “The Metropolitan Police Department and our federal law enforcement partners have made significant strides to make our communities safer. This case is an example of our dedication to remove illicit drugs and criminals from our neighborhoods.”

            The Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department assisted in Monday’s arrest of Edwards-Hamm. “If these allegations are proven true, they are solely the actions of one person,” said Prince George’s County Police Chief Mark A. Magaw. “They do not represent the good works of the men and women of the Prince George’s County Police Department as a whole.”

            All told, eleven defendants were arrested in a series of arrests that began on Monday, including seven who were taken into custody today. They include Edwards-Hamm; her brother, Mark Edwards, 39, of Capitol Heights, Md.; Brian Bauer, 38, of Culpeper, Va.; Joshua Brown, 37, of Culpeper, Va.; Jerome Cobble, 31, of Alexandria, Va., and his father, Roger Cobble, 55, of District Heights, Md.; Sean Douglas, 46, of Washington, D.C.; Alonzo Fields, 51, of Washington, D.C. ; Calvin Stoddard, 35, of Washington, D.C., Melvin Sugg, 68, of Landover, Md. , and Sidney Woodruff, Sr., 58, of Washington, D.C.

            Three defendants already were in custody: Donald Jenkins, 32, of Culpeper, Va., Jonathan Marshall, 38, of Brandy Station, Va., and Sandra Settle, 31, of Rixeyville, Va. Two men and a woman are being sought.

            Many of the defendants made their first court appearances in the case this afternoon.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

This prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task Force that targets violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia.  The Safe Streets Initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces across the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources. The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity, including drug-related crimes.

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation for those who pursued the investigation from the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Prince George's County, Md., and Culpeper, Va. police departments as well as the U.S. Marshals Service and the Charlottesville Resident Agency of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office.

            In addition, they acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Teesha Tobias and Starla Stolk; Program Specialist Kim Hall, and Legal Assistants Diane Brashears and Jessica Moffatt. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth F. Whitted and David B. Kent of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arvind K. Lal, Catherine K. Connelly and Zia Faruqui, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section.

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WASHINGTON – Derek Johnson, a former security guard at a nursing home, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for various crimes committed in a far-reaching identity theft and tax fraud scheme. Johnson stole identifying information from current and former residents of the nursing home, which was used to obtain more than $400,000 in fraudulent tax refunds.

     Johnson is among nine people who have pled guilty so far in one of the largest prosecutions to date involving the use of stolen identifying information. He is the first of the defendants to be sentenced. All told, the case involves the filing of returns seeking more than $20 million in fraudulent refunds.

     The sentence, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Gary R. Barksdale, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Treasury; and Kathy A. Michalko, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service.

     Johnson, 34, of District Heights, Md., pled guilty in February 2013 to three charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims; aiding and abetting in the making of false claims for refund, and aiding and abetting in fraud and related activity involving identification information. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg.

     Judge Boasberg ordered Johnson to pay a total of $435,764 in restitution to the IRS. Upon completion of his prison term, Johnson will be placed on three years of supervised release.

     According to evidence presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, Johnson was among participants in a massive identity theft and false tax refund scheme involving an extensive network of more than 100 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance. The scheme also involves bank tellers and postal carriers. From 2006 to date, they allegedly caused the filing of at least 7,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $20 million in refunds. The case remains under investigation. 

     According to the government’s evidence in this case, the refunds were sought in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated prisoners.

     “Derek Johnson was hired to protect the residents of a nursing home, but instead he stole these vulnerable citizens’ identities to file for bogus tax refunds,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “His callous conduct was typical of these criminals who exploit senior citizens, people with disabilities, drug addicts, and prisoners in an effort to fleece the taxpayers. Today Mr. Johnson became the first member of this $20 million tax fraud ring to be sentenced for his crimes, but there are many more to come.”

     “Criminal conspiracies involving financial fraud of this magnitude are often described as a house of cards. The underlying structure oftentimes falls apart and exposes the individuals responsible without warning,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly. “Identity theft is a loathsome, despicable crime that victimizes honest Americans and causes immense hardship to those individuals whose identities were stolen. Today’s sentence is a reminder that the IRS will remain vigilant in our investigation of these schemes and will continue to work with prosecutors to combat this type of criminal conduct.”

     “The Treasury Office of Inspector General is proud to be a part of this joint effort to stop those who prey on the most vulnerable and unsuspecting victims,” said Inspector General Thorson.

Johnson worked from August 2009 to January 2010 as a security guard at the Grant Park Nursing Home in Northeast Washington. This facility provides short-term rehabilitation care for residents with conditions such as stroke, fractures, joint replacements, amputations, and circulatory problems, as well as long-term care for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.

     The government’s evidence showed that Johnson provided identifying information about current and former nursing home residents to others in the conspiracy. More than 150 fraudulent federal tax forms were filed in the names of these current and former residents with the IRS, claiming fraudulent tax refunds totaling about $404,832. Some of the refund checks were negotiated by Johnson.  Other checks were negotiated by co-conspirators. Johnson endorsed his name on 45 checks totaling $90,809, which included 31 checks totaling $30,932 payable to then current or former nursing home patients, and deposited the funds into his own bank account. He kept a portion of the money and provided the rest to one or more of the others in the scheme.

     One resident of the nursing home, who had not worked in many years, was recovering from a stroke. His Social Security benefits were reduced as a result of this crime. The IRS reported the man’s filing to the Social Security Administration, which led to the reduction in benefits. His benefits are being restored.

     Johnson also endorsed and deposited another 14 checks in the names of others, totaling $30,923.

     At sentencing, the government pointed out that tax fraud is a drain on the U.S. treasury and takes away money that could go to a wide variety of essential programs.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Special Agent in Charge Kelly, Inspector in Charge Barksdale, Inspector General Thorson, and Special Agent in Charge Michalko 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, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, who is prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Maurice Fair, 35, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison on a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed for a slaying in 1995 at an apartment in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Fair pled guilty in May 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a 10-year prison term. The Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. accepted the plea and sentenced Fair. Upon completion of his prison term, Fair will be placed on five years of supervised release. Judge Dixon ordered that Fair participate in mental health treatment while incarcerated and after his release.

     According to the government’s evidence, the victim, James W. Belton, 18, was fatally shot on Oct. 5, 1995. Fair, who was then 17, had gone to Mr. Belton’s apartment, in the 1400 block of Sheridan Street NW, to smoke marijuana. While there, he shot Mr. Belton twice in the head with a .38-caliber revolver, causing Mr. Belton’s death.  At the time of the murder, no arrests or leads were developed linking the defendant to the slaying.

     On July 4, 2004, Fair approached police and told them he had set his mother’s house on fire.  He was transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. While at the hospital, the defendant, spontaneously, told hospital staff that he shot and killed a man eight years earlier with a .38-caliber gun.  He was not arrested for the homicide at that time. 

     Fair was arrested and interviewed on Oct. 23, 2007 by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in relation to the death of Mr. Belton. He told police that while visiting Mr. Belton on Oct. 5, 1995, he became paranoid and thought that Mr. Belton and another individual (who was not present) were going to rob and hurt him.  He subsequently shot Mr. Belton in the head. At the time that Mr. Belton was shot, he was seated on a couch, unarmed, and had not done anything to suggest to Fair that he was going to rob or hurt him.  After the shooting, Fair left the scene on a bicycle. Fair, who has been incarcerated since 2007, will receive credit for the time he has already served.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the MPD detectives and officers who investigated the case.  He also acknowledged the effort of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s office, including Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker.  Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ed Burley, who indicted the case, Steve Snyder, who worked on the investigation, and Cynthia G. Wright, who prosecuted the matter.

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WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that the Gallup Organization has agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and the Procurement Integrity Act for conduct involving several of its federal government contracts and subcontracts.  Gallup is a polling and market research firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. 

     The settlement announced today resolves allegations in a complaint filed by the United States in November 2012.  The United States’ complaint alleged that Gallup knowingly overstated its true estimated labor hours in proposals to the U.S. Mint and State Department for contracts and task orders that were to be awarded without competition.  Because of Gallup’s conduct, the complaint alleged, the two federal agencies awarded Gallup contracts and task orders at falsely inflated prices.  The settlement also resolves allegations that Gallup engaged in improper employment negotiations with a then Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official, Timothy Cannon, in order to obtain a FEMA subcontract at an inflated price and additional FEMA funding after the subcontract had been awarded. 

        “Contractors must be honest and straightforward in their contract proposals to the government,” said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice.  “We will pursue contractors that seek to take advantage of the government by providing estimates that do not reflect their best judgment, or by offering employment to federal officials who have a conflict of interest.  This type of misconduct results in inflated contract prices and undermines the integrity of the government’s contracting process.” 

        Separately, in April 2013, Cannon agreed to pay $40,000 to the United States to resolve allegations that he violated the Procurement Integrity Act by improperly negotiating for and accepting an offer of employment from Gallup while being personally and substantially involved in Gallup’s subcontract with FEMA.  In related criminal proceedings, on Jan. 15, 2013, Cannon pled guilty to a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 208, a federal conflict of interest statute, and was subsequently sentenced to probation. 

        “This case exposed a cozy arrangement between a contractor and a government employee where nobody was looking out for the American taxpayer,” said Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “With this settlement, we have held the contractor accountable for overbilling the government and returned $10.5 million to the federal treasury.  This significant corporate settlement and the related criminal prosecution should send a clear message that contractors and government officials alike must operate with honor and integrity.”  

        The False Claims Act allegations against Gallup were originally brought in a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the Act by Michael Lindley, Gallup’s former Director of Client Services.  The False Claims Act prohibits the submission of false claims for government money or property and allows the United States to recover treble damages and penalties for a violation.  Under the Act’s whistleblower provisions, a private party may file suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.  The United States may elect to intervene and take over the case, as it did here.  As a result of the settlement with Gallup, Lindley will receive $1,929,363 as his share of the government’s recovery.

        The settlement announced today is part of a global civil, criminal, and administrative resolution involving the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  After the United States’ civil complaint was filed, DHS, the parent organization of FEMA, suspended Gallup from government contracting.  In contemplation of resolving the criminal and civil investigations, Gallup recently entered into an Administrative Agreement with DHS, under which Gallup agreed to enhance its corporate compliance and ethics programs.  As a result, DHS lifted the suspension of Gallup.  Contemporaneous with the civil settlement, Gallup has entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia related to the FEMA conflict of interest allegations, in which Gallup has further agreed to strengthen its corporate compliance and ethics programs and to pay a penalty of $50,000.   

        The criminal investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Inspectors General for DHS and the General Services Administration (GSA).

        The Deputy Inspector General for the Department of State, Harold W. Geisel, said, “We are very pleased with the successful resolution of this case, and I commend the dedication of our OIG investigators in these complicated investigations.  Our efforts should reinforce our commitment to American taxpayers to recover funds from contractors who have unlawfully claimed them.”

        P. Brian Crane, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Treasury Office of Inspector General, would like to thank the U.S. Department of Justice and all agents involved in this case, and states that his office is committed to investigating contract fraud within Treasury’s bureaus, and is pleased with the outcome of this investigation.

        "We are vigilant to protect taxpayers from contractors who overcharge the government," said GSA Inspector General Brian D. Miller.

        The claims asserted in the government’s complaint are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.  The case is United States ex rel. Lindley v. The Gallup Organization, No-09-cv-01985 (D.D.C.). 

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WASHINGTON – Herbert G. Hayes, 41, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of second-degree murder while armed in a slaying that took place last year in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Hayes was found guilty by a jury following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Russell F. Canan scheduled sentencing for Sept. 20, 2013. Hayes faces a statutory maximum of 40 years in prison for the crime.

     According to the government’s evidence, on May 18, 2012 at about 9:30 p.m., Hayes chased the victim, John Wesley Griffin, 42, down the sidewalk in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street NW. As the chase continued, Mr. Griffin yelled, “Police, police!” Mr. Griffin ran into the street and Hayes followed him. Mr. Griffin then turned and faced Hayes, putting up his fists to fight. At that point, Hayes stabbed him. Mr. Griffin staggered to the sidewalk and then collapsed.  Hayes stood over him, and with knife in hand, shouted an expletive about the police before fleeing the scene. Mr. Griffin died as a result of his wounds.

