District of Columbia

WASHINGTON — Peter Williams, 39, an Australian national who was employed by a U.S. defense contractor, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 87 months in federal prison for selling his employer’s trade secrets to a Russian cyber-tools broker, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

“Williams took trade secrets comprised of national security software and sold them for up to $4 million in crypto currency. These incredibly powerful tools would have allowed Russia to access millions of digital devices,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “By betraying a position of trust and selling sensitive American technology, Williams’ crime is not only one of theft, it is a crime of national security. Our nation’s defense capabilities are not commodities to be auctioned off. People like Williams who endanger our national security will be met with swift and decisive consequences.” 

“Peter Williams stole a U.S. defense contractor’s trade secrets about highly sensitive cyber capabilities and sold them to a broker whose clients include the Russian government, putting our national security and countless potential victims at risk,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting America’s critical technologies, and we will ensure any who attempt to profit at our nation’s expense face the full weight of the criminal justice system. Let this be a clear warning to all who consider placing greed over country: If you betray your position of trust and sell sensitive American technology to our foreign adversaries, the FBI will not rest until you’re brought to justice.” 

“Williams’ self-serving actions caused significant loss and harm to his employer, the United States government, and its partners,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the Baltimore Field Office. “Today’s sentencing serves as a warning for anyone who knowingly endangers our national security. The FBI will pursue all such individuals and ensure justice is served." 

Williams, who resides in the District, pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2025, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to two counts of theft of trade secrets. In addition to the 87-month prison term, Judge AliKhan ordered Williams to serve three years of supervised release, to pay $1.3 million in restitution and $1.3 million in forfeitures.  

According to court documents, the trade secrets were comprised of national-security focused software that included at least eight sensitive and protected cyber-exploit components. Those components were meant to be sold exclusively to the U.S. government and select allies.  

Beginning in April 2022 and continuing through August 2025, Williams used his access to the defense contractor’s secure network to steal the cyber exploit components that constituted the trade secrets. Williams resold the stolen components in contracts worth up to $4 million in cryptocurrency, and he received $1.3 million for the specific exploits he provided.  

To initiate these sales, Williams entered into multiple written contracts with the Russian broker, which involved payment for the initial sale of the components, and additional periodic payments for follow-on support. Williams transferred the eight components and trade secrets to the Russian broker through encrypted means. 

Williams’ transactions with the Russian broker continued even after he was aware the FBI was investigating the activity and had interviewed him about the theft of trade secrets. 

Williams used the illegal proceeds to buy himself high-value items that included a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porche Panamera, jewelry, watches, clothing, and properties. In addition, he spent $5,000 for four pieces of luxury luggage and over $715,000 for luxury vacations between 2022 and 2025. 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in making the announcement were U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the Baltimore Field Office. 

This case was investigated by the FBI Baltimore Field Office. 

The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Prava Palacharla for the National Security Division’s (NSD) National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter for NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. 

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WASHINGTON — Angel Hall, 25, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court  to 70 months in prison for her role in a 2024 armed carjacking of a woman in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Hall and her co-defendant Brian Allison, 56, each pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2025, to one charge of carjacking and aiding and abetting. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ordered Hall to serve three years of supervised release. Allison is scheduled to be sentenced next month. 

According to court documents, on Feb. 1, 2024, about 11 p.m., Allison and Hall followed the victim into a takeout restaurant on the 4500 block of Benning Road, SE. Allison and Hall left without ordering, but followed the victim as she left with her food.  

Allison approached the victim as she walked to her vehicle. As Hall stood lookout, Allison flashed the butt of a pistol that he was carrying in his pocket, and said, “Gimme those f---ing keys or I’m gonna bust your head.” 

After the victim handed over her keys, Allison demanded her phone and wallet. Allison then asked for the PIN number to her debit card. The victim provided the number. Allison told the victim if the PIN was not correct, he would kill her. 

Using the key fob, Allison tried to open the trunk to force the victim into it. Allison could not get the trunk open, so he ordered her into the front passenger's seat. Hall got into the back seat. Allison got into the driver’s seat and pulled away.  

Allison drove the victim and Hall to a grocery store in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Allison then told Hall to “bust” the victim if she tried to leave.  

Allison entered the store with the victim’s debit card, withdrew $500 from an ATM, and bought some food and other items. He returned to vehicle and drove them all back to the District.  

Allison parked the car on the 5700 block of Southern Avenue SE. Once stopped, he took one of the victim’s gloves and wiped down the victim’s keys and the steering wheel. Allison returned the phone, keys, and wallet to the victim. Allison and Hall fled on foot towards Central Avenue, SE. The victim drove to the 6th District Station house and reported the incident.  

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

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

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WASHINGTON – Shawn Conway, 50, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, was charged today for second degree murder while armed, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Judge Dayna Dayson found probable cause to charge Conway following a preliminary hearing which was held on February 18, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Dayson also ordered the defendant’s continued detention at D.C. Jail.

            According to court documents, at approximately 3:53 a.m., on September 13, 2025, 9-1-1 calls were placed to the Office of Unified Communications for the report of a stabbing victim in front of 2000 14th Street NW. The first responding patrol officers located a male victim laying on the sidewalk in front of the location, suffering from apparent sharp force injuries to the body. The victim, later identified as Jermaine Foster, was unconscious and unresponsive. Members of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to Howard University Hospital in NW, where despite all lifesaving efforts, he was pronounced dead at 4:41 a.m. 

            Based on several witness interviews coupled with social media postings and surveillance video footage, the defendant was identified as the person seen stabbing the victim several times.

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

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

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

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WASHINGTON – Gerard Stokes, 31, of Greenbelt, Maryland, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for driving an ATV into an MPD officer on March 15, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

             Stokes pled guilty to one count of felony assault on a police officer in December 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Errol Arthur sentenced Stokes to 36 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

            “Today, my office held accountable a criminal who attacked two Metropolitan Police Department officers by driving into them with his ATV. He will now spend 3 years behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “The assault on any law enforcement officer will absolutely not be tolerated and my office will continue to aggressively pursue criminals who commit these violent, egregious attacks.”

            According to the government’s evidence, on March 15, 2025, officers were patrolling the area of 1442 U Street NW, Washington D.C., when they noticed a group of individuals on All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) loitering outside of a gas station. The officers drove toward the group at the gas station and got out of their cruiser to approach the group. Stokes then popped a wheelie and drove his ATV directly at two of the MPD officers, clipping one officer in the shoulder and striking the other officer head-on, dragging her under the ATV for approximately fifteen feet. As a result of Stokes’s actions, the officer who was struck head-on suffered multiple lacerations to the head and face, a concussion and a fractured jaw.

            Detectives were able to identify Stokes as the driver of the ATV based on his distinctive clothing, helmet and blue ATV, which were captured in CCTV footage of the incident.

            Stokes was arrested on August 16, 2025, and has been in custody since his arrest.

            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. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kadian Carter and Maggie Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Carlton Simon, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today on charges stemming from the shooting death of 17-year-old Angel Dominguez in Northwest D.C. this spring, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Simon entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder while armed before Superior Court Associate Judge Todd Edelman on December 17, 2025. Simon confirmed that, in shooting the victim, he was acting voluntarily, and that he was not acting in self-defense.

            Judge Edelman sentenced Simon to 18 years of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Edelman noted the complex history between Simon and Dominguez, and the substantial impact this crime had on both families.

            According to court documents on May 29, 2025, around 3:00 p.m., Simon, a classmate of the victim, approached Dominguez in the 900 block oof Florida Avenue NW, with a loaded firearm. As Dominguez walked away from him, Simon pointed a gun at Dominguez’s back, before restraining him and ultimately shooting him in the chest. Dominguez died as a result of his injuries shortly thereafter.

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

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.

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WASHINGTON – Curtis Lear, 30, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 18 months of incarceration in connection with driving an SUV recklessly at high speed on the National Mall as hundreds of visitors were present, causing over $9,000 in damage to the lawn, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Lear pleaded guilty on October 10, 2025, before Judge Carl J. Nichols to one count of destruction of government property and to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. In addition, Judge Nichols ordered Lear to serve three years of supervised release and pay $9,165 in restitution.

            On June 21, 2025, at 8:45 p.m., Lear, operating a black Jeep Patriot, drove onto the National Mall near 7th Street, SW, between Jefferson and Madison Drives. Lear raced at high speeds, making sharp turns on the grass and accelerating uncontrollably, according to witnesses. At the time, hundreds of pedestrians occupied the National Mall and surrounding areas for the “33rd Annual Giant Barbecue Battle.” At one point, Lear drove towards two individuals, putting them in fear of immediate injury. The incident was captured on video by surveillance and private cellular phone cameras.

