District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Kentucky Woman Indicted on Two Counts for Vandalizing National Mall’s World War II Memorial in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was returned yesterday charging Melissa Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, with two federal counts related to vandalizing the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on August 13, 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“The World War II Memorial stands as a lasting tribute to the courage of 16 million Americans who served during World War II and the ultimate sacrifice of the 405,399 who gave their lives defending our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. Defacing it is an affront to their service and sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will use every tool available under federal law to ensure this conduct is met with justice.”
On August 27, 2026, a grand jury in U.S. District Court returned an indictment charging Farris with one count of Destruction of Veterans’ Memorial and one count of Destruction of Government Property. A court hearing is scheduled for September 3, 2026.
According to the criminal complaint filed on August 14, U.S. Park Police were called about 2 p.m. on August 13 for a report of a disorderly person. A witness told officers that they had observed a woman spray painting graffiti on portions of the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion of the World War II Memorial at the eastern end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
A United States Park Ranger arrived at the scene and observed foam in the fountain area of the Atlantic pavilion. Multiple people were gathered around the balcony watching a woman shooting video of herself. The woman fled when she became aware of the Ranger’s presence.
Orange-colored paint had been sprayed onto the wall with the words: “Clean Hands Dirty $.” Additionally, green-colored paint was also sprayed onto the wall just under the orange spray paint, and pink-colored paint was splattered on the ground. In a trash can near the north entrance of the balcony, law enforcement recovered a white sign with painted letters. The paint used on the sign appeared to match the paint that was used to vandalize the northern entrance balcony.
A witness had taken a photo of the woman defacing the Memorial. One U.S. Park Police officer recognized her as someone police had arrested on August 10 for unlawfully camping on federal property near 18th Street NW and Virginia Ave. NW, just a few blocks away from the World War II Memorial.
On August 10, as she was being arrested by Park Police, she live streamed the event over her Facebook and Instagram social media accounts on which she identified herself as “Melissa Lovewell.”
In a review of Farris’s public social media accounts, investigators discovered that she had recorded multiple livestream videos on August 13. In one recorded video, she allegedly admitted to damaging the World War II Memorial.
Before Farris defaced the World War II Memorial, she had allegedly recorded and posted a video in which she stated, “I am cognitively aware and executively (sic) of the choices I am making and I am doing so to push my whistleblower case into the courtroom . . . someone has to make choices that are different and I am accountable for my actions. I am going to make these choices today and I will step foot into the courtroom, and I will wait to be arrested . . . I am accountable for the things that I do and the choices that I make and our government needs to be accountable for their choices too.”
The Memorial honors the 16 million American service members who served during World War II, the millions more who supported the war effort from the home front, and the 405,399 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war. The Memorial contains two main pavilions, the Atlantic and Pacific pavilions, named for the two main theaters of the war. Over four million tourists pay their respect at the memorial annually.
Charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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D.C. Man Gets Five Years in Prison for Planned Attack in August 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Grooms, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 60 months in prison in D.C. Superior Court for charges related to an assault on a 31-year-old District resident on August 7, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“After this defendant and his accomplice spent hours lying in wait for their victim, they ambushed him at gunpoint, repeatedly pistol-whipped him, forced him to strip, and paraded him naked through his apartment building,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “For this calculated and brutal attack, the Government asked for the top of the sentencing guidelines—13 years in prison. The court imposed five. While we respect the court’s decision, five years does not reflect the full severity of what this defendant did to his victim.”
Grooms was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on March 30, 2026, of one count each of conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a license. Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel ordered Grooms to serve the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Government recommended a sentence at the top of the sentencing guidelines for a total of 13 years of imprisonment.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of August 6–7, 2024, Grooms and an accomplice drove to the parking lot of the victim’s apartment building and waited in Grooms’ car for more than three hours. At 1:12 a.m., just minutes after the victim came outside to have drinks with a woman in front of the building, Grooms and his accomplice got out of Grooms’ car and walked toward the victim. Grooms and his accomplice pointed handguns at the victim and then repeatedly pistol-whipped the victim in the head and face, leaving the victim injured and bloodied. The assault continued for several minutes as the victim, Grooms, and Grooms’ accomplice made their way inside the apartment building lobby and into an elevator. Once in the elevator, Grooms and his accomplice forced the victim to remove his clothes at gunpoint. Grooms and his accomplice then paraded the victim out of the building, naked from the waist down. On August 14, 2024, Grooms was stopped by police while driving his vehicle; during a subsequent search of the vehicle, a handgun was located under the driver’s seat.
Grooms was arrested on August 14, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Michael Roberts, who prosecuted the case.
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Behavioral Health Worker Pleads Guilty to Billing D.C. Medicaid for Therapy Sessions That Never HappenedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Said Nassor, 46, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to bill D.C. Medicaid for mental health services that were never provided or were grossly inflated, causing a loss to Medicaid exceeding $250,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Nassor pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to court documents, Nassor was employed beginning in August 2022 as a Community Support Worker at a D.C. Medicaid provider authorized to deliver mental health rehabilitative services to youth and adolescent beneficiaries.
From approximately January 2022 through at least February 2025, Nassor conspired with company employees along with other community support workers, to submit false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to D.C. Medicaid.
According to court documents, Nassor and other community support workers were directed by company employees to bill the maximum number of units allowed for each consumer regardless of medical necessity or whether the services were performed.
Community support workers were instructed to bill a full hour for every telehealth encounter no matter how long the call actually lasted, and were trained to shave a few minutes off each claim, for example billing 54 minutes instead of 60, to make the calls appear more realistic. Workers were also directed to bill three hours, and later one hour, for diagnostic assessments regardless of how much time was spent with the consumer.
From July 27, 2022, through June 23, 2023, Nassor documented over 701 hours of telehealth services across six patients when, according to call records, he only actually spent roughly 172 minutes with them on the telephone.
On October 21, 2024, Nassor created and billed for three telehealth encounters to an undercover FBI employee who posed as a patient. None of the telehealth encounters took place.
Investigators determined that Nassor’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in a loss to Medicaid of over $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 198 Months in 2023 Violent Kidnapping and Rape of Former PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brandon Tyriq White, 31, of Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 198-months in federal prison in connection with the violent kidnapping, choking, and sexual assault of his former girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Brandon White’s victim fought to escape her attacker twice, and twice White caught her, bound her, and terrorized her,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Domestic violence will not be tolerated. White is now a convicted felon and will spend more than 16 years in federal prison.”
White pleaded guilty on Feb. 18, 2025, to a charge of kidnapping. In addition to the 198-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered White to serve five years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Federal prosecutors had requested a 210-month prison sentence.
According to court documents, White was in a romantic relationship with a woman with whom he lived in October and November 2023. The woman left White without telling him in late November. Following her departure, she terminated the relationship. She left some of her belongings at White’s home.
The next month, the woman sought to recover her belongings and arranged to meet White at a restaurant in Prince George’s County. They sat at a table and ordered drinks and food. The woman received a phone call and stepped away. She returned to the table to find the food was gone, the check had been paid, and White had left the restaurant.
White approached the woman in his car as she walked through the restaurant parking lot. The two argued about her taking the phone call. The dispute intensified and White forced the woman against her will into the back of his car. The woman tried to escape. White bound her with zip-ties. Then he drove her from Maryland to a residence in Southeast D.C.
When they arrived in the District, the woman tried to escape by running away and crying for help. White caught her on the front steps of the residence and choked her. He released her when she promised not to scream or run. White led the woman to a bedroom on the second floor. He placed a firearm on a bedside table and sexually assaulted her.
The woman convinced White to drive her back to Maryland. On the way, they stopped at a convenience store. The woman attempted to flee. A surveillance camera captured images of White trying to force her back into his car. She slipped from his grasp and ran. White caught her, beat her, and broke her front tooth. Ultimately the woman escaped. White drove away. The woman later was treated at local hospital.
Police arrested White on Dec. 23, 2023, in Charles County, Maryland, and recovered a Glock semi-automatic pistol from the hotel where he was staying. The gun was registered to White in the state of Maryland, but White had no valid license or registration to carry the gun within the District.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengary.
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D.C. Man Pleads Guilty in Armed Robbery of Tire ShopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Angelo Harris, 39, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today in connection with the armed robbery of a Northeast D.C. tire shop on April 29, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Harris pleaded guilty before Judge Ana C. Reyes to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). Judge Reyes scheduled sentencing for Dec. 1, 2026.
According to court documents, Harris, armed with a black handgun, and a co-conspirator, armed with a rifle, arrived at Mac’s Tire Shop on the 400 block of Florida Avenue NE, and brandished their weapons at an employee of the store. Using the threat of the firearms, they forced the employee out of his chair in the garage area of the establishment into the office in order to complete the robbery. The two forcibly took cash and other items from the shop before fleeing the scene.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Caelainn Carney.
Surveillance photo taken the day of the tire store robbery.
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Carjacking and Robbery Spree Yields D.C. Man 13.5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dartanian Owens, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday for a carjacking and robbery spree between April 6-8, 2025, in Northeast and Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Owens pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, on April 9, 2026, to one count of carjacking, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of robbery and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. On August 24, 2026, Superior Court Judge Andrea Herzfeld sentenced the defendant to 162 months’ incarceration according to the government’s recommendation and declined to sentence the defendant under the Youth Rehabilitation Act.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours on April 6, 2025, Owens, while armed with a firearm, carjacked the first victim, who was delivering food for DoorDash in Northeast D.C. The following day, between 4:00 a.m. and 5:20 a.m., the defendant used the carjacked vehicle to commit three armed robberies in Southeast D.C. Specifically, at 4:05 a.m. Owens approached a victim, who was on his way to work and waiting at a bus stop in front of 2701 Naylor Road SE. The defendant pointed a pink and silver handgun at him, stated “lay it down,” and robbed the victim of his AirPods, cash, and phone. Approximately one hour later at 5:05 a.m., Owens approached another victim, who was walking to the Anacostia Metro Station on his way to work. The defendant robbed this victim at gunpoint, taking a backpack containing construction tools, keys, a phone, a wallet, cash, and an ID. Around fifteen minutes later at 5:20 a.m., Owens and a co-conspirator robbed a third victim, who was waiting for an Uber to take him to his dialysis appointment. The co-conspirator exited the vehicle first and took the victim’s backpack at gunpoint. Owens then exited the driver’s side of the vehicle and demanded more from the victim while pointing a firearm him. The victim, however, had nothing left to surrender.
In the early hours of April 8, 2025, police in Prince George’s County spotted the carjacked vehicle in a McDonald’s parking lot in Maryland and attempted a felony stop. Owens, who was alone in the vehicle, refused to pull over and fled from police. The defendant led police through Maryland and D.C., at one point driving 44 miles per hour over the speed limit through a residential neighborhood. Police disabled the vehicle using spike strips and Owens jumped from the vehicle while it was still moving. The defendant then fled on foot through a neighborhood, hiding behind houses, on porches, and behind sheds. Once apprehended, the defendant gave a false identity to the police. Along the defendant’s flight path, officers recovered a black and pink Walther PK380 handgun and a key fob belonging to the carjacked vehicle.
Photo of Walther PK380 firearm recovered by law enforcement.
Owens was arrested on April 8, 2025, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force, and other officers and Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Folsom.
