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Department of Justice

Stafford High School Grad Devon Davati Dies Unexpectedly, 29 Stafford High School Grad Devon Davati Dies Unexpectedly, 29
Stafford High School Grad Devon Davati Dies Unexpectedly, 29 Devon Davati, a Virginia native, died unexpectedly on Thursday, April 18, his obituary says. He was 29 years old. A King George native, Devon graduated from Stafford High School in 2012 before going on to earn his bachelors of science from the Southern New Hampshire University, his obituary says. Devon worked for CGI Federal in Falls Church, in the legal area for the Department of Justice supporting the Bureau of Immigration Appeals, according to his obit. Services are scheduled for Sunday, April 28 at the Mullins & Thompson Funeral Service. Click here for service information and …
Trio Involved In Fatal Shooting Of 17-Year-Old In Northwest DC Get Prison Time Trio Involved In Fatal Shooting Of 17-Year-Old In Northwest DC Get Prison Time
Trey Prillerman Nelfy Hernandez Deandre Levy Taijhon Walker Three men were given prison time for their roles in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old in Northwest DC in 2020, authorities announced. Two District residents and a man from Maryland are all heading to prison after admitting to their roles in the fatal shooting of Taijhon Wyatt that also left another person injured, according to the Department of Justice. Those charged:  Trey Prillerman, 19, of Washington, DC; Nelfy Hernandez, 20, of Washington, DC; Deandre Levy, 22, of Gaithersburg.  Court documents state that at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2020, Wyatt was walking …
NY 'Sugar Daddy' Admits Traveling To Virginia For Sex With 14-Year-Old: Feds NY 'Sugar Daddy' Admits Traveling To Virginia For Sex With 14-Year-Old: Feds
NY 'Sugar Daddy' Admits Traveling To Virginia For Sex With 14-Year-Old: Feds A 27-year-old New York man admitted to driving eight hours to Virginia for sex with a 14-year-old girl, his "sugar baby," federal authorities said. Derrick Loi, of Lakeville, NY this week pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Virginia. In February 2023, Loi met a 14-year-old girl from Lynchburg on Twitter (now known as X), and, in the early morning hours of Feb. 14, 2023, began chatting with her on Discord, the attorney's office said citing court documents. Loi told the young girl not on…
Convicted Virginia MS-13 Killer Sentenced In NJ Murder Plot Convicted Virginia MS-13 Killer Sentenced In NJ Murder Plot
Convicted Virginia MS-13 Killer Sentenced In NJ Murder Plot 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A member of an MS-13 clique who just began serving 40 years in federal prison for a murder in Virginia was sentenced to 10 years for his role in a failed plot to kill a rival in Hudson County. The plea-bargained sentence approved by a federal judge in Newark on Thursday, March 21, won’t require Jose Gimenez-Lobos, a 33-year-old Salvadoran national, to serve more time. It will run concurrently. Gimenez-Lobos and two companions were ordered by a high-ranking member of La Mara Salvatrucha to execute a member of the rival 18th Street gang from the Maryland/Virginia area, U.S. Attorney …
Virginia Man Studying Law In PA Busted Sharing Child Porn With Undercover Agent In DC: Feds Virginia Man Studying Law In PA Busted Sharing Child Porn With Undercover Agent In DC: Feds
Virginia Man Studying Law In PA Busted Sharing Child Porn With Undercover Agent In DC: Feds A Virginia man is facing federal charges in DC for allegedly distributing child porn while he was a law student in Pennsylvania, authorities say. Andrey Chun Sarmiento, 24, of Hallwood, has been indicted in DC on charges after he was busted by a member of the Metropolitan Police Department-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force who went undercover, according to the DOJ. The indictment states that on Tuesday, Feb. 13, Chun Sarmiento sent various video files depicting men engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minors through an encrypted instant messaging app. On that day, investiga…
Four Charged In Connection To Death Of Navy SEAL From Maryland Trying to Board Ship In Yemen Four Charged In Connection To Death Of Navy SEAL From Maryland Trying to Board Ship In Yemen
Four Charged In Connection To Death Of Navy SEAL From Maryland Trying to Board Ship In Yemen Four foreign nationals reportedly shipping Iranian-made weapons have been charged in connection to the death of two US Navy SEALs - one of whom was from Maryland - who were killed attempting to board their ship during an operation in Yemen last month. The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that a criminal complaint has been unsealed charging four suspects after US naval forces interdicted a vessel in the Arabian Sea that was transporting suspected Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry. Among the SEALs killed was Marylander Special Operator First Class Christopher J. Cham…