            When a U.S. Capitol Police officer approached Lear’s vehicle on foot, Lear rolled down the driver’s side window and stated, “It’s just a joke.” Another officer reported that Lear stood outside of his vehicle and yelled at pedestrians while flexing his arms. Police attempted to stop Lear, but he fled the area. At approximately 3:00 a.m. the following morning, officers located the Jeep and conducted a traffic stop. Lear was behind the wheel.

            Joining the U.S. Attorney in the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the U.S. Park Police.

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Green and Michael C. Lee.   

Lear drove his Jeep SUV (circled in red) erratically on the National Mall.

Lear’s joyride on the National Mall caused more than $9,000 in damage.

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WASHINGTON – Brigette O. Robertson, 40, a former special police officer residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison in connection with violating the constitutional rights of a detained citizen by stomping on her face in June 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Robertson pleaded guilty on July 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to a misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law. 

According to court documents, on June 24, 2023, Robertson was employed by Specific Protection Services, LLC., as a Special Police Officer (SPO). She was licensed in the District of Columbia to act and to carry out law enforcement actions as an SPO. That day, while in full uniform and vested with police powers, Robertson was providing security services at a McDonald’s restaurant on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. 

At about 3:30 p.m., Robertson got into a verbal altercation with a patron at the restaurant. The altercation escalated into a physical confrontation. Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the scene. After the patron was under the control of an MPD officer, the patron remained prone on the ground. Robertson stepped over the patron and, while doing so, stomped on the patron’s face. The stomp to the face caused the patron to experience pain and bleeding. The stomp was without legal justification and in violation of the individual’s constitutional rights. 

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

Use-of-force investigations generally 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews police-involved use of force to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove civil rights violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary.  Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.  

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 FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division investigated the case. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. 

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WASHINGTON – Larry Johnson, 26, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 50 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a 9mm pistol that he fired twice inside of an apartment where a woman and her two children were present, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

            Johnson pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2025, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to a count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 50-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Johnson to serve three years of supervised release. 

            According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2025, Metropolitan Police officers responded to the 2200 block of Town Center Drive, SE. Officers learned of an altercation that had occurred about 11:36 p.m. inside an apartment on the fourth floor. During the altercation, Johnson fired a gun twice while inside of the apartment in the presence of a woman and her children.  

            Officers recovered a Springfield-Armory XD-9 Mod.2 Sub-Compact 9mm pistol from a shelf in a bedroom closet. Johnson was not licensed to possess a firearm in the District and had been previously convicted on a felony robbery count in Montgomery County, Maryland.  

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney.

 Officers recovered a Springfield-Armory XD-9 Mod.2 Sub-Compact 9mm pistol from a shelf in a bedroom closet. 

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WASHINGTON – Carter Camacho, 18,  of Smyrna, Georgia, was charged in a complaint today with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm within the United States Capitol Buildings or Grounds in connection to carrying a loaded shotgun onto federal property, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Camacho made his first appearance in U.S. District Court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey who scheduled a detention hearing for March 2, 2026.

According to the charging documents, on Feb. 17, 2026, Camacho parked a white Mercedes SUV on Maryland Ave. SE, between First and Third Streets. About 12:07 p.m., Camacho exited the vehicle and ran toward the United States Capitol carrying a firearm while wearing a tactical-style vest and camouflage-style clothing.

Camacho reached the steps on the western side of the Capitol. A uniformed officer with the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) asked Camacho what he was carrying. Camacho produced the firearm. The officer ordered Camacho to halt and lie down on the ground.

Once Camacho was on the ground, USCP officers recovered a Mossberg Model 88 12-gauge shotgun loaded with seven rounds in the tube and one in the chamber, with the safety off. An additional 17 rounds of ammunition were held in a carrier attached to the shotgun’s stock.

Officers placed Camacho in handcuffs. Camacho told USCP officers that he was just there to talk to a Member of Congress.

USCP officers traced Camacho’s path to the white Mercedes SUV and located a fixed blade knife on the ground about forty feet from the vehicle.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, who is detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the United States Capitol Police.

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WASHINGTON – Jose “Joe” Biaou, 41, a citizen of Benin and a resident of the District of Columbia, was found guilty yesterday on seven counts in connection with defrauding Covid-era economic programs out of millions of dollars in taxpayer-provided emergency funds, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

A federal jury in U.S. District Court deliberated for less than one day before finding Biaou guilty on February 17 of six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.  

“Jose Biaou, a citizen of Benin, West Africa, was convicted of orchestrating massive fraud that siphoned millions of dollars from the American taxpayers at a time of national crisis when assistance was offered to those in need,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The Trump Administration will not look the other way and will make thieves accountable. Mr. Biaou will suffer the consequence of his attempt to cheat the American taxpayers.” 

Biaou, the founder of FRB Capital Group LLC, faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Christopher R. Cooper. A date is pending. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided for informational purposes. The sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

According to the government’s evidence at trial, Biaou applied for more than $5 million in loans and received more than $3.5 million in proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program on behalf of FRB and, Millennium Global Finance, the latter of which was an entirely fictional entity with no employees or operations.  

In support of his FRB application, Biaou falsely claimed that he was a U.S. citizen and provided a counterfeit birth certificate, which he forged using a copy of his minor daughter’s birth certificate. 

FRB Capital is a brokerage firm for the commercial real estate industry. On his applications for federal emergency funding, Biaou consistently inflated the number of FRB employees, as well as their average monthly salaries, office rents, and other financial information. Biaou then applied for forgiveness of one of the PPP loans and submitted false information about how his business spent the funds during the pandemic.  

Biaou also applied for and received $1.25 million in PPP funds for Millennium Global Finance after representing that the firm had 52 employees and an average monthly payroll of more than $520,000 throughout 2019. Millennium Global was not a real company. 

Biaou was arrested July 17, 2024. 

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Hart and Sungtae Kang and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samanatha Miller. 

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WASHINGTON – Jerome Parker, 49, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to a combined total of 60 months in prison on charges related to two separate assaults on August 18 and August 19, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           “Today we took another criminal, victimizing the most vulnerable members of our community, off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This violence against our community committed by Parker, or any criminals like him, against the elderly or innocent will never again be tolerated in the District.”

            Parker pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault, one count of assault with significant bodily injury, and one count of second-degree theft in October 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. At sentencing, the government requested that the defendant be sentenced to a combined total of 84 months in prison. The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Parker to a combined total of 60 months in prison, with an additional 12 months suspended, to be followed by three years of probation.

            According to the government’s evidence, on August 18, 2025, a 66-year-old victim disembarked a Metrobus near the intersection of 14th St NW and Irving St NW, Washington, D.C. Parker approached the victim, a stranger, from the back and punched him in his face with enough force that the victim’s head turned nearly 90 degrees. The victim fell to the ground and Parker went through the victim’s pockets, stealing his wallet, identification, banking cards and cash. As a result of Parker’s actions, the victim had to undergo surgery to fix a fracture and had to have his jaw wired shut for several months to aid in healing.

            Additionally on August 19, 2025, a verbal argument ensued between Parker and a separate victim. Parker and this victim were acquaintances and knew each other through the mother of Parker’s child. Parker followed this victim out of an apartment building located in the 1400 block of 12th St NW, Washington, D.C. Parker proceeded to punch him, knocking him to the ground. Parker then stomped and kicked the victim approximately ten times, while calling the victim derogatory terms related to the victim’s sexual orientation. The victim was unconscious for over five minutes until officers arrived on scene and suffered a minor brain bleed.

            Parker was arrested on September 26, 2025 and has been in custody since his arrest.

            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. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Tsesarenko, who prosecuted the case.

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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 Metropolitan Police Department Officer Epshane Porter for a shooting that occurred on November 17, 2025, and fatally injured a 25-year-old District resident (D.C.) at the side of 1221 47th Place, N.E., Washington, D.C.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement accounts, crime-camera footage, BWC footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, and reports from MPD.

            According to the evidence, Porter was patrolling the neighborhood with another officer. The officers observed a group of men standing outside of 4725 Minnesota Avenue, N.E.  When the group observed the police, D.C. and another male began to run away in separate directions.  Officer Porter chased after D.C.  Porter gave commands during the chase for D.C. to display his hands to the officer. The foot chase ended when D.C. entered a small, fenced area alongside 1221 47th Place, N.E.  Porter gave several additional commands for D.C. to stop reaching for his hip area.  In addition to ignoring the commands, D.C. and Porter had a brief physical encounter.  Porter discharged his weapon at this point.  The police recovered a .45 caliber Glock from D.C.’s pocket. Despite life-saving measures, D.C. would ultimately succumb to his wounds and be declared dead. 

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer 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 – Van Robinson, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 101 months for his participation in the violent, armed gang of drug dealers known as the “21st and Vietnam” crew which distributed an array of narcotics in Northeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

 “Robinson was a key member of a crew that menaced our community around 21st Street and Maryland Avenue for years with its toxic mix of lethal drugs and random violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “With Robinson’s sentencing today, the 21st and Vietnam crew has definitively been put out of business.” 