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Maryland Woman Found Guilty of Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Incapacitated VictimRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Linda Laird, 62, of Cordova, Maryland, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in connection with a scheme to abuse her position as the co-guardian and co-conservator of an 81-year-old vulnerable adult, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The federal jury deliberated approximately four hours following a three-day trial before finding Laird guilty of conspiracy to commit Social Security fraud and theft of public money; conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and elderly person; and fraud in the first degree against a senior citizen.
U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2026.
According to court documents, in November 2017, Laird, her late father, James Blizzard, and her late mother, Joyce Blizzard were appointed by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia as co-guardians and co-conservators of Laird’s grandmother, who was a vulnerable adult. At the time, Laird’s grandmother was 81 years old and suffered from severe cognitive impairments. After Joyce Blizzard passed away in June 2018, Laird and James Blizzard continued as co-guardians and co-conservators.
While Laird’s grandmother resided in the nursing home, Laird and Blizzard were required to act as fiduciaries and apply her money towards her support, care, and treatment. Instead, Laird and Blizzard used their authority as co-guardians and co-conservators to redirect U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits intended for, and checking account funds belonging to, the vulnerable adult to their personal bank accounts for their own benefit. In total, Laird and Blizzard stole more than $21,000 in Social Security benefits and obtained over $100,000 from the vulnerable adult’s bank accounts for their personal use. Laird spent these funds on jewelry, designer shoes, and expensive football tickets.
This case was investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Facci and David Deitch of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
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D.C. Man Who Stabbed His Romantic Partner Gets More Than 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Callen, 42, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 20.5 years in prison in D.C. Superior Court for stabbing his then-romantic partner multiple times on July 13, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Domestic violence is a relentless cycle of control and intimidation, and breaking that cycle is essential to protecting victims,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “James Callen’s brutality nearly cost this woman her life, and but for the grace of God, she survived. Callen is now headed to where he belongs: prison.”
Callen was found guilty of one count each of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and three counts of contempt on June 11, 2026. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Callen to the prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 12, 2024, Callen and the victim went to Callen’s brother’s apartment in southeast Washington, D.C., to hang out. While there, Callen asked the victim to move in with him but became angry when the victim said she did not want to live with him. The next morning on July 13, 2024, while Callen and the victim were in the living room, he went to the kitchen and retrieved a knife and returned to the victim. He stabbed the victim multiple times, slicing her neck, which lacerated her jugular vein. When the victim started to bleed out, Callen panicked and called 911. EMTs arrived and immediately rushed the victim to the hospital before law enforcement arrived. When police officers arrived, Callen told them that the victim had arrived at the apartment already bleeding and injured. Despite the violent attack, the victim survived her injuries.
From September 2024 to February 2025, Callen called the victim numerous times from the D.C. Jail in violation of a court order to stay away from and have no contact with the victim. In those calls, Callen changed his story and attempted to convince the victim that she had accidentally injured herself. The jury learned during trial that Callen had previously assaulted the victim and this was part of a pattern of abuse. Callen broke her leg in August 2023 and gave her two black eyes in January 2024.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant United States Attorneys Olivia Hinerfeld and Anne Cotter, who prosecuted the case.
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Country Club Agrees to Pay over $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Ferris Pirro, announced today that Secession Golf Club, Inc. (“Secession”) agreed to pay $1,047,991 to resolve allegations that the club violated the False Claims Act when it applied for and received a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which it was not eligible.
When Congress enacted the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, it authorized forgivable PPP loans to eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). At the time of the loan covered by this settlement, certain entities organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans, including section 501(c)(7) organizations.
In 2020, Secession, a country club located in Beaufort, South Carolina, applied for a PPP loan in the amount of $630,750 and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan even though it was ineligible as a section 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization. After receiving the PPP loan, Secession sought and received forgiveness of the entire loan amount. The United States contended that Secession knowingly falsely represented its eligibility to receive the PPP loan, which caused the SBA to pay lender fees to the bank that processed the loan, and to receive forgiveness of that loan.
The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam complaint was filed by Relator Aidan Forsyth and is captioned United States ex rel. Aidan Forsyth v. Club at Morningside Inc., et al., Civ. A. No. 24-1175 (D.D.C.). Mr. Forsyth will receive a total share of approximately $115,279.01 in connection with the settlement.
The civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy J. Hurley with the support of attorney Caitlin J. Kelly of SBA’s Office of the General Counsel.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Tips and complaints regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
secession_settlement_agreement_-_fully_executed_8.11.26.pdfDistrict Couple Arrested and Charged in Homeland Security Task Force Takedown for Trafficking Fentanyl and Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Katie Shameka Williams, 33, and Kenneth Darnell Smith Jr., 32, both of the District of Columbia, were arrested yesterday after being charged in an indictment in connection with running an alleged fentanyl trafficking operation from their apartment in the District’s Congress Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“These charges reflect this office’s aggressive commitment to dismantling violent drug networks, removing dangerous traffickers from our streets, and keeping our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will no longer tolerate lawlessness in our nation’s capital, and this takedown builds on the more than 3,200 drug-related arrests made as part of President Trump’s federal surge to make Washington D.C., safe and beautiful.”
The indictment charges Williams and Smith with conspiracy to distribute forty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base or crack cocaine.
Both defendants are being held at the D.C. Correctional Facility and have made their first appearance before a magistrate judge.
According to filed documents, the FBI Washington Field Office Safe Streets Task Force launched an investigation in March 2026 into an alleged narcotics distribution operation based on the 1600 block of Savannah Street SE.
It is alleged that over several months in 2026, law enforcement documented at least nine instances of crack cocaine and fentanyl being distributed from that location. In total, those instances involved more than 40 grams of fentanyl and distribution amounts of crack cocaine.
On Aug. 18, 2026, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at the apartment building and arrested Williams and Smith. During the search, three children were present in the apartment.
Inside the residence, agents recovered substantial quantities of suspected controlled substances, including numerous separately packaged quantities of suspected fentanyl (in pill and powdered form) with an approximate gross weight of 322 grams; a rifle and three loaded handguns; a drum magazine and multiple additional firearm magazines; ammunition; and $1,931 in cash.
Photo of evidence seized from the Savannah Street SE apartment.
Photo of the bag of seized suspected fentanyl pills.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Washington D.C. comprises agents and officers from numerous federal agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Robbery Spree Defendant Sentenced to 180 Months for Series of BB Gun Holdups Targeting Service WorkersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mark Thomas Moore, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison in connection with a string of armed robberies that targeted service workers at businesses and a U.S. Post Office in the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Mark Moore targeted hardworking employees who were simply doing their jobs. He threatened them at gunpoint, leaving many with lasting trauma,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence ensures that Moore will be held accountable for his actions and will not be able to harm anyone in our community for a long time.”
Moore was convicted Nov. 6, 2025, following a bench trial before Judge Amit P. Mehta, of two counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), of one count of armed robbery while armed, of one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and of one count of armed postal robbery.
In addition to the 180-month prison sentence, Judge Mehta ordered Moore to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 180 months.
According to court papers, in the fall of 2022, Moore armed himself with a BB gun to rob service workers at business in the District and Arlington, Virginia.
On Oct. 26, 2022, Moore entered a McDonald’s restaurant on the 1500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, where he lurked for about 15 minutes before following a female employee into a restroom. There, he held the worker at gunpoint. The employee had recently immigrated into the U.S. and spoke no English. She attempted to use a translation app on her phone to communicate with Moore. Moore took her phone and forced her through the restaurant to the cash register where he ordered another employee to fill a bag with money before fleeing.
On Nov. 9, 2022, Moore entered a 7-Eleven on the 1500 block of Independence Ave. SE. He pointed his BB gun at an employee and demanded cash. When the employee attempted to conceal some of the money, Moore threatened him with the gun.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Moore was armed when he entered the U.S. Postal Service facility on the 600 block of Pennsylvania Ave., SE. As employees fled in fear, Moore stood over one who had fallen while trying to escape. He pointed the weapon at her threatened her as she pleaded for her life. He then forced a third employee to the register at gunpoint before fleeing the post office on a distinctive green bicycle.
On Nov. 28, 2022, Moore also robbed a CVS in Arlington, Virginia. During the robbery, Moore took a bank note containing a GPS tracker. He fled on the same distinctive green bicycle. Law enforcement later located Moore and recovered a BB gun consistent with the weapon seen in the surveillance footage from the three District robberies. Investigators also recovered clothes recovered from his girlfriend’s apartment, along with DNA and fingerprints, that further linked him to the offenses.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Arlington County Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caelainn Carney and Jared English.
BB gun seized from Moore at the time of his arrest.
Surveillance photos show Moore holding his gun during the robberies of the four establishments.
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Massachusetts Resident Sentenced in Attempt to Assassinate Cabinet Member Nominee at the U.S. CapitolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ryan Michael English, 26, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 73 months in prison in connection with an attempt to assassinate then-cabinet member nominee Scott Bessent with Molotov cocktails fashioned from bottles of vodka, and for carrying a folding knife onto the Grounds of the Capitol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“My office will not tolerate attempts to intimidate or harm public officials that strike at the heart of our democratic process and are antithetical to the values we all depend on,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The defendant is now a convicted felon and is headed where he belongs: prison.”
English, aka “Raleigh Jane English,” pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras to one count of unlawful receipt, possession, and/or transfer of a firearm and one count of carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive, or incendiary device on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. In addition to the 73-month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered English to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 121 months.
According to court documents, at about 3:12 p.m., on Jan. 27, 2025, English approached a U.S. Capitol Police Officer near the South Door of the Capitol Building and stated “I’d like to turn myself in.” English further admitted to possessing a knife and two “Molotov Cocktails.”
Officers searched English and recovered a folding knife, as well as two improvised incendiary devices from his jacket pockets. Each device was constructed of a 50-milliliter bottle of Absolut vodka with a grey strip of cloth affixed to its top. The cloth had been soaked with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Police recovered a green lighter from another pocket.
During the search, English confessed to being at the Capitol to kill a cabinet member nominee whose confirmation vote was scheduled that day before the U.S. Senate. Police recovered a note to a roommate in English’s pocket that said, in part, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters…Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying.”
English admitted to traveling to the District of Columbia with the intention of killing a government official or burning down a think-tank based in Washington, D.C.
In a search of English’s car, which English had parked on the 900 block of Independence Ave., SE, police recovered a 750-milliliter bottle of 100 proof vodka and a grey sweatshirt with fabric cut from the sleeves.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Chief Michael G. Sullivan of the U.S. Capitol Police.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, who is detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the United States Capitol Police, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf.
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D.C. Woman Found Guilty in Fatal StabbingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vanessa Bonaparte, 34, of Washington D.C., was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court on charges related to the fatal stabbing of Dwayne Boyd on June 22, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bonaparte was found guilty of one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 22, 2024, officers were called to 3517 East Capitol Street SE, after reports of an argument in the building. Officers observed the defendant and an additional individual leaving the scene, after which they found the victim unresponsive in the rear bedroom.
The government’s evidence established that the defendant stabbed the victim after forcing her way into the apartment where the decedent was living. When the victim followed the defendant to the kitchen to get her to leave the apartment, she stabbed him twice in the chest with two knives, killing him.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Clarke and Gregory Evans.
