District of Columbia

WASHINGTON — Tisha Lee, 38, a former contract employee for the U.S. Government Publishing Office, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme in which she used her position at the federal agency to create fake employment offer letters that individuals used to fraudulently rent District apartments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Tisha Lee turned a federal government email address into a forgery shop, selling phony job offers so people could secure D.C. apartments they couldn't legitimately afford,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “That's not a victimless con. It's a fraud on every landlord and every honest renter playing by the rules.”  

Lee, who resided Maryland, pleaded guilty June 16 before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of fraud in the second degree, in violation of D.C. Code section 3221(b). The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment, a $12,500 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for October 19. 

According to court documents, Lee was a contract employee in the Human Capital section of the U.S. Government Publishing Office from March 2025 to March 2026, where she had no authority to issue or verify employment offers.  

On at least 10 occasions, Lee used her government email account to send false offer letters on GPO letterhead to individuals seeking to rent apartments in the District, falsely representing that the recipients had been offered GPO positions with salaries ranging from about $85,500 to $207,500 a year.  

When apartment management companies contacted Lee directly to verify the false employment claims, she confirmed them. At least one recipient used Lee's fraudulent letter to secure a lease at an apartment building in Southwest. Lee was paid by the scheme's beneficiaries. 

The investigation was conducted by the D.C. Fraud Cell, Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations, Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Government Publishing Office, Office of Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Deitch and Kevin Reddington. 

26cr119 

WASHINGTON – A 21‑count federal Indictment was unsealed in U.S. District Court this morning charging 14 defendants in connection with a conspiracy that allegedly distributed crack and powder cocaine near Hendley Elementary School in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Law enforcement officers from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Metropolitan Police Department executed residential search warrants this morning at 15 locations across the District and Maryland. Authorities arrested all of the 14 indicted defendants. 

“Today my office took over a dozen drug traffickers off residential streets. These traffickers showed zero regard for the wellbeing of our community, even selling crack cocaine about 300 feet from an elementary school,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This office will continue to pursue serious sentences for defendants who treat their neighbors as exploitable prey, and dismantle any group putting the lives in our community at risk.”   

The Indictment charges each of the 14 defendants with conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of cocaine within 1,000 feet of the elementary school. Named as defendants are Tevin Moody, Geraldo Landy, Norman Moore, Lenon Wright, Ali McShay, Lonnell Thomas, Marquette Paris, Jeremiah Prince, Joseph Moore, Raekwon Womak, Kivarrie Greene, De’Lonte Jackson, Derrick Manuel and Malik Heard. 

“This operation shows the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we dismantled a violent crew responsible for guns, drugs, and fear in neighborhoods across Southeast D.C. and Prince George’s County. This takedown reflects focused investigative work through our Safe Streets and Homeland Security task forces, and we’ll continue to use every tool we have to hold violent offenders accountable and keep D.C. safe and beautiful.” 

“Today’s federal indictments underscore the Metropolitan Police Department’s commitment to protecting our communities and dismantling violent criminal networks,” said Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. “Through our strong collaboration with the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and other law enforcement partners, we are ensuring that those who endanger our neighborhoods are held accountable.”  

“Today’s arrests are a significant victory for law enforcement and our communities. The majority of those apprehended are known for their involvement with illegal drugs, firearms, and violent activities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division. “Our dedicated efforts have undoubtedly saved countless lives. This successful operation is the direct outcome of strategic partnerships formed through executive initiatives like the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force and the Homeland Security Task Force. Together, we will relentlessly pursue and hunt down dangerous drug traffickers, no matter where they try to hide.” 

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants at locations associated with the defendants and their associates and recovered 28 firearms. Agents also recovered 2.4 kilos of crack cocaine, one kilo of powder cocaine, 29 grams of fentanyl, and 12 pounds of marijuana.  

The Indictment alleges that the defendants routinely sold crack cocaine in the presence of school‑aged children walking to and from Hendley Elementary, in and around the 4th Street SE and Chesapeake Street SE corridor. The government’s evidence further alleges that the crew’s open‑air drug trafficking exposed children to persistent illegal activity in broad daylight and risked normalizing dangerous conduct.  

Defendant Kivarrie Greene also is charged with unlawful possession of firearms. 

This matter is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, with support from the Montgomery County, Maryland, and the Fairfax County, Virginia, police departments. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section. 

This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities. 

NAME 

 NICKNAME

AGE 

LOCATION 

Tevin Moody 

“Fats” 

32 

Suitland, Md. 

Geraldo Landy 

“Nardo” 

38 

Washington, DC 

Norman Moore 

“Lee” 

36 

Washington, DC 

Lenon Wright  

“Penny” 

34 

Washington, DC 

Ali McShay  

“Che” 

31 

Suitland, Md. 

Lonnell Thomas  

“Syc” 

27 

Washington, DC 

Marquette Paris  

“Q” 

34 

Temple Hills, Md. 

Jeremiah Prince  

“My My” 

21 

Washington, DC 

Joseph Moore 

“Joe” 

43 

Annapolis, Md. 

Kivarrie Greene  

“Varrie” 

22 

Washington, DC 

De’lonte Jackson 

“Tay” 

32 

Washington, DC 

Derrick Manuel  

“D” 

34 

District Heights, Md. 

Malik Heard  

“Leek” 

25 

Washington, DC 

Raeqwon Womack 

“Ray Ray” 

21 

Washington, DC 

Surveillance photo of one of the alleged drug sales.  

School children walk through a group of men alleged to be members of the drug trafficking operation.  

The drug trafficking operation allegedly operated near the intersection of Chesapeake Street SE and 4th Street SE.  

Some of the firearms recovered during the investigation that were displayed during the news conference. 

The charges in an Indictment are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

WASHINGTON – Avery Ricardo Robinson III, 26, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in connection with an armed carjacking last year in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Robinson carjacked his victim for sport. He terrorized his victim at gunpoint, left his victim with a death threat ringing in his ears, and then abandoned his victim’s stolen vehicle only a mile away,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This office will continue to pursue serious sentences for defendants who treat their neighbors as prey.” 

Robinson pleaded guilty March 10, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan to one count of carjacking. In addition to the five-year prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Robinson to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 72-month prison term. 

According to court documents, on Sept. 20, 2025, in the early morning hours, the victim parked a 2017 Nissan Altima near the 1400 block of Park Road NW. Robinson rode up on a bicycle, pulled a firearm from his waistband, and demanded the victim's possessions. 

Robinson forced the victim at gunpoint to throw his cellphone to the ground, hand over the car keys, and remove a necklace from his own neck. Robinson then warned the victim he would shoot him if he saw him again. Left with no phone and no transportation, the victim walked away. 

Robinson used the keys he had taken from the victim to get into the Nissan Altima and drive off. Police recovered the vehicle about a mile from the scene. Two days later, when Robinson was arrested, he was found in possession of a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber. 

At the time of the carjacking, Robinson was on bench warrant status in connection with two separate cases involving stolen vehicles. He previously was convicted in 2025 of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle in Maryland.  

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney. 

Surveillance cameras captured the carjacking on video. In this picture, Robinson holds a firearm in his right hand as he reaches towards his victim.  

25cr327 

WASHINGTON – Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 30, an Afghan national accused in the November ambush shooting of National Guardsmen near the White House, was charged today in a 17-count Superseding Indictment filed in U.S. District Court, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was killed in the shooting. Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was seriously injured. Two additional Guardsmen were wounded in the attack.         

“Sarah Beckstrom was 20 years old, serving her country in the nation's capital, when Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly drove across the country and executed her in cold blood steps from the White House,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “That is not just a crime, it is a major offense against the United States. We will pursue every penalty the law permits as we seek justice for Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe.” 

The new charges involving the murder of Beckstrom are eligible for the imposition of the death penalty. The grand jury also returned several special findings that will trigger review by the Department of Justice’s Capital Case Committee to determine whether the Department will seek the death penalty. 

Lakanwal was arraigned on the Superseding Indictment today before U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta.   

Lakanwal remains charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of the D.C. Code. 

According to court documents, Lakanwal allegedly drove his Toyota Prius from his home in Bellingham, Washington, to the District of Columbia, while in possession of a stolen firearm.  

On November 26, at about 2:13 p.m., Lakanwal opened fire without provocation at 17th and I Streets, NW, near the Farragut West Metro Station, shooting Beckstrom and Wolfe in their heads. Two officers in the National Guard who were nearby subdued the suspect. 

At the scene, investigators recovered a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver that had been reported stolen in Seattle in 2023.  

Beckstrom, who was serving in the West Virginia National Guard, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving, November 27. Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 25, of Martinsburg, W. Va., continues to recover from his injuries. 

Joining the U.S. Attorney in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox and Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

 This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

The charges in an Indictment are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

26cr4 

WASHINGTON – Victor Renato Blythe, 61, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with his possession of 300 videos and 23,000 still images of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

            Blythe was formerly employed as a psychotherapist and specialized in working with children and adolescents. Blythe previously was employed in the Psychiatry Department at Children’s National Medical Center. 

            “Victor Blythe spent years hiding behind his credentials as a psychotherapist to gain the trust of vulnerable children, all while secretly collecting and trading the most exploitative images imaginable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He didn't just collect thousands of images of children being sexually abused; he encouraged others to exploit children. No sentence can undo the harm he caused, but this one ensures he is held accountable. We will continue to pursue anyone who preys on children with every tool we have.” 

            Blythe was found guilty on May 22, 2026, before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich during a stipulated trial to distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, Judge Friedrich ordered Blythe to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to pay $71,000 in restitution. Federal prosecutors had requested a 188-month prison sentence. 

            According to court documents, Blythe began to collect child sexual abuse material in 2000 and attempted to sexually exploit children. For approximately six years, Blythe traded child sexual abuse material with multiple people, including a person who was later arrested for child sexual abuse.  

            In Blythe’s communications with that other person, Blythe detailed his sexual interest in children and advised the other individual on how to groom children for sexual abuse. For example, the other individual told Blythe that he was videochatting with a 14-year-old child for the purpose of sexual abuse and was afraid he made the child uneasy. Blythe responded, “Keep chatting with him. He will get comfortable with you video chatting once again.”  

            Blythe also communicated with a minor child via Skype and told him to engage in sexual acts. During the conversation, the child stated that he was 15 years old, and Blythe responded, “So?? That’s HOT!!” When the child stated “its illegal,” Blythe replied, “[n]ot for me…” Blythe then sent the child a picture of his penis.  

            Blythe repeatedly discussed interactions he had with children in the D.C. area and his efforts to groom them for sexual abuse. On at least one occasion in 2023, Blythe met in person with a minor child and offered to conduct therapy sessions with him. During one therapy session, Blythe asked the child about his sexuality and discussed his own sexuality with the child.  

            Law enforcement reviewed Blythe’s digital devices and found over 300 videos and 23,000 still images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers.  

            This case was investigated by FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Fairfax County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen. 

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

25cr253

WASHINGTON — Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, the former ship master of a shadow fleet tanker that historically transported Iran- and Venezuela-origin oil for the ultimate benefit of U.S. adversaries, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for refusing to obey orders from the U.S. Coast Guard during a multi-week pursuit from the Caribbean Sea through to the North Atlantic Ocean, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

 “This defendant put American sailors’ and Coast Guardsmen’s lives at risk while attempting to evade U.S. sanctions and move illicit oil,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By refusing lawful orders from the U.S. Coast Guard and leading them on a chase across the Atlantic Ocean, he not only obstructed federal law enforcement, but forced our service members to carry out a dangerous boarding operation in heavy seas. Today’s guilty plea makes clear that those who endanger American service members and attempt to undermine our sanctions laws will be held fully accountable.” 

Kalandadze, of the Republic of Georgia, pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to failing to heave to a Coast Guard cutter. Sentencing is set for August 7. Failing to obey an order to heave to carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, absent aggravating circumstances. Kalandadze will be deported at the completion of his prison term. 

“Kalandadze’s guilty plea today should serve as a warning to ghost fleet owners and operators and all those who man or otherwise support these dangerous, decrepit vessels,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.  “The Department of Justice and our interagency partners will pursue the ghost fleet and its facilitators from the Caribbean Sea to the North Atlantic, to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Persian Gulf, and anywhere in between.  You will not escape.” 

“Kalandadze led the U.S. Coast Guard on a reckless weeks-long chase across the Atlantic, endangering servicemembers’ lives all to turn a profit on sanctioned oil for the benefit of U.S. adversaries,” said Acting Deputy Executive Associate Director John Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Despite early attempts to evade detection, Homeland Security Investigations and our task force partners used our expertise in countering illicit finance and dark fleet movements to identify, locate, and seize these sanctioned tankers. HSI’s success in this space comes from our unique transnational criminal investigative authorities, using every tool available to protect the homeland from bad actors working to literally fuel America’s enemies.” 