Robinson, aka “Boogie,” pleaded guilty on March 19, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In addition to the prison term, Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Robinson to serve three years of supervised release. 

According to court documents, the 21st and Vietnam crew distributed crack cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs in significant quantities and were involved in two shootings charged in connection with this case: a March 7, 2024, incident in which co-defendant Charles Manson opened fire on a passerby walking his dog near the crew’s open-air drug market; and an April 19, 2024, drive-by shooting, committed by co-defendants Briyon Shuford and Trevon Palmer, which wounded four people and terrorized others. 

Robinson was an active member of 21st and Vietnam, which staged a takeover of an apartment complex and used it as a headquarters for the crew’s operations. Robinson was observed by law enforcement on a near daily basis in and around the apartment complex on the 1900 block of I Street NE during the course of the investigation, working with his co-conspirators to sell drugs.  

During the execution of a search warrant on May 15, 2024, at Robinson’s residence, investigators recovered a loaded Glock 27 firearm, 14 grams of suspected fentanyl, and an assortment of drug trafficking paraphernalia. 

Robinson is the twelfth and final member of the 21st and Vietnam crew to be sentenced in this case. 

• Damien Jenkins, aka “Woe,” was sentenced to 151 months
• Trevon Palmer, aka “Rocky,” was sentenced to 192 months
• Charles Manson, aka “Cheese,” was sentenced to 170 months
• Jamiek Bassil, aka “Onion,” was sentenced to 135 months
• Nathaniel Russell, aka “Thump,” was sentenced to 42 months
• Briyon Shuford, aka: “Breezy,” was sentenced to 161 months
• Jason Green was sentenced to 115 months
• Ahmed Mikal Bailey was sentenced to 30 months
• Jerome Powell was sentenced to 27 months
• Lydell Douglas was sentenced to 24 months
• Abrian Walker was sentenced to 12 months with 6 months home confinement 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

The case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the MPD. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. 

This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel. 

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WASHINGTON – Vernon Daniels, 60, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 80 months in prison, on charges stemming from the burglaries of multiple organizations in Northwest, from February until April 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.

            Daniels pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary and one count of attempted second-degree burglary in Superior Court on August 29, 2025. The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Daniels to the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 1, 2025, at approximately 8:21 p.m., Daniels entered through the garage of Monument Advocacy, located at 975 F Street Northwest. After gaining access to the building, Daniels stole three laptops and other property valued at approximately $6,857 before exiting the building.  Furthermore, on April 6, 2025, Daniels entered the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, located at 1722 I Street Northwest, at approximately 11:30 a.m. Once inside, the Defendant stole two laptops. Surveillance showed the Defendant fleeing the scene. Police recovered a latent fingerprint that matched the Defendant’s from the scene.

            Daniels previously was convicted of burglaries in 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2016, and 2022.

            Daniels was arrested on June 11, 2025, and has been in custody since.

            Joining in the announcement was Inspector General Cheryl L. Mason of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Inspector General Mason commended those who investigated the case from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant United States Attorney Emmanuel Hampton, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Daniel Cary, 31, of Fort Washington, Maryland, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for charges stemming from the shooting of his then-girlfriend Chantel Stewart’s former friend in July 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Cary pleaded guilty to aggravated assault while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence on November 20, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced Cary to serve nine years of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Co-defendant Chantel Stewart, 34, also pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and received a one-year suspended sentence.

            According to the government’s evidence, on July 22, 2020, as the victim was driving near 108 Atlantic Street SE, Stewart pulled her car up to the victim’s car and warned the victim, “he’s about to shoot you.” Cary, Stewart’s boyfriend, then pulled a mask over his face, got out of the passenger seat of Stewart’s car, and fired a semi-automatic weapon 5 times at the victim’s car. One shot went through the victim’s car door and struck her in the back. Stewart then drove Cary away from the scene.

            The victim, through sheer force of will, drove herself to the hospital, where she underwent multiple surgeries and survived.

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

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen, who investigated the case; former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel Brower and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Claire Hoover, who handled the case.

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WASHINGTON – Dearay Wilson, 30, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder while armed for his role in the shooting death of 50-year-old D.C. resident Jeremy Black on the evening of June 29, 2021, in Northwest D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

            Wilson entered a guilty plea before Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz, on February 13, 2026. Judge Kravitz ordered that Wilson remain held without bond pending sentencing. Wilson will next appear before Judge Kravitz for sentencing on April 10, 2026.

            According to court documents, Wilson and three others armed themselves with firearms before driving a vehicle to Johnson Avenue Northwest. Once in the area, they fired multiple shots at a group of people outside an apartment building in the 1400 block of R Street Northwest. Black, the victim, was an innocent bystander walking through the area with his wife and two friends following dinner at a local restaurant. Black and a friend were crossing Johnson Avenue when Wilson and his co-conspirators indiscriminately fired over 45 rounds on a busy public street. Black was struck and killed by a single gunshot wound to his left torso. After the shooting, Wilson and his co-conspirators fled the scene in the stolen vehicle.

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

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Merikas, Kathleen Gibbons, and Sarah Santiago. The case was indicted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sitara Witanachchi.

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WASHINGTON – Meliton Cordero, a Supervisory Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, was arrested yesterday in Washington D.C. and charged in a complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a bribery and U.S. visa fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

“This individual was entrusted by the American people to faithfully execute his duties and represent the American Government abroad as a leader within the DEA,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Instead, he is alleged to have broken the law, squandered this special trust and undercut the President’s immigration priorities. This behavior by any government official is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”  

 Cordero, 47, has been assigned for six years to the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic. He is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and visa fraud. According to the charging documents, Cordero allegedly accepted thousands of dollars in exchange for assisting foreign nationals with securing a nonimmigrant visa which would allow them to visit the U.S. for a temporary period.    

“The alleged actions do not reflect the thousands of DEA professionals who serve honorably every day dismantling transnational criminal organizations and protecting communities at home and abroad,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to professionalism, transparency, and the rule of law.”  

 In one instance described in the charging documents, Cordero met with a foreign national and provided them with a passport and visa allowing travel to the United States in exchange for cash. During his assignment at the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, Cordero expedited at least 119 visa applications, at least one of which is alleged to have been fraudulent, often coaching individuals in preparation for their visa interview with U.S. Consular Officers.  

 A complaint is a document that explains the charges against a defendant.  The complaint is not evidence of a crime. All defendants in criminal cases are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

 This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations - Newark Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations – Santo Domingo, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

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WASHINGTON – Seth Emmanuel Andrews, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in Superior Court for strangling his mother, Hazel Evans, to death in Northeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            On November 26, 2025, a D.C. Superior Court jury convicted Andrews on one count of second-degree murder. Today, Judge J. Michael Ryan sentenced Andrews to 26 years in prison, the maximum recommended sentence under the D.C. Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, followed by five years of supervised release.

            The evidence at trial proved that on July 16, 2020, Andrews killed Evans by strangling her while she was inside of her bedroom at her home at 10 35th Street, SE, Washington, D.C. The defendant was arrested on August 20, 2020.

            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. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Coronado and Marybeth Manfreda, who prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Laithen Bell, 20, of Washington, D.C., and Cornell Jamison, 21, Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday in Superior Court to assaulting, robbing and carjacking a woman at gunpoint on January 22, 2025, announced Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Bell pleaded guilty to carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. 

            Jamison pleaded guilty to carjacking, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a prohibited weapon (machine gun).

            The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld accepted Bell and Jamison’s pleas and scheduled their sentencing for April 17, 2026.

            According to court documents, on January 22, 2025, in the 4300 Block of 3rd Street SE, at approximately 12:28 a.m., a woman was returning home and parked on the street near an apartment building. As she pulled into the parking space, she observed a white van pulling up beside her car and then drive off. As she exited her vehicle, the white van returned and pulled beside her. The woman attempted to get to safety in the apartment building, but she was attacked from behind by several men, one of whom was armed with a handgun. The men beat her, struck her with the handgun, and ultimately robbed her of her clothing, keys, and cellphone.  They also took her car.

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

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Lauren Miller.

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WASHINGTON – Ricky Jackson, 67, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96 months in federal prison in connection to his role in a large drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the Nation’s capital, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Jackson pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 96-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Jackson to serve five years of supervised release. 

“Thanks to our prosecutors, a 10-time convicted felon and drug-trafficker is off the streets and behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. “Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore.” 

According to court documents, Jackson was a prolific narcotics redistributor who collaborated with other members of the conspiracy to obtain wholesale quantities of fentanyl which he in turn cut and repackaged for other redistributors and purchasers in the district. 

Jackson obtained bulk quantities – up to 24 grams of fentanyl – five or six times each week. Jackson then redistributed the narcotic in Southeast Washington D.C. in the vicinity of methadone clinics.  

