District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – Anthony Braxton, 44, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 156 months in prison, for the offense of aggravated assault of a senior citizen, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Braxton was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on September 5, 2024, of one count of aggravated assault of a senior citizen. The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Braxton on November 7, 2024, to 156 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 23, 2020, the victim, a doctor at St. Elizabeths Hospital, had responded to a call for assistance on his ward. As the victim was walking toward a colleague and another patient, Braxton approached the victim from behind and, totally unprovoked, punched the victim in the head, knocking him to the ground where he lay unconscious for several minutes. Over the next several weeks, the victim developed a life-threatening brain bleed that ultimately required two surgeries. The victim deals with lingering symptoms from his injuries to this day.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s office. They acknowledged those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole H. Conte, Victim Assistance Specialist Deidria Ellis, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Renee Prather, Lead Paralegal Specialist Tameka Garcia, Paralegal Specialist Abubakar Alawy, Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, and Special Agent Eric Pauta.  Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Huether, Julian Ginos, and Richard Carlton, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Francisco Flores-Lopez, 34, of Alexandria, VA, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing a 14-year-old D.C. resident, resulting in her pregnancy, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Flores-Lopez pleaded guilty on September 4, 2024, to first degree child sexual abuse, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced Flores-Lopez to 144 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Flores-Lopez will also be required to register as a sex offender.  

           According to the government’s evidence, the victim met Flores-Lopez over social media and met up for the first time in June 2022, the same month the victim would turn 14 years old. The defendant, who was 32 years old in June 2022, picked up the victim in his truck and brought her to Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., where he engaged in penetrative vaginal sex with the victim in his truck. Between June 2022 and March 2023, Flores-Lopez engaged in various sexual acts with this 14-year-old girl at various locations in Rock Creek Park. The victim became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl while she was still 14. Even after giving birth, Flores-Lopez would come over to the victim’s house and continued to engage in sex with the victim. DNA testing conducted in this case corroborated that Flores-Lopez was the father of the baby born to the victim as a result of the sexual abuse. 

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief. Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Kelley and Sarah Folse, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Roman Sterlingov, 36, a citizen of Russia and Sweden, was sentenced today to more than 12 years – or 150 months – in prison for operating a cryptocurrency mixer that laundered tens of millions of dollars for Darknet narcotics dealers and facilitated illegal conduct by other individuals who participated in a Darknet site for trafficking child sexual abuse material. A cryptocurrency mixer is a service that mixes potentially illegally derived cryptocurrency with others to obscure the trail back to the cryptocurrency’s original source.

            The sentence, handed down in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Chief Guy Fico of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office.

            In addition to his term of imprisonment, Sterlingov was sentenced to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $395,563,025.39, and forfeiture of seized cryptocurrencies and monetary assets valued at approximately $1.76 million. In addition, Sterlingov was ordered to forfeit his interest in the Bitcoin Fog wallet, totaling approximately 1,345 bitcoin and currently valued at more than $103 million.

            “As proven at trial, Roman Sterlingov created and used an online tool to process hundreds of millions in illegal transactions, enabling darknet drug dealers and those who sell child sexual abuse material, to operate,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Today’s sentence sends an unmistakable message: those who help criminals with online payments for their illegal activities will face serious penalties.  This prosecution also provides more proof that we have the skilled investigators and talented prosecutors needed to hold those who operate these darknet sites accountable.”

            “Roman Sterlingov ran the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet, and today he paid the price,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “In the deepest corners of the internet, he provided a home for criminals of all stripes, from drug traffickers to identity thieves, to store hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds. Today’s sentence reflects the Department’s determination to dismantle the criminal networks that enable criminal actors to flourish and ensure consequences for the criminals operating them.”

            “Roman Sterlingov laundered over $400 million in criminal proceeds through Bitcoin Fog, his cryptocurrency ‘mixing’ service that was open for business to criminals looking to hide dirty money,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through his illicit money laundering operation, Sterlingov helped criminals launder proceeds of drug trafficking, computer crime, identity theft, and the sexual exploitation of children. Today’s sentencing underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to holding those who facilitate criminal activity fully accountable for their crimes. I am especially proud of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to unmask and prosecute the Bitcoin Fog scheme.”

            “Clearly, Sterlingov’s attempt to shroud his illicit activities in a cloak of anonymity ultimately failed against the sophisticated collaborative work of our Criminal Investigation (CI) special agents and partners,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS-CI. “Today’s significant prison term and hundreds of millions in financial sanctions against the defendant emphasizes the seriousness of this conviction and should serve as a stark notice that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated.”

            “The prosecution of Roman Sterlingov and the sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to cybercriminals,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg. “The FBI will not hesitate to use all tools at its disposal and will leverage our extensive partnerships to disrupt the cybercriminal ecosystem and the individuals who provide the key services that facilitate criminal activity.”

            Sterlingov was found guilty on March 12, 2024, of conspiracy, sting money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and violations of the D.C. Money Transmitters Act following a month-long jury trial. The jury also granted forfeiture to the government of several specific assets that law enforcement had previously seized, including over about 1,354 Bitcoin (BTC) held in a Bitcoin Fog wallet, as well as $349,625 and various cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, and Stellar) held in seized Kraken cryptocurrency exchange accounts.

            According to the government’s evidence, Sterlingov operated Bitcoin Fog from October 2011 to April 2021. Bitcoin Fog was a cryptocurrency “mixer,” or “tumbler,” and had gained notoriety as a money laundering service for criminals seeking to hide their illicit proceeds from law enforcement. Over the course of its decade-long operation, which stopped only when Sterlingov was arrested and detained, Bitcoin Fog moved well over 1.2 million Bitcoin (BTC) – valued at approximately nearly $400 million at the time of the transactions. The bulk of that cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces and was tied to illegal narcotics, computer fraud and abuse activities, and identity theft. Sterlingov’s service also served purveyors of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through the notorious site Welcome to Video.

            Sterlingov -- who used the monikers Akemashite Omedetou and Killdozer and Meth!, among others -- was fully aware that Bitcoin Fog would be used to launder Bitcoin from illegal vendors on the Darknet. As he noted succinctly about a month before creating Bitcoin Fog, Bitcoin and narcotics went hand in hand. “Also, like Silk Road, go ahead and accept payments in bitcoins; then, you will not be intimidated by even the U.S.”

The defendant advertised the site as “for people who have real problems for the law and we provide them the best possible service, and highest possible anonymity.” Those who had “real problems for the law” would mix “your bitcoins in our own pool with other users’ Bitcoins, and get paid back to other accounts from our mixed pool.”

            At its launch, Sterlingov publicized Bitcoin Fog as a tool for anonymizing bitcoin transactions and evading law enforcement. His site charged customers a fee for the service. Historically, the largest users of Bitcoin Fog were darknet markets such as Agora, Silk Road, Silk Road 2.0, Evolution, and AlphaBay. As the jury found, Sterlingov’s mixing and tumbling activity was an illegal money transmitting and money laundering service under federal law.

            While the identity of a BTC address owner is generally anonymous (unless the owner opts to make the information publicly available), the evidence at trial demonstrated that law enforcement can identify the owner of a particular Bitcoin address by analyzing the blockchain. The analysis can also reveal additional addresses controlled by the same individual or entity. IRS-CI’s analysis determined Bitcoin Fog received approximately 486,861.69 BTC, valued at about $54,897,316 at the time of the transactions, directly from darknet markets. Bitcoin Fog sent approximately 164,931.13 BTC (about $23,690,956 at the time of the transactions) directly to darknet markets. In sum, the anonymizer sent or received more than $78 million in transactions involving known darknet markets, counting only direct transactions.

            Based on Bitcoin Fog’s transaction activity over time, Sterlingov made millions in commissions from Bitcoin Fog transactions. Investigators obtained records of Sterlingov’s true-name accounts at several cryptocurrency exchanges. Analysis of those accounts revealed the vast majority of cryptocurrency deposited into Sterlingov’s accounts was originally sourced and traced back to Bitcoin clusters associated with Bitcoin Fog.

            Under U.S. law, it is a crime to conspire to commit money laundering, that is, to conduct financial transactions with proceeds from unlawful activity designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of such proceeds. It is also a crime to conduct or attempt to conduct a financial transaction involving property represented to be the proceeds of specified unlawful activity, with the intent to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of such property. It is also a crime to operate a money transmitting businesses without obtaining an appropriate money transmitting license in the state in which the service operates, or with FinCEN.  The District of Columbia also criminalizes similar unlicensed activity.

            Sterlingov was arrested April 27, 2021, at Los Angeles International Airport and has remained detained since that time.

            This case is being investigated by the IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit provided invaluable assistance. Additional assistance was provided by Japanese, Swedish, Danish, Romanian, and UK authorities, as well as Europol.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). Pelker and Brown are members of CCIPS’ National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). Paralegal Specialists Angela De Falco and Divya Ramjee provided valuable assistance.

A dual Russian-Swedish national was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison for his operation of the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2011 through 2021, Roman Sterlingov, 36, was involved in operating Bitcoin Fog, the darknet’s longest-running cryptocurrency “mixer.” Over the course of its decade-long operation, Bitcoin Fog gained notoriety as a go-to money laundering service for criminals seeking to hide their illicit proceeds from law enforcement and processed transactions involving over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time the transactions occurred. The bulk of this cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces and was tied to illegal narcotics, computer crimes, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material.

In March 2024, after a one-month trial, a jury found Sterlingov guilty of money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and money transmission without a license in the District of Columbia.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Sterlingov was sentenced to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $395,563,025.39, and forfeiture of seized cryptocurrencies and monetary assets valued at approximately $1.76 million. In addition, Sterlingov was ordered to forfeit his interest in the Bitcoin Fog wallet, totaling approximately 1,345 bitcoin and currently valued at more than $103 million.

“Roman Sterlingov ran the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet, and today he paid the price,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “In the deepest corners of the internet, he provided a home for criminals of all stripes, from drug traffickers to identity thieves, to store hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds. Today’s sentence reflects the Department’s determination to dismantle the criminal networks that enable criminal actors to flourish and ensure consequences for the criminals operating them.”

“Roman Sterlingov laundered over $400 million in criminal proceeds through Bitcoin Fog, his cryptocurrency ‘mixing’ service that was open for business to criminals looking to hide dirty money,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through his illicit money laundering operation, Sterlingov helped criminals launder proceeds of drug trafficking, computer crime, identity theft, and the sexual exploitation of children. Today’s sentencing underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to holding those who facilitate criminal activity fully accountable for their crimes. I am especially proud of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to unmask and prosecute the Bitcoin Fog scheme.”