“Kalandadze used a range of deceptive maritime tactics in an attempt to evade the U.S. Coast Guard and move millions of barrels of illicit oil tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and other sanctioned actors engaged in terrorism,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those who attempt to evade U.S. sanctions by ignoring U.S. Coast Guard orders will be investigated thoroughly. The FBI and our partners will continue to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable anyone who uses the global maritime system to finance terrorism.” 

According to the plea agreement, from September 2025 until late-December 2025, Kalandadze was the Master of the Motor Tanker Bella 1. During his time as Master, the Bella 1 transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iran-origin oil to Asia. During this time, Kalandadze employed common obfuscation techniques to hide the activities of the Bella 1, including sailing with an inactivated Automatic Identification System (AIS) and concealing the name of the Bella 1 while engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer of the Iran-origin oil to another vessel.  

In December 2025, while under his charge, the Bella 1 was enroute to Venezuela when it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro. The Bella 1 failed to comply with the Coast Guard’s order to heave to and fled across the Atlantic Ocean. The Munro pursued the Bella 1 throughout its flight and, on January 7 aided in the execution of a lawful seizure of the vessel.   

During the flight and at the direction of a corporate representative of the Operator, Kalandadze took multiple steps to avoid the Coast Guard interdiction, including disobeying multiple orders by authorized federal law enforcement officers to heave to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Munro and destroying records and information onboard the Bella 1. 

This case is being investigated by HSI and the FBI. Significant assistance on this matter was provided by the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the Office of International Affairs. The Department extends its gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of War for their bravery, dedication, and assistance on this matter. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher T. Tortorice and Jonathan Hornok for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.  

26cr24 

Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, the former ship master of a ghost fleet tanker that historically transported Iran- and Venezuela-origin oil for the ultimate benefit of U.S. adversaries, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for refusing to obey orders from the U.S. Coast Guard during a multi-week pursuit from the Caribbean Sea through to the North Atlantic Ocean.  

“Kalandadze’s guilty plea today should serve as a warning to ghost fleet owners and operators and all those who man or otherwise support these dangerous, decrepit vessels,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The Department of Justice and our interagency partners will pursue the ghost fleet and its facilitators from the Caribbean Sea to the North Atlantic, to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Persian Gulf, and anywhere in between. You will not escape.” 

“This defendant put American sailors’ and Coast Guardsmen’s lives at risk while attempting to evade U.S. sanctions and move illicit oil,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By refusing lawful orders from the U.S. Coast Guard and leading them on a chase across the Atlantic Ocean, he not only obstructed federal law enforcement, but forced our service members to carry out a dangerous boarding operation in heavy seas. Today’s guilty plea makes clear that those who endanger American service members and attempt to undermine our sanctions laws will be held fully accountable.” 

“Kalandadze led the U.S. Coast Guard on a reckless weeks-long chase across the Atlantic, endangering servicemembers’ lives all to turn a profit on sanctioned oil for the benefit of U.S. adversaries,” said Acting Deputy Executive Associate Director John Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Despite early attempts to evade detection, Homeland Security Investigations and our task force partners used our expertise in countering illicit finance and dark fleet movements to identify, locate, and seize these sanctioned tankers. HSI’s success in this space comes from our unique transnational criminal investigative authorities, using every tool available to protect the homeland from bad actors working to literally fuel America’s enemies.”

“Kalandadze used a range of deceptive maritime tactics in an attempt to evade the U.S. Coast Guard and move millions of barrels of illicit oil tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and other sanctioned actors engaged in terrorism,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Those who attempt to evade U.S. sanctions by ignoring U.S. Coast Guard orders will be investigated thoroughly. The FBI and our partners will continue to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable anyone who uses the global maritime system to finance terrorism.”

Kalandadze, of the Republic of Georgia, pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to failing to heave to a Coast Guard cutter. Sentencing is set for Aug. 7. Failing to obey an order to heave to carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, absent aggravating circumstances. Kalandadze will be deported at the completion of his prison term. 

According to the plea agreement, from September 2025 until late-December 2025, Kalandadze was the Master of the Motor Tanker Bella 1. During his time as Master, the Bella 1 transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iran-origin oil to Asia. During this time, Kalandadze employed common obfuscation techniques to hide the activities of the Bella 1, including sailing with an inactivated Automatic Identification System (AIS) and concealing the name of the Bella 1 while engaging in a ship-to-ship transfer of the Iran-origin oil to another vessel.

In December 2025, while under his charge, the Bella 1 was enroute to Venezuela when it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro. The Bella 1 failed to comply with the Coast Guard’s order to heave to and fled across the Atlantic Ocean.  The Munro pursued the Bella 1 throughout its flight and, on Jan. 7 aided in the execution of a lawful seizure of the vessel.  

During the flight and at the direction of a corporate representative of the Operator, Kalandadze took multiple steps to avoid the Coast Guard interdiction, including disobeying multiple orders by authorized federal law enforcement officers to heave to the U.S. Coast Guard Munro and destroying records and information onboard the Bella 1.

This case is being investigated by HSI and the FBI. Significant assistance on this matter was provided by the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the Office of International Affairs. The Department extends its gratitude to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of War for their bravery, dedication, and assistance on this matter.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher T. Tortorice and Jonathan Hornok for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.  

WASHINGTON – Daijon West, 29, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 42 months in connection with a years-long conspiracy to distribute fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills in the Washington, D.C., area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

West pleaded guilty on Feb. 5, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered West to serve 4 years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 68-month prison sentence. 

According to court papers, West distributed fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills in the Washington region during a period of several years. He obtained bulk quantities of the pills from a supplier in California, either by traveling to the West Coast himself or by arranging for the pills to be mailed to him. In one instance, in May 2022, law enforcement seized a package containing about 5,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills sent from California to West’s home in Maryland. 

Between September 2022 and April 2025, West sold fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills to a law enforcement source on nine occasions. The quantities ranged from 100 to more than 1,000 pills per transaction. Testing confirmed the pills contained fentanyl, and in some transactions, they also detected fentanyl analogues, methamphetamine, xylazine, or other substances. 

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel. 

25cr148 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Tyzell Myrick, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in connection with his possession of a firearm when he was stopped by police at a Northwest D.C. gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Myrick pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Contreras scheduled sentencing for September 30.  

According to court papers, in the early morning hours of Aug. 17, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol near the 900 block of Florida Avenue NW observed Myrick exit a gas station with a large rectangular bulge in his front waistband inconsistent with human anatomy.  

As officers approached, Myrick turned away and moved toward the wall of the gas station. Officers stopped Myrick and conducted a pat-down, during which they recovered a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol loaded with a round in the chamber and 20 additional rounds in the magazine. 

At the time of his arrest, Myrick had a prior federal conviction in the District of Maryland for interference with interstate commerce by robbery and for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, for which he received a seven-year federal prison sentence. 

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.     Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office.   

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss is prosecuting the case. 

25cr267 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – James Callen, 42, of Washington D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury today for charges stemming from an incident on July 13, 2024, where he stabbed his then-romantic partner multiple times, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Callen was found guilty of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed. In addition, the jury also found Callen guilty of one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and three counts of contempt. Sentencing will be scheduled before Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt.  

            “James Callen stabbed his girlfriend multiple times, following his previous history of physical abuse, and then from his jail cell, tried to convince his victim to take the blame for ‘accidentally’ injuring herself,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Let this verdict be a warning: if you commit violence against your partner, you will face serious consequences. If you contact that partner in violation of court orders, you will face the full wrath of this office.” 

            According to the government’s evidence, on July 12, 2024, Callen and the victim met at Callen’s brother’s apartment in southeast Washington, D.C., to hang out. Callen asked the victim to move in with him and became enraged when she said she didn’t want to live with him. In the early morning hours of July 13, 2024, Callen walked from the living room to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and returned to the victim. He proceeded to stab her multiple times, including slicing her neck, which lacerated her jugular vein. As the victim started to bleed out on the floor of the apartment, Callen panicked and called 911. When EMTs arrived, they immediately rushed the victim to the hospital before law enforcement arrived. When police officers arrived, Callen told them that the victim had arrived at the apartment already bleeding and injured. From September 2024 to February 2025, Callen called the victim numerous times from the D.C. Jail in violation of a court order to stay away from and have no contact with the victim. In those calls, Callen changed his story and attempted to convince the victim that she had accidentally injured herself.   

            During trial, the jury learned that this was not the first time Callen had assaulted the victim but instead was part of a pattern of abuse.  Callen broke her leg in August 2023 and gave her two black eyes in January 2024. 

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Olivia Hinerfeld and Anne Cotter.  

2024 FD3 006890 

Thirteen internet domains used to target U.S. persons, including current and former security clearance holders with access to classified and sensitive U.S. government information, were seized today by federal authorities.

“These domain seizures offer a glimpse at how foreign actors can use promises of easy money to lure Americans into revealing sensitive or classified information that they are duty‑bound to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Anyone approached online with offers of easy income for vague ‘consulting’ work should treat those overtures with extreme caution and remain vigilant for warning signs of malicious targeting.” 

“Today’s seizures send a clear message that any attempts to exploit Americans trusted with access to our nation’s most sensitive information will be exposed and dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “These sham consulting sites were crafted to deceive, but thanks to the persistent work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, this scheme, like so many others, has been stopped in its tracks. We will always protect the integrity of our workforce and safeguard the trusted information that underpins our national security.” 

“The fake consulting company domains seized by the FBI illustrate the lengths the Chinese government’s intelligence services will go to as they try to use AI-generated content to trick, recruit, or coerce current and former U.S. security clearance holders into sharing sensitive information,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and our partners have observed China’s intelligence services resort to using AI, professional networking sites, and online payment platforms to target Americans, and we have taken actions to defend the homeland and our national security. The FBI is grateful for all of the assistance provided by our private sector and domestic and international partners.”

“For too long, the Chinese government has tried to exploit U.S. government employees behind the cover of fake companies and phony job postings,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Today, we shut them down. These seizures will prevent these fraudulent sites from being used to target Americans with access to sensitive information. The FBI will continue to use every tool available to protect Americans and our national security from this threat.” 

“The Chinese government continues to pursue U.S. innovation, research, and sensitive information through a variety of deceptive techniques, including fraudulent job postings and online recruitment efforts,” said Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “By seizing these domains and exposing these tactics, we are working to protect national security, safeguard American ingenuity, and help the public recognize and defend against these threats. We urge anyone approached with suspicious job opportunities or recruitment efforts to remain vigilant, recognize the warning signs, and report suspicious activity to the FBI.” 

According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure warrants, beginning in November 2023, the conspirators created at least 13 fake consulting company websites. The websites and their associated job postings advertised generic “consulting” jobs and included statements indicating their purpose was to recruit current or former U.S. government and U.S. military employees to provide expertise to unspecified clients.  

The websites were typically linked or referenced within the entities’ job postings on hiring platforms. The methods and means used by the conspirators include (1) the use of aliases, fictitious personas, and the stolen identities of actual persons; (2) the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photographs; (3) relatively large payments for research reports; (4) the use of Telegram and other encrypted applications; (5) pressure to provide “exclusive” or “insider” information; and (6) the transfer of money from places and accounts located overseas to places and accounts located in the United States. 

According to court documents, the conspirators recruited applicants through job postings, on social media and other platforms including Upwork, Expertia AI, Hubstaff Talent, Wellfound, and Post Job Free. The postings related to topics of interest to the government of the People’s Republic of China.  

The conspirators targeted current and former security clearance holders and other Americans who have access to classified and sensitive U.S. government information. The fake positions included “Senior Analyst” and “International Affairs Consultant” jobs. The recruiters pressured candidates to share confidential information and reports from “insider” sources in violation of their official duties. The scheme used contracts and confidentiality agreements to give their bogus consulting companies an air of legitimacy. 

The conspirators have denied any involvement by any foreign government. 

The affidavit alleges that the conspirators offered money to applicants and recruits in exchange for sensitive information, paid for reports using online payment accounts in the names of fictitious individuals, and used cryptocurrency to conceal the conspirators’ identities and the true source of the payments. These payments allowed for the flow of money from places outside the United States to places inside the United States in furtherance of the conspiracy. 