     Hayes was arrested on May 21, 2012, and has been in custody ever since.

     In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers and mobile crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Mia Beamon, Victim/Witness Advocate Tamara Ince; Litigation Technology Specialists Kimberly Smith and Ron Royal, and Interns Daniel Fletcher and Lauren Sparks. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda Williams and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Chris Dobbie, who secured the indictment in the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON - Kerry F. Khan, 55, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison on federal charges stemming from his leadership of a ring of corrupt public officials and government contractors that engaged in bribery and kickbacks and that stole over $30 million through inflated and fictitious invoices.

     The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA); Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).

     To date, a total of 15 people and one company have pled guilty to charges in the largest domestic bribery and bid-rigging scheme in the history of federal contracting cases. Khan was the ninth defendant to be sentenced. According to the government’s evidence, Khan was paid, directly and indirectly, over $12 million through the bribery scheme. The government contracts were awarded from 2007 until 2011 through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Army.

     The scheme involved six companies, and could have resulted in even more losses for the government. Before his arrest, Khan was attempting to steer a planned $1 billion federal contract to a favored contractor in return for payments.

     Among other things, Khan used his share of the stolen proceeds to pay off a mortgage and refurbish his primary residence, and also in connection with the purchase of another dozen pieces of real property. The money also was used for home improvements; flat screen televisions; computer equipment; furniture; two Rolex watches; airlines tickets and luxury international hotel accommodations; high-end liquor, and other major personal expenses.

     Khan, formerly of Alexandria, Va., pled guilty in May 2012 to charges of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G.  Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

     In addition to the prison term, Judge Sullivan ordered Khan to pay $32.5 million in restitution to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  The judge also entered a forfeiture money judgment against Khan for $11,082,687, and forfeited to the United States more than $1.3 million in bank account funds, 13 properties in Virginia, Florida, and West Virginia, and a 2011 GMC Yukon Denali truck.  Khan has previously forfeited over $700,000 in bank account funds and four luxury automobiles.

     All of those sentenced so far have received prison terms. The investigation is continuing.

     Kerry Khan was the ringleader of the largest bribery and bid-rigging scheme in the history of federal contracting,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “His corrupt network of public officials and private contractors looted the U.S. Treasury for years.  Khan is now headed to prison for more than 19 years, where the friends, family, and colleagues he brought into his criminality will be joining him. His lengthy prison sentence is an appropriately forceful response to this brazen scheme.”

     “Through a series of deals laced with bribes and kickbacks, Mr. Khan stole more than $30 million from the American taxpayer for his personal benefit.  If it had not been for law enforcement intervention, a $780 million federal contract may also have been awarded as part of the scheme,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave of the FBI.  “Today’s sentencing serves as a reminder that corruption will not be overlooked or downplayed, and those who take part in such activity will pay the price for their crimes.” 

     “Criminal conspiracies involving financial fraud of this magnitude are frequently described as a house of cards, and the underlying structure oftentimes falls apart and exposes the individuals’ responsible for what they are, greedy criminals,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly of IRS-CI. “Mr. Khan's contributions to this massive bribery and bid-rigging scheme were extensive and significant. Today's sentence should be a warning to those involved in criminal activities that they, like Mr. Khan, will be held accountable for their actions.”

     “The consequence to those who betray the public trust in exchange for bribe payments is evident by today’s announcement,” said Inspector General Gustafson of the SBA.  “Kerry Khan served as the ringleader in an extraordinary conspiracy to defraud the government, and his sentence demonstrates there is no tolerance for criminal activity by Federal employees who hold positions of trust in the federal contracting process.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their commitment to seek justice on behalf of the American taxpayer.”

     “At a time when Government and taxpayer resources are being stretched to their limits and our service members continue to make sacrifices to protect our national security, it is detestable that officials trusted with the oversight of Department of Defense resources and programs blatantly conspired with contractors to defraud the Government and, eventually, the American warfighter,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig of DCIS. “The sentence imposed in this case sends a clear message to those who may follow in the defendant’s footsteps—the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our law enforcement partners will take aggressive action to identify and investigate those that endeavor to take advantage of the Department of Defense and the men and women of the uniformed services.”

     “Army CID and its law enforcement partners joined together in bringing Mr. Khan and his co-conspirators to justice and we are very pleased with the sentencing handed down today," said Director Robey. “Our highly trained agents are determined to root out cases of bribery and bid-rigging and we will continue to pursue all allegations of fraud perpetrated against the U.S. Army with a great sense of importance and urgency." 

***

     Khan was among four men arrested on Oct. 4, 2011 and, according to the government’s evidence, he was the mastermind of the scheme. The others arrested that day - Michael A. Alexander, a former program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, businessman Harold F. Babb, and Khan’s son, Lee A. Khan - earlier pled guilty to charges. Khan, Lee Khan, Babb, and Alexander have been in custody since their arrests.

     Khan worked for the Army Corps of Engineers from 1994 until the time of his arrest, in October 2011. He was a program manager and contracting officer’s technical representative with the Directorate of Contingency Operations. In that position, Kerry Khan had authority to, among other things, place orders for products and services through federal government contracts. He also had authority to certify that the work on orders had been completed.

     According to the government’s evidence, Khan carried out the scheme with others, including Alexander, a colleague, who was then a program manager with the Army Corps of Engineers; Babb, the former director of contracts at Eyak Technology LLC (EyakTek), an Alaska Native-owned small business; Alex N. Cho, the former chief technology officer of Nova Datacom, LLC, a provider of information assurance and security services to federal agencies and commercial companies; Larry G. Corbett, owner of Core Technology LLC and Enterprise Technical Solutions, Inc.; Robert L. McKinney, the president of Alpha Technology Group, Inc., a provider of program management services, James Edward Miller, the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC, and Nick Park, a former employee of Nova Datacom who later opened his own business, Unisource Enterprise Inc. (UEI).Also participating in the scheme, according to the government’s evidence, were Khan’s son, Lee, and his youngest brother, Nazim Khan. All have pled guilty to charges.

     Nova Datacom, LLC pled guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Others who have pled guilty as part of the investigation include Min Jung Cho, the former president of Nova Datacom, LLC; Theodoros Hallas, the former Executive Vice President of Operations for Nova Datacom, LLC; John Han Lee, a co-founder of Unisource Enterprise Inc.; King Everett Johnson, a former employee of Unisource Enterprise Inc. and the founder of Integrated Business and Technology Solutions, LLC, and Oh Sung Kwon, also known as Thomas Kwon, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Avenciatech, Inc.

     According to a statement of offense signed by Khan, in or around 2006, he and Alexander agreed to work together to obtain government contracts for corrupt contractors who would reward them with bribes. Among others, Khan and Alexander worked with Babb on a scheme to use EyakTek as a vehicle for channeling contracts awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers. EyakTek, in turn, hired Nova Datacom and other sub-contractors that submitted fraudulently inflated or fictitious quotes for equipment and services. As directed by Khan and Alexander, the sub-contractors kicked back a significant portion of the payments to them, as bribes for keeping the money flowing their way from the Army Corps of Engineers. 

     Khan and the others attempted to obtain more than $30 million through the bribery scheme primarily through the submission of fraudulently inflated invoices to the government, according to the statement of offense. In most cases, the corrupt companies provided the equipment and services legitimately included in the contracts, but also billed for inflated and fictitious equipment and services. Khan referred to the fraudulently inflated amounts as “overhead.” Khan, Alexander, and the contractors agreed to split the “overhead.” 

     Khan admitted obtaining, directly and indirectly, more than $12 million from Nova Datacom; Alpha Technology Group; Big Surf Construction; Core Technology LLC and Enterprise Technical Solutions, Inc.; and Ananke, LLC.  He also admitted that, at the time of his arrest, he was owed more than $14 million in additional “overhead” payments from the contractors.

***

     Alexander, Babb, Corbett, McKinney, and Miller have been sentenced to prison terms for their roles in the scheme. Hallas, Lee Khan, and Nazim Khan also were sentenced to prison.

     Alex Cho, Min Jung Cho, Kwon, Park, Lee and Johnson are awaiting sentencing.

     In the overall investigation, to date, the United States has seized for forfeiture or recovered approximately $7.5 million in bank account funds, cash, and repayments, 20 real properties, eight luxury cars, and multiple pieces of fine jewelry.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, Special Agent in Charge Kelly, Inspector General Gustafson, Special Agent in Charge Craig, and Director Robey thanked those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office; the Office of the Inspector General for the Small Business Administration; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency; the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Army Criminal Investigation Command. They also expressed thanks to the U.S. Marshals Service for its assistance on the forfeiture matter.

     They also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson, Bryan Seeley, and James Smith of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they expressed thanks for assistance provided by Stephanie Brooker, former Chief of the office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dana; Forensic Accountant Maria Boodoo; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe, Shanna Hays, Taryn McLaughlin, Christopher Samson, and Nicole Wattelet, and Legal Assistants Krishawn Graham and Jessica McCormick.

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WASHINGTON – Christopher Devese, 22, of Capitol Heights, Md., has pled guilty to charges stemming from an incident in which he abducted his pregnant girlfriend from a gas station, robbed her and then assaulted her, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

     Devese pled guilty on July 9, 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, robbery, and felony contempt. The plea is contingent upon the approval of the Honorable John Ramsey Johnson, who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 13, 2013.  If the court accepts the plea at the time of sentencing, Devese will be sentenced to a period of incarceration between four and seven years.

     According to the government’s evidence, on April 27, 2013, at about 12:30 p.m., Devese chased his girlfriend, the victim, in a car from Capitol Heights, Md., into the District of Columbia, as she sped through red lights trying to get away from him.  The victim, who had called 911 for help while being pursued by Devese, was finally cornered in a gas station parking lot in the 4900 block of South Dakota Avenue NE.  Devese smashed the car window to get into the car and pulled his girlfriend out. He then put her into his car and drove her to an unknown alley in the District of Columbia, where he repeatedly assaulted her, including beating her in the stomach with his casted fist.  During the assault, he also robbed the victim of her cell phone, which police recovered from him when he was arrested.  Devese then drove the victim back to Capitol Heights, Md., where he assaulted her again before his mother came to the victim’s aid.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit and the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force.  He also praised those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key, and Intern Lucie Enns.  Finally, he commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr., who investigated and indicted the case.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wedneday, July 3, 2013

     WASHINGTON Devon Holmes, 30, also known as “Jamaica,” of Washington D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of second-degree murder while armed for the August 2011 slaying of a man in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for Aug. 30, 2013.  Holmes faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison

     According to the evidence at trial, at about 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2011, in the area of 8th and Jefferson Streets NW, Holmes slashed the victim, Marcellus T. Bailey, 24, in the neck with a sharp object, causing a gaping wound and loss of blood. Holmes fled the scene. Mr. Bailey died a short while later. The motive for the attack is unknown. Holmes was arrested on Sept. 9, 2011, and has been in custody ever since.

     In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen commended those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including detectives, mobile crime technicians, and others.  He also expressed appreciation for the work of Special Agent Kevin R. Horan of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST). In addition, he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Fern Rhedrick and Mia Beamon; Litigation Support Services Specialists Jeanie Latimore-Brown, Kimberly Smith, Claudia Gutierrez, Joshua Ellen, and Joseph Calvarese; Victim/Witness Advocates Marcia Rinker and Tamara Ince; Victim/Witness Services Supervisor David Foster; Witness Security Specialists M. Laverne Forrest and Michael Hailey; Criminal Investigators Mark Crawford and Christopher Brophy, and Intelligence Research Specialists Zachary McMenamin, Sharon Johnson, and Shannon Alexis.

     Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Feitel and Kathryn L. Rakoczy, who prosecuted the case at trial.

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WASHINGTON - Paul David Hite, 58, an anesthesiologist from Midlothian, Va., was sentenced today to 22 years in prison and fined $500,000 on two federal charges of attempting to entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

     Joining in the announcement were Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     Hite was found guilty by a jury in February 2013 following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Upon completion of his prison term, Hite will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.