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Arrest Warrants Issued for Six Current and Former MPD Members of the Fifth District for Overtime FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On August 18, 2026, a judge of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia signed arrest warrants for current and former MPD members Peter Sheldon, Frantz Fulcher, Thomas Krmenec, Bernadette Richardson, Dorrie Smith Cleere, and Johnnie Dyer. The warrants issued will lead to arrests on charges for fraudulently claiming overtime and for hours not worked during the calendar year 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Every day, we rely on law enforcement to uphold the public’s trust. These MPD members betrayed that trust by scheming to collect unearned, undeserved income, costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “They will be held accountable, and my office remains focused on rooting out fraud and protecting the American taxpayer.”
Upon their arrests, Sheldon, Krmenec, Richardson, Cleere, Dyer, and Fulcher will be charged with first-degree fraud, first-degree theft, forgery, and uttering.
According to the evidence, during the calendar year 2024, multiple MPD employees in the Fifth District submitted false claims for overtime hours or regular tour duty hours they did not work. The evidence shows these employees manipulated official records, forged supervisory approvals, and/or claimed compensation while engaged in secondary employment.
Specifically, the false submissions and total amounts are:
The investigation relied upon numerous independent data sources, including Body-Worn Camera footage, radio and GPS records, cell site location data, cellular toll records, license plate reader data, annual leave records, travel records, email records, network data, access logs, personnel files, and overtime documentation submitted through MPD’s Timesheet Manager Application (TMA) system. Collectively, these records demonstrated repeated and deliberate falsification of overtime submissions, and in some instances regular time submissions.
The investigation identified several recurring methods used to unlawfully obtain overtime compensation. These methods included:
- Claiming overtime while physically outside of the District of Columbia, including during domestic and international travel.
- Claiming overtime while on annual leave.
- Forging supervisory signatures on overtime authorization forms.
- Using administrative positions to facilitate fraudulent overtime processing and approvals.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Morris on detail from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guilty Plea in Spree of Violent Armed Carjackings in the District, Maryland, and VirginiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Taurian Anderson, 21, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed carjackings in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Anderson pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and to two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for Jan. 29, 2027.
According to court documents, Anderson and his co-conspirators began their spree of carjackings on Aug. 9, 2024. At about 12:11 a.m., Anderson brandished a handgun, approached a DoorDash delivery driver on the 4200 block of East Capitol Street NE, and ordered the driver out of his Hyundai Elantra.
About 3 hours later, at 3:30 a.m. on August 9, 2024, Anderson and a co-conspirator approached a Toyota Corolla on the 4200 block of Dupont Terrace SE. The duo ordered the driver out of the car at gunpoint and said to leave all belongings behind. The co-conspirator got behind the wheel of the Toyota and drove off in the car.
On Sept. 7, 2024, about 1:26 a.m., Anderson and his co-conspirator traveled in a stolen vehicle from the District to Silver Spring. A driver was parking their vehicle, a Honda Civic, on the 8000 block of Eastern Avenue. Anderson and his co-conspirator blocked the Civic, preventing it from moving. When the driver exited the Civic, one of the conspirators pointed a firearm and ordered the driver to “get on the ground.” As the victim was lying on the ground, the duo grabbed his iPhone, wallet, and the keys to his vehicle and house. The victim, a professional musician, pleaded with them to let him get his saxophone out of the car. The duo refused. As the victim attempted to grab his instrument, one of the conspirators began to drive away in the car and dragged the victim approximately five feet down the road before he let go of the saxophone. The carjacking duo fled the area and returned to the District.
An hour later on Sept. 7, 2024, about 2:40 a.m., Anderson and his co-conspirator were in the 6700 block of New Hampshire Ave., in Hyattsville, Maryland. A driver had just parked a Toyota Prius on the block when the duo approached in the Honda Civic they had just carjacked. One of the conspirators pointed a firearm at the Prius driver while the other punched the driver twice. The Prius driver surrendered their iPhone, two laptops, credit cards, house keys, and the keys to the car. Following the carjacking, the co-conspirators took the carjacked Prius back to the District. Anderson then exchanged text messages with an unidentified individual in an attempt to sell the Prius and two other vehicles.
On Oct. 4, 2024, at about 12:15 a.m., Anderson and co-conspirators traveled to the 3000 block of South Jefferson Street, Falls Church, Virginia. One of the co-conspirators walked up to the driver’s side of a parked and occupied Dodge Charger and tried to open the locked door. The conspirator then tapped on the glass of the driver’s door with a firearm, at which point the driver put the Charger in drive, stepped on the gas, and fled.
Fifteen minutes later on Oct. 4, 2024, about 12:35 a.m., Anderson and his co-conspirators traveled to 5000 block Columbia Pike, Falls Church, Virginia. Four people were standing outside of a Credit Union. Anderson and his co-conspirators approached them. Anderson and one of his co-conspirators, both of whom were armed, held the four at gunpoint and ordered the group to get on the ground and empty their pockets. The bandits took the group’s phones and the keys to one of the group’s Toyota Prius and drove the stolen car to the District.
On October 4, 2024, less than an hour later at 1:20 a.m., Anderson and a co-conspirator approached a driver at the BP gas station on the 5000 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE. Anderson pointed a gun at the driver’s face and demanded the keys to his Infiniti.
Anderson got behind the wheel of the Infiniti and started to drive away from the gas station. The co-conspirator entered the driver’s seat of a nearby Mercedes-Benz and drove away in the same direction.
Later that day, about 4:03 p.m., a Metropolitan Police Department helicopter located the carjacked Infiniti moving recklessly through traffic. At Independence Avenue SE and East Capitol Street SE, the Infiniti collided with another vehicle but fled the scene. In the area near RFK stadium the vehicle became stuck in heavy traffic. Anderson and his co-conspirator abandoned the car. U.S. Capitol Police apprehended the co-conspirator in a nearby recreational field. Anderson, still armed, ran under the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge and then into the Anacostia River, placing his handgun on his head. Members of MPD’s Emergency Response Team and MPD negotiators responded to the scene. Around 6:42 p.m., Anderson dropped the weapon into the river, surrendered to officers on the scene, and was placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. The U.S. Capitol Police, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand is prosecuting the matter.
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Murder and Sexual Assault Charges Yields Guilty Plea from D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Javier Montgomery, 18, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, for charges related to the murder of 17-year-old, Jermaine Durbin, in October 2025, and for sexual assault charges from May 2025 through September 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Javier Montgomery carried out a pattern of violence that terrorized multiple victims over several months and ultimately took the life of 17‑year‑old Jermaine Durbin,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “His actions were predatory, deliberate, and devastating for every person he targeted. Today’s conviction ensures that Montgomery will be held fully accountable for the harm he inflicted”
In one case (2025 CF1 016197), Montgomery pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of second-degree murder while armed pursuant to a plea agreement calling for a sentence in the range of 12 to 18 years in prison for this offense. In another case (2025 CF1 016196), Montgomery pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sexual abuse while armed pursuant to a plea agreement calling for a consecutive sentencing range of 12 to 15 years in prison for that offense. He also pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree sexual abuse and robbery sentenced concurrently to each other and consecutively to the other counts with sentencing ranges of 1 to 3 years in prison and 1.5 to 5 years in prison respectively; and one count of attempted third-degree sexual abuse with a consecutive sentencing range of 0.5 to 2 years in prison. The combined sentencing range under the plea agreement is a sentence in the range of 26 to 40 years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2027.
According to the government’s evidence, with respect to case number 2025 CF1 016196, the defendant admitted to slapping one victim on the buttocks and demanding further sexual contact at gunpoint on May 23, 2025; to groping another victim’s chest and crotch at gunpoint on September 6, 2025; and to forcing another victim to perform oral sex on him at gunpoint on September 28, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, with respect to case number 2025 CF1 016197, on October 3, 2025, at approximately 7:20 pm, Montgomery approached the victim, Jermaine Durbin, near the entrance to the Rhode Island Avenue metro station and robbed him of his backpack at gunpoint. Mr. Durbin followed the defendant in an effort to get his backpack back, and the defendant ultimately shot Mr. Durbin, causing his death. MPD Fifth District officers responded to 600 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, to investigate the report of a shooting. Upon arriving, the officers located Mr. Durbin – unconscious, unresponsive, and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire & EMS personnel responded to the scene, and after finding no signs consistent with life, Mr. Durbin was pronounced deceased at 7:36 pm.
On November 28, 2025, Montgomery was arrested on a warrant and has remained in custody since that date.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and Katherine Ballou.
2025 CF1 016196; 2025 CF1 016197
Kentucky Woman Charged with Vandalizing World War II Memorial on D.C.’s National MallRead the Press Release
farris_mellisa_-_complaint.pdfWASHINGTON – Melissa Farris, 41, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was charged by criminal complaint this morning in connection with vandalizing the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Defacing the World War II Memorial is a disgusting act and an insult to the Americans who fought and died for our country,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This memorial stands in honor of the 16 million veterans who served, the millions who supported the war effort, and the more than 400,000 heroes who never came home. Vandalizing a monument dedicated to their sacrifice is a shameful attack on the legacy of our nation. We will not tolerate this kind of criminal activism, and we will ensure that anyone who desecrates a veterans’ memorial is held fully accountable.”
Farris, aka “Melissa Lovewell,” is charged with Willfully Injuring or Committing a Depredation against Property of the United States and with Destruction of a Veterans’ Memorial.
According to the criminal complaint, U.S. Park Police were called about 2 p.m. on August 13 for a report of a disorderly person. A witness told officers that they had observed a woman spray painting graffiti on portions of the Atlantic Theatre Pavilion of the World War II Memorial at the eastern end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
A United States Park Ranger arrived at the scene and observed foam in the fountain area of the Atlantic pavilion. Multiple people were gathered around the balcony watching a woman shooting video of herself. The woman fled when she became aware of the Ranger’s presence.
Orange-colored paint had been sprayed onto the wall with the words: “Clean Hands Dirty $.” Additionally, green-colored paint was also sprayed onto the wall just under the orange spray paint, and pink-colored paint was splattered on the ground. In a trash can near the north entrance of the balcony, law enforcement recovered a white sign with painted letters. The paint used on the sign appeared to match the paint that was used to vandalize the northern entrance balcony.
A witness had taken a photo of the woman defacing the Memorial. One U.S. Park Police officer recognized her as someone police had arrested on August 10 for unlawfully camping on federal property near 18th Street NW and Virginia Ave. NW, just a few blocks away from the World War II Memorial.
On August 10, as she was arrested by Park Police, she had live streamed the event over her Facebook and Instagram social media accounts on which she identified herself as “Melissa Lovewell.”
In a review of Farris’s public social media accounts, investigators discovered that she had recorded multiple livestream videos on August 13. In one recorded video, she allegedly admitted to damaging the World War II Memorial.
Before Farris defaced the World War II Memorial, she had allegedly recorded and posted a video in which she stated, “I am cognitively aware and executively (sic) of the choices I am making and I am doing so to push my whistleblower case into the courtroom . . . someone has to make choices that are different and I am accountable for my actions. I am going to make these choices today and I will step foot into the courtroom, and I will wait to be arrested . . . I am accountable for the things that I do and the choices that I make and our government needs to be accountable for their choices too.”
The Memorial honors the 16 million American service members who served during World War II, the millions more who supported the war effort from the home front, and the more than 400,000 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war. The Memorial contains two main pavilions, the Atlantic and Pacific pavilions, named for the two main theaters of the war. Over four million tourists pay their respect at the memorial annually.