According to the affidavit, the conspirators used the following domains in their conspiracy to commit bribery of current and former public officials, identity theft, and international money laundering: Centrik Global Consulting, centrikglobalconsulting.com (CENTRIK); Rightinfo Consulting, rightinfoconsult.com (RIGHTINFO); Finnacle-Vesper Consulting (FV), finnaclevesperconsulting.com; CYDF Consulting, cydfconsulting.com (CYDF); Pulse Wave Global, pulsewaveglobal.com (PWG); Catalyst Global Solutions, catalystglobalsolutions.com (CGS); Horizzen, thehorizzen.com (HORIZZEN); GeoIndopacific, geoindopacific.com (GEOINDOPACIFIC); Global Peace Foundation – Indonesia, gpf-ina.org (GPFI); SafeSec Group, safesec-group.com (SAFESEC); The TruthInfo, thetruthinfo.com (TRUTHINFO); Vandercons.com; and Gulf Peace Foundation, gulfpeace.org (GULF PEACE).  

The domains seized today include centrikglobalconsulting.com; rightinfoconsult.com; finnaclevesperconsulting.com; cydfconsulting.com; pulsewaveglobal.com; catalystglobalsolutions.com; thehorizzen.com; geoindopacific.com; gpf-ina.org; safesec-group.com; thetruthinfo.com; Vandercons.com; and gulfpeace.org.  

Following the seizures, the FBI placed takeover pages on the seized websites to warn site visitors that the sites were rendered inoperable in order to disrupt the intended illegal activity and money laundering tied to the domains.  

Today’s seizure was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman for the District of Columbia, along with the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Norfolk Field Office, with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the Department of Justice’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division and Paralegal Kate Abrey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

If you have information concerning the websites, please contact the FBI at 1-800-Call-FBI (225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.

WASHINGTON – Thirteen internet domains used to target U.S. persons, including current and former security clearance holders with access to classified and sensitive U.S. government information, were seized today by federal authorities, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

“Today’s seizures send a clear message that any attempts to exploit Americans trusted with access to our nation’s most sensitive information will be exposed and dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These sham consulting sites were crafted to deceive, but thanks to the persistent work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, this scheme, like so many others, has been stopped in its tracks. We will always protect the integrity of our workforce and safeguard the trusted information that underpins our national security.” 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Department of Justice, FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division and Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. 

“These domain seizures offer a glimpse at how foreign actors can use promises of easy money to lure Americans into revealing sensitive or classified information that they are duty‑bound to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Anyone approached online with offers of easy income for vague ‘consulting’ work should treat those overtures with extreme caution and remain vigilant for warning signs of malicious targeting.” 

“For too long, the Chinese government has tried to exploit U.S. government employees behind the cover of fake companies and phony job postings,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Today, we shut them down. These seizures will prevent these fraudulent sites from being used to target Americans with access to sensitive information. The FBI will continue to use every tool available to protect Americans and our national security from this threat.” 

“The Chinese government continues to pursue U.S. innovation, research, and sensitive information through a variety of deceptive techniques, including fraudulent job postings and online recruitment efforts,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “By seizing these domains and exposing these tactics, we are working to protect national security, safeguard American ingenuity, and help the public recognize and defend against these threats. We urge anyone approached with suspicious job opportunities or recruitment efforts to remain vigilant, recognize the warning signs, and report suspicious activity to the FBI.” 

 
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure warrants, beginning in November 2023, the conspirators created at least 13 fake consulting company websites. The websites and their associated job postings advertised generic “consulting” jobs and included statements indicating their purpose was to recruit current or former U.S. government and U.S. military employees to provide expertise to unspecified clients. 

The websites were typically linked or referenced within the entities’ job postings on hiring platforms. The methods and means used by the conspirators include (1) the use of aliases, fictitious personas, and the stolen identities of actual persons; (2) the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photographs; (3) relatively large payments for research reports; (4) the use of Telegram and other encrypted applications; (5) pressure to provide “exclusive” or “insider” information; and (6) the transfer of money from places and accounts located overseas to places and accounts located in the United States. 

According to court documents, the conspirators recruited applicants through job postings, on social media and other platforms including Upwork, Expertia AI, Hubstaff Talent, Wellfound, and Post Job Free. The postings related to topics of interest to the government of the People’s Republic of China.  

The conspirators targeted current and former security clearance holders and other Americans who have access to classified and sensitive U.S. government information. The fake positions included “Senior Analyst” and “International Affairs Consultant” jobs. The recruiters pressured candidates to share confidential information and reports from “insider” sources in violation of their official duties. The scheme used contracts and confidentiality agreements to give their bogus consulting companies an air of legitimacy. 

The conspirators have denied any involvement by any foreign government. 

The affidavit alleges that the conspirators offered money to applicants and recruits in exchange for sensitive information, paid for reports using online payment accounts in the names of fictitious individuals, and used cryptocurrency to conceal the conspirators’ identities and the true source of the payments. These payments allowed for the flow of money from places outside the United States to places inside the United States in furtherance of the conspiracy. 

According to the affidavit, the conspirators used the following domains in their conspiracy to commit bribery of current and former public officials, identity theft, and international money laundering: Centrik Global Consulting, centrikglobalconsulting.com; Rightinfo Consulting, rightinfoconsult.com; Finnacle-Vesper Consulting, finnaclevesperconsulting.com; CYDF Consulting, cydfconsulting.com; Pulse Wave Global, pulsewaveglobal.com; Catalyst Global Solutions, catalystglobalsolutions.com (CGS); Horizzen, thehorizzen.com; GeoIndopacific, geoindopacific.com; Global Peace Foundation – Indonesia, gpf-ina.org; SafeSec Group, safesec-group.com; The TruthInfo, thetruthinfo.com; Vandercons.com; and Gulf Peace Foundation, gulfpeace.org.  

The domains seized today include centrikglobalconsulting.com; rightinfoconsult.com; finnaclevesperconsulting.com; cydfconsulting.com; pulsewaveglobal.com; catalystglobalsolutions.com; thehorizzen.com; geoindopacific.com; gpf-ina.org; safesec-group.com; thetruthinfo.com; Vandercons.com; and gulfpeace.org.  

Following the seizures, the FBI has placed or will place takeover pages on the seized websites to warn site visitors that the sites were rendered inoperable in order to disrupt the intended illegal activity and money laundering tied to the domains.  

Today’s seizure was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman, along with the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Norfolk Field Office, with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Paralegal Kate Abrey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

If you have information concerning the websites, please contact the FBI at 1-800-Call- FBI or online at tips@fbi.gov. 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON - Roberto Adams, 39, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer residing in Hyattsville, Maryland,  was found guilty today in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $18,000 in taxpayer-funded Covid-era disaster relief funds, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

A federal jury deliberated a day and a half before finding Adams guilty on one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled sentencing for October 23.  

According to the evidence at trial, Adams obtained Paycheck Protection Program loans on behalf of his business SuperKlean LLC, a janitorial services company that was not operational at the start of the pandemic. He obtained a first PPP loan in July 2020 and spent those funds in approximately one month at casinos in Maryland and Las Vegas, on airfare and hotels in Miami, at restaurant and bars, and on hangover treatments.     

On Jan. 21, 2021, Adams applied for a second PPP loan. Eight days later, on Jan. 29, 2021, $18,345, representing the second draw of the PPP loan funds, was deposited into Adams’ checking account. He quickly spent those funds paying off personal debts, including over $12,000 in back rent as well as other personal extravagances such as clothing and high-end sneakers. 

In April 2021, Adams applied for a job with the Seattle Police Department. In the course of his background check, a Seattle Police Department detective noticed that Adams had obtained a PPP loan but had failed to disclose it in his written application or during an interview with the detective, as required. When confronted, Adams falsely claimed that the “purpose of the loan was to provide relief and assistance for my small business during the pandemic.” 

This case was investigated the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Santiago and Caelainn Carney. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 

 21cr625 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Linnell Shelton, 48, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison for his illegal possession of a stolen firearm that was discovered when a U.S. Capitol Police officer responded to a narcotics overdose, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Shelton, also known as “Keith Toney,” pleaded guilty on Feb. 20, 2026, before Judge Randolph D. Moss to possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 60-month prison term, Moss ordered Shelton to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 105-month prison term. 

According to court papers, on June 21, 2025, about 5:32 p.m., a U.S. Capitol Police officer on patrol near 1st and D Streets NE observed a group of people on the sidewalk and was waved over. The officer found Shelton lying unconscious and breathing faintly. While attempting to render aid, the officer spotted the rear sights of a handgun protruding from Shelton’s waistband and removed the firearm. 

A second officer administered two doses of Narcan, which did not revive Shelton. EMS arrived and administered a third dose before he regained consciousness. Shelton was transported to Howard University Hospital and later released to Capitol Police custody. 

The firearm, a Taurus 9-millimeter handgun loaded with 13 rounds, had been reported stolen in 2022 out of Prince William County. 

Shelton’s criminal history spans more than two decades. He has four prior felony convictions for drug distribution. In addition, Shelton has a 2023 conviction for voluntary manslaughter in D.C. Superior Court stemming from a 2019 shooting in the 600 block of Morton Street NW that killed one man and wounded a bystander. Shelton was released from prison on Sept. 27, 2024, fewer than nine months before his arrest in this case. At the time of his arrest, he was on supervised release and had tested positive for illicit substances. 

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.   

This investigation was conducted by the United States Capitol Police with the valuable assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives- Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf and Lauren Ibanez. 

25cr186 

 U.S. Capitol Police render aid to Shelton. 

WASHINGTON – Alonzo Brown, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court, on charges related to the shooting death of 22-year-old Michael Taylor and injuring two others, on January 12, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.   

            Brown was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with intent to kill and one count of conspiracy on June 5, 2026.  This case went to trial in May of 2025 but resulted in a hung jury.  

            Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for October 16, 2026.  

            “By firing 72 rounds into an apartment complex, Alonzo Brown and his co‑conspirators carried out an act of extraordinary violence that claimed a young man’s life and injured two others,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “This verdict brings long‑awaited justice to the victims and sends a clear message that such reckless disregard for human life will not be tolerated.”

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2019, Brown, and four other co-conspirators, who associated themselves with the Pentacles Apartment Complex or “Walkdown” wanted to exact revenge for the murder of their friend, Shamar Marbury, which had occurred 11 days earlier. It was believed that Shamar was murdered by a rival, the Benning Court Complex or “BC Da Army” with whom the Pentacles group had been “beefing” for close to two years. A “beef” that culminated in a series of shootings, including the murder of Shamar Marbury. Marbury was laid to rest on January 11, 2019. The day after Marbury’s funeral, the defendants executed their plan to retaliate in a brazen daylight shooting that targeted five other young men from Benning Court. Together, the defendant and his co-defendants, drove to the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE, drove past the complex looking for targets against whom to retaliate. As they passed the Benning Court Apartments, they looked through the glass front of 1707 and saw a group of young men inside. They continued driving past and parked their car out of sight. They left a get-away driver in the car, and the defendant and three others walked into the Benning Court complex. They entered 1707 and fired 72 rounds, killing the victim, Michael Taylor, and injuring two of his friends. 

            Unbeknownst to the shooters, however, they were captured on video before, during, and as they fled to their awaiting gateway car. The shooting lasted only 8 seconds. One of the shooters, Carlos Turner, pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed and conspiracy to commit a violent crime.  Another shooter, Stephon Evans, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed.

            Brown was arrested on January 23, 2019. 

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nebiyu Feleke and Marybeth Manfreda. 

2019 CF1 001059

WASHINGTON – Desmond Thurston, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday in connection with the murder of 52-year-old Patricia Johnson, his ex-romantic partner, in October 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Thurston pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026, to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On June 5, 2026, the Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Thurston to serve 26 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. 

            “By breaking into Patricia Johnson’s home in defiance of a court order and committing a horrific act of violence, Desmond Thurston showed a complete disregard for the law and for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “This sentence holds him accountable and affirms our dedication to protecting those who seek safety from abuse.” 

            According to the government’s evidence, on September 28, 2023, Patricia Johnson called 911 to report that Thurston had threatened her. The two had been in a relationship for several years. The next day after Johnson called 911, she obtained a Temporary Protection Order (“TPO”) against Thurston. On September 30, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded twice to Ms. Johnson’s residence, which she had shared with Thurston for years, to advise Thurston that they could escort him in to get needed items, but that he was not allowed in the residence. 

            Thurston returned to Johnson’s home around 3:00 a.m. on October 1, 2023, despite the TPO and warning from MPD, and broke in, snapping a chain lock off the wall. The defendant went upstairs where Johnson and a minor family member had been sleeping in different bedrooms. There was a brief exchange of words, and then Thurston shot Johnson once through her left wrist and neck, causing her to fall to the ground. The defendant then shot Johnson a second time, in the chest, while she was on the ground. Thurston went through Johnson’s devices and left the home.  