“As proven at trial, Roman Sterlingov created and used an online tool to process hundreds of millions in illegal transactions, enabling darknet drug dealers and those who sell child sexual abuse material, to operate,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Today’s sentence sends an unmistakable message: those who help criminals with online payments for their illegal activities will face serious penalties. This prosecution also provides more proof that we have the skilled investigators and talented prosecutors needed to hold those who operate these darknet sites accountable.”

“Clearly, Sterlingov’s attempt to shroud his illicit activities in a cloak of anonymity ultimately failed against the sophisticated collaborative work of our Criminal Investigation special agents and partners,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Today’s significant prison term and hundreds of millions in financial sanctions against the defendant emphasizes the seriousness of this conviction and should serve as a stark notice that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated.”

“The prosecution of Roman Sterlingov and the sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to cybercriminals,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI. “The FBI will not hesitate to use all tools at its disposal and will leverage our extensive partnerships to disrupt the cybercriminal ecosystem and the individuals who provide the key services that facilitate criminal activity.”

The IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit provided invaluable assistance. Additional assistance was provided by Japanese, Swedish, Danish, Romanian, and UK authorities, as well as Europol.

Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Pelker is a member, and Brown is a former member, of CCIPS’ National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. Former CCIPS Paralegal Specialist Dr. Divya Ramjee and Paralegal Specialist Angela De Falco for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance. 

          WASHINGTON – Antonio Kingsbury, 36, of Washington, D.C., was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with interference with interstate commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Kingsbury is suspected of involvement in at least seventeen armed robberies between January 9, 2024 and November 7, 2024, in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office.

          According to the complaint, the same masked gunman is believed responsible for 17 armed robberies at various businesses including: multiple Subway restaurants, Starbucks, multiple local DMV restaurants, a Virginia ABC store, a local cell phone store, Chipotle, multiple Popeye’s restaurants, multiple 7-Eleven stores, and a tobacco store.

          During a search of the suspect’s home, a gun was recovered along with multiple pieces of clothing used during Kingsbury’s nearly year-long robbery spree. Kingsbury was arrested and will have an initial appearance in District Court on November 12, 2024.

           This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department, Bladensburg Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin F. Song

          A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            The Department of Justice has established a website to provide any person who claims status as a potential crime victim of the crimes described below to assert any rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), 18 U.S.C. § 3771, and with the opportunity to complete a statement to relay information about how they may have been harmed by the charged conduct and/or offenses. For CVRA purposes, the government’s position is that there are no “victims” of the offenses of conviction. The Department is providing this notice out of an abundance of caution.

            In August 2016, defendant Ilya Lichtenstein hacked into a virtual currency exchange named Bitfinex and stole approximately 120,000 bitcoin. Following the theft, Defendant Lichtenstein devised a sophisticated plan to launder the stolen funds, involving extensive layering of transactions, cryptocurrency mixers and non-compliant cryptocurrency exchanges, darknet markets, and bank accounts in the U.S., as well as overseas. Defendant Lichtenstein enlisted the assistance of his wife, co-defendant Heather Rhiannon Morgan, to clean the money. Defendant Lichtenstein and Defendant Morgan continued to conspire to launder the funds until February 2022, when federal law enforcement placed them under arrest for being involved in a money laundering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), and a conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.

            On August 3, 2023, Defendant Lichtenstein pleaded guilty to one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). Defendant Lichtenstein is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., in Courtroom 28A, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. On August 3, 2023, Defendant Morgan pleaded guilty to one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), and one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Defendant Morgan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., in Courtroom 28A, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

            As authorized by the U.S. District Court (link to Oct. 10, 2024 PDF opinion here), the United States provides this notice to the public out of an abundance of caution to solicit and receive information from all persons potentially harmed by the defendants’ conduct, including affected accountholders at Bitfinex. The United States welcomes any statements and arguments from such persons, including statements relevant to the Court’s sentencing of the defendants, such as how they have been impacted by the defendants’ conduct.

            If you wish to complete a statement about the impact of the offenses on you and/or to relay information about how you may have been victimized, please send that statement to the United States to be conveyed to the U.S. District Court judge who will make decisions in the case, including by sentencing the defendants. Specifically, please submit a statement by no later than November 13, 2024, via email to USADC.BitfinexHack2016@usdoj.gov. As stated above, the sentencings are currently scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2024.

            Additional information is available on the Department of Justice’s website for large cases, https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/2016-bitfinex-hack. 

23cr0239

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a United States Park Police Officer for his role in a March 18, 2023, fatal shooting of Dalaneo Martin, 17.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Internal Affair’s Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of physical evidence, surveillance video footage, body-worn camera footage, audio and visual recordings from an ambulance, witness accounts, autopsy records, and MPD reports.

            On March 18, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers received a radio run for a suspicious vehicle parked in the 3400 block of Baker Street, Northeast, a residential block.  MPD and United States Park Police Officers responded to the scene and observed a sleeping individual, later identified as Dalaneo Martin, sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.  It was determined that the vehicle had affixed to it a license plate belonging to another car, and that its ignition had been punched.

            The Officers devised a plan to remove the Mr. Martin from the vehicle.  In the course of executing that plan, Mr. Martin woke up, a struggle ensued, and Mr. Martin put the car in drive and accelerated down the street with a United States Park Police Officer in the backseat of the car.

            While still in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, the Officer stated to Mr. Martin, “Stop,” as the vehicle drove eastbound on Baker Street, towards Kenilworth Avenue. As Mr. Martin continued to drive, making a left turn onto the 200 block of Kenilworth Avenue, the Officer again stated, “Stop man, just let me out! Let me out! Stop or I’ll shoot.”  After this warning, as the vehicle continued to travel northbound on Kenilworth Avenue, towards 36th Street, the Park Police Officer extended his service pistol forward and held the service pistol with a two handed grip and discharged five rounds from his service pistol at Mr. Martin, striking him.

            After Mr. Martin was struck by the Park Police Officer’s discharged rounds, the vehicle continued to travel northbound on 36th Street, then left the road, crossed over the sidewalk, went up an embankment and then crashed into a house on the south side of 36th Street, Northeast. Mr. Martin was pronounced dead on the scene. 

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the United State Park Police Officer is criminally liable for Mr. Martin’s death.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.  MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia. 

WASHINGTON – Mark A. Blue, 34, of Washington, D.C was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 40 years in prison for the December 2018 kidnapping, robbery, and repeated rapes of a young mother from Maryland who was a total stranger to him.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            On March 6, 2024, after a five-day trial, a federal jury found Blue guilty of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping while armed, robbery while armed, and two counts of first-degree sexual abuse while armed. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Blue to pay restitution in the amount of $999 to the victim. After his sentence, Blue will have a lifetime term of supervised release. 

            According to the evidence presented at trial, Blue, along with a co-conspirator, targeted the victim, who was walking home from a bus stop in Prince George’s County, MD. Blue stripped her naked, robbed her, forced her into a car, threatened to kill her, covered her eyes with her shirt so she would not be able to see, and sexually assaulted her in Maryland. Then Blue drove her to Southeast Washington, D.C., where he forced her to disclose her ATM information. His co-conspirator drained her bank account of nearly everything as Blue assaulted her again. Blue drove the victim to an alley where both men sexually assaulted her yet again. They left her naked in an alley, with her shirt covering her head.

           At the time of the attack, Blue was under supervised release for a 2013 armed robbery conviction. Elements of the crime were captured by surveillance footage and ATM cameras. Two days after the offenses, on December 5, 2018, Blue quit his job and fled to North Carolina. A tipster, who recognized Blue’s mugshot on a television news show, called law enforcement. The tipster stated that Blue had said he was wanted by police for robbing and kidnapping a girl.

           This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell, Rachel Forman, and Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson of the District of Columbia. The prosecution team received valuable assistance from Veronica Vaughan of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Allen, Nicholas Miranda, and Jessica Wash. 

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21cr221

WASHINGTON – Austin M. Olson, 27, of Westland, Michigan, had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court this afternoon, following his November 5, 2024 attempt to enter the U.S. Capitol with a flare gun, a torch, and two bottles of gasoline. Olson was charged in a complaint with unlawful activities for carrying a weapon or incendiary device on Capitol grounds.

            U.S. Capitol Police officers arrested Olson on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. At about 12:30 p.m., Olson entered the complex and was asked to remove his belongings for inspection in a security x-ray machine. When Olson’s black coat passed through the x-ray machine, an officer saw what appeared to be a torch and a small firearm. The officer recovered a small torch device and an orange flare gun from the coat. Officers also noted that Olson’s small backpack reeked strongly of gasoline. Inside the backpack, officers found two bottles filled with fuel.

            According to the USCP officer, Olson stated he was at the Capitol to send a message to Congress and that he had brought the torch and flare gun to “light up the message in fire.” Another officer asked Olson what message he was planning to deliver. Olson removed a red closed envelope from under his shirt and stated it contained the message he wanted to send to the members of Congress. USCP officers handcuffed Olson and patted him down for additional contraband. Olson refused to provide identification.

            Due to the strong odor of fuel emitting from Olson and his bag, USCP closed the Capitol Visitor Center. It reopened about 90 minutes later.

            Officers searched Olson’s belongings and recovered two booklets containing writings and an identification card. Olson was charge with unlawful activities, possession of a prohibited weapon, and disorderly conduct and transported to USCP headquarters.

            This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Schneider and Rachel Craft of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

WASHINGTON – Vincent Hemphill, 63, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in D.C. Superior Court to a total of 300 months in prison for killing an 80-year-old colleague and attempting to kill two others at a warehouse owned by the Washington Air Compressor Rental Company, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Mr. Hemphill pleaded guilty on September 6, 2024, to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed and two counts of assault with intent to kill, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian ordered Hemphill to serve 11 years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on October 12, 2023, Hemphill was at work at the Washington Air Compressor Rental Company’s warehouse, located at 1800 4th Street Northeast, Washington, DC. The defendant was directed by his work supervisor, Brian Jefferson, to move an air compressor. Hemphill did not immediately retrieve the requested air compressor and Mr. Jefferson, again requested, over the loudspeaker system, that he retrieve the air compressor. The defendant carried a large metal shovel to Brian Jefferson’s office and hit Mr. Jefferson in the head with it while Mr. Jefferson was seated at his desk and unable to move due to a prior injury to his foot.  At the time Hemphill attacked Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Jefferson could not move around without the use of a scooter.