He was arrested on Nov. 29, 2023, and has remained continuously detained since that date. Jackson has approximately 10 prior convictions that include violent crimes like armed robbery, voluntary manslaughter, and drug trafficking offenses. 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division Office, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

This matter was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the FBI Washington Field Office, the ATF Washington Field Division, and the MPD. It was prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey.  

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WASHINGTON – Darryl Dacota Riley, Jr, 39, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that reached across the United States and sold PCP, cocaine, and fentanyl in the 2900 block of Knox Place in Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Riley, aka “Slice,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of phencyclidine (PCP), 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition, Riley pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Timothy J. Kelly, who accepted the plea, scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2026.

“Thanks to our prosecutors, a 10-time convicted felon and drug-trafficker is off the streets and behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore.”

According to court documents, in the summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, where law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker with a stash house. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, agents determined that Riley served as a bulk PCP supplier within the conspiracy. 

Riley is the third defendant to plead guilty thus far after a years-long investigation that culminated in the arrests of fourteen individuals in August 2025 after the FBI executed 20 residential search warrants across the District, Maryland, and Los Angeles. Investigators at the time seized 20 firearms, more than two kilograms of suspected cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl, a kilo press commonly used to compact kilogram-quantities of powdered narcotics, and over $100,000 in cash.

The Knox Place neighborhood has experienced at least five homicides in the past year, among other violent crimes. According to court documents, the D.C. traffickers who operated around Knox Place sourced their narcotics through a Baltimore-based co-conspirator, who in turn was importing narcotics from California. One of the shipments from California included 17 gallons of PCP that was intercepted last year by law enforcement outside of Topeka, Kansas.

On Aug. 26, 2025, investigators searched Riley’s residence on the 1900 block of Naylor Road, SE, and recovered about 900 grams of cocaine, about 11 grams of crack cocaine, 120 grams of fentanyl, more than 7 grams of methamphetamine, and $20,097 in cash. In addition, agents recovered a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun, a loaded and chambered Glock 21 45mm pistol; and a loaded privately manufactured AR-style .223 caliber firearm with no serial number.

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

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the DEA and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Sarah Akhtar, and John Crabb of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON – Mark Williams, 59, of Virginia, has been found guilty by a jury of four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Williams was the victim’s high school teacher in 2014, when the abuse occurred.

            The verdict was returned on February 12, 2026, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2026.  The defendant remains held without bond pending sentencing.

            According to the government’s evidence, in the spring of 2014, Williams was the victim’s high school teacher at Duke Ellington School for the Arts. Williams began an independent study with the victim, who was 17 years old at the time. Their independent study met in a locked, windowless room in the basement of Duke Ellington. Williams then initiated a romantic and sexual relationship with the victim, during which they participated in sexual acts while on campus.

            Joining in the announcement was Jeffery W. Carroll, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones, Investigative Analyst Lucas Jetson, and Victim Witness Coordinators Guisela Castillo and Katina Adams.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Hyde and Sarah Roessler, who investigated and prosecuted the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Platt, who assisted with investigating the case.

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WASHINGTON – James Adrian Brewer, 19, a resident of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.  

Judge Jia M. Cobb scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2026. 

According to court documents, Brewer was attending the Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School in Northwest Washington on Sept. 3, 2025, when he was observed by a school administrator to have what appeared to be a firearm in 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. The gun was fitted 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 Goodwill Excel Center Adult Charter School and further admitted to knowing that it was fitted with an MCD that converted the pistol into a machine gun.   

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 James B. Nelson. 

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WASHINGTON – Jamie Greer Spies, 24, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 90 months in prison in connection with distributing multiple videos of child sexual abuse material to an undercover FBI agent, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Spies pleaded guilty July 22, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Spies to serve ten years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, an undercover officer working with the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was monitoring an online group where people meet to discuss and trade original images and videos of underage children. While in the group, an individual calling themselves “babygirl484” and later identified as Spies messaged the undercover officer indicating that she was interested in images that portrayed the sexual abuse of young children.

Spies, who was the mother of a then 16-month-old son, subsequently distributed multiple images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including the abuse of infants and toddlers.

Following her arrest on May 2, 2025, investigators discovered 43 videos and 51 images of child sexual abuse materials on her phone.

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

This case was investigated by the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Allentown Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie.

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

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WASHINGTON – Joshua Rosser, 28, residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to eight months in prison in connection with purposely ramming a U.S. Marshal’s vehicle and then leading officers on a 10-minute high-speed chase, crashing into a second law enforcement vehicle, as he attempted to evade arrest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Rosser pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2025, before Judge Loren L. AliKhan to federal misdemeanor assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and to D.C. Code felony fleeing from law enforcement. In addition to the eight-month sentence, Judge AliKhan ordered Rosser to serve 12 months of supervised release on the federal count and three years of supervised release on the D.C. count as well as to pay $4,528.92 in restitution for damage to the law enforcement vehicles.

According to court documents, on Sept. 2, 2025, law enforcement officers were in unmarked police cruisers when they spotted an SUV with heavily tinted windows and a counterfeit Texas Buyer’s Tag. After officers confirmed that the tag was counterfeit, they attempted to conduct a traffic stop. An unmarked U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) vehicle occupied by four Deputy U.S. Marshals (DUSMs) activated its emergency lights and pulled in front of the SUV. Simultaneously, an unmarked U.S. Park Police (USPP) vehicle occupied by two USPP officers located behind the SUV activated its emergency equipment. As a USPP officer got out of his vehicle, Rosser rapidly accelerated forward and fled from law enforcement, striking a USMS vehicle in the process.

After colliding with the USMS vehicle, Rosser sped away in his SUV. Officers pursued Rosser in their vehicle with both their lights and sirens on. During the pursuit, Rosser reached speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour and drove the wrong way up one-way streets. During the chase, Rosser’s SUV collided with a second USMS vehicle occupied by three DUSMs. The impact caused injuries to one of the DUSMs. Rosser pulled away after the collision and continued to flee. After about 10 minutes of trying to evade law enforcement Rosser’s SUV came to a stop and he was arrested.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service, U.S. Park Police, FBI Washington Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English.

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Rosser collided with this USMS vehicle in which three Deputy U.S. Marshals were riding.

WASHINGTON – Javan King, 42, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in connection with stealing thousands of government cell phones when he worked for the Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

King pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Judge Jia M. Cobb accepted King’s plea and scheduled sentencing for May 26, 2026.

According to court documents, between approximately 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. 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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.

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WASHINGTON – Shawn Marshall Owens, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 67 months in federal prison for committing at least six armed robberies of Metro by T-Mobile stores in 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Owens pleaded guilty July 1, 2024, to six counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). In addition to the 67-month prison term, U.S. District Court Timothy J. Kelly ordered Owens to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on July 14, 2023, about 6:25 p.m., Owens robbed the Metro by T-Mobile store on the 4500 block East Capitol Street, NE. Owens pointed a black handgun in the direction of an employee and directed him to hand over cash from the cash register and cell phones. Owens fled with three phones and about $500 in cash.

On July 29, 2023, at noon, Owens struck at the same T-Mobile store on the 4500 block of East Capitol Street, NE. “Don’t play games…you know what to do,” Owens said to the same T-Mobile employee he had robbed two weeks earlier. Owens handed the employee a backpack and ordered him to empty the register into the bag. The employee complied. Owens grabbed six or seven cell phones, put them into the pack, and left the store.

On Sept. 2, 2023, about 5 p.m., Owens entered the Metro by T-Mobile store on the 1400 block North Capitol Street, NW. He produced a silver and black handgun, pointed it at an employee, and demanded all the Apple iPhones. Because of the threatened use of force, the employee complied, but told Owens they did not have Apple iPhones in stock. Owens demanded the keys to the cash register, opened it, and grabbed $446 in cash. He also took four phones from the counter. Owens asked the employee where the store’s big safe was located. The employee told Owens the safe was empty. Owens ordered the employee to walk to the backroom and told her to give him time to leave the store before she called the police.

On Sept. 13, 2023, about 4:51 p.m., Owens returned to the Metro by T-Mobile store on North Capitol Street. He produced a black and silver handgun and pointed it at a store employee. Owens asked for the keys to the safe, the employee’s personal phone, and wallet. The employee told Owens that since the establishment had been robbed before, keys to the safe were no longer kept on the premises. Owens opened the register, took $250, and grabbed at least five new phones from behind the counter.

On Oct.1, 2023, about 4:05 p.m., Owens struck the Metro by T-Mobile store on 3100 block of Mount Pleasant Street, NW Owens approached an employee, pulled a handgun, and demanded: “Where is the money? Where are the iPhones?” After ordering the employee to face the wall, Owens took $1,000 from the cash register, a laptop, a speaker, and a cell phone.