            Thurston was arrested on October 1, 2023, and has remained in custody since.  

            Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

             In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Wes Faulkner Jr., who prosecuted the case. 

2023 CF1 007099 

WASHINGTON — Sergio Castillo-Lopez, 29, a citizen of Mexico who was unlawfully present in the United States for eight years, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison in connection with his running a cocaine distribution operation out of his bedroom in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Sergio Castillo‑Lopez came to the United States on a temporary visa, ignored the law for nearly a decade, and used that time to run a cocaine distribution operation,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This criminal will spend the remainder of his unlawful stay in the United States in a prison cell and will then face deportation proceedings.” 

Castillo-Lopez, also known as “Sergio Chilel,” pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Amir H. Ali to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge Ali ordered Castillo-Lopez to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 27-month prison term. Castillo-Lopez has agreed not to contest his removal from the United States following completion of his sentence. 

According to court papers, Castillo-Lopez entered the United States on a 30-day visa in 2017 and never left. Castillo-Lopez remained in the United States for approximately eight years and used his residence in Washington, D.C. to possess, package, and prepare cocaine for distribution.  

On Oct. 9, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Castillo-Lopez’s residence in the 3000 block of Warder Street NW. In his bedroom, officers found nearly half a kilogram of cocaine with a street value of up to $12,000. Some of the cocaine was already broken down into gram-quantity bags for distribution. Officers also seized two digital scales and $3,126 in cash, the bills predominantly small denominations consistent with street-level drug proceeds. 

The investigation was conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Akhtar.  

25cr374 

WASHINGTON – Dereon Butler, 18, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to charges related to an armed robbery spree in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, in December 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

            “Ten innocent people on their morning commute were terrorized at gunpoint by these teens who viewed Capitol Hill as their hunting ground,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These were deliberate, targeted robberies that left residents fearing for their lives. Age does not excuse violent crime and anyone who picks up a gun to commit a robbery in this city will face the consequences and be held to account.” 

            Butler pleaded guilty to three counts of armed robbery in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Butler was charged as an adult pursuant to Title 16 at the time of the offenses. His co-defendant, Markell Butler, 17, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and was sentenced on May 1, 2026. The Honorable Judge Errol Arthur scheduled sentencing for August 31, 2026. 

            According to the government’s evidence, in the early-morning hours of December 2, 2024, Butler and his co-conspirators utilized a stolen gray Kia Sorento and a stolen red Lexus sedan to go to the Capitol Hill neighborhood with the intention of locating and targeting commuting pedestrians to rob them at gunpoint. In all, ten different unsuspecting pedestrians were approached, across numerous locations, had a firearm brandished at them, and were robbed of their wallets, purses, cellphones, and other personal belongings. Butler then fled each scene before the police could arrive. 

            Dereon Butler was arrested on July 22, 2025, and has been in custody since. 

            Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy. 

2025 CF3 008425 

WASHINGTON – Valencia Duke, 25, of the District of Columbia, was arrested and charged Wednesday with first-degree felony murder and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children for the January 18 death of her thirteen-month-old daughter and near death of her thirteen-month-old son in Southeast, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

            Duke made her initial appearance June 4 before Superior Court Judge Heidi Hermann. Judge Hermann found probable cause that Duke committed the offenses and ordered her to be held without bond pending trial.   

            According to court documents, between January 14 and January 18, 2026, Duke left her two thirteen-month-old children alone in her residence.  On January 18, 2026, officers responded to the 4700 block of Southern Avenue Southeast and located the female child deceased and decomposing and the male child dehydrated and malnourished. The male child was transported to the hospital where he stayed for several days. An autopsy was done on the female child where it was determined that her cause of death was dehydration.  

           Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            This case is being investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma McArthur.   

           Charges in a complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

The Department of Justice, through U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, today announced the results of a first-of-its-kind event combining the focus of government entities and private industries to tackle cyber-enabled and cryptocurrency fraud targeting Americans. 

During “Disruption Week,” the private sector took voluntary action to interrupt millions of social media, email, and internet access accounts used by transnational organized crime actors in Southeast Asia that were being used to defraud Americans, and the government shared information which enabled private sector actors to voluntarily freeze over $3.8 million in cryptocurrency involved in laundering of funds stolen from Americans.

“Cyber-enabled and crypto investment fraud is devastating Main Street Americans, wiping out life savings and preying on some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “We will not allow transnational scammers or the Chinese organized crime groups behind them to use America’s internet infrastructure against us or let U.S. companies stand idly by. I formed the Scam Center Strike Force with a goal of bringing private industry into the fight against this threat. When the public demands accountability, corporations respond. Disruption Week shows what is possible when governments and private industry focus their efforts in tandem: millions of scam accounts interrupted, and criminal networks pushed of the U.S. internet platforms on which they rely. This week’s results show our commitment to disrupting these schemes and protecting the American public.” 

“America is facing an unprecedented threat from industrial-scale, foreign organizations looking to prey on our citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “And unprecedented problems call for novel, bold solutions. As Disruption Week demonstrates, the Department’s Criminal Division will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. Attorney Pirro and her office, U.S. and foreign law enforcement, and any private sector firms that commit to joining the battle to save American resources from flowing to criminal groups abroad.” 

“The FBI is going to leverage everything at its disposal to impose cost on criminals stealing from the American people through fraudulent investment schemes that have caused immense harm across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “One of the best tools we have in combatting these illicit actors is our partnerships and they are only getting stronger. We’re preventing further victimization by working with other agencies, our foreign law enforcement counterparts, and the private sector who have all taken part in this Disruption Week.”

The Department’s Scam Center Strike Force convened in-person meetings in Washington from May 18 to May 21 with foreign government officials and private industry representatives. Federal investigators from the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) provided information to private sector representatives on specific targets in Southeast Asia, in order to help industry identify infrastructure used to defraud Americans through cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. Based on the data shared, as well as their own information, and in collaboration with each other, private sector participants voluntarily identified and disrupted scam actors operating on their networks who were violating the provider’s terms of service. Private sector participants included officials from Apple, Coinbase, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Silent Push, SpaceX, TRM Labs, and Zenlayer. Foreign law enforcement counterparts from the Australian Federal Police, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, New Zealand Police, the Royal Thai Police, and U.K. National Crime Agency also joined Disruption Week. Meta played a key role in coordinating the event and encouraging broad private sector participation to maximize scam compound disruption.

The Scam Center Strike Force’s convening of these participants shows the magnitude of disruptions that can occur when there is a common focus on a specific threat and through information shared, including: 

• Disruptions of criminal activity across more than 1.4 million social media and email accounts; 
• Interruptions of malicious IP address traffic and of network connections hosted by scammers; 
• Decommissioning of servers, colocation environments, and hosting infrastructure linked to scam networks operating across Southeast Asia; 
• Identification of multiple scammers and scam platforms, and referrals of the same to U.S. authorities for investigation and possible prosecution; and 
• Arrests of seven scammers in Thailand and the opening of new cases by the Royal Thai Police Anti Cyber Scam Center. 

The governments and private industry also voluntarily exchanged information about how transnational organized crime operates within U.S. infrastrucure, and developed relationships to enable future disruptions of scams occurring on U.S. networks. 

“Cyber-enabled and crypto investment fraud is devastating Main Street Americans, wiping out life savings and preying on some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will not allow transnational scammers or the Chinese organized crime groups behind them to use America’s internet infrastructure against us or let U.S. companies stand idly by. I formed the Scam Center Strike Force with a goal of bringing private industry into the fight against this threat. When the public demands accountability, corporations respond. Disruption Week shows what is possible when governments and private industry focus their efforts in tandem: millions of scam accounts interrupted, and criminal networks pushed of the U.S. internet platforms on which they rely. This week’s results show our commitment to disrupting these schemes and protecting the American public.” 

“America is facing an unprecedented threat from industrial-scale, foreign organizations looking to prey on our citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “And unprecedented problems call for novel, bold solutions. As Disruption Week demonstrates, the Department’s Criminal Division will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. Attorney Pirro and her office, U.S. and foreign law enforcement, and any private sector firms that commit to joining the battle to save American resources from flowing to criminal groups abroad.”

“The FBI is going to leverage everything at its disposal to impose cost on criminals stealing from the American people through fraudulent investment schemes that have caused immense harm across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “One of the best tools we have in combatting these illicit actors is our partnerships and they are only getting stronger. We’re preventing further victimization by working with other agencies, our foreign law enforcement counterparts, and the private sector who have all taken part in this Disruption Week.”

Cyber-enabled and cryptocurrency investment fraud (referred to by the scammers as “pig butchering”) is among the fastest growing and most financially devastating forms of fraud targeting Americans. In these schemes, victims are cultivated over time and deceived into depositing funds into fraudulent investment platforms that appear to show substantial returns. In reality, all victim funds flow directly to the scammers. The scam continues until the victim runs out of money or discovers the fraud, at which point the scammers cease contact.  

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), investment scams became the most commonly reported crime type in 2023, with cryptocurrency investment fraud comprising 83 percent of that category. Reported losses from these scams rose from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024. Reported losses rose 24 percent in 2025 to over $7.2 billion, according to IC3’s newly released 2025 annual report. Those figures, based largely on victim reports, are believed to significantly underrepresent actual losses, as many victims do not report to law enforcement. According to one government report, a conservative estimate of the annual value of funds stolen by scam syndicates worldwide approached $64 billion as of the end of 2023.  

Many of these schemes are run out of industrial-scale compounds in Cambodia, Laos, and in Burma along the border with Thailand. Criminal syndicates often lure workers to Thailand with promises of high-paying technical jobs, then seize their identification documents and traffic them to work in scam compounds. Within the compounds, trafficked workers are frequently forced to conduct fraud operations against victims in the United States and elsewhere under threat of violence. Public reporting on these compounds has documented beatings, electrocutions, and murder.

The Strike Force has taken a number of actions against Southeast Asian Scam Centers, including, among other things, filing criminal complaints against individuals who participated in cryptocurrency investment fraud operations in Burma, seizing cryptocurrency and other infrastructure used to fund and facilitate scam operations, and working with other federal agencies taking action against Scam Center organizations. 

Although the Strike Force and other government personnel have exchanged information with private industry in the past in an effort to disrupt cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, never before have so many private firms convened for an event dedicated to protecting Americans through voluntarily sharing of information and voluntary action by the private sector.

**********************************************

About the Scam Center Strike Force

The Scam Center Strike Force was officially launched by U.S. Attorney Pirro in November 2025 to address the growing threat posed by Chinese organized crime syndicates operating scam centers primarily in Southeast Asia. The Strike Force targets cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering operations that have cost American victims billions of dollars.  

On March 6, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the executive order, President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud. The Scam Center Strike Force is a critical node in executing the mission outlined in the President’s order. 

The Strike Force’s founding partners are the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service, which have now been joined by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and HSI-DC, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Alaska, Rhode Island, and Western Washington. The Strike Force works in collaboration with other agencies, including the Treasury and State Departments. The Strike Force works in strategic partnership with private industry and calls on all U.S. businesses to take more proactive steps to protect users from scam operations.  

The Scam Center Strike Force will use every tool available to help secure Main Street Americans from these scams. With its interagency and public partners, it will educate Americans on how to identify these scams, prevent generational wealth from flowing from America into the pockets of Chinese organized crime, and work with unwavering focus to return stolen funds to victims.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force, in consultation with Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of the Department’s Criminal Division. 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice, through U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, today announced the results of a first-of-its-kind event combining the focus of government entities and private industries to tackle cyber-enabled and cryptocurrency fraud targeting Americans. 

During “Disruption Week,” the private sector took voluntary action to interrupt millions of social media, email, and internet access accounts used by transnational organized crime actors in Southeast Asia that were being used to defraud Americans, and the government shared information which enabled private sector actors to voluntarily freeze over $3.8 million in cryptocurrency involved in laundering of funds stolen from Americans.

The Department’s Scam Center Strike Force convened in-person meetings in Washington from May 18 to May 21 with foreign government officials and private industry representatives. Federal investigators from the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) provided information to private sector representatives on specific targets in Southeast Asia, in order to help industry identify infrastructure used to defraud Americans through cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. 