     Evidence presented at trial established that from Feb. 1, 2012 through Feb. 17, 2012, Hite engaged in a series of Internet chats and telephone calls with an undercover police detective in Washington, D.C., who was posing as an adult who was sexually abusing a minor girl and a minor boy.  During the course of the communications with the undercover detective, Hite described, in graphic detail, the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the purported minors.  Hite also discussed plans to travel to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of sexually abusing the purported minors. 

     Hite was arrested near his residence in Midlothian on Feb. 17, 2012. Law enforcement recovered computer equipment from Hite’s home, which uncovered evidence of child pornography.

     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.

     “This wealthy doctor trolled the Internet for child pornography and described in shocking detail the sex acts he wanted to perform on a 12-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “We can only be thankful that he was identified and stopped by law enforcement before he had the opportunity to carry out his disturbing plans to drug and rape children.  This sentence of more than 20 years behind bars should deter other criminals who are tempted to sexually abuse children.”                             

     “Online predators who attempt to entice minors take advantage of our most precious resource, our children,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “The FBI is committed to apprehending dangerous offenders who sexually exploit children, and we will continue to work together with our partners to identify these predators and their victims.” 

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier commended the work of all who participated in the investigation.  They especially acknowledged the efforts of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.  They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, as well as the FBI’s Richmond Field Division.

     They also acknowledged the efforts of Digital Investigative Analyst Christie Gardner of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  They additionally commended the efforts of those who assisted with the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Starla Stolk; Legal Assistants Jessica Moffatt and Charmonique Price; Dawn Tolson-Hightower and David Foster of the Victim Witness Assistant Unit; and Joshua Ellen, Kimberly Smith, and Leif Hickling of the Litigation Services Unit.

     Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wu from the Eastern District of Virginia, Diane Lucas of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and David B. Kent and Julieanne Himelstein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Darcy Katzin of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

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     WASHINGTON Six area men have been sentenced to prison terms on federal narcotics and money laundering charges, stemming from their roles in a ring that distributed significant amounts of cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced today.

     The defendants include Robert Savoy, 41, of Fort Washington, Md.; James Brown, 42, of Washington, D.C.; Terrence Hudson, 39, of Oxon Hill, Md.; Jerome Johnson, 41, of Capitol Heights, Md.; Nathan Robinson, 40, of Washington, D.C.; and Eric Scurry, 41, also of Oxon Hill, Md. All previously pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The last of the six defendants was sentenced this morning.

     The men were arrested during a long-term investigation by the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force into a criminal organization supplying street-level dealers with significant quantities of powder cocaine and crack cocaine for distribution in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In particular, members of this organization distributed powder cocaine and crack cocaine in the 4200 and 4300 blocks of Fourth Street SE. They also distributed narcotics in other areas of Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

     During the course of the investigation, agents and detectives seized multiple handguns, more than a kilogram of powder cocaine, large quantities of crack cocaine, and over $40,000 in cash. Savoy, Hudson and Robinson were arrested on Nov. 10, 2010; Johnson and Scurry were arrested on Dec. 17, 2010; and Brown was arrested on Sept. 15, 2011. All six defendants were detained following their arrests and have remained in custody since that time.

     Johnson and Brown pled guilty on Sept. 7, 2012. Savoy, Hudson and Scurry pled guilty on Sept. 10, 2012, and Robinson pled guilty on Sept. 12, 2012. All of the defendants entered the pleas before the Honorable Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth.

     According to evidence presented at the plea hearings, Johnson supplied Savoy with kilograms of cocaine. In turn, Savoy supplied large quantities of cocaine to Brown and Hudson, among others.  Savoy also supplied large quantities of cocaine base to other individuals throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

     Brown and Hudson supplied these narcotics to others. At times, Hudson coordinated his narcotics sales with Scurry and Robinson, who both distributed large quantities of cocaine base in the 4200 and 4300 blocks of Fourth Street, SE, among other places.  Robinson would also coordinate his narcotics sales with Scurry.

     Chief Judge Lamberth accepted the terms of the plea agreements and sentenced Savoy to a prison term of 17 years, Scurry to a prison term of 12 years, Hudson to a prison term of 10 years, Johnson and Robinson to prison terms of eight years, and Brown to a prison term of seven years.  Hudson was sentenced on Nov. 27, 2012; Robinson was sentenced on Nov. 29, 2012; Brown and Scurry were sentenced on Nov. 30, 2012; Savoy was sentenced on June 4, 2013, and Johnson was sentenced today.

     This prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task Force that targets violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia.  The Safe Streets Initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.  The Safe Streets Initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces around the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources.

     In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier commended the actions of the Special Agents from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, as well as the actions of other MPD members of the Safe Streets Task Force.  They also commended the support provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office employees, including Paralegals Regan Gibson and Candace Battle; Legal Assistants Candace Cisco and Diane Brashears; Criminal Intelligence Analyst Frank Morgan, and Information Technology Specialists Kimberly Smith, Paul Howell, and William Henderson.

     Finally, they praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arvind Lal and Opher Shweiki, who investigated and prosecuted the case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Zia Faruqui, who assisted with the money laundering and asset forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fernando Campoamor-Sanchez and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Les Gross, who assisted in the investigation. 

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WASHINGTON – Tommy T. Branch, 22, of Fort Washington, Md., was sentenced today to 24 ½ years in prison for a pair of attacks last summer, including one in which a man was severely beaten with a baseball bat, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Branch was found guilty by a jury on May 1, 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of charges of conspiracy, aggravated assault while armed, armed robbery, assault with intent to rob, and attempted credit card fraud. Upon completion of his prison term, Branch will be placed on 11 years of supervised release.

     At today’s sentencing, the Honorable Robert I. Richter said that “nothing can undo the violence that Mr. Branch chose to unleash on that night last year,” adding that the defendant’s actions “showed a coldness of heart that all the remorse in the world cannot erase.”

     According to the government’s evidence, Branch and two accomplices – Sunny B. Kuti and Michael Moore - decided on Aug. 17, 2012 to commit a robbery together. They drove to the Adams Morgan area of Northwest Washington in Branch’s car.  When they could not identify a suitable target, they drove to Capitol Hill and parked down an alley next to Eastern Market. 

     Shortly after midnight, early in the morning of Aug. 18, 2012, the three men saw the victim, Thomas “T.C.” Maslin. Mr. Maslin was walking home and at the edge of a park near Independence and North Carolina Avenues SE. During the ensuing robbery, Mr. Maslin raised his hands and said that all he had was a phone and bank card. As the robbery continued, Kuti struck Mr. Maslin in the side of the head with a BB gun, temporarily stunning him. Moore pushed Mr. Maslin, and Branch struck him in the side of the head with a baseball bat.

     Branch and his accomplices took Mr. Maslin’s iPhone, bank card, and keys.  They then drove to a gas station in the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, a few blocks away from the robbery scene. Branch tried to use Mr. Maslin’s bank card to buy gasoline, but the card was refused because he did not know the cardholder’s zip code. 

     Following this attack, Branch, Kuti, and Moore drove to the Barry Farm area of Southeast Washington where they met a fourth man, Darrin L. Beal. They then set off for the Adams Morgan area to commit a second robbery. At about 3:20 a.m., while Beal remained in the car, Branch, Moore, and Kuti, while armed with a non-functioning BB gun that resembled a real handgun, targeted three victims in an alley off of the 1800 block of 18th Street NW, violently assaulting one victim and taking a cellphone, wallet, and set of keys from another.

     Mr. Maslin was found, unconscious, by police at about 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 18, 2012, on the front porch of a rowhouse in the 700 block of North Carolina Avenue SE.  He had a massive fracture to his skull and bleeding throughout the brain cavity due to the blow from the bat.

     Moore, 19, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to charges for his role in the crimes and is awaiting sentencing. Kuti, 18, of Washington, D.C., and Beal, 25, of Washington, D.C., are awaiting trial. Both have pled not guilty to charges.

     “Throughout this process, our prosecutors have been overwhelmed by the number of citizens who have come forward to show support for T.C. Maslin and his young family,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “That outpouring of support demonstrates the power of our community to come together and rise above the most brutal acts of violence.  I hope that today's sentence will allow Mr. Maslin, his family, and the entire Capitol Hill community -- as well as the other two victims of this defendant's attacks -- to continue the healing process.”

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Swanton of the First District Prosecution team.

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WASHINGTON – Ricardo Mitchell, 33, of Temple Hills, Md., was sentenced today to 26 years in prison on a charge of second-degree murder while armed in a slaying that took place in August 2011 in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

            Mitchell pled guilty in April 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to the murder charge as well as a charge of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Upon completion of his prison term, Mitchell is to be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the early evening of Aug. 21, 2011, Mitchell was outside a residence in the 3900 block of Clay Place NE when he exchanged words with the victim, Wyatt Earp Robinson. Mr. Robinson, 33, walked away. Mr. Robinson headed toward his vehicle, where his girlfriend and four-year-old child were waiting.

     Mitchell then ran into the residence. He returned outside and ran from the front porch of the house with a gun in his hand and up the sidewalk, toward Minnesota Avenue, and after Mr. Robinson. He caught up with Mr. Robinson when the victim was approximately five feet from his vehicle. At that point, Mitchell confronted Mr. Robinson and shot him several times.

     After shooting Mr. Robinson, who had nothing in his hands but his cellphone, the defendant began to walk away, but turned back toward the victim and fired another shot at him. A total of nine .40-caliber cartridge casings were found on the scene by police, and all were fired from the same firearm.  An autopsy revealed nine gunshot wounds to Mr. Robinson’s body.

     Following the shooting, Mitchell fled into and through the residence on Clay Street NE. He exited through the residence’s back door and fled the scene on a motorcycle.

     After shooting and killing Mr. Robinson, Mitchell fled to a storage facility in Forestville, Md., where he hid the motorcycle that he used to flee the crime scene.  The defendant is captured on surveillance footage from that storage facility wearing the same clothes that he was seen wearing at the time of the murder. Mitchell was arrested on Aug. 24, 2011.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives, officers and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Durand Odom and Zachary McMenamin, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Paralegal Specialists Mia Beamon, Kendra Johnson, Marian Russell and Phaylyn Hunt.  Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan M. Taylor, Teresa Howie and Stephen J. Gripkey, who prosecuted the matter.

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WASHINGTON - Marvin Palencia, 38, of Hyattsville, Md., was found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder while armed and other charges stemming from the slaying of a man in a downtown office building, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Palencia guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a pistol without a license, and tampering with evidence. The Honorable John Ramsey Johnson scheduled sentencing for Oct. 11, 2013.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 11, 2010, Palencia shot the victim, Jacobo Vazquez, 36, in the chest and in the back of the head in the laundry room of a ten-story office building in the 100 block of Constitution Avenue NW, where both of the men worked.  Palencia was angry because Mr. Vazquez was in a relationship with the defendant’s wife. Palencia and his wife were separated but he hoped for a reconciliation.

     Prior to the murder, Valencia shared with several people how upset he was with Mr. Vazquez. He also threatened Mr. Vazquez about one week before the murder – telling him that he better not see him at work anymore. Over the course of the next week, Palencia purchased a firearm illegally and verified Mr. Vazquez’s work schedule with his superior.

     The government’s evidence showed that Palencia carefully planned out the timing and location of the murder by using his knowledge of the building and the various employee schedules. After killing Mr. Vazquez, Palencia put the body in a cardboard box, wrapped the box in duct tape, plastic, and a cord, and then dumped the body on the side of the road on Interstate 70 in Frederick County, Md. However, in his haste to wrap the box, he unknowingly attached his work identification card to the box.  Palencia was arrested Nov. 20, 2010 and has been in custody ever since.

     “Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement from the District of Columbia and Maryland and a dedicated prosecution team, Marvin Palencia was brought to justice for this calculated killing of a co-worker inside an office building within blocks of the U.S. Capitol,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “We hope this verdict brings some measure of relief to the family of Mr. Vazquez.”

     In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers and evidence technicians who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Maryland State Police, the Maryland State Highway Department and the Maryland State Medical Examiner’s Office. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Marian Russell and Kalisha Johnson-Clark; Intern Matt Lamb, and Litigation Technology Specialists Kimberly Smith and Thomas “Ron” Royal. He thanked Assistant U.S Attorney Seth B. Waxman, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Miller, who investigated the case and secured the indictment.

     Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Cannon and Kevin Flynn, who prosecuted the case at trial.

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WASHINGTON – Ali Jackson, 20, was sentenced today to a 7 ½-year prison term on charges stemming from an attack in which he stabbed a 16-year-old victim after making threatening statements and anti-gay slurs, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

       

    Jackson, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in January 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of assault with intent to kill. The charge carried a bias enhancement. In addition, Jackson pled guilty to a charge of assault on a police officer stemming from a separate incident involving an attack against a corrections officer.

     The Honorable Patricia A. Broderick sentenced Jackson to the 7 ½-year prison term for the attack and another six months in prison for the incident involving the officer. After serving the eight years of incarceration, Jackson is to be placed on three years of supervised release.

     Two others, also of Washington, D.C., earlier pled guilty and were sentenced for their roles in the events on the night of the stabbing, which took place near the Howard Theatre.

     Jackson’s sister, Alvonica Jackson, 26, pled guilty to simple assault and second-degree theft and was sentenced in March 2013 to a total of 360 days of incarceration, with all but 30 days suspended on the condition that she successfully complete two years of probation. Desmond Campbell, 34, the boyfriend of Alvonica Jackson, pled guilty to simple assault and was sentenced in March 2013 to 180 days of incarceration, with all but 30 days suspended on the condition that he successfully complete two years of probation.

     “Violence fueled by hate tears at the fabric of our society,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “It harms not only its direct victims, but spreads fear and intimidation throughout our community.  As this prison sentence demonstrates, in the District of Columbia, we have zero tolerance for violent crimes driven by ignorant prejudice.”

     “With today’s sentence, Ali Jackson must now face the consequences of his violent hate crime,” said Chief Lanier. “We hope that others who might consider committing bias-related offenses will pay attention to today’s sentencing and choose not to follow in Ali Jackson’s footsteps. I applaud the hard-working members of this department for their investigative efforts in helping to make today’s sentencing possible and the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work in this case.”

     According to the government’s evidence, on June 26, 2012, at about 8:25 p.m., Campbell and Alvonica Jackson entered the Howard Theatre, in the 600 block of T Street NW, and headed to the restrooms. Alvonica Jackson stole $2 from the bathroom, and she and Campbell left.

     Meanwhile, Ali Jackson had remained outside.  He recognized the victim on the street at Georgia and Florida Avenues NW and started a confrontation with the teenager, who was there with a friend. Ali Jackson began using anti-gay slurs and asked a group of men nearby if they had a knife, saying he was about to stab the victim.

     As the victim walked away, Ali Jackson ran down the 600 block of T Street and into an alleyway near the theater. He then came from the alley, toward the victim’s back. Once again using anti-gay slurs, he stated, among other things, “I’m going to kill you.”

     As Ali Jackson got closer, he produced a knife and the victim sprayed him with pepper spray. Campbell then came behind the victim, choking him. Ali Jackson ran up to the victim and stabbed him with a knife three times – in the left arm, the left side of his back, and the left leg. During the stabbing, the victim was attempting to swing his arms at Ali Jackson, but Alvonica Jackson grabbed his arms. The assault stopped when the attackers heard police sirens.

     Campbell and Alvonica Jackson also used slurs during the attack. All three defendants were arrested a short time later.

     The second charge against Ali Jackson stemmed from an incident Dec. 15, 2012 at the District of Columbia Jail in which he punched a corrections officer.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier praised the work of the detectives and officers from the MPD who investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Kravis, who provided assistance at sentencing, and Paralegal Specialist Allison Daniels. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Chris Dobbie and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jin Park, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Domingo Martinez, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from a recent home invasion in which he sexually assaulted a woman who had been asleep in her apartment, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

            Martinez pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count each of second-degree burglary and assault with intent to commit first-degree sexual abuse.  The Honorable John Ramsey Johnson scheduled sentencing for Sept. 20, 2013. Each of the charges carries a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison.

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 2:30 a.m. on May 16, 2013, Martinez appeared inside a woman’s apartment in the 6700 block of 14th Street NW. The woman woke up to see him, wearing a shirt wrapped around his head that served as a mask. He held what at first appeared to be a gun and sexually accosted her.

            Once Martinez was close enough to touch her, the victim realized that the object in his hand was a cellphone, not a gun. At this point, she decided to fight back and she bit him on the shoulder during a struggle. He pushed her, causing her to fall, and then ran away.

            The victim pursued Martinez through a hallway and grabbed the shirt from his head. As he continued fleeing, he dropped the cellphone, which the victim also picked up. She then ran back to her apartment, locked the door behind her, and called 911 for help.

            Based upon the telephone records for the abandoned cellphone, and its contents, including time-stamped photographs and video, police identified Martinez as a suspect and arrested him on May 21, 2013. He lived in the building where the attack took place. At the time of his arrest, Martinez had a bite mark, not yet fully healed, on his left shoulder.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also praised the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator John Marsh, Victim/Witness Advocate Melissa Milam, and Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Heide L. Herrmann, who is prosecuting the matter.

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WASHINGTON – More than 500 youths gathered at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Northeast Washington today for a summit sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia that featured presentations about issues facing young people here and nationwide, including bullying, sexual assaults, street gangs, and drug abuse.

     U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and other speakers addressed the summit’s theme of “Breaking the Silence on Youth Violence.” The free event also included workshops for older and younger youth, a dance-off, and entertainment from a variety of performers, including nationally known recording artist Marcus Canty.

     “You must protect your future at all times,” U.S. Attorney Machen said in his opening remarks. “Your future is your responsibility and no one else’s.”

     U.S. Attorney Machen talked about the importance of making good decisions, warning “Never let somebody without a future take yours away.” He urged the youths, ages 8 through 18, to stay out of bad situations, act with integrity, and work hard to achieve long-term goals.

     “You have to ask yourself, ‘are you willing to stand up for what you believe in? You can be a voice of positive change,” U.S. Attorney Machen declared.

     This was the office’s third annual Youth Summit, which assembles young people from under-served neighborhoods in the District of Columbia to discuss the most pressing public safety challenges facing their communities. Each of the previous summits also drew hundreds of students. For today’s event, youths began arriving in the morning at Friendship Collegiate Academy, 4095 Minnesota Avenue NE, and remained well into the afternoon.

     This year’s summit was organized with help from the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, the East River Family Strengthening Collaborative, and law enforcement and community partners. The goal of the Youth Summit is to reach out to area youth on current public safety topics in an informative and inspiring way. 

     Several collaborative partners, including the Columbia Heights Shaw/Family Collaborative,  the District of Columbia Department of  Health, the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, Street Wize Foundation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, joined together to present the day’s programs. Assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and other District of Columbia government agencies.

     The youth summit is one in a series of community events sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including town hall meetings, crime prevention presentations, and various outreach programs for people of all ages.

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WASHINGTON – Kevin Richard Halligen, 51, an Irish citizen, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for carrying out a scheme in which he defrauded $2.1 million from a Netherlands-based commodities trading company, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

     Halligen pled guilty in May 2013 to one count of wire fraud, the first of two counts of an indictment that was returned against him in 2009 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. As part of the plea agreement, the government agreed to dismiss the second count of the indictment, which was a money laundering charge stemming from the same scheme. He was sentenced by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

     Under the plea agreement, Halligen also must pay $2.1 million in restitution to the company that was the victim of his scheme.

     Halligen was incarcerated in the United Kingdom from the date of his arrest in November 2009 until his extradition in December 2012.  When he was presented for his initial appearance in the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia, in December 2012, he was ordered to be held without bond and he has been incarcerated since that time. He will get credit for the time he has served in the United States and abroad. He has voluntarily requested that he be removed from the United States immediately.

     The wire fraud charge stems from actions taken by Halligen in 2006 and 2007, when he was the Chief Executive Officer of Red Defence International (RDI), a London-based security consulting and crisis management firm, which was hired by Trafigura Beheer BV (Trafigura), a Netherlands-based international commodities trading company, and its London-based law firm, Waterson Hicks.  Trafigura hired RDI as a consultant in crisis management after two Trafigura executives were captured and imprisoned in the Ivory Coast while visiting there for the purpose of determining the company’s next steps to address an environmental issue caused by the leakage of toxic waste material from Trafigura vessels in an Ivory Coast port.

     While employed by Trafigura, Halligen claimed to have incurred $2.1 million in expenses related to pursuing a strategy in the United States aimed at convincing the United States to assist in securing the release of the Trafigura executives; in reality, Halligen spent the money on a home in Great Falls, Va., which was to be his personal residence, as well as other personal expenses, according to the government’s evidence.

     According to a Statement of Offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, at the request of Trafigura, Waterson Hicks hired RDI in October 2006 to help secure the release of two Trafigura executives who were arrested and detained in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The arrests followed an environmental spill off the coast of Abidjan. Under a contract that took effect in October 2006, RDI was to provide security intelligence and public relations services related to Trafigura’s presence in the Ivory Coast and to assist with facilitating the release of the Trafigura executives. Under the contract with RDI, Waterson Hicks paid RDI and then, in turn, the law firm was reimbursed by Trafigura.

     During November 2006, after other efforts to secure the executives’ release proved unsuccessful, Halligen suggested that the U.S. government should be involved with facilitating negotiations with the Ivory Coast.  His stated strategy was to utilize his contacts in the United States to encourage Ivory Coast officials to release the executives. Halligen said the “American Strategy” would cost an additional $2.1 million, on top of the money RDI already was receiving.  In total, Halligen received close to $12 million under this contract.  

     The $2.1 million supposedly was to be used to pay expenses incurred by Halligen in the United States to hire consultants and lobbyists to influence officials in the United States on Trafigura’s behalf. In December 2006, Halligen was informed that the law firm had received the $2.1 million from Trafigura. Then, in January 2007, Halligen told the law firm to wire $2.1 million from their bank account in London to his personal bank account in the United States.

     Between November 2006 and January 2007, Halligen traveled to the United States on numerous occasions, claiming to have met with U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., allegedly in furtherance of the “American Strategy.”  While in Washington, D.C., he began dating a woman who resided in the area and subsequently became engaged to her.

     Halligen gave his fianceé a $2 million budget to find a suitable house in which they would live after their marriage. Shortly thereafter, she found a six-bedroom, 4 ½-bathroom residence in Great Falls, Va.  On Jan. 11, 2007 - the day after $2.1 million was wired to Halligen’s personal bank account for the American strategy - Halligen wired nearly $1.7 million from his account to complete the purchase of the Great Falls residence.

     None of the proceeds from the $2.1 million payment from Waterson Hicks to RDI were ever directed toward reimbursement of expenses related to the “American Strategy.” In addition to spending nearly $1.7 million on the purchase of the Great Falls residence, the rest of the money was spent on other personal expenses, including a lavish fake wedding to his Washington, D.C. fiancé which was held at an exclusive location in Georgetown, two purebred dogs, and other luxury personal items.

     The Trafigura executives ultimately were released in February 2007.

     At the time of his indictment in November 2009, Halligen was no longer residing in the United States.  On Nov. 25, 2009, he was arrested at a hotel in Oxford, the United Kingdom, so that he could be extradited to the United States. At the time of his arrest, Halligen was using an alias. Subsequent to his arrest in the United Kingdom, Halligen litigated issues surrounding his extradition to the United States. He ultimately was extradited in December 2012. 

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave commended the work of the Special Agents from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who handled the case. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegals Donna Galindo, Tasha Harris, and Krishawn Graham.  Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maia L. Miller and Matt Graves, who prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasu Muthyala who investigated the matter.

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WASHINGTON - Mercedes Romero, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 30-month prison term for robbing two banks in Northwest Washington on the same day, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     Romero pled guilty in April 2013 to two counts of bank robbery. She was sentenced by the Honorable John D. Bates. Upon completion of her prison term, Romero will be placed on three years of supervised release. In addition, she must pay $1,596 in restitution to the two banks.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 4, 2013, Romero robbed two banks within 20 minutes by producing demand notes that threatened bank tellers at the institutions.