On Dec. 10, 2023, at 5:30 p.m., Owens robbed a Metro by T-Mobile store on the 5400 block of Georgia Ave NW. Two employees were working together inside as Owens walked in, pointed a handgun at them and demanded cash and phones. Owens carried out a box of phones out worth $3,169 as well as cash. When police arrested Owens shortly thereafter, he was in possession of the cash and the box of phones.

Each of the six stores that Owens robbed bought and sold goods in interstate commerce. As a result of Owen’s actions in each of these robberies, interstate commerce was actually or potentially delayed, obstructed, or affected. In each of the six robberies, Owens was armed with a replica “Airsoft” handgun, which appeared to be a real firearm.

Joining in the announcement were Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)

This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Haley M. Pennington and Alexander Schneider provided valuable assistance.

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WASHINGTON – Stephen Kline, 40, of Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 90 months in federal prison in connection with sending child sexual abuse materials to an undercover FBI task force officer, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Kline pleaded guilty Aug. 5, 2025, before Judge Royce C. Lamberth to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Judge Lamberth ordered Kline to serve 10 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, on June 26, 2025, an FBI detective was monitoring a fetish website when a user using the screen name, “sk87p” initiated a private message chat. Later identified as Stephen Kline, the user moved the conversation to another messaging platform. Kline stated he had a sexual interest in children and indicated that he had access to a 15-year-old minor child. When asked what ages he preferred, Kline stated, “7-15, 9-10 being my fav.”

During the course of the conversation Kline sent the undercover detective materials that depicted adults sexually abusing young prepubescent children, including images of adults engaged in sadistic acts by tying children up to abuse them. Kline also detailed his access to and abuse of a real minor child.

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 MPD-FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Allentown Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.

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

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Zubayar Al-Bakoush, an armed coconspirator in the 2012 attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, was charged in an eight-count indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court on multiple terrorism and murder counts.

Bakoush, who is in federal custody, is expected to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya for the District of Columbia.

“The terrorist attack on our Benghazi Embassy was a dark and tragic day for our nation that robbed us of four American heroes,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Now, thanks to our brave federal agents, one of its alleged key participants will be prosecuted in an American courtroom on American soil. Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice will never rest in our mission to Make America Safe Again and deliver swift, severe justice to our enemies.”

"The FBI and our U.S. government partners have worked tirelessly to hold accountable those responsible for the heinous terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya that resulted in the deaths of the U.S. Ambassador, J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The latest result of our efforts is bringing  Zubayar Al-Bakoush  to the U.S. to face charges for his alleged role in the attacks against our citizens and our facilities in Libya. You can be assured that no matter how long it takes, or where you are located, the FBI remains steadfast in our duty to see justice served against those who harm our citizens. I’m grateful to the men and women of the FBI for their unrelenting efforts to bring us to where we stand today – this defendant will be prosecuted on U.S. soil.”

“Today’s indictment against Zubayar Al-Bakoush is indicative of President Trump’s resolve to hold accountable anyone who harms Americans, no matter where,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Al-Bakoush is now on U.S. soil, because the FBI and Department of Justice never forgot those Americans who were seemingly forgotten in that outpost in Benghazi, Libya. President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, FBI Director Patel, and I will do whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, to pursue justice for the victims and their families.”

“Over thirteen years have passed since the 2012 attack in Libya, and over eight since the last arrest in this case, but the Department of Justice’s resolve has not wavered,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We never forgot those four Americans who were killed in service of our Nation, and we will continue to seek justice for them, their families, and for the United States.”

“In September 2012, Zubayar Al-Bakoush allegedly facilitated the terrorist attack on the United States Mission and Annex in Benghazi in which four Americans – including an ambassador – were murdered in an effort to incite additional violence against our country’s presence in Libya” said James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge of New York Field Office. “This bloody campaign waged unnecessary brutality against Americans and forever altered the lives of the victims’ families. May today’s significant disruption send a clear message: the FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will never cease its tireless pursuit of any terrorist involved in the massacre of our nation’s citizens, regardless of when or where the onslaught occurred.”

The indictment charges Bakoush with:

• Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death
• Providing Material Support and Resources to Terrorists Resulting in Death
• Murder of an Internationally Protected Person
• Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States (Two Counts)
• Attempted Murder of a United States National Outside of the United States
• Arson and Placing Lives in Jeopardy Within the Special Maritime and Territorial

Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same

• Maliciously Destroying and Injuring Property and Placing Lives in Jeopardy within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States and Attempting to Do the Same

The charges stem from the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission and nearby CIA Annex that killed Ambassador Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty.

According to the indictment, Bakoush was a member of Ansar Al Sharia (AAS), an Islamist extremist militia in Benghazi, which had the goal of establishing Sharia law in Libya.

On the evening of Sept. 11, 2012, a group of more than 20 heavily armed men – including Bakoush assembled outside the main gate of the U.S Special Mission in Benghazi.  They were armed with assault rifles, other firearms, and explosive devices.  At about 9:45 p.m., the group of armed men violently breached the main gate of the Mission. Upon entry, the men fanned out across the Mission complex, setting fires to building within the Mission compound.

When the attackers could not gain entry to the secure area of Villa C, the Ambassador’s residence, they set fire to it.  Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith suffocated from the thick, black smoke that enveloped the residence. Diplomatic Security Services (DSS) Special Agent Scott Wickland, who had tried to guide Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith to safety, was injured and repeatedly took small arms fire while trying to rescue the two Americans.

The extremist group also attacked the Quick Reaction Force building, which was occupied by local Libyans serving as guards for the Mission.

About 10 p.m., Bakoush entered the Mission compound with other conspirators, and conducted surveillance of the Tactical Operation Center and the Villa. After Bakoush attempted to gain entry to vehicles belonging to Mission staff, he and his co-conspirators temporarily retreated to an area just outside the Mission.

About 11:15 p.m., conspirators assembled outside the southern gate and launched a second violent attack on the Mission using AK-type assault rifles, grenades, and rocket-propelled grenades. After 30 minutes, the group entered the compound and plundered the Mission’s office of documents, maps, and computers containing sensitive information about the location of the CIA Annex.

At 12:30 a.m., conspirators attacked the Annex with small arms, assault rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades.

Following the attack at the Mission, in the early hours of September 12, 2012, the violence continued at the CIA Annex, first with gunfire and then with a precision mortar attack. While defending the Annex, Mr. Woods, Mr. Doherty, DSS Special Agent David Ubben, and CIA security specialist Mark Tiegen were hit by a precision mortar attack, leading to the deaths of Mr. Woods and Mr. Doherty. Special Agent Ubben and Mr. Tiegen were seriously wounded but survived.

The Department of Justice previously charged and convicted two leaders in the Benghazi attack on federal terrorism charges and other offenses. Ahmed Abu Khatallah, aka Ahmed Mukatallah was sentenced in June 2018 to 22 years in prison and resentenced in September 2024 to 28 years in prison. Mustafa al-Imam was sentenced in January 2020 to nearly 20 years.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from the Department of War, the CIA and the Department of State. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided additional assistance.

The case is being prosecuted by the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON – Andrew Henrry Rodriguez, 24, of Ontario, California, Santos Balmore Martinez, 23, of Los Angeles, California, Jose Anthony Contreras, 32, of Fullerton, California, Anthony Guadalupe Olguin, 29, of South El Monte, California, and others have been sentenced in United States District Court for the District of Columbia for their roles in obtaining fentanyl from Mexico, and distributing it in California and throughout the United States, including Washington, D.C.  The fentanyl trafficking organization distributed tens of thousands of deadly doses of illegal fentanyl using covert social media platforms, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

On September 20, 2024, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl before the Honorable Judge Amit P. Mehta, United States District Court Judge, for the District of Columbia. On May 13, 2025, Judge Mehta sentenced Rodriguez to 63 months imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release. 

On November 13, 2024, Martinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On February 21, 2025, Judge Mehta sentenced Martinez to 48 months imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised release. 

On December 6, 2024, Contreras pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On March 21, 2025, Judge Mehta sentenced Contreras to 120 months imprisonment followed by 60 months of supervised release. 

On September 4, 2025, Anthony Olguin pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On February 6, 2026, Judge Mehta sentenced Olguin to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Judge Mehta ordered part of the sentence to run concurrently with a separate conviction that Olguin is serving out of the Southern District of Iowa, where he was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment on November 13, 2025, for another drug trafficking conspiracy. 

Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in announcing the sentences were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher Goumenis, of the Washington Division Office, and Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division.   

According to court documents, the group was part of a large-scale fentanyl distribution conspiracy that obtained tens of thousands of fentanyl pills. Between 2023 and 2024, the DEA, with the assistance of a confidential source and an undercover law enforcement officer, conducted numerous controlled fentanyl pill purchases from Rodriguez, who shipped fentanyl pills from California through the USPS to a mailing address in the District of Columbia. Rodriguez sent about 4,713 fentanyl pills (weighing over 400 grams in total) and prepared to send an additional 21,000 fentanyl pills to the DEA undercover officer, but law enforcement arrested him at his residence in Ontario, California, before the plan could be completed. Thereafter, Martinez, Contreras, Olguin, and others, were arrested, and search warrants were executed. From those searches, law enforcement recovered a cache of illegal substances and evidence of the drug trafficking conspiracy.  