Based on the data shared, as well as their own information, and as in collaboration with each other, private sector participants voluntarily identified and disrupted scam actors operating on their networks who were violating the provider’s terms of service. Private sector participants included officials from Apple, Coinbase, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Silent Push, SpaceX, TRM Labs, and Zenlayer. Foreign law enforcement counterparts from the Australian Federal Police, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, New Zealand Police, the Royal Thai Police, and U.K. National Crime Agency also joined Disruption Week. Meta played a key role in coordinating the event and encouraging broad private sector participation to maximize scam compound disruption.

The Scam Center Strike Force’s convening of these participants shows the magnitude of disruptions that can occur when there is a common focus on a specific threat and through information shared, including: 

• Disruptions of criminal activity across more than 1.4 million social media and email accounts; 
• Interruptions of malicious IP address traffic and of network connections hosted by scammers; 
• Decommissioning of servers, colocation environments, and hosting infrastructure linked to scam networks operating across Southeast Asia; 
• Identification of multiple scammers and scam platforms, and referrals of the same to U.S. authorities for investigation and possible prosecution; and 
• Arrests of seven scammers in Thailand and the opening of new cases by the Royal Thai Police Anti Cyber Scam Center. 

The governments and private industry also voluntarily exchanged information about how transnational organized crime operates within U.S. infrastrucure, and developed relationships to enable future disruptions of scams occurring on U.S. networks. 

“Cyber-enabled and crypto investment fraud is devastating Main Street Americans, wiping out life savings and preying on some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will not allow transnational scammers or the Chinese organized crime groups behind them to use America’s internet infrastructure against us or let U.S. companies stand idly by. I formed the Scam Center Strike Force with a goal of bringing private industry into the fight against this threat. When the public demands accountability, corporations respond. Disruption Week shows what is possible when governments and private industry focus their efforts in tandem: millions of scam accounts interrupted, and criminal networks pushed off the U.S. internet platforms on which they rely. This week’s results show our commitment to disrupting these schemes and protecting the American public.” 

“America is facing an unprecedented threat from industrial-scale, foreign organizations looking to prey on our citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “And unprecedented problems call for novel, bold solutions. As Disruption Week demonstrates, the Department’s Criminal Division will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. Attorney Pirro and her office, U.S. and foreign law enforcement, and any private sector firms that commit to joining the battle to save American resources from flowing to criminal groups abroad.” 

“The FBI is going to leverage everything at its disposal to impose cost on criminals stealing from the American people through fraudulent investment schemes that have caused immense harm across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “One of the best tools we have in combating these illicit actors is our partnerships and they are only getting stronger. We’re preventing further victimization by working with other agencies, our foreign law enforcement counterparts, and the private sector who have all taken part in this Disruption Week.”

Cyber-enabled and cryptocurrency investment fraud (referred to by the scammers as “pig butchering”) is among the fastest growing and most financially devastating forms of fraud targeting Americans. In these schemes, victims are cultivated over time and deceived into depositing funds into fraudulent investment platforms that appear to show substantial returns. In reality, all victim funds flow directly to the scammers. The scam continues until the victim runs out of money or discovers the fraud, at which point the scammers cease contact.  

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), investment scams became the most commonly reported crime type in 2023, with cryptocurrency investment fraud comprising 83 percent of that category. Reported losses from these scams rose from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024. Reported losses rose 24 percent in 2025 to over $7.2 billion, according to IC3’s newly released 2025 annual report. Those figures, based largely on victim reports, are believed to significantly underrepresent actual losses, as many victims do not report to law enforcement. According to one government report, a conservative estimate of the annual value of funds stolen by scam syndicates worldwide approached $64 billion as of the end of 2023.  

Many of these schemes are run out of industrial-scale compounds in Cambodia, Laos and in Burma along the border with Thailand. Criminal syndicates often lure workers to Thailand with promises of high-paying technical jobs, then seize their identification documents and traffic them to work in scam compounds. Within the compounds, trafficked workers are frequently forced to conduct fraud operations against victims in the United States and elsewhere under threat of violence. Public reporting on these compounds has documented beatings, electrocutions, and murder.  

The Strike Force has taken a number of actions against Southeast Asian Scam Centers, including, among other things, filing criminal complaints against individuals who participated in cryptocurrency investment fraud operations in Burma, seizing cryptocurrency and other infrastructure used to fund and facilitate scam operations, and working with other federal agencies taking action against Scam Center organizations. 

Although the Strike Force and other government personnel have exchanged information with private industry in the past in an effort to disrupt cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, never before have so many private firms convened for an event dedicated to protecting Americans through voluntarily sharing of information and voluntary action by the private sector.

**********************************************

About the Scam Center Strike Force

The Scam Center Strike Force was officially launched by U.S. Attorney Pirro in November 2025 to address the growing threat posed by Chinese organized crime syndicates operating scam centers primarily in Southeast Asia. The Strike Force targets cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering operations that have cost American victims billions of dollars.  

On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud. The Scam Center Strike Force is a critical node in executing the mission outlined in the President’s Order. 

The Strike Force’s founding partners are the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service, who have now been joined by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the IRS Criminal Investigation, and HSI-DC, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Alaska, Rhode Island, and Western Washington. The Strike Force works in collaboration with other agencies, including the Treasury and State Departments. The Strike Force works in strategic partnership with private industry and calls on all U.S. businesses to take more proactive steps to protect users from scam operations.  

The Scam Center Strike Force will use every tool available to help secure Main Street Americans from these scams. With its interagency and public partners, it will educate Americans on how to identify these scams, prevent generational wealth from flowing from America into the pockets of Chinese organized crime, and work with unwavering focus to return stolen funds to victims.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force, in consultation with Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of the Department’s Criminal Division. 

Follow us on X, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

###

WASHINGTON – Daniel Cruz Ramirez, 28, a Maryland resident, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with the sustained sexual abuse of a D.C. resident starting when she was thirteen, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Cruz Ramirez pleaded guilty before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to one count of Coercion and Enticement of a Child. Judge McFadden scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12, 2026.  

According to court documents, Cruz Ramirez met the victim at church services when she was twelve years old. Cruz Ramirez began texting the victim and told her that he liked her on her first day of school in the eighth grade. There were various messages exchanged between the defendant and the victim spanning April 2024 through December 2025 – including chats on WhatsApp, Instagram, and text message. The chats discussed Cruz Ramirez engaging in sexual acts with the victim and steps to avoid detection, including sneaking into the victim’s house and deleting certain messages and images.   

Cruz Ramirez sexually abused the victim multiple times between 2024 and 2025, including vaginally penetrating her. On Nov. 17, 2025, Cruz Ramirez recorded a series of videos, including a 26-minute video depicting vaginal and oral penetration of the victim.  

This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley. 

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

26cr27 

WASHINGTON - Michael Owens, 38, of St. Charles, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in prison in connection with his role in a multi-year conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Owens was an active participant in a drug trafficking network that moved massive quantities of fentanyl and cocaine into the District. He personally admitted the narcotics amounted to more than a kilogram of fentanyl and two kilograms of cocaine,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When he learned his customers ‘loved’ what he was selling, he sought an even more potent supply. That kind of indifference fuels fatal overdoses. Owens’ sentence reflects the gravity of his choices and serves as a warning: anyone who helps drive the opioid crisis in our community will be held accountable, no matter their role.” 

Owens pleaded guilty on Dec. 8, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Owens to serve five years of supervised release and to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $30,000. 

According to court papers, from at least August 2022 through about November 2023, Owens conspired with co-conspirator Ronnie Rogers and others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in the District. Owens served as a redistributor in the conspiracy, acquiring bulk quantities of fentanyl and cocaine from Rogers and reselling them in smaller quantities to other distributors and buyers. 

Rogers supplied Owens with fentanyl in two-gram bundles, each divided into 10 individual packages. Owens repaid Rogers after making sales. Wiretap interceptions recorded the two discussing drug debts, supply quantities, and contingency plans in the event either was raided by law enforcement. 

In one intercepted communication from March 2023, Owens told Rogers that his customers loved what he was selling and asked for stronger, more potent fentanyl. In another, Owens confirmed he was nearly finished distributing a supply of both fentanyl and cocaine and was ready to be resupplied.  

As part of his plea agreement, Owens admitted responsibility for between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl and between 500 grams and two kilograms of cocaine. 

 Rogers, 71, of the District, was sentenced to 236 months in prison. Co-defendant Wayne Glymph, 49, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, was sentenced to 162 months. Co-defendant Samuel Braxton, 57, of Temple Hills, Maryland, who led the organization while incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix, was sentenced to 162 months. 

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division Office, the FBI Washington Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Alexandria Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew W. Kinskey. 

This operation was supported in part by the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) supplies grant funding and strategic assistance to MCIN member sites. These resources enable the identification, disruption, and dismantling of criminal organizations through enhanced inter-agency collaboration and data sharing, contributing to a safer Maryland for all.

23cr394 

WASHINGTON – Ricardo Anton Koonce, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison in connection with a bicoastal marijuana distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

"Koonce and his co-conspirators ran a systematic drug trafficking operation, making repeated cross‑country trips to stock a D.C. stash house and selling marijuana on the streets while armed with firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will not allow armed traffickers to endanger our neighborhoods, and anyone who treats this city as their drug marketplace will be held accountable.” 

Koonce, aka “King Phew,” pleaded guilty on March 3 before U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to conspiracy to distribute marijuana. In addition to the 24-month prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Koonce to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 26-month prison term. 

According to court papers, from at least October 2023 through May 2024, Koonce and his co-conspirators traveled multiple times between the Baltimore-Washington area and Los Angeles to buy marijuana for distribution on the East Coast. 

In February 2024, agents stopped Koonce and his co-conspirators at BWI Airport when they returned from one of their trips to L.A. Agents seized about 54.5 pounds of marijuana, packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic bags, that had been hidden in suitcases carried by one of Koonce's co-conspirators. 

Koonce and his co-conspirators stored and sold their marijuana out of an apartment in the 1900 block of C Street SE. Agents observed Koonce and his co-conspirators conducting hand-to-hand transactions consistent with drug sales outside the building on a daily basis. 

On Oct. 30, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at the C Street SE apartment and at Koonce's home on the 700 block of 2nd Street NE. At the apartment, agents recovered marijuana, other narcotics, and several firearms. At Koonce's residence, agents recovered two Glock pistols, magazines and ammunition, about $53,569 in cash, and a quantity of marijuana. Koonce admitted that he possessed the firearms in connection with his role in the marijuana trafficking conspiracy. 

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division, and the FBI's Washington Field Office.  

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Isabelle Sun. 

24cr519 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Richard Cunningham, 55, a former D.C. Housing Authority employee turned real estate developer residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to defraud private mortgage lenders of more than $15 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Richard Cunningham didn’t just defraud lenders, he fabricated federal voucher documents, forged signatures, and invented a veterans housing program that never existed, all to line his own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Exploiting the name and sacrifice of American veterans to commit fraud is particularly offensive, and my office will pursue those abuses with the full weight of federal law.” 

Cunningham pleaded guilty today before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to charges of false statements to a mortgage lending business. Cunningham faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026. 

According to court documents, beginning in or about August 2020 and continuing through May 2024, Cunningham engaged in a scheme to defraud private mortgage lenders by submitting false statements and fraudulent documents in support of loan applications for multifamily properties he owned or controlled in the District of Columbia. 

In the first phase of the scheme, Cunningham applied for six secondary renovation loans from a Virginia-based private mortgage company, which required him to have sufficient equity in his properties as collateral. Knowing his equity was insufficient to qualify, Cunningham submitted falsified mortgage statements for the primary loans on those properties, significantly understating the balances owed to make his equity appear greater than it was. Relying on those falsified documents, the lender funded all six loans, totaling about $7.4 million. 

In the second phase, Cunningham sought renovation financing from an Oregon-based private mortgage company for two additional District properties. To make those properties appear to generate reliable income, Cunningham fabricated lease documents purporting to be from a "Veterans Assistance Payments" program run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. There is no such program. In reality, Cunningham had taken genuine Housing Assistance Program lease documents from HUD's Housing Choice Voucher program and altered them, changing "HAP" to "VAP" throughout, then filled them in with forged entries and signatures to make it appear veterans were already living at the properties under a federal voucher program. He also submitted fabricated rent rolls falsely showing all tenants held vouchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The lender funded one of the two loans, in the amount of $4.7 million. The other application was rejected. 

In total, Cunningham sought about $14.9 million from the two lenders and received about $12.1 million based on his false statements. 

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG). 

The matter was prosecuted by HUD-OIG Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha R. Miller for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 

26cr97 

Follow us on X, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Abdul Fields, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in connection with firing a gun at a vehicle in Northwest during the early morning hours of March 24, 2025, and to possessing a loaded firearm on the evening of Nov. 19, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Fields pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon to assault with a dangerous weapon, to possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. Judge Leon scheduled sentencing for Aug. 5, 2026.  