            The defendant then chased Charles Short, one of his co-workers, and, as Mr. Short tried to escape from him, Hemphill began to hit Mr. Short with the shovel. Hemphill continued to strike Mr. Short with the shovel repeatedly after Mr. Short had collapsed to the ground. The defendant then turned his attention to Jacob Othman, another co-worker, and hit Mr. Othman with the shovel. Mr. Othman was able to take the shovel away from Hemphill and began to run from the defendant but collapsed to the ground. Hemphill chased after Mr. Othman with a sledgehammer and struck Mr. Othman with the sledgehammer. The defendant then returned to where Mr. Short was lying on the ground and hit Mr. Short with the sledgehammer in the back and head area. 

           Jacob Othman suffered from lacerations to his head and serious injuries to his shoulder. Brian Jefferson suffered from serious lacerations to his head, a brain bleed, a concussion, and a fractured jaw. Mr. Short suffered from severe lacerations to the head and facial area, orbital fractures, and a fractured mandible. Mr. Short succumbed to his injuries and died on January 22, 2024. The complications sustained from the assault precluded Mr. Short from returning to his baseline health and the manner of his death was ruled a homicide.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Lauren Galloway, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Garrick Richardson, 30, of Washington D.C., was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 40 months in federal prison in connection with a May 13, 2023, shootout near a DuPont nightclub, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Richardson pleaded guilty on March 4, 2024, to an information charging him with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates ordered Richardson to serve three years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, on May 13, 2023, just after 3 a.m., a large group of men was outside the Abigail nightclub at 1730 M Street NW. At 3:09 a.m., a physical altercation erupted in the parking garage next to the nightclub. The fight quickly broke up, with two of the men entering a silver Kia, and the rest briefly exiting the parking garage towards M Street.

            As the silver Kia attempted to leave the garage, the men who had left the parking garage briefly returned with a much larger group and swarmed around the Kia. Richardson, who was wearing a black t-shirt with white lettering, dark jeans, white shoes, was one of the men. The men surrounded the Kia in what appeared to be an attempt to stop it from leaving. As Richardson ran toward the driver side of the vehicle, another man pulled at the vehicle’s door and then punched the window. The Kia tried to pull forward, but Richardson ran after it, holding what appeared to be a black handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand.

Garrick Richardson, circled in yellow, carried a handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand during an altercation in a Dupont garage.

            As the silver Kia began reversing out of the garage, Dirk Easton, who was with Richardson, pointed a different black handgun with an extended magazine and ran forward at the vehicle, firing multiple times directly at its front windshield. After several shots, Easton was struck in the eye by a ricochet bullet and fell to the ground, dropping his firearm.

Richardson, circled in yellow, watched as Easton, circled in red, fired multiple times at the silver Kia that was trying to leave the parking garage.

Police officers recovered a black Glock 35 .40 caliber handgun that had been converted to fire as a machine gun. Testing linked DNA on the weapon to Richardson.

            Richardson and others escorted Easton to GWU Hospital, with Richardson riding in the back of a black BMW. From the back of the BMW, officers later recovered a black Glock 35 .40 caliber handgun, outfitted with a switch that converted it a fully automatic machine gun, and an extended magazine. A DNA test confirmed Richardson’s unlawful possession of it. The investigation revealed the Raleigh, North Carolina, Police Department had reported the weapon stolen on April 22, 2023.

            Three other men were arrested and charged in the garage shootout. Easton, 28, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon and, on July 23, 2024, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. Adrian Vinson, 23, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and, on February 20, 2024, was sentenced to 66 months in prison. Tyron Hines, 32, pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and on March 19, 2024, was sentenced to 72 months in prison.

            This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.

            The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer.

23cr200

WASHINGTON – Caleb Johnson, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to charges stemming from an attempted armed carjacking and armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Johnson pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge Robert A. Salerno to one count of armed robbery and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Salerno set a sentencing date of January 13, 2025. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum term of five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2024, Johnson and his co-defendant, Marquis Derby, robbed and attempted to carjack a construction worker at gunpoint when the victim, who was working on a job site in Northeast Washington, D.C., went to retrieve equipment from his truck. As the victim reached into his truck, Derby pressed a firearm into the victim’s back and took the victim’s phone out of his pocket. Derby then demanded that the victim unlock his phone. As he was doing so, Johnson punched the victim several times in the face and took the victim’s keys. Johnson got into the victim’s truck, and Derby took the victim’s phone and got into an SUV nearby. When Johnson was unable to start the victim’s truck, he got into the SUV with Derby, and the two men drove off together. Johnson was arrested on June 27, 2024, and has been detained ever since.

            Derby pleaded guilty to armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on August 29, 2024; his sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2024.

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Lawrence.

WASHINGTON – Michael Grayton, 42, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court, in connection with a July 2024 homicide of Danzell Hall in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Grayton pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, before D.C. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan to one count of second-degree murder while armed. Judge Raffinan set a sentencing date of April 25, 2025. Although this charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Grayton faces a sentence range of between 14 and 26 years under the District of Columbia Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines. 

           Grayton was arrested on August 20, 2024, and has been detained ever since.

           According to court documents, at approximately 2:52 am, on Friday, July 12, 2024, members of MPD’s Fifth District responded to the 1500 Block of Benning Road, Northeast, where they located Mr. Danzell Hall, unconscious and unresponsive on the sidewalk, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and after finding no signs consistent with life, Mr. Hall was pronounced dead at 2:54 am. The decedent remained on the scene until being transported to the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The cause of death was later determined to be a gunshot wound to the back and the manner of death ruled as a homicide.

           During the investigation MPD personnel reviewed CCTV video from the surrounding areas and identified the defendant as the perpetrator. MPD sought and received an arrest warrant for Grayton and on August 20, 2024, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) located and arrested him.

           This case was investigated by MPD’s Homicide Division and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nebiyu Feleke.  

WASHINGTON – Taskin Torlak, 37, of Turkey, was arrested in Miami, Florida, on November 2, 2024, for allegedly conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions as part of a scheme to transport oil from Venezuela for the benefit of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (“PdVSA”), Venezuela’s state-owned oil and natural gas company.

            The arrest and charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen, and Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.

            Torlak was arrested as he attempted to depart the United States to return to Turkey. He is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”). According to the complaint, Torlak conspired with others to cause U.S. financial institutions to process transactions connected to the transport of Venezuelan oil for the benefit of PdVSA, which the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated as a Specially Designated National (“SDN”) in January 2019.

           “This defendant allegedly conspired to illegally sell Venezuelan oil, using deceit and trickery to hide the fact that this oil originated from Venezuela,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PdVSA, was sanctioned by the U.S. government to prevent the current regime from further depleting the nation’s resources, while it unlawfully remains in power. We remain dedicated to prosecuting violations of these sanctions until the government of Venezuela takes the necessary steps for these sanctions to be lifted.”

            “As alleged, the defendant conspired to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on PdVSA, deploying deception to smuggle black-market oil from Venezuela,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those involved in criminal efforts to circumvent sanctions imposed on the Maduro regime.”

            “These sanctions violations put people at risk at every step - from allegedly tampering with location devices on vessels to supplying to money to areas that will continue to engage in activity that threatens the U.S. ,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. “HSI will continue to work tirelessly to protect the American people and the integrity of our economic and trade laws.”

            According to the complaint, beginning at least in or around November 2020, Torlak and others devised and implemented a complex scheme to violate and evade U.S. sanctions related to petroleum products from Venezuela and Iran.  The scheme included obfuscating the identities of tankers moving the oil by re-naming and re-flagging vessels, covering vessel names with paint or blankets, and turning off the electronics that track vessels’ locations for the safety of ships and their crews. Torlak and his co-conspirators allegedly received tens of millions of dollars from PdVSA in payment for transporting Venezuelan oil and hid the ultimate beneficiaries of the related transactions from U.S. financial institutions, who then unwittingly processed payments in furtherance of the scheme. The complaint further alleges that Torlak and his co-conspirators explicitly discussed the need to hide their conduct from the U.S. Government and its agencies, including OFAC, as well as commercial maritime entities.

            This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigation’s Washington D.C. Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeghan Mikorski from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Sean Heiden and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

            A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Taskin Torlak, 37, of Turkey, was arrested in Miami, on Nov. 2 for allegedly conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions as part of a scheme to transport oil from Venezuela for the benefit of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil and natural gas company.

“As alleged, the defendant conspired to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on PdVSA, deploying deception to smuggle black-market oil from Venezuela,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those involved in criminal efforts to circumvent sanctions imposed on the Maduro regime.”

“This defendant allegedly conspired to illegally sell Venezuelan oil, using deceit and trickery to hide the fact that this oil originated from Venezuela,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PdVSA, was sanctioned by the U.S. government to prevent the current regime from further depleting the nation’s resources while it unlawfully remains in power.  We remain dedicated to prosecuting violations of these sanctions until the government of Venezuela takes the necessary steps for these sanctions to be lifted.”

“These sanctions violations put people at risk at every step - from allegedly tampering with location devices on vessels to supplying to money to areas that will continue to engage in activity that threatens the U.S,” said Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. “HSI will continue to work tirelessly to protect the American people and the integrity of our economic and trade laws.”

Torlak was arrested as he attempted to depart the United States to return to Turkey. He is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). According to the complaint, Torlak conspired with others to cause U.S. financial institutions to process transactions connected to the transport of Venezuelan oil for the benefit of PdVSA, which the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated as a Specially Designated National (SDN) in January 2019.

According to the complaint, beginning at least in or around November 2020, Torlak and others devised and implemented a complex scheme to violate and evade U.S. sanctions related to petroleum products from Venezuela and Iran. The scheme included obfuscating the identities of tankers moving the oil by re-naming and re-flagging vessels, covering vessel names with paint or blankets, and turning off the electronics that track vessels’ locations for the safety of ships and their crews. Torlak and his co-conspirators allegedly received tens of millions of dollars from PdVSA in payment for transporting Venezuelan oil, and hid the ultimate beneficiaries of the related transactions from U.S. financial institutions, who then unwittingly processed payments in furtherance of the scheme. The complaint further alleges that Torlak and his co-conspirators explicitly discussed the need to hide their conduct from the U.S. Government and its agencies, including OFAC, as well as commercial maritime entities.

Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeghan Mikorski for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Sean Heiden and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON - Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 30, a Venezuelan national, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 25 years in federal prison for the 2022 armed hostage takings of three U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the Miami Field Office.

            On December 11, 2023, after a nearly two week trial, a jury convicted Delgado of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and three counts of hostage taking. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Delgado to serve five years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Delgado will be subject to deportation proceedings. 