     First, at 9:10 a.m., she entered a PNC Bank in the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW, stopping briefly at the lobby counter, then proceeding to the teller window. She provided the bank teller with a demand note and a blank bank deposit slip.  According to the teller, the demand note stated “give me all $100s, $50s, and $20s or I will kill you after work.”  Romero then instructed the teller to return the demand note after receiving the cash.  Later, an audit of the teller’s cash box determined that the teller provided the defendant with $1,048 in cash.

     Then, at 9:28 a.m., Romero robbed the Bank of America in the 3400 block of Connecticut Avenue NW. She entered the bank, again stopping briefly at the lobby counter before proceeding to the teller’s window.  Once again, she provided the teller with a demand note and a blank bank deposit slip.  At that time, she also told the teller that she had a gun.  The teller further recalled that the demand note stated “I have a gun. Give me all of your 20s and 50s. Act normal.  Don’t sound the alarm.  I’m going to kill you at the end of the day if you say anything.”   A bank audit of the teller’s cash box determined that the teller provided the defendant with $548 in cash. 

     An investigation of the robberies was conducted and the defendant’s picture was displayed on television and print media. Romero was charged with the crimes on Feb. 21, 2013.

     In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier commended the actions of the FBI agents and MPD officers who participated in the investigation, arrest and prosecution. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON - James Wendell Brown, 51, of Warrenton, Va., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     Brown pled guilty to the charge in January 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Richard J. Leon. Upon completion of his prison term, Brown will be placed on 20 years of supervised release.

     According to the government's evidence, on March 5, 2012, Brown contacted a man he believed to be the father of an under-aged girl on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force.  Over the next few days, Brown engaged in online e-mail and instant message conversations with the undercover officer.  During this period of time, Brown sent the undercover officer three images of child pornography which depicted adult men engaged in sexual acts with children.  During the course of his conversations with the undercover officer, Brown acknowledged having sexually abused young children in the past. Brown has been in custody since his arrest on March 28, 2012.

     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 Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.  They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Last and Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Hia Soo Gan Benson, also known as “Benson Hia,” and Lim Kow Seng, also known as “Eric Lim,” pled guilty today in federal court in the District of Columbia to conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act in connection with the unlawful export of 55 military antennas from the United States to Singapore and Hong Kong.

     The plea was announced by Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; John P. Carlin, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security; James Dinkins, Associate Executive Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)  Homeland Security Investigations; Stephanie Douglas, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s National Security Branch; and Eric L. Hirschhorn, Under Secretary for Industry and Security at the Commerce Department.

     Hia, 45, and Seng, 44, both of Singapore, pled guilty this afternoon before the Honorable Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 20, 2013 before the Honorable  Emmet G. Sullivan. The defendants face a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and a 3-year term of supervised release.

     According to court documents filed in this case, Hia and Seng conspired to defraud the United States by causing a total of 55 cavity-backed spiral antennas and biconical antennas to be illegally exported from a Massachusetts company to Singapore and Hong Kong without the required State Department license.  These military antennas are controlled for export as U.S. munitions and are used in airborne and shipboard environments. 

     Hia and Seng, among other things, conspired to undervalue the antennas to circumvent U.S. regulations on the filing of shipper’s export declarations to the U.S. government.  They also allegedly used false names and front companies to obtain the antennas illegally from the United States.

     Corezing International, a company based in Singapore, was also charged in the District of Columbia in connection with the export of these particular military antennas to Singapore and Hong Kong.  Corezing and its principals have also been charged in connection with the export of 6,000 radio frequency modules from the United States to Iran via Singapore, some of which were later found in Improvised Explosive Devices in Iraq. Hia and Seng pled guilty to the sole charge on which they were extradited from Singapore.

     This investigation was jointly conducted by ICE agents in Boston and Los Angeles; FBI agents in Minneapolis; and Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security agents in Chicago and Boston.  Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

     The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Asuncion of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Richard S. Scott of the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

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WASHINGTON - Keely E. Thompson Jr., 47, executive director of Keely’s District Boxing and Youth Center, pled guilty today to a federal charge of wire fraud stemming from a scheme in which he spent District of Columbia and private grant funds, meant for youth programs and activities, on personal goods, entertainment, and services.

     The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Charles J. Willoughby, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.

     Thompson, of Accokeek, Md., entered the plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan scheduled sentencing for Oct. 9, 2013. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison as well as financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the applicable range for the offense is a prison term of 27 to 33 months and a fine between $6,000 and $60,000. The plea agreement calls for Thompson to pay $205,000 in restitution to the entities that granted the misspent funds. It also calls for the forfeiture of a money judgment in the amount of at least $205,000.

     According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Keely’s District Boxing and Youth Center was a non-profit organization based at locations in Northwest and Northeast Washington. The operations were funded with grant money. The funds were to be used to carry out the boxing program’s mission of promoting youth development.

     Thompson admitted improperly using $205,000 in funds. The spending included $105,000 for gambling at a casino in Atlantic City, N.J. and on a cruise ship; $50,000 for meals at restaurants, purchases at grocery stores, concerts, speeding tickets and clothing, and an additional $50,000 on other unauthorized expenditures.

     “Keely Thompson squandered tax dollars, meant to help children, at the casino,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “He lied to secure public and charitable funds that he stole for his own frivolous entertainment.  This case echoes the message we have delivered time and time again - criminals who rob the taxpayers to satisfy their own greed will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

     “Today, Mr. Thompson admitted to taking money meant to improve the lives of youth in the District of Columbia and instead using it to finance his own lifestyle,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Such corrupt behavior is unacceptable, and those who commit such acts will be held accountable."

     Thompson was arrested in November 2010 and has been free on personal recognizance while the case remained pending. In November 2012, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him and his wife, Bianca Thompson, the non-profit’s deputy director, with wire fraud and other offenses. The plea agreement in Keely Thompson’s case calls for the indictment against Bianca Thompson to be dismissed at the time of his sentencing.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Inspector General Willoughby commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Inspector General’s Office. They also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Nicole Wattelet, Krishawn Graham and Diane Hayes, and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Jelahn Stewart, Chief of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, they praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Waxman and Lionel André, who are prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Michael Richardson and Kendall Lowe, both 22 and of Washington, D.C., have been sentenced to prison terms on charges stemming from a robbery last fall at an apartment building in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     The defendants pled guilty in March 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Richardson pled guilty to robbery and carrying a pistol without a license. Lowe pled guilty to robbery. Both were sentenced by the Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow.

     Richardson was sentenced on June 21, 2013 to a 3 ½-year prison term, and Lowe was sentenced on June 7, 2013 to three years in prison. Upon completion of their prison terms, both men will be placed on three years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, Richardson and Lowe targeted the victims, two men, at about 10:40 p.m. on Oct. 5, 2012 after seeing them in the lobby of an apartment building in the 200 block of Hamilton Street NW. Richardson and Lowe went into the lobby. Then, with Lowe acting as a look-out, Richardson pointed a gun at one of the victims and demanded money, getting $47. Richardson then turned and pointed the gun at the second victim and demanded money. When that man said he had no money, Richardson and Lowe fled the building.

     A witness spotted the defendants the following day and called police.

     In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Akshay Rajashekar, 19, of Salisbury, Md., has pled guilty to federal charges of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced today. 

     Rajashekar entered the guilty plea on June 24, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Thomas F. Hogan is to sentence him on Sept. 9, 2013.  Rajashekar faces a statutory maximum of 30 years of imprisonment for one count of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct and a maximum of 10 years in prison for each of two counts of possession of child pornography, as well as potential financial penalties.

     According to the government's evidence, on March 18, 2013, Rajashekar 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 few days, the defendant engaged in online e-mail and instant messaging with the undercover officer ,whom the defendant believed was the father of an under-aged girl. During this period of time, Rajashekar arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with that child. 

     During the communications, Rajashekar also sent the undercover officer six images of child pornography.  On March 25, 2013, Rajashekar traveled from College Park, Md. to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C.  When he arrived, he was arrested. 

     At the time of his arrest, Rajashekar had a pending case in Wicomico County, Md. for possession of child pornography. One of the two child pornography counts in the plea agreement covers that matter, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County Md. has agreed to dismiss the pending case in Wicomico County at the time of the defendant’s sentencing.

     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 Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance of Assistant State's Attorney Pamela Correa of the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County, Md. Finally they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Anthony C. Y. Cheng, Sr., and his son, Anthony R. Cheng, Jr., were indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges stemming from a scheme to bribe public officials to illegally obtain licenses and generate business opportunities for multi-vehicle taxicab companies, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

     Cheng, 65, and his son, 39, were indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Both were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit bribery and payment of a bribe to a public official. Anthony Cheng Jr. also was indicted on a second count of payment of a bribe to a public official. The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and financial penalties. The bribery charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years of incarceration as well as financial penalties.

     According to the indictment, Anthony Cheng Sr. is the owner of businesses, including Tony Cheng’s Mongolian Restaurant, in the Chinatown area of Washington, D.C. Anthony Cheng Jr. owned a bus company that provided interstate transportation to the public.

     The indictment alleges that the Chengs conspired from November 2010 through June 2011 to obtain licenses for multi-vehicle taxicab companies. At the time, a legislatively mandated moratorium was in place prohibiting the issuance of any new business licenses to operate new taxicab companies, taxicab associations and limousine businesses.

     The Chengs allegedly sought to circumvent the moratorium by using falsified backdated corporate documents representing that their taxicab companies had been in existence since 2009. According to the indictment, they attempted to carry out their scheme by approaching, among others, a person described in the indictment as “Public Official Number One,” a public official who at the time chaired the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission. They also approached a person they believed was an official with the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, described in the indictment as “Public Official Number Two;” unbeknownst to them, the indictment states, this person actually was an undercover FBI Special Agent.

     During meetings in early 2011, “Public Official Number One” told the Chengs about the moratorium, the indictment alleges. The Chengs, meanwhile, agreed to pay “Public Official Number One” 10 percent of profits from their business endeavors, the indictment states. They allegedly collected and forwarded to “Public Official Number One” applications to corruptly obtain licenses for multi-cab companies. Anthony Cheng Jr. provided “Public Official Number One” with backdated paperwork, and Anthony Cheng Sr. provided him with $1,500 in cash to obtain the licenses, the indictment alleges.

     The indictment alleges that Cheng Jr. met in March 2011 with “Public Official Number Two” and provided him with $250 in cash in return for backdated certificates of occupancy for two multi-vehicle taxicab companies.

     The Chengs obtained two licenses for multi-cab companies – named Green Top Cab and ECO CAB Company - but never opened the businesses.

     “Today’s indictment charges Tony Cheng and his son with paying cash bribes to two different government officials,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “We cannot tolerate the culture of pay-to-play in the District of Columbia.  This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable the businessmen who entice public officials to violate the public trust.”

     “Bribery and kickbacks, such as those alleged in today’s indictments, have no place in our government,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave.   “We will continue to diligently work to protect the integrity of our government by pursuing those who seek to violate the system through such corruption.”

     An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty. 

     In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lionel André and Loyaan A. Egal, who are prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Stanley L. Straughter, the owner of a business based in Philadelphia, Pa., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a scheme in which he and others helped conceal the actual source of more than $125,000 in campaign contributions.

     The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

     Straughter, 71, of Philadelphia, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of knowingly and willfully making, and aiding and abetting and causing to be made, unlawful corporate campaign contributions to federal campaigns.  The Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a status hearing for Sept. 25, 2013. The misdemeanor charge carries a statutory maximum of one year of imprisonment and financial penalties. As part of the plea agreement, Straughter agreed to cooperate in the continuing investigation.

     Straughter is the second person to plead guilty to charges within the past week. Lee A. Calhoun, 65, an executive for a Washington, D.C.-based company, pled guilty on June 20, 2013 to a misdemeanor charge involving more than $150,000 in campaign contributions.

     According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, during the relevant time period of the offense, Straughter was the owner and operator of Oak Lane Consulting Group, a for-profit corporation based in Philadelphia. Oak Lane provided marketing and consulting services as an independent contractor to a company identified as “Company A” in the statement of offense. “Company A” was led by an individual identified as “Executive A,” who was the firm’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and majority owner.