According to court documents, on March 24, 2025, at about 12:19 a.m., Fields was walking southbound on North Capitol Street NE while crossing New York Avenue NE when he pulled out a firearm and fired a shot at a vehicle making a right turn onto New York Avenue NE. Fields then walked away from the scene and into the Tyler House Apartments on the 1200 block of North Capitol Street NE.  

ShotSpotter detected the event and an MPD officer was dispatched to investigate the gunfire. The officer found a bullet casing in the street where Fields fired. In September 2025, United States Marshals executed a search warrant where Fields was staying and recovered a privately manufactured firearm, known as a “ghost gun.” Ballistics testing linked the firearm to the casing recovered from the shooting.   

On Nov. 19, 2025, police arrested Fields pursuant to a warrant issued by Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Officers recovered a loaded ghost gun from Fields’ waistband.  

Fields faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison on the charge of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.  

Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.  

This case was investigated by detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Division.  

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf.   

25cr378 

WASHINGTON – Michael Augment, 38, of Lorton, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 81 months in prison in connection with conspiring to distribute fentanyl in the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Augment repeatedly sold fentanyl in quantities large enough to kill hundreds of people, flooding a city already ravaged by an opioid crisis with one of the most lethal drugs on the market,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This sentence reflects the grave danger he posed to our community and our determination to hold fentanyl traffickers accountable.” 

Augment pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026, before Judge Timothy Kelly to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Augment to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested an 87-month prison term. 

According to court papers, between April 2024 and October 2024, Augment conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in Washington, D.C. During that period, he sold fentanyl to a law enforcement agent on multiple occasions. Those sales included about 157 grams for $4,000 and 278 grams for $8,750. 

In July 2024, Virginia State Police stopped Augment's vehicle after he left a co-conspirator's apartment in the District. Officers recovered fentanyl and about $12,473 in cash, along with a ledger containing money orders totaling about $32,478. A subsequent search of Augment's home turned up about $27,000 in cash, a heat sealer, and a handgun case. Augment admitted responsibility for between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl. 

The investigation was conducted by the DEA Washington Division with valuable assistance provided by Virginia State Police. 

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Solomon Eppel. 

24cr456 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – George Carr, 24, a convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his participation in the armed robbery of a Washington beauty supply store, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Carr pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). In addition to the 51-month prison sentence, Judge Sullivan ordered Carr to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 63 months in prison. 

“George Carr is a lifelong criminal who has never been held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Whether he destroys property, steals, sexually assaults another, or threatens to kill innocent people, the result has always been the same: an extremely lenient sentence that does nothing to deter his behavior or protect the public. Today that changes.” 

According to court papers, on Aug. 1, 2025, at about 6 p.m., Carr and an unidentified co-conspirator entered Scott’s Beauty Supply in the District, wearing masks. Carr grabbed a store employee by the back of his shirt, pointed a handgun at him, and ordered everyone in the store to the ground. Carr then pressed the firearm to the back of the employee’s head while his co-conspirator demanded cash from another store employee. The pair took about $200 from the register before fleeing. Carr later told law enforcement that he carried out the robbery to repay a debt. 

Carr’s criminal history includes adult convictions for threatening to blow up a Washington restaurant and kill the people inside, and for assaulting his ex-girlfriend and threatening to burn down her home. 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. 

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter. 

25cr352 

WASHINGTON – Daveion Antonio Ervin, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded Springfield Armory pistol discovered after he was stopped by police for smoking marijuana on a public street, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Ervin pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Judge Nichols scheduled sentencing for Sept. 10, 2026.  

According to court documents, on Feb. 18, 2026, about 8:55 p.m., U.S. Park Police officers were patrolling in the area of Dix Street at 63rd Street NE. Officers were driving west when they spotted Ervin holding a hand-rolled cigarette and exhaling a large cloud of white smoke. Moments later, the officers made a U-turn toward Ervin.  

The officers exited their cruiser, approached Ervin, and detected the strong odor of marijuana. Ervin attempted to flee the scene when officers ordered Ervin to stop. Ervin discarded the hand-rolled cigarette and continued running. After a brief foot pursuit, Ervin tripped and fell. Officers caught up with Ervin and told him to remain on the ground. When the officers asked Ervin why he ran, Ervin told the officers that he was in possession of a firearm and did not have a license to carry.  

Officers recovered a Springfield Armory XDS-9 9mm pistol from Ervin’s front waistband. It was loaded with one round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. Officers also recovered the remainder of Ervin’s marijuana cigarette along his flight path.  

The firearm in the defendant’s waist prior to its recovery 

Image of the 9mm firearm, ammunition, and partially smoked suspected marijuana cigarette that the defendant had possessed.

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.   

Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.   

This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.  

26cr38 

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 officers with the Metropolitan Police Department arising out of the death of a 39-year-old District resident from a drug overdose that occurred on Jan. 4, 2026.  

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, Body-Worn Camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, autopsy and toxicology reports, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department 

According to the evidence, on Jan. 4, 2024, Brent Garcia was arrested for simple assault.  Mr. Garcia was taken to the Sixth District, and the police began to process the paperwork. In consuming alcohol prior to his arrest, Mr. Garcia consumed fentanyl while in the cell.  Mr. Garcia passed out after 15 minutes. Other detainees helped him to a bench in the cell where he appeared to be sleeping. When the police attempted to contact him, Mr. Garcia was not responsive. The police immediately requested assistance, and an ambulance came to the scene. Unfortunately, Mr. Garcia could not be revived, and he was declared dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed that Mr. Garcia had died from a drug overdose from alcohol and fentanyl. 

After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated the civilian’s rights. 

Investigations generally 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.   

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

WASHINGTON – An indictment was filed today in U.S. District Court charging Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, in connection with the May 4 shooting near the Washington Monument in which a civilian bystander was struck by gunfire, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

The federal indictment charges Marx, aka Patrick Gary Michael or Michael Zavici, with assaulting certain officers using a dangerous weapon and with using a firearm during a crime of violence. Marx is expected to make his first appearance in U.S. District Court today before a magistrate judge.  

 “Today’s indictment reflects the gravity of the defendant’s actions on one of the most heavily visited public spaces in the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The evidence shows Marx not only carried an illegal firearm into DC, but he fired it at uniformed officers, wounding an innocent teenage bystander who was simply visiting the National Mall with his family on a spring afternoon. When someone brings violence to a place that symbolizes the heart of our democracy and does so along the path of the Vice President’s motorcade, we will respond with the full weight of federal charges and pursue accountability at every step.” 

According to the previously filed complaint, on May 4, 2026, about 3:40 p.m., a plainclothes U.S. Secret Service agent observed a man, later identified as Marx, appearing to conceal a firearm on the right side of his body near 15th Street and Madison Drive NW. The agent alerted the Secret Service Joint Operations Center and requested uniformed backup.  

At the same time, the motorcade for Vice President J.D. Vance was departing the White House, passing through the area of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW. 

Uniformed Secret Service officers responded and located Marx along the path of the Vice President's motorcade. As officers approached, Marx walked toward a group of civilians crossing the street.  

Officers issued verbal commands. Marx fled east on Independence Avenue SW. As officers pursued him, Marx drew a firearm from his waistband while running through the crosswalk toward bystanders.  

When Marx reached the sidewalk, he turned and fired at one of the pursuing officers. A civilian witness standing behind the officer was wounded in his leg. Officers returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper abdomen.  

Marx collapsed at the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW, where officers rendered aid. He was identified through a Texas driver's license found on his person. Law enforcement also identified aliases including Patrick Michael and Michael Zavici. Marx was transported to George Washington University Hospital. While in the hospital, he allegedly made statements to officers including “F--- the White House” and “kill me, kill me, kill me.”  

Investigators recovered a Sig Sauer P365 handgun loaded with 9mm ammunition from the area where Marx fell. Law enforcement confirmed Marx does not hold a license to carry a handgun in the District of Columbia. 

   The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  

 26cr121

WASHINGTON – Ronnie Bookhardt, 64, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for the arson of a residential apartment building, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

            Bookhardt pleaded guilty on February 9, 2026, in D.C. Superior Court to one count of arson. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Judith Pipe order Bookhardt to three years of supervised release.  

            According to the government’s evidence, at about 4:48 a.m., on October 20, 2022, D.C. Fire Department Investigators responded to the sound of an alarm generated at a residential, 4-story apartment building located at 601 L Street Southeast in Washington, D.C. Fire Investigators noted an odor of gasoline in front of one of the units, in addition to substantial fire damage and water damage from two activated sprinkler heads in the hallway in front of the unit. Video surveillance footage captured the defendant entering a stairwell in the apartment building, stopping in front of a unit, manipulating a lighter, and pouring lighter fluid from a black plastic bag, causing a bright flash of fire in the stairwell. It was later determined that the defendant lit the fire near a unit in which his family members resided. Building staff later reported that the water damage caused by the fire far exceeded the fire damage. The cost of the damage was over $200,000.  

            Bookhardt was arrested on October 22, 2022, where he has been in custody since. 

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, D.C. Fire Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmine Dohemann, who prosecuted the case. 

2022 DVM 000885 

WASHINGTON – Damarco Jackson, 20, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty Tuesday, for a spree of armed robberies, in March 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.   

            Jackson pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of armed robbery, two counts of robbery, and one count of first-degree theft, for the armed robberies. The defendant also pleaded guilty to one count of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, for a stabbing he committed in jail. Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld scheduled sentencing for September 11, 2026.  

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 10:00 p.m., on March 11, 2025, the first victim parked her car in the 2300 block of Ainger Place, SE. When she returned to the location two days later, she found that her vehicle had been stolen.  

            On March 12, 2025, the second victim parked her vehicle, a light blue 2012 Hyundai Sonata, in the 4600 block of Livingston Road, SE. Three days later, she came back to where she parked it and found that it had been stolen. Video footage from an MPD camera captured Jackson and another individual in a blue sedan, which drove past the victim’s vehicle, turn around and park next to her vehicle.  

            On March 13, 2025, in the area of Oklahoma Avenue and E Streets, NE, a dark color sedan drove into the area and approached the third victim, a juvenile on a bike. The defendant brandished a handgun with a silver slide and robbed the juvenile of his black Moose Knuckle jacket. Within three minutes, Jackson, armed with a black Glock handgun with an extended magazine, approached a fourth victim while he was riding a Capital Bikeshare bicycle, in the 2100 block of D Street, NE. Jackson stated to the victim something to the effect of “run me that coat!” and robbed him of his black Moose Knuckle jacket. 

            Subsequently, on April 13, 2026, after his arrest and while in D.C. jail, Jackson and a fellow inmate were observed having a verbal argument in the common area of the jail. During the argument, the defendant was observed to have pulled out a sharp metal object from his pants and assault his fellow inmate. As a result of the attack, the victim inmate had puncture wounds/lacerations to his upper left arm and shoulder.  

            Jackson was presented on October 10, 2025, for the armed carjackings and robberies. This is the same day he was sentenced to 40 months in jail for crimes he committed in other separate cases. He has been in custody since. 

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Dal Lago, Rukiya Mohamed, and Emanuel Francone. 

   2025 CF3 013201; 2026 CF3 005670 

WASHINGTON – Alvin Ponson, 67, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with the armed robberies of two fast-food restaurants in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Ponson pleaded guilty before Judge Tanya Chutkan to interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). Judge Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Sept. 2, 2026. 

According to the complaint, Ponson was carrying a black handgun when he entered the Chipotle restaurant on the 2300 block of Washington Place NE, just before 7 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2026. Ponson ordered a cashier to “open the register.” The cashier refused to comply. Ponson then walked away without any of the restaurant’s money.  

Minutes later, Ponson walked into the adjacent Jersey Mike’s hoagie shop on the 2300 block of Washington Place NE. Ponson told the Jersey Mike’s cashier that he was picking up an order. The cashier went to look for the order. When the cashier returned, Ponson was pointing his handgun at her. The cashier ran to the back of the store. Ponson approached another employee and ordered “Give me all that sh---!” The employee handed over cash from the register and Ponson fled in the direction of the Rhode Island-Brentwood Metro Station. 

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Washington Metro Transit Police with the valuable assistance of theFederal Bureau of Investigation- Washington Field Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand. 

26cr0115 

WASHINGTON -- Gerald Ezell, 36, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 26 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Ezell pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2026, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 26-month prison sentence, Judge Ali ordered Ezell to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 57-month prison term. 