            According to the government’s evidence, Delgado, also known as “Sebastian,” kidnapped three men in separate instances between July 5 and July 30, 2022. In each of the three hostage-takings, Delgado lured his victim online with the promise of a friendly “date” and picked the victim up in his car. After driving a short distance, Delgado suddenly stopped to let an accomplice into the backseat, at which point Delgado and his accomplice held the victim at knifepoint, physically restrained the victim, and demanded ransom for his release. Delgado ordered that the ransoms be paid to online banking accounts, including the same CashApp account.

            Each of the three victims was forced at knifepoint to call his friends and family and ask for money to secure his release. The victims were held in captivity by Delgado and his accomplice(s) for up to an hour and were only released after Delgado believed a ransom payment had been made by the victims’ friends and family. In all three hostage takings, the victims were also robbed of their personal belongings before being released on the streets of the Dominican Republic.

            Following multiple victim reports, Dominican authorities began an investigation in August 2022. Local law enforcement in the Dominican Republic traced a vehicle used in one of the hostage takings to Delgado and arrested him on Sept. 14, 2022. During a search of the vehicle, Dominican authorities found two serrated knifes like those used in the hostage takings.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Dominican Republic’s Division Especial de Investigacion de Crimen Organizado Internacional (DECROI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Korba and Jolie Zimmerman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from paralegal Michael Watts. 

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           Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 30, a Venezuelan national, used this image of himself to meet his victims on a social media dating application.

During a search of the vehicle linked to Delgado, Dominican authorities found two serrated knifes like those used in the hostage takings.

An image Delgado used on his social media app to lure victims.

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22cr0304

WASHINGTON – Thomas Smith, 47, a former United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 21 months in prison for violating an individual’s civil rights by recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit that resulted in a vehicular crash involving a motorist. 

           The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office.

           Smith pleaded guilty on October 18, 2023, to deprivation of rights under color of law. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered 24 months of supervised release, 40 hours of community service, and restitution of $4,455.

           “Thomas Smith abused his position of trust by engaging in a dangerous pursuit that could have been deadly – and made matters worse by obstructing the investigation into the collision he caused,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Most police officers uphold the oath they took upon becoming officers, but when police officers break that oath and violate the public trust they must be held accountable.”

            "Smith's actions violated his oath to protect and serve our communities and uphold the Constitution," said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Today's sentence demonstrates the FBI's commitment to hold accountable those who misuse their power and deny the public their civil liberties."

            “This defendant recklessly pursued two motorcyclists, struck one of them with his car, left the victim unconscious on the asphalt, fled the scene and then switched out his cruiser and filed no report in an attempt to cover up his violent misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Endangering community members in this manner and disregarding the law violates the victims’ civil rights and erodes trust by those the police are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute officials who engage in abuses of their authority, including federal law enforcement officers.”

           According to court documents, on the evening of June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in Georgetown when he began pursuing two individuals riding motorized cycles. Though USCP policies prohibit vehicular pursuits outside of the Capitol grounds, except in emergencies and upon supervisory approval, Smith conducted the pursuit without seeking such approval. 

           While following the motorcyclists closely, but without his emergency lights on, Smith’s USCP cruiser struck one of the motorcyclists at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Northwest. The crash knocked the cyclist into the air before he hit the asphalt roadway. As the victim lay in the intersection unconscious, Smith drove his cruiser around the victim and left the scene of the collision. Contrary to USCP policies, Smith did not notify anyone of the incident, take any action to seek medical assistance for the victim or ensure that no further harm came to the victim as he lay on the road. Hours after the collision, Smith falsified several USCP records in an attempt to cover up the events related to the incident.

           The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser and Trial Attorneys Sanjay Patel and Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. Valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kendra Briggs.

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22cr0199

A former U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Officer was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, related to a vehicular crash involving a motorist in Washington, D.C.

Thomas Smith, 47, pleaded guilty on Oct. 18, 2023, to deprivation of rights under color of law.

“This defendant recklessly pursued two motorcyclists, struck one of them with his car, left the victim unconscious on the asphalt, fled the scene and then switched out his cruiser and filed no report in an attempt to cover up his violent misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Endangering community members in this manner and disregarding the law violates the victims’ civil rights and erodes trust by those the police are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute officials who engage in abuses of their authority, including federal law enforcement officers.”

“Thomas Smith abused his position of trust by engaging in a dangerous pursuit that could have been deadly – and made matters worse by obstructing the investigation into the collision he caused,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Most police officers uphold the oath they took upon becoming officers, but when police officers break that oath and violate the public trust they must be held accountable.”

"Smith's actions violated his oath to protect and serve our communities and uphold the Constitution," said David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Today's sentence demonstrates the FBI's commitment to hold accountable those who misuse their power and deny the public their civil liberties."

According to court documents, on the evening of June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., when he began pursuing two individuals riding motorized cycles. While following the motorcyclists closely, but without his emergency lights on, Smith’s USCP cruiser struck one of the motorcyclists at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Northwest. The crash knocked the cyclist into the air before he hit the asphalt roadway.

As the victim lay in the intersection unconscious, Smith drove his cruiser around the victim and left the scene of the collision. Smith did not notify anyone of the collision, take any action to seek medical assistance for the victim or ensure that no further harm came to the victim as he lay on the road. Hours after the collision, Smith falsified several USCP records related to the incident and lied to his superior officers about being involved in the crash.

The FBI and USCP investigated the case, with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department.

Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Larry Fisher, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for the carjacking of an Uber Eats delivery driver on February 27, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Fisher pleaded guilty on August 30, 2024, to carjacking in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld.

            According to the government’s evidence, with which Fisher agreed, on February 27, 2024, Fisher and another individual approached the victim at the McDonald’s located at 1539 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Washington, DC, while the victim was on his motorized scooter. Fisher pulled a hard, black object out of his waistband and ordered the victim off his motorized scooter. Fisher then struck the victim on his helmet with the hard object before pushing him off his motorized scooter. Fisher’s accomplice then fled the scene on the victim’s motorized scooter while Fisher walked away from the scene.

            Surveillance footage captured both Fisher and his accomplice removing the victim from his motorized scooter. Specifically, surveillance captured Fisher pulling the hard, black object, which appeared to be a firearm, from his waistband and striking the victim with it. After this incident, Fisher was seen placing the object back in his waistband and walking away from the scene. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief. Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Katerina Qesari, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, 29, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia.

            The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street crews. He pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of marijuana. Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing is set for March 7, 2025.

            As part of his plea, Hawkins admitted to possessing a firearm as part of the offense and further admitted to using Instagram to sell marijuana. According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast and operated an open-air drug market outside a market at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” that included Hawkins. The combined gang also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.”

            This plea is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 23 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

Hawkins after his arrest on March 11, 2023, on the 2700 block of Shipleley Terrace, Southeast. 

WASHINGTON – Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, 29, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia.

The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street crews. He pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of marijuana. Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing is set for March 7, 2025.

As part of his plea, Hawkins admitted to possessing a firearm as part of the offense and further admitted to using Instagram to sell marijuana. According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast and operated an open-air drug market outside a market at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” that included Hawkins. The combined gang also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.”

This plea is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 23 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

Hawkins after his arrest on March 11, 2023, on the 2700 block of Shipley Terrace, Southeast. 

WASHINGTON – David Zanders, 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of federal kidnapping and one count of carjacking, stemming from an incident on May 1, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 4, 2024. The defendant was arrested on November 18, 2022, and has been detained ever since.

            According to the court documents, in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, Zanders and a conspirator kidnapped two males outside of a nightclub located at 645 Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. The pair posed as an Uber and the two male victims subsequently got into the defendant’s vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Zanders pulled over on a neighborhood street in Washington, D.C., pointed a firearm at the two victims and robbed them of their phones and money. The victims were then driven around so the kidnappers could attempt to withdraw money using the victims’ credit cards. One of the victims was able to escape at a gas station in Washington D.C., when Zanders and the other suspect were looking for an ATM.  After the first victim escaped, the second victim was driven to a supermarket in Maryland. The defendant and his cohort then retrieved money from an ATM at the supermarket using the second victim’s ATM card. The second victim was then driven to another location in Maryland and released.

            That same evening, Zanders, his cohort and a third individual met at 955 Longfellow Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Zanders had arranged a meeting with two additional victims where he was purporting to sell his vehicle but was, in fact, going to take their vehicle. When the two victims arrived in their vehicle, a 2019 green Dodge Charger, Zanders pulled out a gun, threatened to shoot the third victim, and demanded his phone, money and keys. The additional suspects turned towards the fourth victim and demanded the car keys. The fourth victim complied and one of the suspects then drove away with the 2019 green Dodge Charger. Zanders and the additional suspect then drove away in their own vehicles and fled the scene.  

            Zanders faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison for kidnapping and 15 years for carjacking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, SAC Geist, and Chief Smith commended the MPD officers and FBI agents who collaborated on the investigation as members of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Unit and FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer and by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud.  The case was initially investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Strong.

WASHINGTON – Derricka Burton, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for a Christmas Day robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Burton to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Burton was found guilty on June 20, 2024 of two counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            According to the government’s evidence, at around 2:38 p.m. on December 25, 2023, Burton and three co-conspirators saw the victims, a couple spending time together at the Alethia Tanner Park, located at 227 Harry Thomas Way Northeast. Video footage showed Burton and her co-conspirators huddle together before two of her co-conspirators walked up to the victims and robbed them. Burton’s co-conspirators pointed a gun at the victims and demanded the victims’ Canada Goose brand jacket, cellphone, and other items. The co-conspirators then walked back to Burton and the other co-conspirators. The group conferred with each other and left together. As they did so, one of the co-conspirators dropped some of the stolen property, which Burton picked up before she left with the group.  Police arrested Burton on February 12, 2024.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Katrenia Shelly, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Stephen Rattley Johnson, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 7.5 years in prison for uploading and possessing videos in 2020 depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls.

            The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Johnson was found guilty by a federal jury on April 17, 2024, of five counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On the possession count, the jury further found that the child pornography involved minors under 12 years of age, an aggravating circumstance that doubles the statutory maximum sentence. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Johnson to pay $52,600 in restitution and special assessments. Upon release from his prison term, Johnson will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.

            According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, on September 21, 2020, and October 1, 2020, Johnson uploaded hundreds of child pornography files to his Google Drive cloud storage account. Google identified 220 of the files as known child pornography and closed Johnson’s account. Consistent with its statutory obligations, Google reported the material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which in turn referred the matter to law enforcement. As part of its investigation, investigators obtained the contents of Johnson’s Google account, which included hundreds of child pornography files.