     Beginning in or about January 2006 and continuing until in or about February 2012, according to the statement of offense, Straughter used his name and the names of his relatives to conceal  campaign contributions made by “Company A” to federal, District of Columbia, and other political campaign committees and political action committees. Straughter also used the name of Oak Lane Consulting Group to conceal campaign contributions made by “Company A” to political campaign committees in non-federal elections that allowed corporate contributions.

     Straughter admitted that he knowingly and willfully permitted both his and others’ names to be used to conceal the true source of these contributions at the direction of “Executive A” and others acting at the behest of “Executive A.”  He knew that he would be reimbursed for the contributions by “Executive A” and “Company A” with “Company A” funds.

     “Today’s guilty plea pushes the confirmed dollar figure of illegal campaign contributions in this scheme above $300,000,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “We are encouraged that Mr. Straughter acknowledged responsibility for participating in this scheme and has agreed to cooperate with the government.   Our investigation into these matters continues.”

     “With today’s guilty plea, Mr. Straughter took responsibility for his role in a scheme in which he eluded campaign finance laws and concealed the true source of more than $125,000 in campaign contributions,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave.  “The FBI will continue to work together with our partners to ensure fairness and honesty in political campaigns and elections, and we will pursue those who attempt to evade the system.”

     During the calendar years 2007 through 2012, according to the statement of offense, Straughter caused at least $58,600 in federal political contributions from “Company A” to be made in his name and the names of his relatives, including contributions to political action committees and the campaign committees of candidates who were running for President of the United States, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives.

     Through this scheme, “Executive A,” “Company A,” Straughter and others caused various campaigns and political action committees to file reports with the Federal Election Commission that did not reveal the true source of the unlawful campaign contributions.

     Additionally, according to the statement of offense, during calendar years 2006 through 2011, Straughter caused at least $49,000 in District of Columbia political contributions from “Company A” to be made in his name, the names of his relatives, and Oak Lane Consulting Group. These included contributions to the campaign committees of candidates running for Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia, among other elected offices.

     Finally, according to the statement of offense, during calendar years 2007 through 2011, Straughter made more than $25,000 in political contributions in his name, the names of family members, and Oak Lane Consulting Group for local and state political candidates and campaigns in other states, localities, and U.S. territories for which “Executive A” caused “Company A” to reimburse him.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Special Agent in Charge Kelly commended those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS-CI.

     They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan W. Haray, Ellen Chubin Epstein, Lionel André, Jonathan Hooks and Ted L. Radway; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Chris Dobbie, and Paralegal Specialists Anne Riopelle, Shanna Hays, Krishawn Graham, Lenisse Edloe, Nicole Wattelet, Corinne Laxman, and Angela Lawrence. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Loyaan A. Egal and Ephraim (Fry) Wernick, who are prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Frederick Singletary, 42, of Parkville, Md., pled guilty today to federal charges of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

     Singletary entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  The Honorable Beryl A. Howell is to sentence him on Sept. 20, 2013. Singletary faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years of imprisonment for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct and a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment for possession of child pornography, as well as a fine of $250,000 on each count.

     According to the government's evidence, on Feb. 12, 2013, Singletary 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 few days, Singletary engaged in online e-mail, instant message, text message, and telephone conversations with the undercover officer, whom he believed was the father of an under-aged girl. During this period of time, Singletary arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child.

     During the course of their communications, Singletary also sent the undercover officer 10 images of child pornography.  On Feb. 14, 2013, Singletary traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C.  When he arrived, 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 Machen, Assistant Director Parlave 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Steven Williams, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for the June 2012 slaying of Hae Soon Lim, the owner of a Northeast Washington delicatessen, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     Williams pled guilty to a charge of second-degree murder while armed in April 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. Upon completion of his prison term, Williams will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, Ms. Lim, 64, was found by police on June 14, 2012, at about 6:15 a.m., on the floor of her delicatessen, Grace’s Deli, in the 700 block of H Street NE. Her vehicle was found parked directly outside. An autopsy determined that Ms. Lim died from a single gunshot wound that entered through the back of her neck.

     The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has a crime surveillance camera located a block away from the delicatessen at 8th and H Streets NE. A review of the video from the camera showed that a vehicle consistent with the appearance of the vehicle belonging to Ms. Lim pulled up and parked in front of the deli at about 5:25 a.m. on June 14, 2012. The video also shows a single person, believed to be the victim, leaving the vehicle and walking toward the restaurant.

     The video then shows, moments later, a single person crossing H Street rapidly on foot, moving toward the front entrance of the restaurant, where that person then proceeds to interact in close proximity with the person believed to be Ms. Lim.

     An empty, brown handgun holster was found on the floor directly next to Ms. Lim’s body. DNA from that holster revealed a match to the defendant. Williams’s DNA was also recovered from an empty cash register located inside the restaurant, behind the counter and out of reach from the customer area.

     The store never opened that morning and has been shuttered ever since. Williams, an occasional customer at the store who had previously met Ms. Lim, was charged with the murder in November 2012. He has previously been convicted of other violent crimes, including assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, and two instances of robbery with a deadly weapon.

     “With a single gunshot, this career criminal senselessly executed a beloved deli owner,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Thankfully, DNA allowed us to connect this killer to the crime scene, driving him to accept responsibility for his brutal crime.  We can only hope that this lengthy prison sentence brings some measure of comfort to Ms. Lim’s family and others who loved her.”

     “This was a horrific crime against an innocent victim,” said Police Chief Lanier. “A combination of the use of technology, forensics, and diligent investigative work of our detectives led to the closure of this case. It is our hope that this sentencing brings some comfort to the Lim family.”

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier praised the work of those who investigated the case for the MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the work performed by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. Finally, they commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Liebman and Justin Dillon, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.

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WASHINGTON – Terrell Patton, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 11 years of incarceration on a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed stemming from a slaying in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Patton pled guilty in April 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. Upon completion of his prison term, Patton will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 29, 2009, at about 10:30 p.m., Patton, also, known as, “Fatman,” was observed with the victim, Deuante Ray, 20, in the area of the 1200 block of 49th Place NE.  Another individual observed Patton in possession of a nine-millimeter handgun. A third person noted that the defendant was angry with Mr. Ray because he believed that Mr. Ray had taken his pack of Ecstasy pills valued at roughly $80.

     At approximately midnight, Patton called Mr. Ray’s friend and asked to talk to Mr. Ray. He told Mr. Ray to meet him on 49th Street. Mr. Ray was last seen riding a bicycle and entering a rear alley off the 1100 block of 48th Street NE with Patton.

     By Patton’s own admissions, he permitted Mr. Ray to use his cellphone to call Mr. Ray’s girlfriend.  Mr. Ray made one call to his girlfriend at 12:20 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2009, and a second call at 12:30 a.m., which ended at 12:35 a.m. Phone records and other witnesses confirm that Mr. Ray had used Patton’s telephone. 

     ShotSpotter technology recorded gunfire at 12:35:15 a.m. in the rear alley. A witness heard shots and observed a thin person and a heavier individual in the alley. This witness called 911 at 12:36 a.m.  This witness also saw the heavier individual, believed to be Patton, take a bike. The witness was unable to make any identification.

     The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived at approximately 12:40 a.m. and found Mr. Ray’s body. He had been shot at close range in the head and also in the chest with a nine-millimeter weapon. He was found with his pants down, and his pockets turned out.  Mr. Ray was known to typically carry a wallet, and none was found. His bike also was missing.

     Patton was arrested in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 2011 and has been incarcerated since.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the MPD detectives and officers who investigated the case.  He also acknowledged the effort of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney, Fern Rhedrick and Phaylyn Hunt; Investigators Stephen Cohen, Durand Odom and Tommy Miller; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Goodhand of the Appellate Section. Finally, he commended the work of Cynthia G. Wright, of the Homicide Section, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – A 47-year-old man from Washington, D.C. has pled guilty to sexually abusing his stepdaughter on two occasions, sending letters and making phone calls to her and her mother in violation of court orders not to do so, unlawfully entering the family’s house after being ordered to stay away, and assaulting a police officer who had come to assist the family in the unlawful entry, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

     The defendant, who is not named here to protect the privacy of the victim, entered the guilty plea June 20, 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He pled guilty to charges of first-degree child sexual abuse, attempted first-degree child sexual abuse, violating a civil protection order, criminal contempt, unlawful entry, and felony assault on a police officer. The Honorable Patricia A. Broderick scheduled sentencing for Aug. 16, 2013. Following completion of his prison sentence, the defendant must register for 10 years as a sex offender.

     The defendant is the ex-husband of the girl’s mother. At the plea hearing, he admitted that in the spring of 2012, when the victim was 14, he sexually abused the girl at their home in the District of Columbia. As a result of the sexual abuse, the victim became pregnant.  The defendant told the victim to say that the baby’s father was a boy from school. Early this year, the victim revealed to her mother that the baby’s father was the defendant.  The baby was born a few months ago. The victim further disclosed to law enforcement that the defendant had sexually abused her over a period of time beginning in at least 2010.

     Early this year, the victim’s mother filed for and was granted a civil protection order from the defendant.  On or about Feb. 5, 2013, he sent the victim’s mother a text message indicating that he knew who she was with.  Alarmed that the defendant was nearby and watching her, the victim’s mother contacted the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Officers met her outside her house and went inside to make sure the defendant was not there.  Two uniformed officers went into the basement.  The defendant jumped out from beneath the stairway, brandished a knife, and stabbed one of the officers in the torso, cutting through his shirt and bullet-resistant vest.  The defendant was placed under arrest.  He later violated court orders by mailing a hand-written letter to the victim’s mother and calling the victim numerous times.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen acknowledged the work of the MPD, especially the detectives who led the investigation of the case.  U.S. Attorney Machen also praised the work of Victim/Witness Advocates Shawn Slade and Veronica Vaughn, as well as Paralegal Specialist Jason Manuel.  Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy H. Zubrensky and Jeff T. Cook, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

 

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WASHINGTON – Ramon S. Davila, 59, a former background investigator under contract with 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 Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Patrick E. McFarland, Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management.

     Davila, of Fredericksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to making a false statement. The Honorable Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2013, before Judge Amy Berman Jackson. The charge carries a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As part of his plea agreement, Davila must pay $79,468 in restitution to the federal government.

     According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Davila worked for three contractors that did federal background investigations on behalf of OPM’s Federal Investigative Services.

     Between August 2006 and August 2007, in multiple Reports of Investigations on background investigations, Davila 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. His 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.

     Davila’s 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 $79,468 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 in the last four years involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Davila, 15 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.

     Federal Investigative Services, through its workforce of approximately 7,600, including 6,100 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 2.1 million investigations during the 2012 fiscal year. More than 770,000 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 Machen and Inspector General McFarland praised the efforts of Special Agents Nunzio Orlando, OPM, Office of the Inspector General, and Philip Kroop and David Newcomer, OPM, Federal Investigative Services.  Mr. Machen and Mr. McFarland also acknowledged the work of Paralegal Specialist Diane Hayes, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen Chubin Epstein and Maia L. Miller, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Chris Dobbie, who investigated and prosecuted this matter.

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WASHINGTON - Christopher Martin, 28, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of charges stemming from the May 2010 murder of his mother and a subsequent attack on his brother, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Martin was found guilty, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of charges of second-degree murder while armed, assault with a deadly weapon, and simple assault. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for Aug. 30, 2013.

     According to the government’s evidence, on May 20, 2010, Martin’s younger brother, Demetrius Martin, escaped from a second-floor window of a home in the 4200 block of Fourth Street SE. He alerted a neighbor that he had been beaten by his brother, Christopher, who had also stabbed their mother.  When police finally gained entry to the locked apartment, they found the body of Patricia Ann Martin, 58, in an advanced stage of decomposition spurred on by the heat in the apartment and the fact that the defendant had covered her with multiple blankets. 

     Upon entering the apartment, it became apparent that Martin had attempted to conceal his crime from discovery by covering his mother’s body with cleanser and dryer sheets and using odor-eating gels, and various perfumes, room deodorizers and bleach to cover her scent. Later that day, when Martin was arrested, police discovered that he had a long, deep gash to the palm of his hand, consistent with his hand having slid down the blade of a knife. 