A witness took this photograph of a woman defacing the World War II Memorial on August 13, 2026.
The vandalized World War II Memorial on August 13, 2026.
Foam in the fountain of the World War II Memorial.
Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Deadly Arson SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – D’Aundrey Scott, 32, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, for several arsons, which killed one victim, Darryl Finney, caused injuries to another victim, Charles Newton, and damaged the homes of two others in May 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“D’Aundrey Scott’s actions were shocking, deliberate, and devastating,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He set multiple fires across Northeast Washington, killing Darryl Finney, injuring Charles Newton, and endangering the lives and homes of others in the community. This was a calculated spree of violence that inflicted immeasurable harm. Today’s conviction ensures that Scott will be held fully accountable for the destruction he caused, and our communities are safer as a result.”
Scott pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of second-degree murder, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of arson and one count of felony destruction. This was an 11c plea to a range of 15 to 35 years of imprisonment.
Superior Court Judge Todd Edelmen scheduled sentencing for October 23, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 13, 2020, Scott went on an arson spree. On May 13, 2020, at approximately 12:23 a.m. The defendant approached the first victim, Charles Newton, who was lying on the sidewalk in the 1300 block of H Street Northeast, Washington, D.C. The defendant ignited a small, flammable object and threw that burning object onto Mr. Newton. Mr. Newton was able to kick it off before his clothing ignited. At approximately 1:04 a.m., Scott approached the second victim, Darryl Finney, who was sleeping on the sidewalk in the 900 block of H Street Northeast, Washington, D.C. The defendant ignited a small, flammable object and tossed it onto Mr. Finney. The defendant then splashed an ignitable liquid onto Mr. Finney. The defendant’s actions caused Mr. Finney and his personal effects to catch fire. Mr. Finney, who was engulfed in flames, managed to get up and walk toward H Street, where the Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Fire and EMS responded to assist. Mr. Finney suffered burns to multiple parts of his body, and despite treatment at MedStar Washington Hospital Center he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on May 15, 2020. An autopsy was conducted by the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which concluded Mr. Finney’s cause of death to be complications from thermal injury and his manner of death to be homicide.
After the defendant set the two men on fire, at approximately 1:25 a.m., the defendant poured an ignitable liquid onto the porch, steps, and walkway of the house at 1403 Morse Street Northeast, Washington, D.C. The defendant then ignited the liquid, scorching the porch and steps and causing discoloration to the concrete. Finally, at approximately 1:28 a.m., Scott ignited a fire on the porch of the house at 1431 Morse Street Northeast, Washington, D.C., damaging the exterior of the house and porch furniture belonging to the homeowner.
Scott was arrested on May 19, 2020, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Merikas and was initially investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Ariel Dean.
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D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Beating Two-Year-Old Child to DeathRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dasean Matthews, 27, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today for repeatedly beating 2-year-old Mars Jones, causing his death in October 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Matthews pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder. Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2027, before Superior Court Judge Jason Park.
“The senseless crime of an innocent two-year-old child being beaten to death has no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This conviction reflects our unrelenting commitment to securing justice for victims of violent crime, and we will continue to pursue those who commit especially heinous acts such as this.”
According to the government’s evidence, on October 13, 2022, two-year-old Mars, Matthews, and co-defendant Monet Jones (Mars’ mother and defendant Matthews’s romantic partner) drove to a Dunkin Donuts just before noon. While in the Dunkin Donuts, video evidence shows Matthews striking the young child with a closed fist in the upper body causing Mars to fall and slam against a metal railing. Later that day, while in a parking garage, video evidence shows Matthews grabbing Mars by the neck of his clothing, swing him by the clothing, and minutes later, strike Mars in the upper body or face, causing the young child to again fall to the floor. Later the same day, while alone in a vehicle with Mars, video evidence shows defendant Matthews repeatedly strike the young child so forcefully that the vehicle shakes from the impact of the blows. Immediately thereafter, Matthews delivers an unconscious and bloody baby Mars to co-defendant Jones and then flees the scene. An autopsy determined that Mars died from complications of inflicted head trauma.
Matthews was arrested on November 4, 2022, and remains in custody.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Homicide Section at the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Shauna Payyappilly.
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21-Year Sentence Handed Down for Fatal Bar ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Lowe, 42, of Montgomery Village, MD, was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for murdering 43-year-old Kenneth Goins in April 2024 at a Northwest D.C. bar, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Robert Lowe chose to turn a barroom confrontation into a deadly encounter, attacking Mr. Goins from behind and ultimately taking his life,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This senseless violence tears families apart and endangers everyone around it. Today’s 21‑year sentence reflects the gravity of his actions and the commitment of our office to hold armed offenders fully accountable.”
Lowe was found guilty on May 5, 2026, on one count each of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior felony conviction). The Honorable Todd Edelman sentenced Lowe to the prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of April 27, 2024, Lowe went to the Desperados Burger and Bar, in the 1300 block of U Street, NW. The victim, Kenneth Goins, was at the bar enjoying himself. At some point, the defendant came up behind Mr. Goins and struck him in the back of the head. Then the two men began to fight. In the ensuing fight, the defendant shot Mr. Goins, striking him once in the abdomen. The defendant then fled the bar, got on his motorcycle, and drove away. Unfortunately, after efforts from responding officers and EMS, Mr. Goins succumbed to his injuries.
Lowe was arrested on May 22, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll acknowledged the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Dinan and Tamara Rubb, who prosecuted the case.
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North Carolina Man Sentenced for Cyber Extortion Scheme that Targeted International Technology Company in D.C.Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Cameron Curry, 27, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for carrying out an extensive cyber extortion scheme against a D.C.-based international technology company, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
In March 2026, a federal jury convicted Curry of six counts of transmitting or willfully causing interstate communications with the intent to extort a victim company. In addition to the 24-month prison sentence, Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Curry to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a money judgment of $7,540.92.
According to filed documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Curry was contracted to work as a data analyst for approximately six months with the victim company. In that capacity, Curry had access to the victim company’s data files and other personnel and corporate information. Trial evidence established that Curry misused his position to access the victim company’s personnel and other sensitive corporate records, which he then used to carry out the cyber extortion scheme. Curry hatched his extortion scheme after he learned that his contract was not going to be renewed and that he would no longer be employed by the company.
According to evidence presented at trial, from Dec. 11, 2023, to Jan. 24, 2024, Curry, identifying himself online as “Loot,” sent over 60 email messages to company employees and executives, threatening to disclose sensitive information unless he was paid $2.5 million dollars in cryptocurrency. Trial evidence further established that the email messages contained threats to disclose sensitive corporate information and employee data, including employees’ personally identifiable information (PII), as well as threats to harm the reputation of the victim company by reporting a breach of its information and publishing the information publicly if the victim company failed to pay him via cryptocurrency.
On Jan. 24, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence, seizing various electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the evidence revealed that Curry was committing the extortion scheme under the “Loot” alias.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from and the FBI Charlotte Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
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USAO-WNC 25cr148
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcJury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Strangling His Former Romantic Partner and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyrell West, 31, of Maryland, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of charges stemming from an incident where he strangled and punched his former romantic partner on November 26, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Tyrell West repeatedly victimized his former partner, including punching and strangling her in front of their child,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Today’s guilty verdict ensures that a violent offender is being held accountable. My office will continue to pursue justice for survivors and work with our partners to keep our communities safe.”
West was found guilty of one count each of strangulation, threats to do bodily harm, simple assault, and obstructing justice, as well as three counts of contempt on August 11, 2026. Sentencing will take place on October 30, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe.
According to the government’s evidence, West and the victim began a romantic relationship in 2021 and share one child. In October 2025, the defendant was released from prison following a sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction). On November 24, 2025, the victim texted West that she wanted to end their romantic relationship. The following evening, the defendant came over to her residence to pick up his belongings. In the early morning hours of November 26, West made a sexual advance to the victim, which she rejected. The defendant became enraged, threatening the victim that he would “break her f*cking face.” He proceeded to strangle her by placing two hands around her neck and squeezing until she lost consciousness. The victim regained consciousness when West punched her in the face, with her child calling out next to her, “Mommy, get up.” The victim grabbed her child and fled to a neighbor’s apartment, where she called 911.
Between April and June 2026, West called the victim over 30 times in violation of a court order to stay away from and have no contact with the victim. In one of those calls, he tried to convince the victim not to comply with the trial subpoena. This was not the first time the defendant had assaulted the victim—he assaulted her on multiple occasions in 2022.
West was arrested in December 2025 and remains in custody after his conviction.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Olivia Hinerfeld and Michael Weinberg.
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Previously Convicted Killer Pleads Guilty to Possessing Loaded PistolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rocky Lee Brown, 53, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his unlawful possession of a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Brown pleaded guilty before Judge Richard J. Leon to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Leon scheduled sentencing for Dec. 21, 2026.
According to court papers, Brown was wanted on an active warrant out of Maryland for escape from a Bureau of Prisons facility when he was arrested Dec. 29, 2025, by the United States Marshals Service on the 5200 block of Hayes Street, NE. An officer with the Metropolitan Police Department responded and recovered a SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol from Brown’s jacket pocket. The firearm contained nine rounds of 9mm ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
Brown previously was convicted in D.C. Superior Court on a charge of second-degree murder and on May 5, 2006, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. As a convicted felon, Brown was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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One Year After Federal Law Enforcement Surge, D.C. Is Safer as Crime Declines SharplyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro marked the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s Federal Law Enforcement Surge in the District of Columbia. The surge implemented a significant increase in federal law enforcement resources, bolstering our teams with additional agents, advanced tools, and a no‑nonsense mandate that renewed the focus on cracking down on violent offenders, dismantling criminal networks, and restoring safety to District neighborhoods.
“We’ve seen firsthand how sustained, coordinated law enforcement efforts can make an impact and the impact is real when cases are prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Our prosecution efforts are up 67 percent since I became U.S. Attorney. Over the past year, we have worked relentlessly to reduce violence, hold offenders accountable, and restore a sense of safety in neighborhoods across the District. Nearly 2,000 illegal firearms were taken off the streets, and arrests included murderers, sex offenders, drug traffickers, and other violent criminals. These results reflect the dedication of every agency involved and our shared commitment to protecting the people of Washington, D.C.”
Over the past year, President Trump’s Federal Law Enforcement Surge has resulted in sharp declines in violent crime and property crime across Washington, D.C., based on year‑over‑year comparisons. Homicides have dropped by 45 percent, carjackings by 64 percent, and robberies by 33 percent. The District has also seen a 53 percent reduction in motor vehicle thefts.
Since August 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 16,724 cases in D.C. Superior Court, a 67 percent increase from the previous year. During that same period, the U.S. Attorney’s no paper rate is approximately 5 percent—representing a 76 percent decrease from the 5,250 arrests no‑papered the prior year. By comparison, the U.S. Attorney under the previous administration recorded a no‑paper rate of 67 percent, underscoring the magnitude of the Office’s current charging improvements. Today, there are approximately 24,000 criminal cases pending in D.C. Superior Court.
Case resolutions have also strengthened. In the past 12 months, prosecutors secured 5,767 guilty pleas, 213 guilty verdicts at trial, and successfully resolved an additional 969 cases through diversion.
These gains were driven by close coordination among federal agencies, local law enforcement, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Under the Executive Order, the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force was created to tackle priority public safety challenges, including violent crime, carjackings, property offenses, and vandalism. The initiative supports President Trump’s directive to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, impose tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms offenders.