            Law enforcement arrested Johnson on October 7, 2021, and searched his then-residence in the H Street Corridor of Northeast Washington. Among other evidence, law enforcement seized his cellphone and the laptop Johnson had used to upload the child pornography. Although Johnson deleted the child pornography from his computer after Google closed his account, digital forensics experts were able to recover artifacts showing that Johnson had downloaded many of the files as early as April 2020 and that he had opened and watched them. Many of the files are videos depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls. In addition, Johnson’s web browser history showed that he had navigated to child pornography online—including several of the files he later uploaded to Google—and evidence from his cellphone showed that he continued to seek out child pornography even after Google closed his account.

            The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force; the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).

            This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar and Jocelyn Bond.

22cr176

WASHINGTON – Andra Parker, 65, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from a D.C. Department of Corrections Labor Union.

           The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).

           Parker, a former D.C. Corrections officer, served as Chairman of the Labor Committee, an organization that represents all members of the D.C. Department of Corrections, from June 2018 through approximately April 2019. As Chairman, Parker had full access to the Labor Committee’s bank accounts to carry out his official duties and was issued a debit card.

           As part of his guilty plea, Parker admitted that he misappropriated more than $30,000 of union funds to pay for unofficial travel, lodging, and entertainment for him and his friends. For example, he spent more than $7,000 on a trip to New York city for his friends and him, including $4,000 on rooms and expenses at a Times Square hotel, more than $370 on tickets to a New York Knicks game, and an additional $616 on tickets to Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. He also spent more than $2,000 in union funds to purchase four tickets to a Diana Ross concert in North Bethesda, Maryland.

           The Honorable Rudolph Contreras, who accepted Parker’s guilty plea, scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2025. 

           This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the DOL-OIG. Assistance was also provided by the DOL - Office of Labor-Management Standards.

           This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Kondi Kleinman of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sonalika Chaturvedi.

23cr0186

            WASHINGTON –Marvin Lopez, 45, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the 2014 Christmas Eve murder of his ex-girlfriend, Evelyn Yamileth Arroyo Guerra, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            On October 25, 2024, Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Lopez to the prison sentence for first degree murder while armed and a seven-year prison term for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence to be run concurrently.

            According to the government’s evidence presented during an eight-day trial in November 2023, a pair of MPD Lieutenants were driving south on 14th Street on Dec. 24, 2014 when they heard two gunshots. Citizens on the 3900 block of 14th Street pointed in the direction the gunman had run. One of the Lieutenants gave chase on foot but lost the shooter in a wooded area at the end of Shepherd St, NW. The other Lieutenant found Yamileth on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant at 3910 14th Street NW, suffering from a gunshot wound to her chest and a graze wound to her head. Yamileth had been shot as she was arriving for work, as a waitress, at El Sabor Latino.

            Two witnesses who knew Yamileth told police that they had seen Lopez—the victim’s recent ex—approaching her outside of the restaurant moments before the killing. One of the witnesses showed police Facebook messages between Lopez and Yamileth from days before the murder in which he threatened to kill her. Although an arrest warrant was obtained the next day, Lopez was not located by police before he fled to El Salvador. He was extradited back to the United States and arrested in March of 2023.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith 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 Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Advocates Karina Hernandez; Maenylie Watson, Tonya Jones, and Katina Adams-Washington, of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling and Paralegal Specialists Grazy Rivera, April Urbanowski and Maria Sanchez.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Natiello who investigated and indicted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian Hinson and Sarah Prins who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Eugene Burns, 32, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed and related firearm offenses. The jury also found Burns and co-defendant Tyre Allen, 24, of Washington, D.C., guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice in relation to the murder case. The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

            Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo scheduled sentencing for both defendants on January 31, 2025. Burns faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison, and Allen faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

            On October 24, 2024, following a five-week trial in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, the jury convicted Burns of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. On October 28, 2024, the jury convicted Burns and Tyre Allen of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice (corrupt persuasion of a witness), and obstruction of justice (due administration of justice).

            In 2017, Burns was convicted by a jury of murdering the victim, but the conviction was overturned on appeal in 2020. Following the reversal, Burns and co‑defendant Tyre Allen, Burns’s cousin, conspired to and did obstruct justice by corruptly influencing a witness in the murder case to sign a false affidavit in October 2020 recanting the witness’s prior grand jury and trial testimony incriminating Burns in the murder. 

            On November 14, 2015, defendant Burns lured his best friend, Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III, to Burns’s mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of 2nd Street Southeast, Washington, D.C. Once inside the apartment, Burns shot the victim four times, killing him.  Burns then fled the apartment but returned the next day with family members, falsely reporting to police that they had just found the victim’s body.  Evidence introduced at trial established that Burns had been planning to murder the victim for several days.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, with valuable assistance provided by the ATF Washington Division and investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles R. Jones and Sharon Donovan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Jamal Fleming, 32, of Washington D.C. was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a loaded machine gun as he led police on a chase in a stolen SUV while under the influence of cocaine. Fleming crashed the vehicle into a utility pole and then attempted to elude officers on foot before becoming stuck in a fence. The conviction, which is Fleming’s third for possessing an illegal firearm, involves a weapon that had been modified into a fully automatic machine gun.

           The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Fleming pleaded guilty on March 8, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 46-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Fleming to serve 36 months of supervised release. 

           On October 11, 2023, at about 10 p.m., Prince George’s County police observed a black Jeep Grand Cherokee driving in the 4200 block of 58th Avenue in Bladensburg, Maryland. The officers were aware of a recent rash of commercial armed robberies in the county involving a black Grand Cherokee. The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The SUV fled, pursued by police by several police cruisers. MPD’s Falcon helicopter also followed the SUV as it entered Washington, D.C. About five miles from the start of the pursuit, the SUV crashed into a utility pole in the alleyway behind the 4200 block of Eads Street NE. Leaving the SUV running, Fleming jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot, dashing through an alleyway, until he was caught on a fence where officers apprehended him.

               Fleming crashed the SUV into a utility pole following a five-mile high-speed chase.

           Officers searched Fleming and recovered a key fob to the SUV that they used to unlock it. Inside the SUV, officers found a black Glock 29 loaded with 16 rounds of 10mm ammunition. The weapon was outfitted with a “switch,” which converted the gun into a fully automatic firearm, and a laser sight. Later DNA testing linked the firearm to Fleming. Officers determined that the SUV had been stolen the week before from an automotive repair shop in Beltsville. 

Officers discovered a loaded Glock -- outfitted with a laser sight and a “switch” that made the weapon fully automatic – on the floor of the SUV on the driver’s side. 

           Fleming has been barred from possessing a gun since 2016 after he was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm. On May 5, 2022, Fleming was driving when he was stopped by police. He had an open bottle of champagne in the vehicle’s cupholder, a bag containing more than a pound of marijuana, cocaine, pills and a Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun. On December 12, 2022, Fleming was sentenced to five years in prison with all but one year suspended, along with three years of supervised probation. In October 2023, at the time of his most recent arrest, Fleming was still on probation.

           This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer.

23cr0370

WASHINGTON – Montello Washington, 18, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to 144 months in prison for an August 2023 carjacking and an armed robbery in Northwest Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            On October 25, 2024, Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe sentenced Washington to the 12 year prison term and also ordered three years of supervised release.

            Washington, who was 17 years old at the time of the offenses and who had been charged as an adult under Title 16, pleaded guilty on August 16, 2024, to one count of carjacking, one count armed robbery, and two counts possession of a firearm during a crime of violence before Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz.

            According to the proffer of facts during the plea hearing, Washington admitted that, at around 1:00 a.m., on August 16, 2023, he and another unidentified male accomplice approached the victim, who was returning home from his work shift, at the 5400 block of 9th Street NW. Washington brandished a firearm with a laser sight and demanded the victim’s phone, wallet, and keys. The victim complied, and Washington and his accomplice returned to their vehicle and fled the location. Soon after, at approximately 2:00 a.m., on August 16, 2023, Washington and an accomplice carjacked another victim. The victim was exiting his vehicle at the 1300 block of Missouri Avenue NW, when Washington and his accomplice surrounded the victim’s vehicle. Washington held the victim at gunpoint and demanded the victim’s car keys and phone. Washington drove off in the victim’s vehicle while his accomplice drove off in the vehicle that he and Washington arrived in.

            Washington was ultimately apprehended in the afternoon of August 16, 2023, after MPD Falcon pursued him while he was fleeing from police officers in a stolen vehicle and after a subsequent foot pursuit. During that vehicle pursuit, a firearm with a laser sight was tossed from the fleeing vehicle and recovered by officers.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Sabena Auyeung and Stephanie Dinan, who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Robert Theodore Smith, 28, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm in March 2024, less than a month after he had completed a sentence for a voluntary manslaughter that was committed during the shooting of a rap video. 

           The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           On June 7, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates today ordered Smith to serve 3 years of supervised release. 

           According to court documents, on March 14, 2024, MPD officers were patrolling on the 5300 block of East Capitol Street, SE., when they approached Smith. One of the officers approached Smith and asked him about the noticeable bulge protruding from the cross-body bag Smith was wearing. Smith stated there was nothing in the bag. An officer stepped toward Smith,  who  broke into a run. The officer immediately apprehended Smith. Inside the bag, the officer discovered a polymer 80 pistol with a Glock 23 slide that was loaded with one round in the chamber and nine rounds in the magazine.

           In 2018, Smith had been making a rap music video when he accidentally fired the loaded gun he was using as a prop, killing his friend who was performing in the video with him. Smith was sentenced to 72 months and five years of supervised release. He was released on February 8, 2024. Soon after, he procured a handgun. 

           This case was investigated by the MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.

24cr168

WASHINGTON – William Barrett, 69, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, was sentenced in D.C. Superior Court, for the February 2024 murder of his girlfriend, 36-year-old, Romaine Maddox. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

          Barrett pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed on August 23, 2024, before the Honorable Robert Okun, who sentenced the defendant, on October 25, 2024, to 25 years’ incarceration followed by five years of supervised release. 