According to court papers, on Sept. 21, 2025, Metropolitan Police officers approached Ezell's parked car for a missing front registration tag. As an officer approached, he observed Ezell, who was seated in the front passenger seat, make a furtive movement toward his waistband. Ezell then got out of the car. He locked it and walked away. Looking through the car window, the officer spotted a Glock 19 pistol in plain view on the front passenger floorboard where Ezell had been sitting. 

Officers recovered the 9mm pistol, which was loaded with a round in the chamber, along with a 31-round extended magazine loaded with 27 rounds. A second search by special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and members of the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division Crime Scene Search Unit turned up another firearm, a Derringer .22 Magnum caliber pistol, on the floorboard between the front passenger seat and the center console. 

Law enforcement also recovered about 4.6 grams of cocaine, more than a hundred unused half-gram plastic containers typically used to distribute narcotics, and a digital scale with white powder residue. 

Ezell previously had been convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm on three separate occasions, in 2010, 2014, and 2019. Due to his previous felony convictions, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm.  

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. 

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English. 

25cr341 

WASHINGTON -- Kelon Von Dukes, 22, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Dukes had already been convicted twice for carrying a pistol without a license. During this latest encounter with police, he was carrying a stolen gun, led the police on a chase, and ran into oncoming traffic to avoid them,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Repeat offenders like Dukes have really got to ask themselves if it’s all worth the serious federal consequences they face.” 

Dukes pleaded guilty on May 29, 2025, before Judge Reggie B. Walton to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Walton ordered Dukes to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 46-month prison term. 

According to court papers, on March 1, 2025, about 5:25 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Seventh District Special Missions Unit were on patrol in the 4700 block of South Capitol Street SE when they spotted Dukes smoking what appeared to be marijuana cigarette near a gas station. On noticing the officers, Dukes tossed his cigarette and a black bag and fled on foot toward the Maryland border. 

Officers pursued Dukes on foot. During the chase, Dukes ran into the street through oncoming traffic, forcing vehicles to swerve to avoid him. Officers eventually detained Dukes on the 400 block of Southern Avenue SE and recovered a loaded Sig Sauer P365 9mm pistol from his jacket pocket. The firearm had one round chambered and eight additional rounds in the magazine. The pistol was later determined to have been stolen. 

Officers also recovered the black bag Dukes had discarded, which contained marijuana, a digital scale, and cash. 

Dukes was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his two 2023 felony convictions for carrying a pistol without a license. 

The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Ibanez. 

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 

25cr68 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

USADC.Media@usdoj.gov

WASHINGTON – James Adrian Brewer, 20, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 16 months in prison in connection with his possession of a machine gun on the grounds of a Northwest charter school, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.   

Brewer pleaded guilty on Feb. 12, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. In addition to the 16-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered Brewer to serve two years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 27 months in prison. 

“Bringing a machine gun onto school grounds is an act that puts students, staff, and the entire community at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Schools must be safe spaces where students can learn without fear. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who endanger the public.” 

According to court documents, Brewer was attending the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School in Northwest Washington on Sept. 3, 2025, when a school administrator observed Brewer with what appeared to be a firearm tucked into his waistband. When confronted, Brewer surrendered the pistol to the administrator, who then turned it over to Metropolitan Police Department officers.    

The firearm was later determined to be a Glock 19 9mm pistol that previously had been reported stolen. The Glock was loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition and outfitted with a switch-style machine gun conversion device (MCD) which allowed it to function as a fully automatic weapon.   

As part of his plea, Brewer admitted to possessing the handgun at the school. He further admitted to knowing that the MCD converted the pistol into a machine gun. When asked if he knew what an MCD did, Brewer stated that it made the firearm “fun” and shoot quickly. 

This case was investigated by the MPD with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein and former Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.  

The Glock 19 9mm pistol that previously had been reported stolen.

26cr5  

WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has reached civil settlement agreements with two non-profit organizations to resolve allegations that the organizations violated the False Claims Act when they applied for and received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  

            Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, Inc. (the JWV) is a Section 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that supports Jewish uniformed service members and veterans in the United States. In 2020, JWV applied for and received a first draw PPP loan in the amount of $125,654 and later sought and received forgiveness for that loan. Section 501(c)(4) organizations, however, were never eligible for PPP loans. JWV has agreed to pay $210,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible. 

            Center for International Policy (the Center) is a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization described as a center for research and advocacy on U.S. foreign policy. In early 2021, the Center applied for a second draw PPP loan in the amount of $192,447 and subsequently applied for and received complete forgiveness of that loan. Congress, however, had prohibited second draw PPP loans to entities primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities, including those entities organized for research or for engaging in public policy advocacy or political strategy or publicly referring to themselves as think tanks. After an analysis of the Center’s ability to pay pursuant to a settlement, the Center agreed to pay $243,571.25, plus interest, to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a PPP loan for which it was not eligible. 

            The civil settlements resulted from investigations by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy C. Hurley. The United States Attorney further wishes to commend attorneys Caitlin J. Kelly and Kandace Zelaya of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the General Counsel for their assistance in the investigations.    

            Tips and complaints regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.  

            On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.   

            The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. 

WASHINGTON -- Larry White, 25, Mark Anthony Fletcher III, 26, and Malik Keyon Bynum, 26, all of the District of Columbia, were found guilty late yesterday by a federal jury on all counts in connection with the July 2, 2021, armed robbery and killing of Rosendo Miller, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

“Rosendo Miller walked out of a convenience store and was surrounded by three masked men, thrown to the ground at gunpoint, and robbed of everything he was carrying. They took Mr. Miller’s watch, his bag, his shoes, his cash, even the ‘grill’ from his mouth. And when that wasn’t enough, Larry White shot him five times in cold blood,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These three men planned this together, armed themselves together, and carried it out together. Today’s verdict holds all of them accountable for what they did.”  

Following a five-day trial, the federal jury deliberated for approximately five and a half hours before finding White, Fletcher and Bynum guilty of all counts: first-degree felony murder while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon (White and Bynum), conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence (robbery while armed), and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence (first-degree felony murder). First-degree felony murder carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years imprisonment. Sentencing before Judge Tanya S. Chutkan is pending.  

Fletcher committed the offenses while on release in two pending Superior Court cases. Bynum committed the offenses while on release in a pending Superior Court case.  

According to court papers, on July 2, 2021, White, Fletcher, Bynum, and others gathered outside a 2/4 Quick Trip convenience store on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE. The men armed themselves with firearms and covered their faces with ski masks after Rosendo Miller, 21, arrived and saw that he was wearing a Rolex watch and designer clothes. Fletcher was wearing a court-issued GPS ankle monitor.  

Miller, who stopped at the business to purchase tobacco, exited the store. White, Bynum, and Fletcher pointed firearms at Miller, grabbed him by his dreadlocks, and wrestled him to the ground. They stripped Miller of his Rolex watch, his Gucci crossbody bag, his cash, and the diamond-studded grill from his mouth. 

As White and Fletcher held Miller down, Bynum fired a firearm multiple times in the direction of the intersection of Brentwood Road NE and 14th Street NE in response to a single shot fired from the corner. Fletcher still had Miller pinned down while White shot Miller five times in the back, shoulder and arms. The incident was captured on surveillance video with audio. 

White, Fletcher, and Bynum fled the scene with Miller’s property. Miller died from his injuries that day. 

The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris Y. McCranie and Lauren Galloway. 

25cr150 

WASHINGTON – D’Andre Montgomery, 20, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, on charges of shooting and killing 28-year-old Kenneth Barksdale in Southeast D.C., in December 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Montgomery was found guilty, on May 26, 2026, of one count of second-degree murder while armed, one count of conspiracy, and one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, by a Superior Court jury. Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for August 21, 2026.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:07 p.m., on December 16, 2023, Montgomery and his co-defendants Kevin Hider, 20, and Eric Sheffield, 21, were driving around the 1200 Block of 44th Place, Southeast, pulling the door handles of parked cars to see if the cars were unlocked and available to steal. The victim, Kenneth Barksdale, had parked his car on the street and taken his one-year-old son inside his family’s home. Once inside the home, Mr. Barksdale realized he forgot his phone in his car. He went back outside to his car at the exact moment the defendants were breaking into it. When Mr. Barksdale confronted the defendants, they responded by shooting him. The defendants continued to shoot at Mr. Barksdale even as he ran away, back up the stairs to his mother’s home. Mr. Barksdale died later that evening. 

            Montgomery was arrested on July 31, 2024, and has been in custody since. 

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Evans and Shauna Payyappilly. The case was initially prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles Jones. 

WASHINGTON – Mathieu Zahui, 59, the former Director of Financial Management at the U.S. African Development Foundation, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to four months in prison in connection with a multi-year scheme in which he steered federal contracts to a friend's company, accepted cash payments in return, and then lied to federal investigators about it, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

“Mathieu Zahui spent fifteen years rising to the top of his agency’s financial operations and then used that authority to steer taxpayer‑funded contracts to a friend while pocketing cash for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When federal agents sought answers, he didn’t come clean; he doubled down with repeated lies. Public servants who betray the public trust and obstruct oversight will be held accountable.” 

Zahui, of Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Feb. 23, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to one count of receiving a gratuity as a public official and to one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement. In addition to the four-month prison term, Judge Boasberg ordered Zahui to serve 12 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 21-month prison term. 

According to court papers, the U.S. African Development Foundation is an independent federal agency established to support African-owned and African-led business enterprises. Zahui joined ADF as a budget analyst in 2010 and rose over fifteen years to become its Finance Director, serving in effect as the agency's chief financial officer with authority to review and approve invoices paid with taxpayer funds. Beginning in December 2020, he also served as ADF's Contracting Officer Representative, responsible for monitoring contractors’ performance and processing invoices, and received specific training on his obligation to avoid conflicts of interest. 

Rather than honor those obligations, Zahui used his position to benefit a friend and the friend's company. In March 2020, Zahui directed ADF to award his friend's company a series of sole-source contracts, exempting it from competitive bidding, for purported logistical support services that the company never actually performed. The contracts, valued at about $173,640, $350,544, and $93,200, far exceeded the $100,000 cap on sole-source awards. Zahui approved invoices submitted by the company knowing they were illegitimate and unsupported by any actual work. 

Zahui also arranged for other ADF contractors doing legitimate work to route their payments through his friend's company, allowing the friend to collect markups ranging from 17% to 66% for doing nothing. In one instance, Zahui directed a staffing company to issue a $120,000 invoice to his friend’s company, which had no involvement in the underlying work. The friend’s company then submitted a $140,653 invoice to ADF, and Zahui approved it, generating more than a $20,000 markup.  

Over about three years, the friend's company submitted more than 20 such pass-through invoices and collected about $134,886 in markups for performing no legitimate work.    

To avoid scrutiny from the Bureau of Fiscal Service, which was responsible for authorizing ADF payments, Zahui ensured that invoices consistently described the services as logistical support, even when they had nothing to do with logistics. In one instance, he directed another contractor to revise an invoice description to falsely reflect logistical services. 

In return for steering the contracts and approving the fraudulent invoices, Zahui received $12,000 in eight separate cash payments from his friend. 

When federal agents interviewed Zahui in January 2024, he denied receiving any benefits from his friend and downplayed the extent of their relationship, claiming they communicated only a few times a year. Phone records and emails later revealed they had in fact communicated nearly every day during some periods. In a second interview in February 2024, Zahui again lied to federal agents. The full extent of his conduct came to light only after investigators conducted an extensive review of his phone, emails, and ADF records. 

As part of his sentence, Zahui was ordered to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $12,000. 

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG), a statutorily independent law enforcement agency which has continued jurisdiction to investigate criminal activity affecting ongoing U.S. foreign assistance programs, including those administered by ADF. 

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang and former Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. 

 26cr16 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Michael Fenwick, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded firearm discovered after leading police on a foot chase, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

“A repeat offender with a decades‑long history of gun violence, Fenwick was once again illegally armed and fleeing from police,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This sentence underscores that those who persist in carrying illegal firearms and putting the public at risk will face firm and decisive federal action.” 

Fenwick pleaded guilty on Jan. 14, 2025, before Judge Amir H. Ali to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Ali ordered Fenwick to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 51-month prison term. 

According to court documents, on June 11, 2025, Prince George’s County police responded to reports of retail thefts in District Heights and in Temple Hills, Maryland. Witnesses reported that the suspects fled in a white Toyota RAV4. 

Officers located the vehicle, which Fenwick was driving. When police attempted a stop, Fenwick fled the RAV4 on foot. Officers detained Fenwick on the 1300 block of Barnaby Terrace SE, where officers recovered a loaded Beretta APX pistol from his waistband. The pistol had one round in the chamber and 15 additional rounds in its magazine. 