This case was investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division, and the Hermosa Beach California Police Department with the assistance of the DEA’s Los Angeles Division Office and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and Daniel Seidel, of the Violence Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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WASHINGTON –  John Calvin Harris, 29, a convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a firearm and trafficking amphetamines and crack cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Harris pleaded guilty Sept. 18, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and to possession with intent to distribute amphetamine and cocaine base. In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Harris to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on June 30, 2025, Metropolitan Police officers were patrolling the 4000 block of Minnesota Ave, NE, when they spotted Harris in the driver’s seat of a parked Honda. Harris was wanted on an active warrant out of Maryland.

Police initiated an arrest, placed Harris in handcuffs, and recovered a loaded Glock 29 pistol from the front of Harris’ pants. Officers then searched the Honda and found three containers containing more than 45 grams of a hard rock-like substance that tested positive for cocaine. Officers also found a fourth container that held 30.5 grams of a white powder that tested positive for amphetamines.

Harris previously was convicted in 2023 of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, received a probationary sentence, and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the ATF. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caelainn Carney.

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WASHINGTON – A 23-year-old man from Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury on charges stemming from his brandishing a firearm and threatening his ex-girlfriend during an argument in October 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.

            A Superior Court grand jury indicted the man on February 4, 2026, on assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), possession of a firearm with an altered or obliterated serial number, and carrying a pistol without a license.

            This case is set for a status hearing on February 6, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Carmen McLean.

            The man has two prior convictions for crimes of violence.

            According to the government’s evidence, on October 26, 2025, at approximately 6:20 p.m., the man got into an argument with his child’s mother in an apartment complex on Oak Street NW. At some point during the argument, the man pointed a firearm at the victim while she was holding their two-year-old son. The man threatened the victim, indicating that if she was not holding his son, he would shoot her. The victim was able to call police from a nearby market. The man was arrested on scene, and a firearm was found in the closet of an apartment where the man was seen exiting and entering.

            Joining the announcement was Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

           It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmine Dohemann. 

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

WASHINGTON – Darrell A. Smith, Sr., 56, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty Tuesday in District of Columbia Superior Court to three counts of first-degree theft and one count of trafficking in stolen property for stealing D.C. government-issued laptops and selling many of them for personal profit, announced Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

             The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld accepted Smith’s plea and scheduled sentencing for April 17, 2026.

            According to court documents, in 2022, while serving as an Information Technology manager for the DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), Smith used his official badge access to enter secured DHCF storage areas and remove multiple Apple MacBook Pro laptops purchased for agency use as part of a $1.6 million technology procurement. Each laptop was valued at more than $3,000. Smith kept some of the stolen devices, gave others away as gifts, and sold several for as much as $1,250 each, retaining the proceeds.

            When DHCF officials began inquiring about the missing devices, Smith falsely denied knowledge of their whereabouts. During his guilty plea, he admitted to using his official system access to delete security camera footage from an IT storage room to conceal the theft. In total, Smith’s actions caused a loss to the District government of at least $30,000.

            Joining the announcement was Brian L. Schwalb, Attorney General for the District of Columbia; and Jeffery Carroll, Interim Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Pirro, Interim Chief Carroll, and D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb commended investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and acknowledged valuable assistance provided by investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

            The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Bluming, on detail from the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, assigned to prosecute matters involving fraud and public corruption impacting the District and its residents.

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WASHINGTON – Lorenzo Greene, 21, a previously convicted felon residing in the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison in connection with a flight from police, a crash into a law enforcement vehicle, and the subsequent discovery of a 9mm handgun, 18 rounds of ammunition, and about five ounces of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Greene pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2025, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances and to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. At sentencing, in addition to the prison term, Judge Ali ordered Greene to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2025, Greene was driving a Nissan Altima erratically in the vicinity of 17th St. SE and T St. SE, The Nissan was tagged with a stolen Virginia temporary license plate and had heavily tinted windows. 

Police attempted to stop the Nissan after Greene ran a red stoplight and drove across the center of the roadway into oncoming traffic. Instead of pulling over, Greene accelerated. He recklessly swerved the Nissan into an alley, rounded a curve, and collided with an unmarked FBI vehicle that was driving with its lights and sirens activated.

As officers approached the crashed Nissan, Greene got out and attempted to flee, which led to a struggle. One of the officers observed a black handgun protruding from Greene’s waistband and recovered it. The firearm was a Taurus G3C handgun, 9mm caliber, loaded with 17 rounds in a large capacity ammunition feeding device and one round in the chamber. From Greene’s backpack, officers also seized about five ounces of marijuana, packaging materials, a scale, and $369 in cash.

Greene previously had been convicted of carrying a pistol without a license, punishable by a sentence of more than a year, and was therefore prohibited from possessing any firearm.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman as part of 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 for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

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WASHINGTON – Desmond Thurston, 48, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to murdering his ex-romantic partner in her home on October 1, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           Thurston plead guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on February 4, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2026, before the Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt.

            According to the government’s evidence, on September 28, 2023, Patricia Johnson called 911 to report that Thurston had threatened her. The next day, Johnson 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.

           Despite the TPO, and the warning from MPD, Thurston returned to Johnson’s home around 3:00 a.m. on October 1, 2023, and broke in, snapping a chain lock off the wall. Thurston proceeded up the stairs of the home to where Johnson and a minor family member had been sleeping in different bedrooms. After a brief exchange of words in the hallway, Thurston shot Johnson once through her left wrist and neck, causing her to fall to the ground. Thurston then shot Johnson a second time, in the chest, while she was on the ground. After going through Johnson’s devices, Thurston eventually left the home, allowing the minor family member witness to call 911. A few hours later, after disposing of the gun, Thurston turned himself into an MPD officer, advising that he assumed they were looking for him for a murder. He was placed under arrest and has remained in custody ever since.

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

           The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case.

           Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Wes Faulkner Jr. are prosecuting the case.

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WASHINGTON – A 55-year-old Washington, D.C. man, was indicted yesterday by a grand jury on charges stemming from attacking and robbing his former romantic partner in October 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro.

            A Superior Court grand jury indicted the defendant on February 4, 2026, on robbery and simple assault.

            This case is set for trial on February 23, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld.

            According to the government’s evidence, on October 15, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m., the man came behind the victim, his former romantic partner, on W Street, NW and took her phone out of her hand. The man then fought with the victim as she tried to recover her phone. He struck the victim in the face and shoved her to the ground. When they stood back up, the man took the victim’s purse as well. A bystander observed the altercation and intervened by calling 911 and the defendant left the area with the victim’s phone and purse.

            Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

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

WASHINGTON – Michael Scott, 34, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a D.C. Superior Court grand jury on four counts related stemming from an October 2025 assault on two women, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced.

            Scott was indicted on February 2, 2026, on one count each of first-degree burglary, assault, destruction of property and resisting arrest.

            According to the indictment, on October 25, 2025, Scott entered the home of a woman, Victim 1, with the intent to assault his ex-romantic partner, Victim 2, who was also inside the dwelling. Upon entering the apartment, Scott broke down the bedroom door, assaulted and threatened Victim 2.

            Scott has two prior convictions for crimes of violence.

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

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivis Hinerfeld. 

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

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WASHINGTON – Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was charged in a 13-count superseding indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court with multiple terrorism-related offenses in connection with the May 21, 2025, fatal shootings of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Rodriguez previously was charged with the murder of a foreign official, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, two federal counts of hate crime resulting in death, and two counts each of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed under the D.C. criminal code.

The superseding indictment adds four counts of acts of terrorism while armed (two counts each for the first-degree murders and assaults with intent to kill) in violation of the D.C. criminal code and a federal statutory aggravating factor for substantial planning and premeditation to commit an act of terrorism.

Several of the charges filed against Rodriguez carry a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.

“My office will not rest in our efforts to hold Elias Rodriguez accountable for this horrific, and targeted act of terror against Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim and our Jewish community,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “These additional terrorism-related charges carry a mandatory life sentence under D.C. Code, while also reflecting the reality that this act was in fact an act of terror.”

“In addition to allegedly murdering two innocent people and terrorizing the survivors of his attack at the Capital Jewish Museum, Rodriguez wrote and published a manifesto attempting to morally justify his actions and inspire others to commit political violence,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. “His alleged actions warrant the additional terrorism charges being announced today.”

Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, died in the attack. Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen and employee of the Government of Israel who was in the United States on official business while working for the Israeli Embassy. Milgrim, from Overland Park, Kansas, was also employed by the Israeli Embassy. Two surviving victims also worked for the Embassy.