          According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 7:00 p.m., on February 22, 2024, Barrett and Ms. Maddox, checked into a hotel in the 1600 block of New York Avenue, N.E., to celebrate Ms. Maddox’s birthday. Hotel surveillance cameras captured the defendant and the victim, who was ecstatic to celebrate her birthday at the hotel, entering their room, where they spent the next several hours.  At around 2:00 a.m., hotel surveillance video captured Ms. Maddox screaming for help from their hotel room.  She was never seen alive again.  Barrett told detectives that he and Ms. Maddox got into an argument that turned physical.  Barrett became enraged grabbing a ceramic toilet tank cover from the bathroom and hitting Ms. Maddox over the head several times, causing the ceramic lid to break into three pieces. While she was lying face down on the floor, Barrett wrapped his belt around Ms. Maddox’s neck and pulled upward. Barrett then fell asleep while the victim’s bloodied body lay at the foot of the bed. Barrett got up in the morning and saw Ms. Maddox unconscious and unresponsive on the floor and he left her in the room. Hotel staff discovered her body a few hours later.

          In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

          They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

            WASHINGTON – Ehren Fluellyn, 36, of Temple Hills, Maryland, was arrested today on a one-count federal indictment charging him with violating the constitutional rights of a detained citizen on April 12, 2023, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. 

            According to the indictment, on April 12, 2023, while acting under color of law as a special police officer employed by Capital City Protection Solutions, Fluellyn willfully deprived a person of a right or privilege secured and protected by the Constitution and the laws of the United States; specifically, the right to be from the use of unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer. Fluellyn allegedly assaulted the victim by kicking, punching, and striking the victim, without legal justification, resulting in bodily injury.

            Deprivation of rights under color of law involving bodily injury carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott, of the Fraud, Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Cornellius Ruffin, 41, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of assault with significant bodily injury while armed and other charges in a mid-day shooting that took place in Northwest in April of 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Ruffin also was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of unregistered firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition. The verdict was returned on October 24, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judith Pipe scheduled sentencing for January 10, 2025. Ruffin faces a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence on the charge of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:30 p.m., on April 12, 2021, Ruffin was standing near the intersection of Q Street, NW, and Florida Avenue, NW, when he fired a handgun four times at the victim. One of the bullets fired by Ruffin struck the victim in the left leg. After the shooting, Ruffin handed the firearm to a nearby woman and then fled the area on a red Capital Bikeshare bicycle.

            Eyewitnesses to the shooting provided police with descriptions and photographs of the shooter and the woman he handed the gun to after the shooting. Minutes after the shooting, police located and stopped the woman and recovered a firearm from one of her bags. Ruffin was located and arrested by police the following day, on April 13, 2021.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Valerie Tsesarenko of the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Ifediora Oli, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison for conspiring with two local government officials to defraud the District of Columbia and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) of money, property, and their employees’ honest services. As a result of the conspiracy, a private company owned and operated by Oli improperly received over $1 million.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Inspector General Michelle A. Zamarin of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Inspector General, and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas of the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.

            Oli, 41 of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2024, to a criminal information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money, property, and honest services wire fraud, and one count of falsifying records.  In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Oli to serve three years of supervised release, to forfeit a Mercedes sedan he purchased with proceeds of the crime, and to pay restitution in the amount of $100,000 to the District of Columbia and $50,000 to WMATA.

            In a related case, co-defendant Bridgette Crowell, who had pleaded guilty to conspiring with Oli to defraud the District and WMATA, was sentenced October 21, 2024, to seven months in prison and two years of supervised release. Crowell was also ordered to forfeit a car she obtained with proceeds of the conspiracy and to pay $100,000 in restitution. Another co-defendant, Obinna Ogbu, will be sentenced on October 28.

            According to court documents, during the conspiracy—which was carried out between 2018 and 2023—Oli was employed at USDA while separately acting as the Principal of Highbury Global Group, Inc. (Highbury). Ogbu was employed at WMATA as an information technology (IT) customer support manager who sometimes also served as a WMATA contracting officer’s technical representative (COTR) on certain WMATA contracts. Crowell was a public employee who managed contracts at the District’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) and, before that, WMATA.

            Beginning in 2018, Oli and Ogbu agreed to use Ogbu’s official position and connection to Crowell to steer funds from WMATA IT-related contracts to Highbury. As part of the conspiracy, Oli and Ogbu agreed to commit bribery. Specifically, Oli and Ogbu agreed that Oli would give Ogbu things of value in exchange for Ogbu misusing his position at WMATA to benefit Oli. By 2023, Oli and Highbury had received nearly $500,000 through this corrupt scheme.

            Crowell also misused her official position at OCP and agreed with Oli to commit bribery as part of the conspiracy. In January 2021, OCP began the process of helping the District’s Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) hire a vendor to provide DFS with COVID-19 testing supplies. In her official capacity at OCP, Crowell managed the contract solicitation, offer, and award. Crowell alerted Oli and Ogbu to the contracting opportunity; provided them with non-public information about the solicitation, including information regarding contract pricing; and steered the contract to Highbury. The District ultimately paid Highbury over $630,000 under the contract. In return, Oli paid Ogbu over $100,000 and instructed Ogbu to give $15,000 of the money in cash to Crowell in exchange for her corrupt acts.

            Crowell and Ogbu further abused Crowell’s position at OCP to benefit a private company, the Nupath Company, that Ogbu operated with Crowell’s support. Between 2021 and 2023, Crowell misused her position at OCP to identify lucrative government contracts for Nupath. She then shared nonpublic pricing information with Ogbu and the two worked to finalize Nupath bids on the contracts. Through this corrupt arrangement, Crowell helped Nupath obtain a nearly $850,000 contract to provide the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with assistance carrying out pre-employment suitability background investigations for officer candidates. Crowell also misused her position to get Nupath a $27,000 contract to provide MPD with certain equipment. In exchange, Ogbu shared the Nupath profits with Crowell and gave her things of value, such as $10,000 in cash per month, a new car, luxury vacations, and assistance with closing costs for a new home.

            Oli also pleaded guilty to unlawfully falsifying an annual financial disclosure record related to his USDA employment. As a USDA employee, Oli was required to complete an annual “Confidential Financial Disclosure Report” on a U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) form referred to as the “OGE Form 450.” Oli admitted that he repeatedly falsified his annual OGE Form 450 filings to hinder the USDA’s ability to identify, investigate, and assess his activities with Highbury and any conflict of interests they may have caused.

            The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with the WMATA Office of the Inspector General, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Visser of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

24cr0275

WASHINGTON – Vincent Jones, 29, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today on charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for robbing the victim at gunpoint outside of a McDonald’s Restaurant, at 3901 Minnesota Ave. in Northeast D.C., in June of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           According to the government’s evidence, on June 16, 2023, the defendant and two accomplices approached the victim near the parking lot, pointed firearms at him, demanded that he “give it up,” and forcibly took his keys, bag, and cash.  The defendant and one accomplice then fled in the victim’s vehicle while the third accomplice fled in a separate car.

           This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Jacob Green of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

           An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Columbian Thomas, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 160 months in federal prison for participating in a massive fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District. Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda,” was one of more than two dozen co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.

            The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            Thomas pleaded guilty on May 30 to conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 160-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Thomas to serve five years of supervised release.

            The impetus for this investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death-resulting case [1] , law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.        

           According to court documents, Thomas entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Thomas would travel to Southern California to purchase the fake oxycodone from the L.A. supplier and return to the District with the drugs. 

           Thomas and his co-conspirators employed two primary methods to transport the pills to the District: they smuggled them in luggage or carry-on items on airline flights, or they shipped the pills using commercial mail carriers.

           Thomas often bragged on social media about the lucrative business of fentanyl trafficking and proudly showcased the spoils of his drug trafficking. The below-pictured social media post shows Thomas holding a large stack of U.S. currency, exclaiming “I [love] Cali!!!!”

           On June 2, 2023, the date of his arrest, law enforcement found Thomas in the bedroom of his home and recovered a baggie containing about 100 blue M-30 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills, along with a loaded Glock 21 Gen4 pistol that had been equipped with a “giggle switch,” which converted the firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.

           In addition to possessing a machine gun and conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, Thomas, whose rap stage name is “Cruddy Murda,” often boasted about firearms and acts of violence in his songs. Below is a chart outlining the status and charges of other defendants in the case:

DEFENDANT

AGE

LOCATION

CHARGES/SENTENCE  

Hector David Valdez,

aka “Curl”

26

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

Craig Eastman

20

Pleaded guilty July 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

Sentencing: January 7, 2025.

20

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

20

Bell Gardens,

California

28

Bell Gardens,

California

26

Bell Gardens,

California

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering

34

Marvin Anthony Bussie,

aka “Money Marr”

21

28

Columbian Thomas, aka

"Cruddy Murda”

26

29

Andre Malik Edmond,

aka “Draco”

23

Treyveon James Johnson,

aka “Treyski”

20

Karon Olufemi Blalock,

aka “Fat Bags”

30

Ronte Ricardo Greene,

aka “Cardiddy”

28

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

38

Darius Quincy Hodges,

aka “Brick”

34

Lamin Sesay,

aka “Rock Star”

27

25

Glendale,

California

Pleaded guilty July 1, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Sentencing: November 6, 2024

Omar Arana,

aka “Frogs”

27

Cudahy,

California

26

San Diego,

California

30

Long Beach,

California

Pleaded guilty July 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Sentencing: November 26, 2024.

30

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

26

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

           The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

           The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.

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[1] https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/brother-and-sister-sentenced-drug-conspiracy-involving-fentanyl-sales

WASHINGTON – Michael Humphrey, 43, a registered sex offender from Southeast Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to more than 27 years in federal prison for uploading graphic videos of himself to the internet depicting his sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

           Humphrey pleaded guilty January 8 to sexual exploitation of a child. Humphrey previously was convicted on a charge relating to the sexual abuse of another child. On March 10, 2020, he was convicted of third-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since May 2022, Humphrey has been registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia as required by law.

           In addition to the 327-month prison term rendered today, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Humphrey to serve 15 years of supervised release and pay restitution to the girl and several other victims.

           According to the government’s evidence, in July 2023, Google LLC reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that two Google accounts, later identified as belonging to Humphrey, had uploaded material depicting child sexual abuse to Google servers. NCMEC turned that information over to the investigators from the FBI Washington Field Office and the MPD. 

           Investigators obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Humphrey’s Google accounts and discovered three videos that documented Humphrey sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in Washington, D.C. during June 2023.

           Humphrey was arrested on August 11, 2023, and has been held since. After he was taken into custody, investigators obtained Humphrey’s electronic devices and discovered thousands of images and hundreds of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.