     At trial, the defendant proceeded on an insanity defense, calling experts to establish that   because of mental illness, he lacked the substantial capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law or lacked a substantial capacity to recognize the wrongfulness of his conduct.   The government countered with experts to establish that, although the defendant does have a diagnosed mental illness (schizo-affective disorder), there was no evidence that his criminal conduct resulted from his mental illness.  The jury found Martin guilty of all charges and rejected the defense of insanity.

     In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also extended his appreciation to Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialists Alesha Matthews Yette, Sandra Lane, Fern Rhedrick and Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, and Litigation Technology Specialists Jeanie Latimore-Brown, Kimberly Smith, and Paul Howell. He also expressed thanks for the assistance provided by Patricia A. Riley, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Vinet Bryant, who indicted the case and prosecuted the case at trial.    

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WASHINGTON – Lee A. Calhoun, an executive for a Washington, D.C.-based company, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a scheme in which he and others helped disguise the actual source of more than $150,000 in campaign contributions.

     The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

     Calhoun, 65, of Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count 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 Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a status hearing for Sept. 26, 2013. The misdemeanor charge carries a statutory maximum of one year of imprisonment and financial penalties. As part of the plea agreement, Calhoun agreed to cooperate in the continuing investigation.

     According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, during the relevant time period of the offense, Calhoun worked for a company in the District of Columbia that provided accounting, management consulting, and tax services. He served as a principal in the management and consulting division since 2000.

     The statement of offense refers to the company as “Company A.” It also refers to “Executive A” as the company’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and majority owner.

     Beginning as early as June 2002 and continuing until in or about June 2011, according to the statement of offense, Calhoun used his name and the names of his relatives to disguise campaign contributions made by “Executive A” and “Company A” to federal, District of Columbia, and other political campaign committees and political action committees.

     Calhoun admitted that he knowingly and willfully permitted both his and others’ names to be used to conceal the true source of these contributions at the direction of “Executive A” and others acting at the behest of “Executive A.”  Calhoun knew that he would be reimbursed for the contributions, directly and indirectly by “Executive A” and “Company A.”

     “Today’s guilty plea reveals how a D.C. accounting firm was converted into an assembly line for illegal campaign contributions,” said U.S. Attorney Machen.  “For a decade, the firm and its CEO made illegal campaign contributions through straw donors to an array of federal and D.C. politicians.  The firm used a special accounting system to keep track of the thousands and thousands of dollars it was plowing into political campaigns.  This prosecution demonstrates the depth of our commitment to investigate and uproot criminal schemes intended to hide illegal campaign contributions – schemes that if left unchecked can threaten the very integrity of our democratic process.”

     “Today, Mr. Calhoun admitted his role in evading campaign finance laws by purposefully hiding the true source of more than $150,000 provided to political campaigns,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to work to ensure that all those who participate in corrupt election schemes that elude fair electoral processes are held accountable for their actions.” 

     During the calendar years 2002 through 2011, according to the statement of offense, Calhoun caused at least $79,400 in federal political contributions from “Executive A” and “Company A” to be made in his name and the names of his relatives, including contributions to political action committees and the campaign committees of candidates who were running for President of the United States, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives.

     Through this scheme, “Executive A,” “Company A,” Calhoun, and others caused various campaigns and political action committees to file reports with the Federal Election Commission that did not reveal the true source of the unlawful campaign contributions.

     Additionally, according to the statement of offense, during calendar years 2002 through 2011, Calhoun caused at least $76,600 in District of Columbia political contributions from “Executive A” and “Company A” to be made in his name and the names of his relatives. These included contributions to the campaign committees of candidates running for Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia, among other elected offices.

     According to the statement of offense, Calhoun also made political contributions in his name and the names of family members for local and state political candidates and campaigns in other states, localities, and U.S. territories for which “Executive A” caused “Company A” to reimburse him.

     Also according to the statement of offense, Calhoun’s illegal campaign contribution reimbursements were inaccurately referred to in Company A’s financial records as “advances” or “advances on bonus.”

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Special Agent in Charge Kelly commended those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS-CI.

     They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan W. Haray, Ellen Chubin Epstein, Lionel André, Jonathan Hooks and Ted L. Radway; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Chris Dobbie; Criminal Investigator Matthew Kutz, and Paralegal Specialists Anne Riopelle, Shanna Hays, Krishawn Graham, Lenisse Edloe, Nicole Wattelet, Corinne Laxman, and Angela Lawrence. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Loyaan A. Egal and Ephraim (Fry) Wernick, who are prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON - Michael Anthony Hartley, 22, of Temple Hills, Md., was sentenced today to six years in prison for attacking a man on Christmas Eve 2012 near a Metro station in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Hartley was found guilty in April 2013, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of assault with intent to commit robbery while armed; assault with significant bodily injuries; malicious destruction of property, and wearing a hood or mask concealing his identity while committing these offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable Michael Ryan.  Upon completion of his prison term, Hartley will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 24, 2012, at about 3:30 p.m., the victim was leaving the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station and was on his way home. He was putting his iPhone in his pants pockets when he encountered Hartley, a stranger. Both men exchanged a perfunctory greeting of "hey" as they walked past each other.

     Seconds later, the victim noticed that Hartley was walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him.  However, Hartley now was wearing a hoodie over his head and a mask covering his mouth.  Hartley demanded the victim’s iPhone. He told the victim that he had a gun, put his hand in his jacket-pocket, and made a gesture as if pointing the weapon. The victim tried to get away, but Hartley caught him. At this point, Hartley shoved the victim while loudly demanding the iPhone.  A bystander happened to walk by and called the police.

     Before police could get to the scene, Hartley punched the victim in the face at least twice with a closed fist, causing significant injuries, including facial lacerations. Hartley also broke the victim’s eyeglasses. During the entire attack, Hartley was wearing a hoodie over his head and a mask covering part of his face to conceal his identity.  The police arrived while Hartley was still on the scene, and the victim pointed him out as the person who tried to rob him.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  He also acknowledged the efforts of those worked on the matter for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tameka Garcia and Litigation Technology Specialist Thomas Royal. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Truong, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – William B. McNichols, 48, who handled accounting and other financial matters for a Washington, D.C. law firm, was sentenced today to an 18-month prison term for embezzling more than $730,000, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

     McNichols, of Colchester, Conn., pled guilty in March 2013 to one count of mail fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert L. Wilkins of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, McNichols will be placed on three years of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to pay $732,863 in restitution to the law firm. He also is subject to a forfeiture judgment.

     According to evidence presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, McNichols worked from May 2001 until March 2011 as the finance/business manager of Trister, Ross, Schadler and Gold, PLLP, a law firm. From approximately December 2007 until the summer of 2010, McNichols also performed accounting services for an affiliated company, the Ross Yoon Agency, which was based at the law firm.

     Beginning in August 2004 and continuing until March 2011, McNichols embezzled about $631,736 from Trister Ross and about $101,127 from the Ross Yoon Agency. He obtained the money from Trister Ross by issuing excessive salary payments to himself and by issuing checks to pay personal credit card bills and other personal expenses. He obtained the money from the Ross Yoon Agency by issuing unauthorized checks to himself. He used the U.S. mail to send the unauthorized checks to his credit card companies and other companies.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave praised those who investigated the case for the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Jonathan Womble, 36, a former corrections officer at the District of Columbia Jail, pled guilty today to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit bribery for accepting $400 in cash in return for smuggling drugs and other contraband into the facility, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

     Womble pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Reggie B. Walton ordered him detained pending sentencing on Sept. 13, 2013. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and financial penalties.

     According to the government’s evidence, the FBI received information in January 2013 that a corrections officer was providing narcotics and other contraband to an inmate at the D.C. Jail. An investigation revealed that the inmate was working with co-conspirators outside the jail to assemble, deliver, receive and distribute narcotics intended for inmates at the jail, and that they were paying an individual to get the drugs into the facility.

     On Jan. 27, 2013, Womble met with one of the co-conspirators in the parking lot of a carry-out restaurant in the District of Columbia. The co-conspirator gave Womble a plastic bag, which contained a powdery substance consistent with heroin and marijuana. The bag also contained a cellphone, cellphone charger and $400 in cash. Womble understood that the cash was in exchange for him getting the drugs, cell phone and charger to the inmate in the jail. Two days later, he smuggled the items into the jail and provided them to the inmate.

     Plans were subsequently made for another delivery of contraband. However, on Feb. 12, 2013, multiple bags of marijuana were discovered and intercepted inside Womble’s locker at the jail by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections and one of its K-9 dogs. The marijuana had been provided to Womble by a person who wanted it delivered to another inmate.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave commended the work of the three agencies who jointly worked the case, including agents from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, an FBI task force officer from Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and investigators from the District of Columbia Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. Finally, they commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lenisse Edloe, Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard E. DiZinno and Christopher R. Kavanaugh, who are prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – Robert Walker, 25, and Rodney White, 24, both from Washington, D.C., were each sentenced to 60-year prison terms today for first-degree murder while armed and other charges stemming from a shooting at an apartment complex in 2008 in which a woman was killed and a man was wounded, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Walker and White, who also is known as Rodney Whiting, were found guilty by a jury in April 2013 of 11 counts each following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury convicted them of four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and weapons offenses. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz sentenced them.

     The shooting took place on May 5, 2008 in the Benning Park Apartment complex in the 4800 block of G Street SE. The gunfire killed Jasmine McCray, 23.

     At trial, the government’s evidence showed that on May 5, 2008, at approximately 3 a.m., Ms. McCray was with her boyfriend and several other men, including Levern Butler, in the “Down Bottom” portion of the Benning Park Apartment complex parking lot.  They and others had just come back from the Le Pearl nightclub in Capitol Heights, Md., where an altercation occurred between Butler and another man, Kenneth Hinton. Hinton was at the nightclub with Walker and White and others from the “Up Top” portion of Benning Park. 

     Both Butler and Hinton were kicked out of Le Pearl and were seen afterwards by others as being very upset about the fight.  Walker and White, along with Hinton, went back to the “Up Top” portion of Benning Park and armed themselves with guns. Then they went to the “Down Bottom” part of Benning Park, and began to fire upon the group including Ms. McCray.

     As the shooting commenced, Ms. McCray was hit in the head and went down.  She died a short time later, having also suffered from being run over by a car that was driven by one of the other men, who accidentally ran her over while trying to flee from the parking lot. Ms. McCray was part of a group including four other people, including a man who was shot in the hand.

     Hinton died in a traffic accident about a week after the shooting. Walker and White were arrested in 2009.

     In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the officers, detectives and mobile crime scene personnel who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Phaylyn Hunt, Antoinette Sakamsa, and Meridith McGarrity; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Intelligence/Security Specialist Lawrence Grasso; Victim/Witness Specialists Wanda Queen and M. LaVerne Forrest, and Supervisory Victim/Witness Specialist Michael Hailey. 

     Finally, he commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Glynn and Eric Gallun, who investigated and indicted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gorman and Veronica Sanchez, who investigated and prosecuted the case at trial.            

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WASHINGTON - Thomas Williams, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight years in prison for stealing a car from an 87-year-old woman after pretending to be a public officer of the District of Columbia and then failing to appear for a court date following his arrest in the case, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced. 

     Williams was found guilty in March 2013 of four charges following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. They included second-degree theft of a senior citizen, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, false impersonation of a public official, and failure to appear. The Honorable Stuart G. Nash sentenced Williams to six years in prison for the crimes associated with the car theft, and another two years for failing to show up for a court appearance. Williams also was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution. After his prison term, Williams will be placed on three years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Aug. 16, 2012, Williams flagged down a tow truck driver and asked him if he was available to tow a car to a junkyard in Maryland.  The tow truck driver agreed and the two men drove that morning to the home of the victim, who lives alone in Northeast Washington. Williams knocked on the front door, flashed an identification card, and told the victim that he was from the District of Columbia government and had orders to take her car, a 1996 Ford Contour that was parked in the driveway.  She begged and pleaded with Williams not to take her car, saying that she was going to give it to one of her granddaughters. 