As part of these efforts, law enforcement agencies have seized nearly 2,000 illegal firearms from the streets of Washington, D.C., reflecting the impact of sustained, coordinated policing across jurisdictions.
Together, these measures underscore a year of focused work to support safety, strengthen neighborhoods, and improve the quality of life throughout the District.
Former D.C. High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Coercing and Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Aaron Gass, 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, a former high school history teacher, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to charges related to the sexual abuse of a minor victim, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Gass pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan to Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Judge Sooknanan scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11, 2026.
According to court papers, Gass worked as a history teacher at the District of Columbia International School, a charter school in Northwest, until November 2025.
Gass exchanged sexually explicit images with the minor victim, court papers state.
Gass was arrested at his home in Maryland in December 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Rachel Bohlen.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. 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.
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District Man Charged with Sexually Abusing Multiple Minors and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
indictment_as_to_antonio_simpson_1_count_s_1_6_7_8.pdfWASHINGTON – Today an indictment was returned charging Antonio Simpson, 31, a District of Columbia resident, with twelve counts including production of child pornography and first-degree child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, beginning in April 2025, Simpson sexually abused two minor children who were eight and nine years old at the time. The abuse continued for more than a year. Simpson also video recorded multiple acts of sexual abuse with his victims, including placing his penis in their mouths and touching their genitals. Simpson was arrested in this matter on July 21, 2026, and remains detained.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Bohlen.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. 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.
Charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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D.C. Man Indicted on 30 Counts in Domestic Violence CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tavante Robinson, 26, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today by a D.C. Superior Court judge on a thirty-count indictment, for charges related to the kidnapping and assault of the mother of his children and other violent acts committed against her friend and other family members, between March 2025 and July 2026. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Tavante Robinson allegedly punched his own 4-year-old child, resulting in a black eye. He later kidnapped the child’s mother and their children and set her friend’s apartment door on fire,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Even with a protective order issued against him, the violence continued. This behavior has no place in our community, and my office will continue to prosecute anyone who does harm and instills fear in our community.”
Robinson was indicted for first-degree cruelty to children, kidnapping, robbery, arson, stalking, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, possession and use of a Molotov cocktail, obstructing justice, and various additional counts related to threats, assaultive conduct, and contempt of court orders.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt set a hearing for September 8, 2026. The Court determined that the defendant should be held pending trial.
According to court documents, on March 14, 2025, the victim returned to her residence and observed that her 4-year-old son had a black eye. A witness reported that while the mother was out of the home, the defendant became upset with the 4-year-old and punched him in the face. In the months following, the victim received a Civil Protection Order against the defendant from a D.C. Superior Court judge, which the defendant repeatedly violated. On April 16, 2026, the victim reported that the defendant kidnapped her and her children from her friend’s apartment complex and held them captive for multiple hours. The victim and her children ultimately became free of the defendant when he fled the area once police arrived. Just a few days later, on April 20, 2026, the D.C. Fire Department was dispatched to that same apartment complex where the victim and her children were taken from by the defendant. The D.C. Fire Investigation Unit located a fire at the door of the apartment belonging to the victim’s friend and observed further damage to the apartment’s exterior window as well as burned patches beneath that window.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the D.C. Fire Investigation Unit. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Hinerfeld.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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USAO-DC's Civil Division Earns Supreme Court Victory in Miot v. TrumpRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Ferris Pirro, commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division for their work litigating Miot v. Trump on behalf of the U.S. Government, which permitted the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation.
“The well‑founded and persuasive arguments developed by attorneys in my office were affirmed by the highest court in the land, the U.S. Supreme Court,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This decisive ruling, along with the Solicitor General’s persuasive advocacy echoing our reasoning and the subsequent acknowledgment that the stay is no longer in effect, underscores the caliber of attorneys in this office, who work every day to keep Americans safe while representing the United States.”
In Miot v. Trump, Haitian nationals brought a civil action challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to end TPS designation for Haiti. Attorneys from the Civil Division briefed and argued the case on an expedited schedule, maintaining that federal law prohibits judicial review of DHS’s determinations to terminate TPS and that the government had provided legitimate, race-neutral rationales for its decision.
During the course of litigation, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes rejected the Government’s arguments and temporarily stayed the termination decision. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the stay on March 6, 2026.
Despite the stays being upheld, the case was fast-tracked to the Supreme Court and in a 6–3 decision issued June 25, 2026, the Court reversed the lower court's decision. Writing for the majority, Justice Alito adopted the Government’s statutory interpretation and reasoning, concluding that DHS’s TPS determinations fall outside the scope of judicial review and that the administrative record supported race-neutral justifications for the policy change. The Government’s decision to terminate TPS for Haiti was allowed to take effect. On August 5, Judge Reyes entered an order acknowledging the stay was no longer in effect.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 18.5 Years for 2022 Shooting in Adams MorganRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jakiem Miller, 28, of South Carolina, was sentenced today, to 18.5 years in prison for shooting and killing Avon Perkins, 30, and also shooting an innocent bystander college student, outside Air Nightclub in Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
After a February 2026 mistrial due to an attorney’s mid-trial hospitalization, defendant pleaded guilty on May 6, 2026, to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed, for the killing of Avon Perkins on December 17, 2022, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, for the shooting of an innocent bystander, a college student, that same night. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Miller, on August 7, to the prison term to be follow by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, a little after midnight on December 17, 2022, Mr. Perkins was asked by management to leave Air Nightclub on 18th St. NW in Adams Morgan. While waiting outside for his friend, Mr. Perkins was approached by Miller, who had also been in the club that night. After a brief discussion, the Mr. Perkins punched the defendant in the face. The defendant responded by pulling out a firearm from his groin area and firing off nine shots at Mr. Perkins, shooting him twice in the back as the victim ran away for his life, killing him on scene. One of Miller’s bullets also struck an innocent bystander college student in the butt who was walking out of Andy’s Pizza a few storefronts down. Her injuries were non-life threatening. She was treated at a local hospital and released.
Joining the announcement was Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Danai, Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera and Lauren Douglas, Victim/Witness Advocates Jenn Clark and Deidria Ellis, Litigation Technology Specialists Sigourney Jackson and Leif Hickling, Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Shanika McCollough and Katina Adams, and intern Yushi Liu.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Erin DeRiso, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
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Repeat Felon Sentenced to 36 Months After Loaded Glock Found in D.C. CarRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tremayne Coombs, 32, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition while he was on supervised release for another offense, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Coombs pleaded guilty on March 6, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 36-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Coombs to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 71-month prison term.
According to court documents, on Aug. 4, 2023, at about 12:13 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers were patrolling the 4600 block of Benning Road SE when they spotted an unoccupied 2017 Nissan Sentra parked on the side of the road. A bag of marijuana sat in plain view on the Sentra’s rear floorboard. Officers gained access to the car and recovered the bag, along with a second bag of marijuana in a backpack on the front passenger seat. The two bags collectively weighed 32 ounces.
Inside the car’s glovebox, officers found a loaded Glock 23 .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol. The gun held 13 rounds in a 15-round magazine, with one round in the chamber. Coombs' DNA was later found on both the firearm and its magazine. Due to his status as a previously convicted felon, Coombs was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
Coombs’ record includes a lengthy history of firearm and narcotics convictions. In 2013, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. In 2016, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of unlawful possession of a firearm after officers recovered a Glock 27 from the car he was driving.
In 2018, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of marijuana possession after officers found multiple bags of marijuana and pills containing oxycodone during a traffic stop. In 2019, he was convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and was sentenced to 45 months in prison. He was still on supervised release from that case when he was arrested in this case.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Glock 23x found in the Nissan Sentra. Coombs DNA was found on the firearm and the magazine.
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Master of Shadow Fleet Tanker Sentenced in D.C. for Evading U.S. Coast Guard During Weeks-Long PursuitRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, the former ship master of a shadow fleet tanker Bella 1 that historically transported Iran- and Venezuela-origin oil for the ultimate benefit of U.S. adversaries, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 10 months imprisonment in connection with refusing to obey orders from the U.S. Coast Guard during a multi-week pursuit from the Caribbean Sea through to the North Atlantic Ocean, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Kalandadze captained a vessel used to conceal illicit oil shipments for U.S. adversaries, and when the Coast Guard ordered him to stop, he fled,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This case demonstrates that those who try to evade U.S. law enforcement even on the open sea will be held accountable. The ocean does not place anyone beyond our reach.”
Kalandadze, of the Republic of Georgia, pleaded guilty on June 12 before Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of failing to heave to a Coast Guard cutter. Kalandadze will be deported at the completion of his 10-month prison term.
According to the plea agreement, from September 2025 until late December 2025, Kalandadze was the Master of the Motor Tanker Bella 1. During his time as Master, the Bella 1 transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iran-origin oil to Asia. During this time, Kalandadze employed common obfuscation techniques to hide the activities of the Bella 1, including sailing with an inactivated Automatic Identification System (AIS) and concealing the name of the Bella 1 while engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer of the Iran-origin oil to another vessel.
In December 2025, while under his charge, the Bella 1 was en route to Venezuela when it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro. The Bella 1 failed to comply with the Coast Guard’s order to heave to and fled across the Atlantic Ocean. The Munro pursued the Bella 1 throughout its flight and, on Jan. 7, aided in the execution of a lawful seizure of the vessel.
During the flight and at the direction of a corporate representative of the operator, Kalandadze took multiple steps to avoid the Coast Guard interdiction, including disobeying multiple orders by authorized federal law enforcement officers to heave to for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Munro and destroying records and information on board the Bella 1.
This case is being investigated by HSI and the FBI. Significant assistance on this matter was provided by the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the Office of International Affairs. The Department extends its gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of War for their bravery, dedication, and assistance on this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher T. Tortorice, Rajbir Datta, and Jonathan Hornok for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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Former USDA Program Director Sentenced in $400,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kirk Perry, 62, a former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program director, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison in connection with a kickback scheme in which he and his nephew, Jamarea Grant, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio, conspired to bill the government nearly $400,000 for work that Grant did not actually perform, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Kirk Perry brazenly abused his position of authority and betrayed the public trust by diverting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for his own benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence makes clear that he will be required to repay the very funds he siphoned from the American taxpayer and serve a prison term for his conduct. My office will continue to pursue anyone who exploits a government role for personal gain and ensure that taxpayer money is protected from fraud and abuse.”
Perry, of Lorain, Ohio, pleaded guilty April 29, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to conspiracy to commit money, property, and honest services wire fraud. His nephew, Grant, pleaded guilty on Nov. 27, 2024, to the same charge.
In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Perry to serve two years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $399,319. Federal prosecutors had requested restitution and a prison term of 33 to 41 months.
“The sentence issued today reflects our commitment to thoroughly investigate fraud, waste, and abuse by those entrusted with high-level government positions. This employee not only abused his authority by ensuring a family member was hired on contracts he oversaw, but he also devised a scheme ultimately to direct these monies to himself,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeldrys Lowry of the USDA OIG Sensitive Investigations Office. “Uncovering fraud requires diligent review and the USDA OIG will relentlessly pursue these illicit schemes ensuring taxpayer dollars are safeguarded. We are grateful to our partners at the USAO for their support in bringing this investigation to its culmination.”