           This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

           The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Janani Iyengar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Angel Monge, 51, of El Salvador, was transported from El Salvador to the United States by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, on October 18, 2024, and placed under arrest for a September 2013 murder. Monge was presented in Superior Court in the District of Columbia the next day when the Honorable Leslie Meeke ordered him to be held without bond. The arrest and extradition were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

           According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 6:11 p.m. on September 2, 2013, the United States Park Police (USPP) received a call for an unconscious person located in Grove #6 of the park at Beach Road in Northwest D.C. Upon arrival, USPP officers found a deceased male lying on a creek bed. The Metropolitan Police Department and the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) were notified. The OCME conducted an autopsy on the decedent, who was later identified as Matias Molina, 49, of Washington, D.C. Autopsy results showed that the cause of death was multiple sharp force wounds and the manner of death was determined to be a homicide. The case was presented before a grand jury and, in 2015, Angel Dilmar Monge was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder while armed. A bench warrant was issued and Monge was eventually located in El Salvador.   

          This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Clark.

          The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to thank the members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of El Salvador to secure the arrest and extradition of Monge.

          An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            WASHINGTON –Nashawn Marshall, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison, for firearms offenses in an incident which took place on February 1, 2024, involving his stepfather, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Marshall was found guilty by a Superior Court jury, on July 18, 2024, of assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

            The Honorable Errol Arthur sentenced Marshall to 48 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon; 72 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; 20 months for threat to kidnap or injure a person; 14 months for unlawful possession of a firearm; 14 months for carrying a pistol without a license. Each sentence will run concurrent to each other. In addition, Judge Arthur imposed that Turner serve three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:00 a.m., on February 1, 2024, Marshall was at his parents’ apartment when he got into an argument with his mother and stepfather. During that argument, Marshall pointed a loaded handgun at his stepfather while threatening to kill him. His parents fled the apartment and his stepfather flagged down a police officer. Marshall was stopped and arrested in a nearby apartment building. A handgun matching the description given by his parents was recovered from a crawl space above where Marshall was stopped.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section including, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Hyde and Sarah Roessler, Paralegals Tiffany Jones and Garcia Clark, and Victim/Witness Advocate Shadonna Brooks.

WASHINGTON – Keanan Turner, 35, of Clinton, Maryland, was sentenced for the 2021 murders of Wanda Wright and Ebony Wright, the shooting of a third victim, the attempted murder of an infant, and setting fire to their apartment, announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           On July 26, 2024, a D.C. Superior Court jury found Turner guilty of two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, attempted first degree murder of a minor, second degree cruelty to children, arson, and destruction of property. In addition to these charges, Turner was found guilty of four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and carrying a pistol without a license. 

           At sentencing on October 18, 2024, the government argued that the defendant should be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release, as such a sentence was appropriate under the D.C. Code and D.C. Superior Court Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, given: (1) the defendant’s complete lack of remorse, (2) the substantial planning by the defendant leading up to the offense, (3) the fact that there were two murders committed at the same time, and (4) the heinous nature of the offense, namely the killing of two innocent women, the attempted murder of a third, and most horrific, leaving his own infant child to burn to death, solely to avoid paying child support. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Turner to sixty-eight years’ incarceration.

           According to the evidence presented at trial, Ebony Wright, who had been in a prior relationship with the defendant, became pregnant. When the defendant asked her to terminate the pregnancy, she declined and he stopped speaking to her. After giving birth, Ebony Wright filed a custody and child support lawsuit against the defendant. On April 12, 2021, Turner reached out to Ebony Wright to meet his child at her apartment. Several people were in the apartment including Ebony Wright, her mother Wanda Wright, a female relative, and the child. After meeting with the family, Turner excused himself, went to the bathroom, and returned with a gun. He shot Ebony Wright in the head while she held their son. He then shot her mother, Wanda Wright, in the back of the head, then went into a back bedroom and shot the relative once in the face. Before leaving the apartment, Turner lit the custody papers and set the apartment on fire, in an attempt to kill his own child. He then fled the scene. Ebony and Wanda Wright died from their injuries. The relative survived and managed to rescue the child from the apartment fire and call 911.           

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney, Mabry Johnson, and former Homicide Paralegal Stephanie Gilbert; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim Witness Services Coordinators Maenylie Watson and Shanika J. McCullough; Victim/Witness Program Specialist Latrice Washington-Williams and former Victim/Witness Program Specialist Marci Rinker; Supervisory Specialist Lesley Slade; Appellate Supervisor Nicholas Coleman; Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, IT Specialists Charlie Bruce, and Sigourney Jackson; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Korba who investigated and indicted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen and Emma McArthur who prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Dameshia Cooper, 35, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to one count of disclosing confidential information held by the D.C. Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), which is an independent federal entity within the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (CSOSA), announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

            According to court documents, Cooper was a Pretrial Services Officer employed at PSA within CSOSA. As a Pretrial Services Officer, Cooper had access to PSA’s Pretrial Real-Time Information System Manager database, and also to CSOSA’s offender case management system, both of which track and maintain sensitive identifiable data on individuals the agencies supervise. On several occasions in October and November 2022, Cooper looked up confidential information about an individual who was under pretrial supervision and shared the information, including the individual’s name, photograph, and home address, with a member of the individual’s rival gang with whom she was in a personal relationship.

            Cooper faces up to a year in prison. Her conviction today also requires mandatory removal from her employment with PSA. However, Cooper separated from employment with PSA in early February 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Public Corruption & Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Kelly is prosecuting the case. 

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WASHINGTON – Antone Watkins, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for armed robbery and other firearm-related offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

Watkins was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on July 3, 2024.

            Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Watkins to 120 months in prison for armed robbery, 120 months for each of the two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, 78 months for assault with a dangerous weapon, and 36 months for unauthorized use of a vehicle. Each sentence will run concurrent to each other. In addition, Judge Salerno imposed that Watkins serve five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at around 10:47 p.m., on June 17, 2022, the victim was led into an alley near Howison Place and N Street SW. In that alley, Watkins brandished a firearm and hit the victim across the face with it, chipping his tooth. Watkins and two others then robbed the victim of his cash, chains, watch, and car keys. Video footage showed Watkins running from the alley, getting into the victim’s truck, and driving off. Further video footage showed Watkins only a few minutes later rummaging through the victim’s belongings in the truck. Police arrested Watkins on September 15, 2022, and he has been detained since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Invaluable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Probation Office from early in the case and through the trial. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Gregory Evans, who prosecuted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Rubb, who investigated the case.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced the results of Operation Nazare Wave, which focused on violent crime in Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Region. This operation was spearheaded by the USMS’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) between April and September and resulted in the arrest of 826 fugitives (63 for homicide); recovery and seizure of 54 firearms; and seizure of 6.4 kg of narcotics and $1,115,365 in U.S. currency.

“This successful operation reflects the collaborative approach the Justice Department has taken to turn the tide against violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “From April to September, the U.S. Marshals Service brought together more than 30 law enforcement agencies spanning the Washington, D.C. area to arrest 826 fugitives and seize significant quantities of firearms and narcotics. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal and law enforcement partner who took part in this operation.”

“I wish to thank all of the Deputies, Task Force Officers, and participating agencies for their steadfast commitment and tremendous work,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis. “This operation coincided with Operation North Star FY2024 in 10 other metropolitan areas which demonstrates the commitment of the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice to work with local law-enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime.”

Operation Nazare Wave focused on reducing violent crime in the NCR but resulted in arrests crossing 19 different districts across the United States and internationally. While some fugitives wanted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) fled to other districts, in other instances fugitives wanted outside the DMV traveled into the DMV and were apprehended.

Significant arrests include:

• On July 31, based on information developed by CARFTF, the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and Prince Georges County police assisted a special branch of the Guyana police in locating Rakeem Gilgeours, who fled the country following a July 4 shooting that resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy and injuries to other community members who had gathered to celebrate the holiday at a Temple Hills, Maryland, park. CARFTF arrested Gilgeours in Miami after Guyana deported him.
• On June 1, Emmanuel Sewell was arrested in Putnam County, West Virginia, by the Southern District of West Virginia Violent Offender Task Force, in collaboration with CARFTF. Sewell, a registered sex offender, was wanted in Montgomery County, Maryland, in connection with the May 31 death of Maryland Parole and Probation Officer David Martinez in his Chevy Chase home. Martinez was Sewell’s probation officer.
• On April 29, CARFTF arrested a 16-year-old juvenile in Suitland, Maryland, for aggravated assault with a gun and attempted murder following an April 19 shooting at a Greenbelt park where a large group of youth had gathered for a senior skip day. A search warrant executed at the suspect’s mother’s house, where he’d been staying, yielded $246,780 in currency, 40.5 grams of crack cocaine, and two handguns.

Agencies participating in Operation Nazare Wave include: Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Metro Transit Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; Diplomatic Security Service; Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; D.C. Department of Corrections; Bowie Police Department; Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office; Bladensburg Police Department; Prince George’s County Police Department; Montgomery County Police Department; Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Maryland State Police; Charles County Sheriff’s Office; Hyattsville Police Department; Maryland Department of Public Safety; Howard County Police Department; Forest Heights Police Department; Fairfax County Police Department; City of Fairfax Police Department; Prince William County Police Department; Alexandria Police Department; Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff’s Office; Virginia State Police; and City of Dumfries Police Department.

WASHINGTON – United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Elizabeth Aloi will lead the efforts of the Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA Aloi has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Columbia, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

          United States Attorney Graves said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election.  Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence.  The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

          The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur.  The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

          Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

          United States Attorney Graves stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy.  We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.  In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Aloi will be on duty in this District while the polls are open.  She can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 202-252-7212.”

          In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (202) 278-2000.

           Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

           United States Attorney Graves said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate.  It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

           Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

WASHINGTON – Rashaud Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and other related firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced Williams on October 17, 2024, to 60 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, to run concurrently. Judge Arthur also sentenced him to 20 months in prison for threatening to injure or kidnap a person, to run consecutively.

            Williams was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on May 3, 2024.

            According to the government’s evidence, on August 1, 2023, Williams brought his car into a Petworth area auto shop for repairs. Later in the day, the shop owner called the defendant’s mother to tell her that the car would not be ready until the next day, after they obtained a needed part. Shortly after that call, Williams went to the auto shop and made threats to “shoot up” the entire establishment. The repairman’s girlfriend was there and tried to calm Williams down. Williams then turned the gun on her and threatened to shoot her, then pointed the gun at the owner before leaving.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton, Erica Rudolf, and Kathryn Bartz, who prosecuted the case.  

WASHINGTON – Eugene Tracey Hill , 31, of Washington D.C. and a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street crew, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison on four felony charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the District of Columbia.