     Williams, however, insisted that he had to take the car and threatened to charge the victim if she did not comply. He took the keys out of her hand, hooked the car to the tow truck, and drove it to a junkyard in Maryland, where he sold the vehicle for scrap metal.

     An officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) followed up on the victim’s report by checking on the car’s vehicle identification number and finding that the vehicle had been scrapped at the junkyard. The officer then went to the junkyard, reviewed the paperwork, and linked Williams to the vehicle and the crime.

     Following his arrest, Williams was released by a Superior Court judge and ordered to return on a subsequent date.  He did not return on that date and was eventually apprehended by the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. 

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised those who worked on the case from the MPD, the U.S. Marshals Service and its Superior Court Warrant Squad, and the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Theresa Nelson, Litigation Services Specialist Thomas Royal, and Victim Advocate Kristina Rose. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Lallas, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Darrell Lee, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 40 years in prison on first-degree murder while armed and related firearms charges in a killing on Halloween 2009 in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Lee was found guilty by a jury in March 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  He was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck.

     According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Oct. 31, 2009, the victim, Ashton Hunter, 19, was staying with his girlfriend in an apartment building in the 300 block of 37th Street SE. That night, he went outside, expecting to meet one of his acquaintances from his home neighborhood of 7th & O Streets NW. Mr. Hunter went outside and met with Lee, had a conversation with him, and then started to walk back into the apartment building. 

     As Mr. Hunter approached the building entrance, Lee followed him down the sidewalk, pulled out a gun and shot him several times in the torso.  Mr. Hunter died later that night from his injuries. 

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the detectives, officers and others who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Phaylyn Hunt and Meridith McGarrity; Information Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Joe Calvarese; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcey Rinker;Victim/Witness Specialist Debra Cannon, and Supervisory Victim/Witness Specialist Michael Hailey.  Finally, he commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gallun, who obtained the indictment in the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gorman and Richard DiZinno, who investigated and prosecuted the case at trial. 

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WASHINGTON – A 29-year-old man was sentenced today to 11 years in prison on a charge of first-degree sexual abuse stemming from an attack he carried out earlier this year against a 13-year-old girl, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

     The defendant, of Washington, D.C., is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim. He pled guilty in April 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Russell F. Canan sentenced him today. Upon completion of his prison term, the defendant will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for at least 10 years following his release from prison.

     According to the government’s evidence, the girl is related to defendant and was at the Northwest Washington home of another relative on Jan. 9, 2013. That day, between 4 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., the defendant lured her away from other adults and sexually assaulted her. He warned her not to tell anyone what happened. The child, however, alerted her mother and the police.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit, who investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation to those at the U.S. Attorney’s Office who worked on the matter, including Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key and Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson. Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr., who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Decordre Franklin, 25, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge stemming from a fatal shooting that took place earlier this year in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Franklin pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to voluntary manslaughter while armed in the slaying of Irving Jones. He is to be sentenced on Sept. 13, 2013 by the Honorable John Ramsey Johnson.

     According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning of March 30, 2013, Franklin was seen in a yard at Edgewood Terrace, within the 600 block of Edgewood Street NE, carrying and playing with a handgun.  Afterward, Franklin and Mr. Jones, 33, hung out together with others in the same vicinity.  During that time, Mr. Jones and Franklin engaged in a brief physical altercation, which has been described by some witnesses as horseplay.  After the altercation ended at approximately 2:10 a.m., Franklin then argued verbally with Mr. Jones.

     While yelling at Mr. Jones, Franklin pulled out a handgun and shot him in the chest at close range.  He then fled.  Mr. Jones collapsed to the ground and died shortly afterward.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division, crime scene officers, and the Fifth 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 Victim Witness Program Specialist Marcia Rinker and Paralegal Specialist Marian Russell.  He also praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana L. Fulton, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Jeffrey Klenk, 24, of Alexandria, Va., has pled guilty to federal charges of distribution and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced today.

            Klenk entered the guilty plea on June 12, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  The Honorable Richard J. Leon is to sentence him on Sept. 12, 2013.  Klenk faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for distribution of child pornography and up to 10 years in prison on the possession charge, as well as financial penalties. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum of 25 years.

            According to the government's evidence, in September and October of 2012, Klenk contacted a man he believed to be the father of an adolescent girl on a social network site.  That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force.  Over a month-long period, Klenk engaged in online e-mail and instant message conversations with the undercover officer.

          During this period of time, Klenk used the computer at his home to send the undercover officer a total of 45 unique images of child pornography, as well as several pictures of child erotica and clothed and unclothed children. On Oct. 18, 2012, Klenk’s residence was searched pursuant to a warrant, and various items were seized, including videos of child pornography. Klenk was arrested that day. All told, officers recovered approximately 13 videos and over 325 images of child pornography from the defendant’s computers and computer equipment.

          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 Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force who investigated the case. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassidy Kesler Pinegar, who is prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who is assisting with forfeiture issues.

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, the East River Family Strengthening Collaborative, and law enforcement and community partners are sponsoring a Youth Summit on Thursday, June 27, 2013 at Friendship Collegiate Academy.

            Youths from the District of Columbia are invited to the free program, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friendship Collegiate Academy, at 4095 Minnesota Avenue NE, is conveniently located directly across the street from the Minnesota Avenue Metro station in order to provide accessibility for students to attend. 

            This is the office’s third annual Youth Summit, which assembles young people from under-served neighborhoods in the District of Columbia to discuss the most pressing public safety challenges facing their communities. Previous summits have attracted more than 300 youth participants.

            The goal of the Youth Summit is to reach out to area youth on current public safety topics in an informative and inspiring way.  Presentations will address a variety of issues facing teens in the community.  Most importantly, the Youth Summit this year will examine precursors to violence in an effort to deter youth from negative behaviors. 

            Presentations will focus on anti-bullying, sexual assault violence prevention, gang awareness, and illegal drug deterrence.   The Youth Summit will be comprised of dynamic speakers, entertainment, and break-out sessions for youth based on both age and gender. 

            The older youth will have an opportunity to learn from speakers who will emphasize the dangerous consequences of violence for both perpetrator and victims. The discussion will focus heavily on educating our youth regarding sexual assault, healthy relationships and where to seek help if they are a witness to or a victim of violence. 

            The younger students will gain valuable knowledge on distinguishing appropriate conduct and seeking help from victimization. 

            All of the youth will be provided invaluable resources at the Youth Summit, including anti-bullying guidance and information about the dangers of K-2 Spice.  Lastly, in an effort to prove to our youth that fun does not have to include negative behavior, entertainment will be provided by local performers and a national recording artist. 

            Several collaborative partners, including the Columbia Heights Shaw/Family Collaborative,  D.C. Department of  Health, D.C. Rape Crisis Center, Street Wize Foundation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, will be coming together to present the day’s programs. The effort is supported by Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing gun and gang crimes. People with questions or interest in bringing a youth group to the Youth Summit, may contact Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for External Affairs, Wendy Pohlhaus (202)252-6930 or [email protected].

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For 2012 Robbery at Deanwood Metro Station<
-Defendant Also Sentenced to Nine Months in Prison in Case Involving Stolen Car-

 

     WASHINGTON – Zachary Pollard, 18, of Washington D.C., has been sentenced to two years in prison on a robbery charge stemming from an attack last year at the Deanwood Metro station in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

     Pollard was found guilty in April 2013 following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Heidi M. Pasichow sentenced him on June 11, 2013 to a total of 51 months in prison, but suspended all but 24 months of the prison time. Upon completion of his prison term, Pollard will be placed on three years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, Pollard and an unidentified accomplice approached the victim at about 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 18, 2012 near the Metro station, in the 4700 block of Polk Street NE. Pollard, standing in front of the victim, pulled out a gun and pointed it in the man’s face while the accomplice threw the victim to the ground.  Pollard then rifled through the victim’s pockets and took the victim’s wallet, which contained credit cards and $11.  The victim reported the crime to the station manager, who called Metro Transit Police. 

     Less than 10 minutes later and about a half mile from the Deanwood station, a Metro Transit Police officer spotted Pollard, who matched the description given for a police lookout.  The officer stopped Pollard, who was eating a fast-food apple pie.  Minutes later, as other officers arrived on the scene and without having been told what had been taken in the robbery or the reason why he had been stopped, Pollard spontaneously stated, “Man, I didn’t rob nobody for no $11.”  Officers recovered $9 in cash from the defendant. 

     At the time of the crime, Pollard was free on personal recognizance while awaiting trial for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and other charges. According to the government’s evidence, Pollard was caught on Oct. 14, 2012 in a car in Southeast Washington less than a day after it was stolen. When police officers tried to stop him after he went through a red light in the car, he floored the gas and took off.  The car ultimately crashed into the curb, damaging the front wheel. Pollard then got out of the car and fled on foot before he was finally caught.

     Pollard pled guilty in that case to charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, and destruction of property. He was sentenced on June 11, 2013 to serve nine months of incarceration on those charges, to run consecutively to the sentence in the robbery case. He also was ordered to pay $1,945 in restitution to the victim.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detective, officers, and mobile crime scene officers from the Metro Transit Police Department who investigated the robbery case, as well as the officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) who investigated the case involving the stolen car.

     He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the matters for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Antoinette Sakamsa and Theresa Nelson, and Victim Advocate Kristina Rose. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Lallas, who prosecuted the robbery case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Natiello, who prosecuted the case involving the stolen car.

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WASHINGTON – William Faison, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to second-degree murder while armed in the slaying of 19-year-old Jeffrey Covington during an attempted robbery in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced

            Faison entered his plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ronna Lee Beck scheduled sentencing for Aug. 16, 2013.

            In a related development, the victim’s father, Jeffrey Blount, 43, also of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to tampering with physical evidence at the scene of the murder. He is to be sentenced on Aug. 15, 2013.

            According to the government’s evidence, on July 2, 2011, Jeffrey Blount and his son were involved in a craps game in the 600 block of 46th Place SE. Shortly after 1 a.m., Faison, who was nearby, approached Blount while pulling a .38-caliber revolver from his waistband. 

            Faison pushed Mr. Covington aside to get to Blount and pointed the gun at Blount’s back in an attempt to rob him. Nearly everyone involved in the craps game, including Blount, fled.  Faison chased after Blount, with his gun still drawn.  Mr. Covington attempted to come to the aid of his father by pointing an inoperable weapon at Faison.  Faison then turned back toward the victim and fired one shot at him, fatally striking him in the upper chest/throat.

            Faison then fled into an apartment in a building on the block. Police sought and obtained a search warrant for that apartment on July 2, 2011, and they recovered a .38-caliber revolver with a spent shell casing inside.  Faison was still in the apartment at the time of the recovery.

            Following the murder, Blount returned to the scene, approached Mr. Covington’s body, and attempted to remove currency from Mr. Covington’s pockets.  He then checked the victim’s pulse before moving the inoperable pistol from the victim’s side to a nearby trash can.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers, and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Phaylyn Hunt, Fern Rhedrick, and Kendra Johnson and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams, Jeffrey Pearlman, and Erik Kenerson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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In 2011 Slaying of Stepson
-Shooting Followed Argument in Family Home-

     WASHINGTON – Ronald Page, 60, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder while armed and other charges in the slaying of his adult stepson, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

     Page was found guilty on June 11, 2013 following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, the jury found him guilty of charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and firearms offenses. The Honorable Russell F. Canan scheduled sentencing for Sept. 13, 2013.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 5, 2011, shortly after 7 p.m., Page was engaged in verbal argument with his 17-year-old son inside their family home in Northeast Washington. The defendant’s two stepsons were present during the argument. At one point, Page left the argument and retrieved a gun. He pointed it at his son and one of his stepsons, Nicholas Satcher, 22. Then he ordered Nicholas Satcher to leave the room. Nicholas Satcher agreed to leave, but his stepfather followed him and fired the gun, fatally wounding him.

     In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the officers, detectives and others who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Mia Beamon, Kelly Blakeney, Kendra Johnson, Sharon Newman and Marian Russell; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Criminal Investigator Christopher Brophy. He also expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Cobb, who investigated the case and secured the indictment. Finally, he thanked Jeffrey Ragsdale, Chief of the office’s Homicide Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who prosecuted the case.

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