According to the superseding indictment, Rodriguez allegedly approached the victims as they left a “Young Diplomats Reception” at the museum, fired approximately 20 shots from a semi-automatic handgun, and called out “Free Palestine.”

After the shooting, Rodriguez entered the museum. Several event attendees were still present. Rodriguez allegedly displayed a red keffiyeh and said, “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.”

As police removed Rodriguez from the museum, he shouted, “shame on you” and “shame on Zio-nazi terror” at the remaining event attendees.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

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WASHINGTON – Tyree Irving, 29, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty for the shooting death of Davane Williams on January 15, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Irving pleaded guilty on February 2, 2026, to one count of second-degree murder while armed, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Neal Kravitz scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2026.

            On January 15, 2019, at 2:59 p.m., Irving walked from behind the Sibley Plaza parking lot, crossed M Street NW, and then walked toward the Tyler House, located in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street, NW. Mr. Williams and several other men were standing on the sidewalk outside the M Street entrance pathway to the Tyler House.  Irving, who had a .40 caliber pistol concealed in his hoodie, approached the group and immediately started yelling at Mr. Williams. After yelling at Mr. Williams for less than 10 seconds, Irving pulled the .40 caliber pistol out of his hoodie and fired it five times at Mr. Williams, striking him with all five shots. Mr. Williams immediately fell to the ground, while the other bystanders ran away eastbound toward North Capitol Street. Irving put the pistol back into his hoodie and then ran away southbound across M Street, back through the parking lot of the Sibley Plaza.

            Irving was eventually arrested on February 27, 2019, and has been held pending trial.

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

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Hall and Wes Faulkner.

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WASHINGTON – Tyrell West, 30, of Bowie, MD, was indicted by a D.C. Superior Court grand jury on three counts stemming from a November 2025 assault on a woman, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            West was indicted on February 2, 2026, on one count each of strangulation, threats to do bodily harm and simple assault.

            According to the indictment, on November 26, 2025, West threatened to assault the victim, his romantic partner, and then punched her in the face and strangled her in the presence of their young child. The victim lost consciousness during the assault. She fled to a neighbor’s apartment and called 911.

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

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivis Hinerfeld. 

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

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WASHINGTON – Walter Jenkins, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in connection with the shooting homicide of David Williams that also injured Melvin Favors on November 14, 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            On August 21, 2025, Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. At the January 29, 2026 sentencing, the Honorable Rainey Brandt ordered him to serve the prison term of 26 years and five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 4:45 p.m., on November 14, 2021, defendant Jenkins drove to the area where David Williams was known to sit in his parked vehicle, in front of the Frederick Douglass Community Center, at the intersection of Alabama Ave SE and Bruce Pl SE. Williams was in a relationship with Jenkins’ sister and there were reports of violence by Williams against members of Jenkins’ family, as well as reports of threats to Williams by Jenkins’ sister. After parking, Jenkins, wearing a mask and with a gun concealed in his backpack, confirmed Williams’ location and approached Williams’ vehicle. Captured on surveillance video, Jenkins briefly leaned down to the window of the car, which contained Williams, Favors, and a third individual who was uninjured, then quickly stood back up and began firing on the vehicle as he slowly walked around it. 

            Jenkins fired through the backpack so that it captured the cartridge casings fired from the weapon. Jenkins then fled the scene. David Williams was pronounced deceased at 6:16pm. Melvin Favors suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his legs and a broken femur, as well as a wound to his hand.

            Law enforcement arrested Jenkins in February of 2022 and he has remained in custody since.

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

            The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Miles Janssen prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Antonio Hawley, 22, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges in a shooting that took place on the sports fields of Watkins Elementary School in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Hawley was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. The Honorable Judge Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2026.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of October 6, 2021, Hawley and the homicide victim, Aaron Wiggins, had just finished playing against each other in a flag football scrimmage on the sports field of Watkins Elementary School. After the field lights cut off as usual at 9:45 p.m., the two teams decided to finish one last play, and Mr. Wiggins caught the winning touchdown. Throughout the game, there was the usual football trash talk, and that trash talk continued between Mr. Wiggins and members of Hawley’s team after that final play. As members of both flag football teams were gathering their belongings to leave the field, Hawley retrieved a handgun that he knew a teammate kept in a bag that had been brought onto the field at the start of the scrimmage, targeted Mr. Wiggins, and fired 17 times, hitting Mr. Wiggins 13 times. Mr. Wiggins died on the scene.

            Hawley fled the scene but was later identified through eyewitness accounts and video footage from the school, by Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Detectives investigating the case.  Hawley was arrested in December 2021 and has been held in custody since.

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

            This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jin Park and Mark Levy.

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WASHINGTON – Dandre Eric Davis, 31, a Maryland resident and employee at Luke C. Moore Opportunities Academy in Washington, D.C., was charged with distribution of child pornography in a complaint unsealed today, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

According to court documents, starting on January 12, 2026, Davis communicated with a user on an online dating application regarding his sexual interest in children. Over the week, Davis stated that he was a “kinky perv,” and that he was interested in children between 7-15 years old. Davis eventually moved the communications over to Telegram, an encrypted messaging application where Davis distributed two videos depicting sexual acts involving prepubescent boys.

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

This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States 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.

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 Director of Financial Management of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) was charged today by criminal information and has agreed to plead guilty to accepting gratuities from a USADF contractor and then lying to federal law enforcement officers about those payments.

“Mathieu Zahui is charged with accepting payments from a government contractor and then abusing his position by directing USADF funds to that contractor for little-to-no work,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Corruption by senior officials representing the United States cheats American taxpayers and rigs the system against honest work. This plea agreement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s pursuit of bad actors who engage in waste and abuse in government contracting.”

“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”

According to court documents, Mathieu Zahui, 59, of Fairfax, Virginia, who referred to himself as the “CFO” of USADF, arranged for USADF to pay USADF vendors and contractors through a Kenya-based company, Company-1. Company-1 was owned by a government contractor (CC-1), whom Zahui had known for over 20 years. Between June 2020 and December 2023, Zahui arranged for Company-1 to act as a pass-through for USADF’s payments to certain vendors, rather than have USADF pay the vendors directly. For example, when USADF needed to pay a past-due debt to a staffing vendor, Zahui directed the vendor to invoice Company-1 instead of USADF. Company-1 then invoiced USADF for the vendor’s past-due amount, but added a mark-up of over $20,000 to the amount owed. Zahui approved Company-1’s invoice even though he knew that Company-1 had provided no services related to the vendor’s work.

Zahui approved pass-through invoices for Company-1 that included mark-ups ranging from 17% to 66% above the amounts owed to the vendors, even when Company-1 did no work justifying the mark-up. In total, Company-1 submitted more than 20 pass-through invoices to USADF, for which Zahui caused USADF to pay at least $617,625.49 to Company-1. Of this total amount paid, Company-1 retained $134,886.34 as a mark-up. In connection with this pass-through contracting and invoicing by Company-1, as well as other official acts to benefit Company-1, Zahui accepted $12,000 in cash payments directly from CC-1.

Zahui and CC-1 did not disclose this conduct to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which oversaw and authorized USADF’s payments to external parties. With Zahui’s involvement, CC-1 falsely stated on Company-1’s invoices that Company-1 had provided “logistical support” to USADF when, in fact, it had nothing to do with logistical support. For example, in late 2020, USADF owed a membership fee of $50,000 to a professional networking organization serving the African diaspora. Instead of having USADF pay its membership fee directly, Zahui directed CC-1 to have Company-1 submit an invoice to USADF that included the membership fee so that Company-1 could act as a pass-through for the $50,000 payment to that organization. The invoice submitted claimed that Company-1 provided “logistical assistance support for ADF” and included a mark-up of $9,900.08.

When interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in 2024, Zahui was asked about his relationship with CC-1 and falsely stated that he had never received any benefits from CC-1 when, in fact, he had received $12,000 in cash payments from CC-1.

Zahui agreed to plead guilty to one count of accepting gratuities from CC-1 and one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the gratuities charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. His plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge. The judge will thereafter determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

USAID-OIG is investigating the case.

Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. 

WASHINGTON – Mathieu G. Zahui, 59, the Director of Financial Management for the United States African Development Foundation was charged today by criminal Information for accepting gratuities from a USADF contractor and then lying to federal law enforcement officers about those payments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

Zahui, of Fairfax, Virginia, agreed to plead guilty to one count of accepting gratuities from the contractor and to one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. He faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison for the gratuities charge and five years in prison for the false statement charge. His plea hearing will be scheduled by a federal district court judge. The judge will thereafter determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“President Trump has made it clear that he will put an end to the fraud, waste and abuse that was commonplace throughout these agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “There will be serious consequences whenever corruption is unearthed, whether at the U.S. African Development Foundation or any other foundation.”