According to court documents, Perry was a senior director within the USDA’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and used his position to secure employment for Grant as an Equal Opportunity Assistant. They billed the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Grant received about $399,319 from the government for work that was not performed.
Perry worked the same scheme with his longtime partner with whom he resides; a cousin by marriage; and a personal acquaintance who he previously coached in basketball. None of those individuals had any background, education, or experience in EEO related matters.
In pleading guilty, Perry and Grant admitted that, from August 2015 through November 2022, Perry arranged for Grant to be hired by two companies under contract with the USDA Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Grant reported directly to Perry, who also approved the invoices billing for Grant’s time, and the two of them conspired to bill the government for work that Grant did not perform.
Perry additionally had access to Grant’s bank account. As part of the criminal scheme, Perry transferred approximately $125,000 of the USDA payments from Grant’s account to his own account. Grant’s sentencing is pending.
This case was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General - Sensitive Investigations Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Kelly.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Ralph Collins, 33, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 71 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded Ruger .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol that he stashed inside an open washing machine as he was pursued by police, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“As a convicted felon, Collins wasted no time after his release from custody; he armed himself with a loaded firearm and then tried to hide the weapon in a washing machine while fleeing from police,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “His record shows a persistent pattern of using firearms to threaten and harm others. This sentence removes him from our streets, and our communities are safer as a result.”
Collins pleaded guilty on May 7, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 71-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered Collins to serve three years of supervised release.
Collins has an extensive prior criminal record, including a 2011 conviction for attempted burglary and two 2013 convictions for armed robbery. Less than two weeks before this offense, Collins had been released from custody following a 2025 conviction for armed theft of a motor vehicle.
The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Retracing Collins’ path, officers found a loaded Ruger .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun hidden inside an open washing machine in a laundry room along his flight route.
Still photo from a video that Collins posted to the victim’s TikTok account.
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Repeat Felon Sentenced After Ghost Gun, Drugs Recovered at Southeast D.C. Apartment ComplexRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Thomas, 31, a previously convicted felon of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 42 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded ghost gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thomas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 42-month prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Thomas to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 19, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers approached a group of people at the Stanton Terrace Apartments in Southeast D.C. When an officer noticed a bulge on Thomas' back, officers stopped him and recovered a ghost gun, which is a privately manufactured firearm, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The gun was loaded with 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
A search incident to arrest recovered suspected narcotics and a digital scale. Lab testing confirmed the substances included marijuana, hashish, methamphetamine mixed with cocaine, and pills, two of which tested positive for fentanyl.
This is Thomas' third conviction involving the illegal possession or use of a handgun. He was previously convicted of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence as a juvenile, and later of armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence as an adult. He was on supervised release from that case when he committed the offense here.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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D.C. Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – William Edwin Allaun IV, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison in connection with his possession of child sexual abuse material depicting images of the rape and torture of young children, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Allaun pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth to one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to the 60-month prison term, Judge Lamberth ordered Allaun to serve 10 years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 78-month prison term, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Judge Lamberth also ordered Allaun to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, in May 2025, Allaun was added to a group chat on an encrypted messaging application that was used to distribute child sexual abuse material. Allaun received multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children and expressed interest in receiving additional material.
A search of Allaun's residence in July 2025 led to the recovery of additional videos depicting child sexual abuse material, sent through the same group chat.
As part of his sentence, Allaun agreed to forfeit an iPad and an iPhone seized during the investigation. He also agreed to pay restitution to the victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Kelley.
It was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. 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.
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D.C. Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $1 Million in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert A. Terrell, 51, of Washington, D.C., and Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to falsifying documents to secure $1.35 million in COVID-19 relief funds for his business, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Robert Terrell lied to steal over a million dollars meant to keep struggling businesses afloat, then gambled much of it away,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He forged documents, he denied his own name, and he thumbed his nose at a federal judge. Today, he was held accountable for his actions. My office will continue to aggressively identify fraud, bring consequences to those who misuse federal programs, and enforce strict protections for taxpayer resources.”
Terrell pleaded guilty to wire fraud before the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. Following the plea hearing, Judge Sullivan scheduled sentencing for February 4, 2027.
Court documents establish that Terrell was the sole owner of District Logistics LLC, which was established in the District of Columbia in 2016. The company’s services include hauling sand, dirt, gravel, and asphalt, and performing snow and ice removal. Between July 2020 and January 2022, on behalf of District Logistics, Terrell applied for an Economic Injury Disaster loan (EIDL) and two EIDL modifications.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offered Economic Injury Disaster Loans to certain entities, including small business owners. These loans were provided directly from the SBA and were low-interest, fixed-rate, long-term loans that could only be used for specified purposes.
District Logistics initially received $125,800 in EIDL funds in July 2020. After Terrell applied for a modification to the loan, the business received an additional $384,100 in EIDL money in September 2021. Terrell then sought a second loan modification requesting $2 million.
On November 29, 2021, in connection with his second modification request, Terrell submitted a Schedule of Liabilities to the SBA, which showed District Logistics as having approximately $518,000 in outstanding debt to a creditor. Approximately one month later, on January 6, 2022, Terrell emailed the SBA an updated Schedule of Liabilities, which falsely showed District Logistics as now owing the same creditor just over $71,000. Terrell attached four PNC wire transfer receipts to the email, which he had doctored to show his business as having wired more than $400,000 to the creditor when it really had wired less than $20,000. By falsely attesting that District Logistics owed less money than it did, Terrell succeeded in getting the SBA to approve a second modification to the EIDL, which resulted in District Logistics receiving an additional $1.35 million that it otherwise would not have received.
The government’s investigation revealed that Terrell spent some of the EIDL funds day trading through his Robinhood account and gambling at casinos.
After he was indicted, Terrell’s case took an unusual turn. At his initial appearance in U.S. District Court, Terrell admitted that his name was “Robert Alphonso Terrell.” However, at his next court hearing and several thereafter, Terrell denied that he was “Robert A. Terrell” and instead insisted that he was “Robert Alphonso III, the General Executor of the Terrell Estate.” He repeated this bogus assertion in various pleadings while representing himself. In March 2026, in flagrant disregard of his pretrial release conditions, Terrell traveled to the Turks and Caicos for a weekend trip after securing a new passport. Although Terrell returned to the United States following the trip, as a result of his outrageous conduct, Judge Sullivan issued an arrest warrant for Terrell and ordered him detained after he was arrested on the warrant.
Terrell was previously convicted in 1998 of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Possession of a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and Carrying a Pistol Without a License.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and David Liss of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Repeat Narcotics Dealer Found Guilty by Federal Jury in Distributing PCP at a Southwest D.C. Rec CenterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jermaine Fairnot, 46, a three-time convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was found guilty in U.S. District Court today of his fourth felony in connection with intending to deal narcotics out of his car in the parking lot of a recreation center in Southwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Jermaine Fairnot is a repeat offender who chose to possess PCP while armed with a loaded gun just feet from a children's playground,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today a federal jury found him guilty on all counts, and now he's facing a mandatory minimum of 25 years in federal prison, which is exactly where career criminals like Fairnot belong.”
Following a four-day trial, the federal jury deliberated for approximately six hours and found Fairnot guilty of two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, two counts of unlawful possession with intent to distribute PCP, and unlawful possession of PCP with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a playground. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Nov. 24, 2026.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Metropolitan Police Department officers on Oct. 14, 2022, were on patrol at the King Greenleaf Recreation Center in Southwest Washington when they encountered a group of men standing around a Toyota Camry registered to Fairnot.
Upon arrival of MPD, the men dispersed. Officers got out of their vehicle and shone their flashlights into the Camry, illuminating the barrel of a handgun protruding from under the driver’s seat. Police recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson semiautomatic pistol, roughly four ounces of PCP, and 56 empty vials.
A few weeks later, on Nov. 9, 2022, law enforcement executed a warrant for Fairnot’s arrest while he was meeting with his probation officer at the courthouse. Officers seized Fairnot’s car keys and called in a canine unit to conduct a sweep of his Camry in a nearby parking lot. The dogs indicated the presence of firearms or ammunition and officers uncovered 4.85 grams of cocaine base, three vials filled with approximately 30 grams of PCP, empty glass vials, a scale, and a loaded Glock semiautomatic pistol. Officers also recovered mail, receipts, and a vehicle registration card belonging to Fairnot.
Fairnot subsequently was indicted on two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute (PWID) PCP, one count of PWID PCP within 1,000 feet of a playground, one count of PWID cocaine, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a drug-trafficking offense.
Fairnot has three prior narcotics convictions for which he was sentenced to terms of more than a year and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Joshua Satter.
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Leader of 2024 Armed Robbery, Carjacking Spree Sentenced to 180 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kanard Bishop, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison in connection with a violent spree of armed robberies and carjackings that spanned six weeks and 13 incidents across the District of Columbia and Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Violent conduct and a blatant disregard for human life have no place in the District,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "This sentence sends an unmistakable message: those who bring violence to our communities will be found, prosecuted, and held accountable. The people who live, work, and visit our Nation’s Capital deserve safety and security, and we will continue working every day to deliver it.”
Bishop pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026, before Judge Rudolph Contreras to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and to using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 180-month prison sentence, Judge Contreras ordered Bishop to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 252-month prison term.
Co-defendants Edward Leroy Brown, 26, aka “Shiesty,” and Khalil Boyd, 20, pleaded guilty to the same charges on March 26 and were sentenced today to 150 months and 144 months, respectively.
According to court papers, beginning on Feb. 14, 2024, and continuing through March 28, 2024, Bishop and his co-conspirators agreed to rob retail stores and carjack victims at gunpoint across the District and Maryland, carrying out or attempting at least 13 separate robberies and carjackings.
The conspiracy began on Feb. 14, 2024, when Bishop and Brown entered a convenience store in Capitol Heights, Maryland, pointed firearms at an employee, and demanded cash. Unable to open the register, they fled to a nearby McDonald’s, where they opened the drive-through window from the outside and pointed a firearm at an employee before fleeing again.
On March 17, 2024, Bishop and a co-conspirator carjacked two victims at gunpoint in the 4300 block of Southern Avenue SE, stealing a 2008 Mercedes-Benz along with cell phones, a wallet, identification, a credit card, and $2,000 in cash.
The pace of the conspiracy accelerated on March 20, 2024. In the early morning hours, Bishop and Boyd carjacked a victim near 35th Street NE, stealing his 2018 Dodge Durango. Using the stolen vehicle, the group attempted a second McDonald’s drive-through robbery, robbed a Denny’s restaurant on Benning Road NE, where Bishop ripped the cash register off the counter, attempted a robbery at a second McDonald’s in Landover, Maryland, robbed a 7-Eleven in Landover, where Bishop jumped the counter to grab the register, and robbed a convenience store in District Heights, forcing an employee inside at gunpoint and stealing cash and tobacco products.
On March 27, 2024, Bishop and Boyd carjacked another motorist at a gas station in District Heights, knocking him to the ground during a struggle before fleeing in his 2022 Dodge Challenger. Later that day, the pair approached two FedEx employees working in a delivery truck in Southeast Washington, pointed firearms at both workers, and stole their wallets, cellphones, and four packages.