Fenwick was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions. In 2021, he was convicted and sentenced to 50 months in prison for robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. In 2019, He was convicted of second-degree assault and fourth-degree burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prison with four years suspended. In 2014, he was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and sentenced to 20 months. Fenwick was convicted of obstructing justice in 2012 and sentenced to 60 months, suspended, and a five-year term of supervised release. 

This investigation was conducted by the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole. 

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful exists to support President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 

25cr215 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 33 years in federal prison in connection with a prolific sextortion scheme that targeted more than 100 children across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Pathmanathan pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.  

“This defendant spent years methodically hunting children online. He targeted more than 145 victims, some as young as six, and subjected them to horrors no child should ever experience,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The United States will not allow international borders to serve as a refuge for those who prey on children, and I am grateful to our Canadian partners for ensuring this predator faced justice on both sides of the border.” 

In addition to the 396-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Pathmanathan to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. The prison term will run consecutively to the 12-year sentence that Pathmanathan is serving in Canada. 

According to court documents, Pathmanathan used multiple social media accounts, primarily Instagram and Facebook Messenger, to establish contact with at least 145 young girls and boys. Between at least March 2014 up until the day of his arrest on March 10, 2021, Pathmanathan posed as a teenage boy from New Jersey. 

Pathmanathan demanded the minor victims engage in sexually explicit conduct while they participated in video chats with him. He directed them to expose their genitals, and to engage in sexual acts with dogs, siblings, and other relatives. In almost all the video chats with his minor victims, Pathmanathan sent the children images of adults engaged in sexual acts to show them how to do what he was requesting.    

Pathmanathan recorded his victims’ sexually explicit conduct and saved the files on his desktop computer. Some of the victims were as young as six years old. When the minor victims would decline to continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct or blocked Pathmanathan’s social media accounts, he threatened to send images to the children’s friends or family. 

On Oct. 27, 2022, Pathmanathan pleaded guilty to similar offenses in Canada, and was later sentenced to 12 years in prison.  

The Department of Justice is grateful to the Toronto Police Service and the Crown Operations Office, Ministry of Attorney General (Canada) for their invaluable assistance. 

This case was investigated by the FBI Houston Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division secured the temporary surrender of Pathmanathan from Canada. 

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. 

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

22cr150 

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in prison in connection with his theft of more than 4,800 government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

King pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2026, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to one count of mail fraud. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge Cobb ordered King to serve two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,319,172.85 in restitution. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 24 months. 

“King’s theft of thousands of government phones was a brazen betrayal of the public trust that drained taxpayers of more than a million dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He then squandered the stolen money on gambling, luxury vacations, and a high‑end vehicle. He will now be required to repay the very funds he siphoned from the American taxpayer and serve a prison sentence for his crimes. "

Between 2021 and 2025 King worked as an information technology contractor for the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ). During that period, he defrauded DOJ out of more than $1.3 million by successfully requesting that DOJ order thousands of mobile devices that the Department did not need.  

After the phones were shipped to King at DOJ, he sent them to phone reselling businesses. In total, the businesses paid him more than $1.3 million for the phones. He spent the proceeds on a variety of things, including gambling at MGM casinos and on FanDuel, vacations, private school tuition, and a down payment on a $92,000 Range Rover SUV. 

The scheme came to light when a private citizen in Kentucky contacted the DOJ in late August 2025 noting that she had learned that an iPhone that she had purchased online belonged to the Department. 

King acknowledged that his scheme caused the Department of Justice to suffer an actual loss of more than $1.3 million because of fees that it paid AT&T for the unnecessary phone lines and phones.  

This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman. 

26cr15 

Follow us on X, Instagram, and YouTube
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – A three-count indictment filed May 22 charges Paris Simmons, 26, in connection with the alleged January 2026 armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service carrier, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Simmons, of the District of Columbia, is charged with postal robbery, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He is currently being held at the District’s Central Detention Facility. 

“An armed robbery of a postal worker is a brazen act that endangers not just the victim, but every member of the community whose mail and financial information can be exploited through a stolen arrow key,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “A single key can unlock hundreds of mailboxes along a carrier’s route, giving criminals access to checks, personal data, and entire clusters of residential mail. Those who commit violence against letter carriers and attempt to profit from these crimes will be met with aggressive federal prosecution.” 

On Jan. 12, 2026, about 4:55 p.m., Simmons parked his vehicle near the corner of 16th and Hamlin Street, NW, exited his vehicle and waited on the sidewalk. About 4:57 p.m., a U.S. Postal Service carrier who was delivering mail in the area walked west on Hamlin Street and turned south onto 16th Street.  

Simmons allegedly approached the postal carrier from behind and shoved an object into the carrier’s back. According to the indictment, Simmons then threatened to shoot the carrier and demanded the carrier’s postal arrow key. Simmons fled the area with the victim’s arrow key.  

Postal arrow keys, which provide access to mailboxes, mail collection boxes and apartment buildings, can be used in furtherance of financial crimes, such as bank fraud, check fraud, identity theft, and other criminal schemes.   

Law enforcement arrested Simmons on Jan. 18, 2026. 

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The matter is being prosecuted by the Federal Major Crimes Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  

26cr117 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Anthony Del Cid-Morales, 18, of the District of Columbia, was indicted this week on 69 charges in connection with a January 2026 mass shooting, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Del Cid-Morales is charged with Assault with Intent to Kill While Armed, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Aggravated Assault While Armed, and related counts. The indictment includes multiple enhancements for committing crimes of violence against Metro Transit passengers. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled a detention hearing for July 10. 

According to the Government’s evidence, on Jan. 22, 2026, about 5:40 p.m., Del Cid-Morales allegedly sexually assaulted a juvenile victim on a bus which led to a physical altercation between them. When the bus arrived at a stop a short time later, the juvenile victim and her group of friends exited the rear of the bus and Del Cid-Morales exited from the front.  

As Del Cid-Morales exited the bus, he allegedly drew a handgun, racked the slide, and fired five rounds into the crowd of more than 15 people who were standing at the bus stop near 16th Street NW and Missouri Avenue NW. 

Five people were struck by gunfire. Three of the victims had been with the juvenile victim on the bus. One victim was waiting at the bus stop to go home. The last victim was taking an evening walk. After allegedly firing into the crowd, Del Cid-Morales fled on foot.  

Joining in the announcement were ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office and the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.  

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

2026 CF1 007691 

## 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube 

or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc 

WASHINGTON – Tywan Morris, 30, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison in the 2021 murder of a woman at a Southeast gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

A Superior Court jury found Morris guilty on Nov. 12, 2025, of one count of second-degree murder while armed. In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, the Honorable Michael Ryan ordered Morris to serve five years of supervised release. 

According to the government’s evidence, at 5:03 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2021, Danielle Stuckey, 27, and her 12-year-old child walked through the BP gas station at 2801 Alabama Avenue SE to a nearby bus stop.  

A short time later, Morris pulled into the gas station with his girlfriend and child and parked. While Morris was pumping gas, the victim approached him, and a brief argument ensued between the victim, Morris, and Morris’s girlfriend.  

Despite the victim walking back to the bus stop, Morris retrieved a knife with brass knuckles attached. Initially, Morris gave the knife to his girlfriend. The girlfriend attempted to stab the victim. Morris then retrieved the knife and charged at the victim. The victim attempted to back away, but Morris pursued her. He tripped her to the ground and kicked her in the head. While the victim was on the ground, Morris stabbed her in the left thigh transecting her femoral artery and vein and killing her. Morris then fled the scene with his girlfriend. 

Morris was arrested the same day. He has been in custody since November 2023. 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Daniel Bromwich who prosecuted the case. 

2021 CF1 005953, 2023 CF2 008570 

##

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube 

or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON - Sidney Rogers, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 48 months in prison in connection with the unlawful possession of a ghost gun while fleeing police on an all-terrain vehicle through a busy Southeast Washington neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Rogers pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2025,  to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 48-month prison term, Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered Rogers to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 57-month prison term. 

According to court papers, on June 4, 2025, at about 5:56 p.m., a Metropolitan Police Department officer observed Rogers operating a black and neon yellow ATV through the intersection of Morris Road SE and Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE in violation of traffic laws. When the officer approached, Rogers accelerated the ATV forward, crashing it into a parked vehicle before fleeing on foot with a firearm in his waistband. 

Image of Rogers running from officers with a firearm in his waistband.  

During the foot chase, Rogers dropped a loaded magazine containing 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which scattered across the street near a bus stop at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE and W Street SE. Officers apprehended Rogers and recovered a loaded ghost gun, a privately manufactured firearm bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. 

Police recovered this “ghost gun” from Rogers. 

Rogers was on supervised release for a prior firearms offense at the time of the incident. In 2022, he was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of unlawful possession of a firearm after a similar flight from police in which he drove a vehicle into a cement barrier and discarded a firearm out the window. 

Rogers dropped a loaded magazine containing 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which scattered across the street near a bus stop. 

This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. 

Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. 

The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney. 

25cr188

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON – Makhi Inge, 23, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty today in connection with his assault on the mother of his child in October 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

A Superior Court jury found Inge guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Prior Conviction), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Obliterated Serial Number), and Carrying a Pistol Without a License. 

 According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 26, 2025, Inge went to the victim’s apartment in Northwest to see her and his son. Inge argued with the victim and punched her. The victim attempted to de-escalate the situation and briefly left the apartment. When she returned, Inge started another argument and insisted the victim owed him money. Inge then pointed a firearm at the victim and told her that he would have shot her if she was not holding his son. The victim pleaded with Inge to allow her to leave to go to an ATM to pay him. 

Once Inge allowed the victim to leave, she took her son and went to the corner store where she asked the clerk for help and called 911. While the victim was on the phone with the 911 operator, Inge came to the store, took the boy, and headed back to her apartment. The victim pretended to go back with Inge but then waited in an alleyway for police. When police arrived, they went to the victim’s apartment where they found Inge and the victim’s son. After searching the apartment, police found Inge’s firearm that he had hidden in the victim’s laundry. 

Inge has previous convictions for multiple felony offenses and crimes of violence involving firearms. Inge faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 21, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean. 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.  

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S.  Attorneys Anne Cotter and Monisha Rao.   

2025 FD3 014290 

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc

WASHINGTON — Yana Leonova, 33, a Belarusian citizen most recently residing in Russia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with procuring and illicitly exporting numerous avionics and other aircraft equipment from the United States to Russia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Leonova, aka “Yana Liavonava,” pleaded guilty before the Honorable Loren L. AliKahn to violating the Export Control Reform Act. Following the plea hearing, Judge AliKahn scheduled sentencing for Aug. 10, 2026.  

“Anyone who thinks they can exploit U.S. supply chains to arm our adversaries should look carefully at what happened to Yana Leonova,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Leonova used shell companies, false paperwork, and foreign intermediaries to conceal the unlawful export of U.S.-origin aircraft components to Russia. Investigators traced the scheme across multiple jurisdictions and brought her to justice. There is no distance far enough to protect those who threaten our national security interests.” 

“No matter where you are, the FBI will not stop to ensure you face justice when you violate U.S. laws,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Berkebile of the Kansas City, Mo., Field Office. “Today’s actions in federal court ensure that the defendant will be held accountable for their actions in skirting our laws for their own benefit. We thank all parties and partners involved in this case and commend their efforts to ensure justice has been done.”  

According to court documents and admissions during the plea hearing, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in May 2022, Leonova and her U.S. and Armenian co-conspirators illicitly procured aircraft components from U.S.-based distributors.  

Leonova and her co-conspirators repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the aircraft components ordered by Leonova by submitting false information on documents. 

Using companies located in Armenia and elsewhere, Leonova and her co-conspirators transshipped the components to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce, in violation of federal law. In addition, Leonova, her former Russian employer, and her co-conspirators caused payments in U.S. dollars to be transmitted from foreign bank accounts to bank accounts in the United States. 

The exported items were for use on private aircraft operated or maintained by Leonova’s former employer, a company identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List for engaging in or enabling activities contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.

In November 2025, Leonova was extradited to the United States from France in connection with this case.  

This case is being investigated by FBI Kansas City and BIS/OEE Atlanta and New York. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma Dinan Ellenrieder and John W. Borchert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Acting Deputy Chief Sean R. Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.  Significant assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart D. Allen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

Further significant assistance on the extradition was provided by French authorities and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. The Department expresses deep appreciation for the support of our French allies.  

24cr421