            The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Hill, aka “Geno” and “Cheese,” pleaded guilty on July 17, 2024, to a four-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and a detectable amount of oxycodone, conspiracy to use a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and two counts of possessing a handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

            In his plea agreement, Hill admitted that he distributed both marijuana and oxycodone, and that he distributed both substances in bulk to other dealers and in smaller, street-level transactions. He also admitted to purchasing semi-automatic and fully automatic AR-Pistol ghost guns that he stored in “trap houses” maintained by PDS.

            In addition to the 180-month prison term, the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson ordered Hill to serve five years of supervised release.

            According to court documents, Hill held a leadership position in the Push Dat Shit (PDS) Street Crew which held territory in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. Hill conspired with other crew members to distribute both marijuana and oxycodone within their territory and further admitted that the co-conspirators distributed more than 100 kilograms of marijuana during the course of their conspiracy.

Eugene Tracy Hill

           The co-conspirators also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.” Hill admitted that, as part of the conspiracy one of his co-conspirators assembled fully automatic AR-Pistol machine guns which were then distributed within the crew for use in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy. Hill admitted that he purchased and possessed machine guns during his part in the conspiracy.

           Hill was arrested on September 15, 2022, shortly before the FBI executed a search warrant at a “trap house” he and his co-conspirators maintained on Fourth Street, Southeast. FBI agents recovered two Glock handguns, approximately 100 rounds of ammunition, 1.8 pounds of marijuana, two digital scales, a money counter, and approximately $15,000 from that residence.  Hill has been detained since his arrest.

            This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and ATF with assistance from both officers and detectives from the MPD a part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 22 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machineguns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song with valuable assistance from Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli and Melissa Macechko.

WASHINGTON – Matthew Walker, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 50 years in prison for shooting two men, killing one, at a temporary labor agency in Northeast Washington D.C. on February 14, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Walker was convicted at trial in January 2024 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

            In addition to the 50-year prison term, Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo also ordered Walker to serve five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:45 a.m. on February 14, 2019, Walker walked into Trojan Labor, a temporary labor agency in Northeast Washington D.C.  Once inside, Walker ran directly to the agency’s dispatch office, where he repeatedly shot David Remen, one of the agency’s workers and Michael Hardy, the manager of the agency. Walker then fled away from the scene and discarded his clothing, mask, and firearm nearby.  Mr. Remen died on scene.  Mr. Hardy died in 2022.  DNA evidence from the clothing, mask and firearm, as well as ballistic, video, and other evidence linked the defendant to the shooting.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Prava Palacharla who investigated and indicted the case, Deputy Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donavan for providing forensic DNA expertise, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez, Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, and IT Specialist Charlie Bruce.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Alec Levy, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

WASHINGTON – Eric Council Jr., 25, of Athens, Alabama, was arrested this morning, in Athens, in connection with a January 2024 unauthorized takeover of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) X account, formerly known as Twitter, in which hackers posted a fake message from the SEC Chair that caused the value of bitcoin (BTC) to spike by $1,000. Council is expected to make an initial appearance today in the Northern District of Alabama.

          Council is charged by indictment, unsealed today, with conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud. The arrest and the indictment were announced by United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and SEC Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey.

           According to the indictment, on January 9, 2024, Council conspired with others to take unauthorized control of the @SECGov X account (sometimes called the SEC’s Twitter account) and transmitted a fake post in the name of the SEC Chair, falsely announcing, in part, “Today the SEC grants approval for #Bitcoin ETFs for listing on all registered national securities exchanges.” Immediately after the tweet, the price of BTC increased by more than $1,000 per bitcoin.

          Shortly after the unauthorized post, the SEC regained control over their X account and confirmed that the announcement was unauthorized and the result of a security breach. Following this corrective disclosure, the value of BTC decreased by more than $2,000 per bitcoin. (At the time, the SEC had been deliberating whether to approve exchange traded funds (ETFs) that held bitcoin.) An unauthorized actor gained control of the SEC X account through a “SIM swap.”  

           "These SIM swapping schemes, where fraudsters trick service providers into giving them control of unsuspecting victims’ phones, can result in devastating financial losses to victims and leaks of sensitive personal and private information,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Here, the conspirators allegedly used their illegal access to a phone to manipulate financial markets. Through indictments like this, we will hold accountable those who commit these serious crimes."

          “The indictment alleges that Eric Council, Jr. unlawfully accessed the SEC’s account on X by using the stolen identity of a person who had access to the account to take over their cellphone number,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Argentieri. “Council, Jr.’s co-conspirators then allegedly used this unauthorized access to the X account to falsely announce that the SEC had approved listing Bitcoin ETFs, which caused the price of Bitcoin to rise by $1,000 and then fall by $2,000. Council’s indictment underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to countering cybercrime, especially when it threatens the integrity of financial markets.”

          “The FBI works to identify, disrupt, and investigate cyber-enabled frauds, including SIM swapping,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “SIM swapping is a method bad actors exploit to illicitly access sensitive information of an individual or company, with the intent of perpetrating a crime. In this case, the unauthorized actor allegedly utilized SIM swapping to manipulate the global financial market. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners around the country and globe to hold accountable those who break U.S. laws.”

         “Today’s arrest demonstrates our commitment to holding bad actors accountable for undermining the integrity of the financial markets,” said SEC Inspector General Jeffrey.

           A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is a chip that stores information identifying and authenticating a cell phone subscriber. When a cell phone carrier reassigns a phone number from one physical phone to another — such as when a customer purchases a new phone but wants to retain the same number — the carrier switches the assignment of the cell phone number from the SIM card in the old phone to the SIM card in the new phone, a process sometimes referred to as “porting” a number.

           A SIM swap attack refers to the process of fraudulently inducing a carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber or user’s SIM card to a SIM card, and telephone, controlled by a criminal actor. A SIM swap attack allows a criminal actor to defeat multifactor authentication (MFA) and/or two-step verification process to access a victim’s account so that the criminal actor may steal money and/or data from the victim or access the victim’s online accounts. 

          As described in the indictment, Council, who used online monikers including “Ronin,” “Easymunny,” and “AGiantSchnauzer,” received personal identifying information (PII) and an identification card template containing a victim’s name and photo from co-conspirators. Council then used his identification card printer to create a fake ID with the information.  Council proceeded to obtain a SIM card linked to the victim’s phone line by presenting the fake ID at a cell phone provider store in Huntsville, Alabama.  He then purchased a new iPhone in cash and used the two items to obtained access codes to the @SECGov X account. Council shared those codes with members of the conspiracy, who then accessed the account – and issued the fraudulent tweet on the @SECGov X account in the name of the SEC Chairman, falsely announcing the SEC’s approval of BTC ETFs. Council received BTC payment for performing the successful SIM swap. Shortly after, Council drove to Birmingham, Alabama to return the iPhone used in the SIM swap for cash. 

           He later conducted internet searches for “SECGOV hack,” “telegram sim swap,” “how can I know for sure if I am being investigated by the FBI,” and “What are the signs that you are under investigation by law enforcement or the FBI even if you have not been contacted by them.”

           This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, the SEC-Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Department of Justice’s Market Integrity and Major Frauds Unit (MIMF) and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office.

           The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, and DOJ Trial Attorneys Ashley Pungello and Paul Zebb from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Lauren Archer from the Fraud Section. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant United States Attorney John Hundscheid from the Northern District of Alabama.

          For more information on SIM Swapping, go to: https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WASHINGTON – Gary Bellinger, 61, of Maryland, was sentenced today for child sexual abuse for the sexual abuse of a then-15-year-old female relative in 2015. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Bellinger to 10 1/2 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Upon release, Bellinger will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

             Bellinger was found guilty of one count of first-degree child sexual abuse and one count of second-degree child sexual abuse on May 28, 2024, following a four-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. 

             According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, in 2015, Bellinger sexually abused a female relative who was 15 years old at the time. The victim first disclosed to family members in 2020. 

             In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck, Victim Advocate Maria Sanchez-Garcia, Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section Paralegals Tiffany Jones and Tiffany Fogle.

An Alabama man was arrested by the FBI this morning in Athens, Alabama, on charges related to the January hack of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

According to court documents, on or about Jan. 9, Eric Council Jr., 25, of Athens, allegedly conspired with others to take unauthorized control of the SEC’s X account and, in the name of SEC Chair Gary Gensler, prematurely announced the approval of bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds. Immediately following the false announcement, the price of bitcoin increased by more than $1,000 per bitcoin. Shortly after this unauthorized post, the SEC regained control over its X account and confirmed that the announcement was unauthorized and the result of a security breach. Following this corrective disclosure, the value of BTC decreased by more than $2,000 per bitcoin.

The conspirators gained control of the SEC’s X account through an unauthorized Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap, allegedly carried out by Council. A SIM swap refers to the process of fraudulently inducing a cell phone carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber or user’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by a criminal actor. As part of the scheme, Council and the co-conspirators allegedly created a fraudulent identification document in the victim’s name, which Council used to impersonate the victim; took over the victim’s cellular telephone account; and accessed the online social media account linked to the victim’s cellular phone number for the purpose of accessing the SEC’s X account and generating the fraudulent post in the name of SEC Chairman Gensler.

“The indictment alleges that Eric Council Jr. unlawfully accessed the SEC’s account on X by using the stolen identity of a person who had access to the account to take over their cellphone number,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Council’s co-conspirators then allegedly used this unauthorized access to the X account to falsely announce that the SEC had approved listing bitcoin ETFs, which caused the price of bitcoin to rise by $1,000 and then fall by $2,000. Council’s indictment underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to countering cybercrime, especially when it threatens the integrity of financial markets.”

“These SIM swapping schemes, where fraudsters trick service providers into giving them control of unsuspecting victims’ phones, can result in devastating financial losses to victims and leaks of sensitive personal and private information,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Here, the conspirators allegedly used their illegal access to a phone to manipulate financial markets. Through indictments like this, we will hold accountable those who commit these serious crimes.”

“The defendant allegedly deceived the public by impersonating the victim and making fraudulent statements on behalf of the SEC,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who attempt to manipulate financial markets for their own gain.”

“The FBI works to identify, disrupt, and investigate cyber-enabled frauds, including SIM swapping,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David E. Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “SIM swapping is a method bad actors exploit to illicitly access sensitive information of an individual or company, with the intent of perpetrating a crime. In this case, the unauthorized actor allegedly utilized SIM swapping to manipulate the global financial market. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners around the country and globe to hold accountable those who break U.S. laws.”

“This criminal indictment demonstrates our commitment to holding bad actors accountable for undermining the integrity of the financial markets,” said Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey of the SEC.

A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment on Oct. 10 charging Council with one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office and SEC Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

For more information on SIM swapping, go to www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.