The conspiracy ended on March 28, 2024, at a GameStop in District Heights. Bishop and Brown entered the store, struck an employee, and demanded that workers open the cash registers and safe. When police arrived, both men fled on foot with firearms. A detective shot Brown in the lower body as he fled, and Bishop discarded his loaded firearm before he was apprehended. Boyd, who had waited outside in the stolen Challenger, fled the scene, carjacked another driver at gunpoint, and crashed into two police cruisers before he was taken into custody.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter.
Defendant later identified as Bishop enters a convenience store in Capitol Heights with a firearm during a Feb. 14, 2024, attempted armed robbery.
Suspect points a firearm with a laser sight at a restaurant employee during the March 20, 2024 armed robbery of a Denny’s.
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WMATA Train Operator Sentenced in Four-Year Scheme to Defraud AFLAC Insurance of More Than $360,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michelle Shropshire, 55, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison in connection with a four-year scheme to defraud AFLAC insurance company of hundreds of thousands of dollars, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Michelle Shropshire turned her own coworkers into accomplices, forged the signatures of doctors who had nothing to do with her lies, and built a four-year fraud operation on the backs of injured workers,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Health care fraud steals from every honest policyholder who pays their premiums, and this office will keep prosecuting those who exploit that trust.”
Shropshire was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Contreras also ordered Shropshire to pay restitution of $362,035.14 to AFLAC and entered a forfeiture money judgment of $80,520.36. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 41 months.
According to court papers, Shropshire worked as a train operator for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). For about four years, Shropshire orchestrated a scheme in which she and numerous WMATA employees submitted fraudulent disability and health care claims to AFLAC, claiming injuries they never suffered.
Shropshire prepared and submitted the fraudulent claims on behalf of herself and her co-conspirators, fabricating medical records and forging the signatures of real doctors to support the false claims. She and her co-conspirators continued to work and collect their regular WMATA paychecks throughout the periods they claimed to be disabled.
In exchange, each co-conspirator paid Shropshire a kickback of about 20 percent of the fraudulent insurance payout. Shropshire was responsible for defrauding AFLAC of at least $362,035.14, and personally profited by about $80,520.36.
Codefendant Harlisha Jones pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 6, 2026. Six other WMATA employees have also pleaded guilty to related health care fraud offenses arising from the investigation.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in today’s announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox and Inspector General Michelle Zamarin of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the WMATA Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Diane G. Lucas.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to 2023 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deondre Rogers, 20, and Hanif Brown, 20, both of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to armed carjacking, armed robbery, and related charges stemming from a 2023 crime spree, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Both Rogers and Brown pleaded guilty to one count each of carjacking, armed robbery, robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of carrying a pistol without a license. Sentencing is scheduled for September 25, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Jason Park. This plea agreement resolves an 87-count indictment filed against the defendants. Both Rogers and Brown were 17 years old at the time of the offenses. The government is requesting 17 years’ incarceration for each defendant for the carjacking, armed robbery and robbery charges.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 7, 2023, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Rogers and Brown rear-ended a white Jeep inside the Third Street Tunnel while driving a stolen Mercedes sedan. The defendants exited the Mercedes sedan, and each pointed a firearm at the two occupants of the white Jeep, demanding that they exit the vehicle. The victims complied, and the defendants entered the Jeep and drove away.
On April 16, 2023, at approximately 12:45 a.m., Rogers and Brown robbed another victim at gunpoint in the 1600 block of 5th Street NW. The victim was walking with a friend when the defendants pulled alongside them in a white Chevrolet sedan. One of the defendants exited the vehicle, pointed a firearm at the victim, and demanded his keys and cell phone. Meanwhile, the second defendant remained seated in the Chevrolet sedan. While held at gunpoint, the victim handed over his vehicle keys and cell phone. The defendants drove away in the Chevrolet sedan and the victim’s vehicle.
Finally, on May 4, 2023, at approximately 12:09 a.m., the defendants robbed two victims at gun point in the 1400 block of U Street NW. Specifically, Rogers and Brown got out of a white sedan carrying handguns and demanded the victims’ property. The defendants took two necklaces, an iPhone, a Louis Vuitton belt, a rose/white gold Audemars watch valued at approximately $40,000, and a gold and silver Rolex valued at approximately $7,000.
The same night of the robbery, Rogers posted videos and photographs to Instagram that showed him wearing the stolen Audemars watch. In the days following the robbery, both defendants posted multiple videos and appeared in a music video wearing both the stolen Audemars and Rolex watches.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf, Valerie Tsesarenko, and Brian Hanley.
2025 CF3 003623; 2023 CF3 004265
South Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Firearms from Florida to Haiti as Part of Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
Jean Robert Casimir, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Lauderhill, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of U.S. export control law for his role in an extensive firearms trafficking operation through which he illegally exported at least 140 firearms to Haiti since 2020.
According to court documents, from at least August 2020 through December 2024, Casimir illegally exported no less than 140 firearms from the United States to Haiti without having first obtained the required license from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, located in the District of Columbia.
Between at least August 2020 and December 2024, Casimir purchased at least 108 firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees and at least 30-35 firearms from a U.S. person in Florida, all of which he exported to Haiti without a license. These firearms included rifles, pistols, and shotguns of various makes and models. To smuggle the firearms to Haiti, Casimir and his co-conspirators used, among other techniques, industrial air compressors that they cut open and welded back together, packing disassembled rifles and handguns with foam insulation. Casimir and his co-conspirators then shipped these and other packages to Haiti via boats leaving from the Miami area. Casimir is a former Haitian National Police officer.
Jean Robert Casimir Photos of Air CompressorsCasimir was arrested on Dec. 16, 2024 in Lauderhill and later indicted on Jan. 23, 2025.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office, HSI Washington D.C. and HSI Miami with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Dean for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, with assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia made valuable contributions to this prosecution.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
South Florida Resident Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Smuggling Firearms from Florida to HaitiRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Jean Robert Casimir, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Lauderhill, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of U.S. export control law for his role in an extensive firearms trafficking operation through which he illegally exported at least 140 firearms to Haiti since 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Casimir exploited his access to firearms in our country to arm buyers in Haiti, disguising his shipments and evading the licensing laws that exist to keep weapons out of the hands of those who would use them to fuel violence abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who treats our export laws as an obstacle to work around rather than the law of the land.”
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami.
According to court documents, from at least August 2020 through December 2024, Casimir illegally exported no less than 140 firearms from the United States to Haiti without having first obtained the required license from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, located in the District of Columbia.
Between at least August 2020 and December 2024, Casimir purchased at least 108 firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees and at least 30-35 firearms from a U.S. person in Florida, all of which he exported to Haiti without a license. These firearms included rifles, pistols, and shotguns of various makes and models. To smuggle the firearms to Haiti, Casimir and his co-conspirators used, among other techniques, industrial air compressors that they cut open and welded back together, packing disassembled rifles and handguns with foam insulation. Casimir and his co-conspirators then shipped these and other packages to Haiti via boats leaving from the Miami area. Casimir is a former Haitian National Police officer.
Casimir was arrested on Dec. 16, 2024, in Lauderhill, Florida, and later indicted on Jan. 23, 2025.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office, HSI Washington, D.C. and HSI Miami with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Dean for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, with assistance provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Jean Robert Casimir
Casimir shipped the firearms inside air compressors.
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Members of Violent D.C. Street Crew Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Four members of the violent “Push Dat Sh*t” (PDS) street crew were found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in connection with their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed marijuana and oxycodone in Southeast Washington, D.C. and used machine guns to protect their drug-dealing territory and kill an innocent bystander, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“We continue to take down the drivers of violence in our community, and these convictions reflect that commitment,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The defendants were part of a violent crew that fueled senseless, retaliatory attacks and put entire neighborhoods at risk. Their actions weren’t just destructive—they cost an innocent young man his life. Today’s verdict sends a clear message: we will not tolerate armed gangs terrorizing D.C., and we will use every tool available to hold violent offenders accountable and protect the public.”
Markquette Rajon Cowan, 27, of Maryland, aka "Quette" and "Lil Why," was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and a quantity of oxycodone, conspiracy to use firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of drug trafficking, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and related firearms counts and drug distribution charges.
Christopher Jordan Broady, 26, of the District, aka "Suave" and "Swerve," was found guilty of the same drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and related firearms counts and drug distribution charges.
Joshua Nicholas Stephenson, 25, of the District, aka “Migo,” was found guilty of the drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, carrying a pistol without a license, and multiple counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute marijuana while armed with a firearm, including discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
Larry Duncan, 35, of the District, aka “Larry Love,” was found guilty of the drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy charges, first-degree murder while armed, causing death through the use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and unlawfully using and possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for Christopher Broady for Nov. 13, 2026, Markquette Cowan for Nov. 20, 2026, Joshua Stephenson for Dec. 3, 2026, and Larry Duncan for Dec. 4, 2026. Each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of up to life in prison. Any sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years for the murder.
The verdicts came August 3 following a four-week trial and three days of jury deliberation.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Cowan, Broady, Stephenson, and Duncan were members of the PDS street crew, which distributed marijuana and oxycodone in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast D.C., beginning as early as April 2018. The co-conspirators used firearms to protect themselves, their money, their drugs, and their drug-dealing territory, and carried firearms to discourage rival crews from entering their territory.
PDS maintained gang territory on the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open-air drug market outside the Holiday Market. In August 2018, PDS became allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG.” Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location.
As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling and distributing fully automatic AR-pistols that he purchased as “kits” from online retailers. Such firearms are defined as “privately made firearms” by the ATF but frequently are referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.
PDS/JG members possessed the ghost guns to both defend their territory from rival gangs, but also to “spin the block” on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade the rivals from entering PDS/JG territory. PDS/JG members “kept score” with rival gangs, and the points earned by “spinning the block” varied depending on the “importance” of the people that were injured or killed.
On May 9, 2019, while in a trap house in the 3300 block of Wheeler Road SE, Larry Duncan supplied a car (leaving a fingerprint on the outside) to fellow crew members and asked for “volunteers” to spin the block (shoot up rival territory). Duncan was in a leadership role of the PDS gang. Stephenson drove Cowan and Broady until they found a target. Mark Milline Jr. was walking up the street looking down at his phone when Cowan and Broady jumped out of the car and opened fire on Milline. Broady then chased Milline down and stood over his body firing several shots. Stephenson then drove Broady and Cowan back to 10th Place where they entered apartments where Duncan was waiting. Cowan, Broady, and Stephenson were middle level members of the gang.
Milline was shot 13 times with RIP ammunition (radically invasive projectiles) and died from his injuries that day. Milline had no crew affiliation.
The crew maintained “trap houses” throughout their territory to store drugs and firearms, and communicated using coded language, referring to ammunition as “eggs” and firearms as “dogs,” “irons,” and “joints,” in an effort to conceal their activity from law enforcement.
In September 2025, Duncan was found to be in possession of approximately 38 pounds of marijuana, $72,000 in cash, and a firearm fitted with a device that converted it into a machine gun. Duncan faces an additional mandatory minimum of 30 years for his possession of the machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
These convictions are part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 30 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 47 firearms, six machine guns, more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition, over 100 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $581,000 in cash.
Other members of the PDS crew who have been sentenced include:
Eugene Tracey Hill, aka “Geno” and “Cheese,” of the District, was sentenced in October 2024 to 15 years in prison for his role as leader in the drug trafficking conspiracy and multiple firearms offenses. He held a leadership role in the PDS gang.
Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” of the District, was sentenced in April 2025 to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 kilos of marijuana and firearms offenses.
Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, aka “Smaut” and “Lil Blow Diddy,” of the District, was sentenced in May 2025 to 10 years in federal prison for discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense in connection with a shootout in a residential neighborhood.
Andre Alone Willis, aka “Boogie,” of the District, was sentenced in February 2025 to 20 years in federal prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy. He held a leadership role in the PDS gang.
Broadus Jamal Daniels, aka “Wardy,” of the District, was sentenced in April 2025 to 35 years in federal prison in connection with drug and gun charges related to a drug trafficking conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the ATF’s Washington Field Division.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur, Matthew Mattis, and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein.
Screen grab from surveillance footage of the May 9, 2019, slaying of Mark Milline Jr., who was shot 13 times and died from his injuries.
Evidence presented during the trial of PDS members Cowen, Broady, Stephenson, and Duncan.
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District Man Sentenced to 114 Months in Armed Kidnapping of 14-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antoine Jones, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 114 months in prison in connection with the armed kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Antoine Jones held a gun to the face of a 14-year-old girl, drove her across the city, and delivered her to a man he knew would continue terrorizing her,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Targeting a child is heinous under any circumstance, but pointing a gun at her head to force her compliance is uniquely cruel. My office will continue to pursue prison sentences for anyone who preys on the young people of this city.”
Jones pleaded guilty before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of kidnapping while armed. In addition to the 114-month prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Jones to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court papers, on Sept. 26, 2024, Jones was driving a car in Northwest D.C. when he crossed paths with Keishawn Johnson, who was driving a separate vehicle. Johnson gestured for Jones to follow him, and Jones did so.
The two men drove to the 1300 block of Longfellow Street NW, where Johnson pulled over near the minor victim, who was standing on the sidewalk.
The minor victim got into Johnson's vehicle. Johnson then got out, came around to where the victim was sitting, and pointed a firearm in her face, demanding that she tell him the location of a gun he believed she had taken.
Jones joined Johnson at the vehicle, blocking the victim from getting away. Jones pointed his own firearm in the victim's face and demanded the same information.
When the minor victim said she did not have the gun, Johnson grabbed her by the arm and moved her into Jones's car. Johnson buckled her into the passenger seat and directed Jones to take her cell phone, which Jones did.
Police arrived at the scene after a bystander called 911. Johnson fled in his vehicle, and Jones followed with the minor victim still in his car.
Jones drove the minor victim to Johnson's residence in Southeast D.C., against her will and waited outside while Johnson brought her inside to continue searching for the missing firearm. Johnson later brought the minor victim back out, placed her in his vehicle, and drove off with her again. Jones left the scene at that point.
Jones has three prior adult criminal convictions and was on probation in two of those cases at the time of the offense.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.
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Teen Sentenced to Prison Term for Armed Carjacking Using a Fully Automatic WeaponRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mekhi Greene, 18, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to five years in prison today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the carjacking of a local resident, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Greene pleaded guilty to carjacking on September 19, 2025. His co-defendant, Keon Preston, also pleaded guilty to this offense and was sentenced to four years in prison on May 15, 2026. In addition to the 5-year sentence for Greene, the Honorable Judge Deborah Israel ordered him to serve 36 months of probation. Greene was 17 years old at the time of the offense. This case was prosecuted under Title 16 of the D.C. Code.
According to court documents, on March 23, 2025, at approximately 9:19 p.m., Greene, his co-defendant Preston, and two other unidentified suspects carjacked the victim at gunpoint in the 3500 block of East Capitol Street Northeast. All four men were seen wearing masks, dark clothing, and one had a large weapon with an extended clip.
Police located the vehicle, a white Volkswagen Jetta, and attempted a traffic stop before three of the suspects fled on foot. Officers were able to stop and apprehend Greene and Preston. Officers later recovered two firearms, one in the flight path of Preston and one in the rear passenger seat of the stolen vehicle, with an automatic conversion switch and a round chambered inside.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll acknowledged the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green, who prosecuted the case.
2025 CF3 003166
Previously Convicted Robber Sentenced to 36 Months for Possessing ‘Ghost Gun’ and Ammunition in Southeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Davon Boyd, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his unlawful possession of a “ghost gun” and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Boyd was found guilty on April 3, 2026, following a stipulated bench trial before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell, of one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a prohibited weapon. Judge Howell sentenced Boyd to 36 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 60-month prison term.
According to court papers, on Sept. 26, 2025, at about 10 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers were on routine patrol in the 1500 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE when they pulled into an alley and made contact with a group of individuals.
Officers approached Boyd, who was among the group, and who had appeared to be concealing something in his waistband. Officers stopped Boyd and during a pat-down, an officer detected a firearm on Boyd's person and placed him in handcuffs. Officers then lifted Boyd's hoodie and removed the firearm from his waistband.
The firearm was later identified as a ghost AR pistol, privately manufactured, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The firearm was loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, 28 in the magazine and one in the chamber.
Boyd did not have a valid permit to carry a firearm in the District of Columbia.
Boyd had previously been convicted of robbery and attempted robbery in Superior Court for the District of Columbia.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barclay.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Police recovered an AR pistol (above) and 29 of rounds of ammunition from Boyd.
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D.C. Teen Sentenced in 2025 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Makai Bridges, 17, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for a string of crimes that included robbery, carjacking, and assault, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“At just 16, Bridges repeatedly victimized members of our community through violence, intimidation, and theft,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Even after being detained, he continued to endanger others by assaulting fellow detainees. This 12-year sentence ensures he will be held accountable for his actions and protects the public from further harm.”
Bridges pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026, to carjacking, robbery, possession of a prohibited weapon, and simple assault. Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Bridges to 12 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. The government requested 12 years in prison, which was the maximum under the sentencing guidelines.
According to the government’s evidence, on May 1, 2025, at around 2:00 am, Bridges and an additional accomplice approached the victim near the intersection of 3rd Street NE and Rhode Island Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. while she was waiting at the bus stop. The two men both pointed what appeared to be firearms at the victim, one pointing the weapon at her head and the other pushing his weapon into her stomach. They then pulled the victim’s purse from her shoulder and took her cellphone out of her hand. The defendant and his conspirator threatened the victim, saying they would kill her if she called the police, and then fled the scene. The victim contacted MPD around 7:38 am, on May 1, 2025, and reported the crime.
In a separate incident, on May 7, 2025, at around 10:10 pm. Bridges and four other accomplices approached another victim as he was exiting his vehicle at 1430 Otis Street NE. One member of the group pulled out what appeared to be a firearm, while the others demanded the victim’s keys. All five entered the vehicle and drove away.
At around 10:50 pm, officers attempted to apprehend the defendant and his accomplices in a traffic stop after confirming the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier that evening. The vehicle fled, eventually colliding with a tree box near the 1200 block of 3rd St NE. After crashing, all five men exited the vehicle and fled the officers. Officers pursued and apprehended Bridges.
While in custody at the Department of Youth and Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) Youth Services Center, located at 1000 Mount Oliver Rd. NE, Bridges and seven other individuals assaulted three detainees as they were being escorted through the cell block. The group rushed into the cell block, pushing past DYRS staff in an attempt to reach the detainees. Bridges was ultimately restrained by DYRS staff and then struggled to free himself in an effort to join the assault of the three victims.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valerie Tsesarenko and Brian Hanley, who prosecuted the case.
2025 CF3 010940 & 2025 CF3 015480
D.C. Man is Sentenced to 24 Months for Strangling His WifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Johnny Gregory, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for strangling his wife in January 2026, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Strangulation is an unmistakable warning sign that a victim's life is in imminent danger,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Research shows that after just one episode of strangulation, a victim is approximately 800% more likely to die at the hands of the same aggressor. Crimes like this deserve stronger punishment and the criminal justice system must treat strangulation with the gravity it deserves and do everything possible to protect victims before domestic violence turns fatal."
Gregory was found guilty at trial on May 4, 2026, of one count of strangulation. Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel sentenced Gregory to 24 months, a top of the guidelines sentence. The judge suspended part of that sentence and ordered Gregory to complete 18 months of probation. The government requested 24 months in prison for the strangulation offense, which was the maximum under the sentencing guidelines.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 5, 2026, Gregory and his wife had an argument over laundry detergent. Gregory pushed her to the ground, punched her in the face multiple times then put his knee on her chest and strangled her with both his hands. She lost consciousness and was taken to a local hospital where she was treated for her injuries. At the time of the assault, the victim’s 15-year-old daughter was present.
Gregory was arrested on January 6, 2026, and has remained in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Friedman and Charles Klug, who prosecuted the case.
2026 FD3 000281
D.C. Man Sentenced for the Fatal Stabbing of Wheelchair Bound VictimRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Johnson, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 18 years in prison today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for the fatal stabbing of 44-year-old D.C. resident Antonio Pierre Woody, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed on February 24, 2026. Johnson’s guilty plea was pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(c) where the parties agreed to a prison sentence range between 18 and 23 years. In addition to the 18-year sentence, the Honorable Rainey Brandt ordered Johnson to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of October 6, 2024, in Northeast D.C., Johnson and the victim were socializing in a group on the sidewalk outside 1719 Lincoln Road, NE and the adjacent parking lot of 1725 Lincoln Road, NE. Johnson, agitated from a previous altercation on October 5, 2024, made threats before approaching the victim, lunging at him and stabbing him multiple times. The victim, wheelchair-bound, attempted to crawl away from the defendant, before the defendant struck and stabbed him again.
The defendant then proceeded to dispose of the victim’s cell phone down a storm drain and leave the scene, walking back towards the parking lot of 1725 Lincoln Road, NE. Officers arrived on the scene, noting that the only exit from the parking lot was into a Department of Human Services Shelter. The defendant was identified by an individual working security. Police located the defendant and transported him to the MPD Homicide Branch where he was arrested for murder in the second degree.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marybeth Manfreda and Rashmika Nedungadi, who prosecuted the case.
2024 CF1 010048
California Country Club Agrees to Pay $850,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has reached a civil settlement agreement with the Club at Morningside Inc., whereby the club agreed to pay $850,000, plus interest, to resolve allegations that the club violated the False Claims Act when it applied for and received a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for which it was not eligible.
When Congress enacted the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, it authorized forgivable PPP loans to eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). At the time of the loan covered by this settlement, certain entities organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans, including section 501(c)(7) organizations.
In 2020, Morningside, a country club located in Rancho Mirage, California, applied for a PPP loan in the amount of $727,427 and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan even though it was ineligible as a section 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization. After receiving the PPP loan, Morningside sought and received forgiveness of the entire loan amount. The United States contended that Morningside knowingly falsely represented its eligibility to receive the PPP loan, and that it caused the SBA to pay lender fees to the bank that processed the loan. After an analysis of Morningside’s ability to pay pursuant to a settlement, Morningside agreed to pay $850,000, plus interest, to the United States to resolve these allegations.
The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam complaint was filed by Relator Aidan Forsyth and is captioned United States ex rel. Aidan Forsyth v. Club at Morningside Inc., et al., Civ. A. No. 24-1175 (D.D.C.). Forsyth will receive a total share of approximately $83,266.55, plus a portion of interest paid by Morningside, in connection with the settlement.
The civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy J. Hurley with the support of attorney Caitlin J. Kelly of SBA’s Office of the General Counsel.
Tips and complaint regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.