“Mathieu Zahui is charged with accepting payments from a government contractor and then abusing his position by directing USADF funds to that contractor for little-to-no work,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Corruption by senior officials representing the United States cheats American taxpayers and rigs the system against honest work. This plea agreement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s pursuit of bad actors who engage in waste and abuse in government contracting.”

“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General. “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”

According to court documents, Zahui arranged for United States African Development Foundation (USADF) to pay the foundation’s vendors and contractors through a Kenya-based company, Company-1. 

Company-1 was owned by a government contractor, CC-1, whom Zahui had known for over 20 years. Between June 2020 and December 2023, Zahui arranged for Company-1 to act as a pass-through for USADF’s payments to these vendors, rather than have USADF pay the vendors directly. Zahui approved pass-through invoices for Company-1 that included mark-ups ranging from 17% to 66% above the amounts owed to the vendors, even when Company-1 did no work justifying the mark-up. 

For example, when USADF needed to pay a past-due debt to a staffing vendor, Zahui directed the vendor to invoice Company-1 instead of USADF. Company-1 then invoiced USADF for the vendor’s past-due amount, but added a mark-up of over $20,000 to the amount owed. Zahui approved Company-1’s invoice even though he knew that Company-1 had provided no services related to the vendor’s work.

In total, Company-1 submitted more than 20 pass-through invoices to USADF, for which Zahui caused USADF to pay at least $617,625.49 to Company-1. Of this total amount paid Company-1 retained $134.886.34 as a mark-up. In connection with this pass-through contracting and invoicing by Company-1, as well as other official acts to benefit Company-1, Zahui accepted $12,000 in cash payments directly from CC-1. 

Zahui and CC-1 did not disclose this conduct to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which oversaw and authorized USADF’s payments to external parties. With Zahui’s involvement, CC-1 falsely stated on Company-1’s invoices that Company-1 had provided “logistical support” to USADF when, in fact, it had nothing to do with logistical support. For example, in late 2020, USADF owed a membership fee of $50,000 to a professional networking organization serving the African diaspora. Instead of having USADF pay its membership fee directly, Zahui directed CC-1 to have Company-1 submit an invoice to USADF that included the membership fee so that Company-1 could act as a pass-through for the $50,000 payment to that organization. The invoice submitted claimed that Company-1 provided “logistical assistance support for ADF” and included a mark-up of $9,900.08.

When interviewed by federal law enforcement agents in 2024, Zahui was asked about his relationship with CC-1 and falsely stated that he had never received any benefits from CC-1 when, in fact, he had received $12,000 in cash payments from CC-1.

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG) is investigating the case.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang for the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

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WASHINGTON – A complaint unsealed this morning in U.S. District Court charges Brandon Postow, 40, of Maryland, with distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

According to court documents, starting on January 15, 2026, Postow communicated with a user on Telegram regarding his sexual interest in children. Postow, aka “Michael Brandon Russell,” distributed four videos depicting the sexual abuse of teenage and prepubescent boys during those communications. When the Telegram user mentioned that he had a young son, Postow stated that he was interested in sexually abusing the child.

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

This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengar.

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

Charges in 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.

WASHINGTON – Antoine Turner, 32, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today to 312 months (26 years) in prison for the November 29, 2020, murder of Demeitri Anderson in the BENCO Shopping Plaza in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

           Turner pleaded guilty to second degree murder on September 5, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. His guilty plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 240–312-month prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Michael Ryan accepted the plea agreement and sentenced the defendant to 312 months.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:30 p.m., on November 29, 2020, the defendant, Antoine Turner, drove a rented red Nissan Versa to the 4500 block of B Street SE, Washington, DC, where he parked the car. The defendant then walked around the block from B Street SE to 46th Street SE, then took a left on East Capitol Street SE, and entered the rear alley behind the BENCO Shopping Plaza located at 4528 Benning Rd SE. He then walked to the front of Ken’s Beauty Supply located in the BENCO Shopping Plaza where at approximately 12:38 p.m., the defendant approached the victim, Demeitri Anderson, from behind and shot him repeatedly in the back of the head and body, killing him.

            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. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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WASHINGTON – Adam Muhammad, 40, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday for assaulting his ex-romantic partner with a knife and unlawfully possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Muhammad pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (knife) and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on January 29, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2026.

            According to the government’s evidence, on September 16, 2025, Muhammad went to the home of the victim, his ex-romantic partner, on 7th Street Northwest. The two got into a verbal argument and eventually the defendant grabbed the victim. Fearing for her life, the victim grabbed a kitchen knife. When Muhammad attempted to take the knife from the victim, she slipped and fell on the floor. The defendant secured the knife and got on top of the victim, while she was laying the floor, pinning her in a fetal position and rendering her unable to move. He then dug a finger into her right collar bone with one hand while holding the knife blade to the victim’s neck with the other hand and stated words to the effect of “b***h, I’ll kill you, tell your baby dad you want to die.”

            In a separate incident only a week later, the defendant was found at an abandoned apartment complex with a loaded pistol on his person.  Due to a prior felony conviction, the defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms of any sort. When officers attempted to detain Muhammad, they felt a rigid metallic object protruding from the defendant’s rear. Officers performed a protective pat down which revealed a firearm. The recovered firearm was a black and silver Smith and Wesson 915 9mm handgun and had eight rounds in a 10-round capacity magazine.

            Muhammad was arrested on September 23, 2025, and has been in custody ever since.

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

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            The assault case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman and the unlawful possession case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Franks.

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WASHINGTON – Julius Worthy, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, stemming from the homicide of Orlando Galloway and the attack of Shaquia Lewis on April 2, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Worthy was found guilty on November 21, 2025, by a Superior Court jury for second-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and related offenses. The Honorable Jason Park ordered him to serve the prison term of 41 years and five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on April 2, 2023, Worthy lived with Orlando Galloway in a one-bedroom apartment in the Capitol Hill area. The evening of the homicide, Worthy returned home and began arguing with Galloway over $20. As Galloway pleaded with Worthy that he would pay him the money, Worthy pulled out a firearm and shot eight times into the apartment, six of which struck Galloway. Worthy then grabbed a kitchen knife from the dishrack and stabbed Galloway five times in the neck. Worthy beat Galloway in the face repeatedly with the firearm, causing a piece of the frame to break off. Worthy then turned to Lewis and stabbed her multiple times while strangling her, causing her to lose consciousness. 

            Worthy remained in the apartment for over an hour with Galloway’s body and Lewis, calling multiple people on his phone to ask for help “cleaning up this mess,” adding that he was “killing two people.”  When Lewis tried to escape through the front door, Worthy attacked her again, stabbing her with a pair of scissors. A neighbor across the street heard Lewis screaming, saw Worthy attacking Lewis, and called 911.  Officers arrived shortly thereafter, and Worthy fled out the back door. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Worthy texted multiple individuals in the hours after the homicide, including stating, “I killed two people.”  

            Law enforcement arrested Worthy the following day, April 3, 2023, and he remained in custody since.

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

            The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case.

            Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Lawrence and Molly Smith prosecuted the case.

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A Canadian national pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after admitting he sexually exploited over 100 children by creating an online persona and targeting them on social media.

Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography and to coercion and enticement of a minor. Pathmanathan was arrested on Dec. 3, 2025, after being temporarily surrendered to the United States, where he has remained incarcerated pending trial.

“Today’s guilty plea marks a critical step toward justice for over 100 targeted victims in the United States who this predator harmed with his diabolical actions,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “For years, while hiding in another country behind a fabricated online persona, he used manipulation, threats, and fear to coerce unsuspecting juveniles into producing and engaging in sexually explicit acts, robbing them of their innocence. We will hold accountable anyone who preys on our children, including those who do it from behind a computer screen to ensure that victims are protected and treated with the dignity they deserve.”

As part of this plea agreement, Pathmanathan admitted that for seven years, up until the day of his arrest in Canada, Pathmanathan sexually exploited over 100 minor females. Pathmanathan posed as an American teenage boy while communicating with the minor victims over popular social media platforms. The victims ranged in ages from 11 to 17-years-old and were located all over the United States. While video chatting with the minor victims, Pathmanathan persuaded and coerced the children to engage in sexually explicit acts and, without their knowledge or consent, Pathmanathan screen recorded the minors while engaged in such behavior — collecting the videos of his abuse. When the children refused to engage in further sexually explicit conduct, Pathmanathan then further exploited them by threatening to distribute the recorded videos to their families and friends.

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

For these charges, Pathmanathan faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison, in addition to fines and a period of supervised release. He will also pay restitution consisting of no less than $3,000 per victim. Pathmanathan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27.

The FBI Houston Field office investigated the case. The Justice Department is grateful to the Toronto Police Service for their invaluable assistance. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division secured the temporary surrender of Pathmanathan from Canada.

Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.