Predator Who Sent Nude Pic To FBI Agent Posing 9-Year-Old Girl In Virginia Cops To Crime Predator Who Sent Nude Pic To FBI Agent Posing 9-Year-Old Girl In Virginia Cops To Crime
Predator Who Sent Nude Pic To FBI Agent Posing 9-Year-Old Girl In Virginia Cops To Crime A 30-year-old man from North Carolina who made an illicit deal with an undercover officer posing as the father of a 9-year-old girl Virginia has admitted to the crime. William "Willy' Alexander Korthals, 30, of Beaufort, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor after he targeted minors online, including one in Virginia - or so he thought. Federal authorities say that Korthals sent at least one nude photo to an employee of the FBI who he believed to be a 9-year-old girl, not an undercover agent investigating his actions online.  According to court …
Fairfax County Biz Owner Hid Lambo, Bentley, Helicopter In $1M+ Tax Evasion Scheme: Feds Fairfax County Biz Owner Hid Lambo, Bentley, Helicopter In $1M+ Tax Evasion Scheme: Feds
Fairfax County Biz Owner Hid Lambo, Bentley, Helicopter In $1M+ Tax Evasion Scheme: Feds A Northern Virginia business owner was charged in a federal indictment with income tax evasion and failure to pay employment taxes. Rick Tariq Rahim, 55, of Great Falls, began taking steps to evade the IRS' efforts to collect more than $1 million in federal income taxes he owed between 2004 and 2011, beginning in at least 2012, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica D. Aber, said. In November 2016, Rahim submitted a false form to the IRS that omitted valuable assets he owned, including a helicopter, a 2006 Bentley, a 2008 Lamborghini, and real property, the own…
Abductor Who Raped Child Walking To School At Gunpoint In Southeast DC Sentenced: DOJ Abductor Who Raped Child Walking To School At Gunpoint In Southeast DC Sentenced: DOJ
Abductor Who Raped Child Walking To School At Gunpoint In Southeast DC Sentenced: DOJ Justice has been served after a malicious rapist who taunted his prepubescent victim after sexually abusing her while she was walking to school in Southeast DC. District resident Marquette Johnson, 42, a convicted felon, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty in July to first-degree sexual abuse while armed and first-degree child sexual abuse while armed, authorities announced. In November 2005, prosecutors say that Johnson approached a 12-year-old girl as she was walking to school, pointing a weapon at her and ordering her to get into his minivan while threatening to kil…
Government Contractor With 'Top Secret' Security Clearance Accused Of Espionage In DC: DOJ Government Contractor With 'Top Secret' Security Clearance Accused Of Espionage In DC: DOJ
Government Contractor With 'Top Secret' Security Clearance Accused Of Espionage In DC: DOJ A government contractor living in Maryland has been accused of espionage by federal officials in Washington, DC, authorities announced. Abraham Teklu Lemma, 50, a naturalized US citizen from Ethiopia who lives in Silver Spring is facing series charges for allegedly conspiring with a foreign government, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Thursday. Lemma worked as an IT administrator for the Department of State and as a Management Analyst for the Department of Justice, which led to him being granted a "TOP SECRET" security clearance and access to classified systems. Prosecutors sa…
Two Charged For Roles In Death Of Aspiring Rapper Visiting Friends In Southeast DC: Police Two Charged For Roles In Death Of Aspiring Rapper Visiting Friends In Southeast DC: Police
Two Charged For Roles In Death Of Aspiring Rapper Visiting Friends In Southeast DC: Police Several suspects have been arrested in connection to an aspiring rap artist who was shot and killed in Southeast DC three years ago. On Sunday, June 14, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found 21-year-old Albert Smith suffering multiple gunshot wounds before he was rushed to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries. The Tennessee native was an up-and-coming rapper in the South who traveled to DC with seven friends to meet up with friends - including those who are charged with killing him. In July, the Department of Justice announced that Temple Hills resident Johnny…
Sexual Abuser Admits To Abducting Girl In At Gunpoint, Assaulting Her In Minivan Sexual Abuser Admits To Abducting Girl In At Gunpoint, Assaulting Her In Minivan
Sexual Abuser Admits To Abducting Girl In At Gunpoint, Assaulting Her In Minivan The man who threatened a 12-year-old girl with a pistol who he then sexually assaulted before dropping her off near her school has copped to the crime, federal authorities announced on Tuesday. District resident Marquette Johnson, 42, will likely spend decades in prison after admitting to the harrowing kidnapping and sexual assault of a child who was on her way to school nearly a decade ago.  In November 2005, prosecutors said that Johnson abducted his victim at gunpoint in DC as she was walking to school, pointing the weapon at her and instructing her to get into the van or else he would …
Raging Gunman Who Shot Ex's Pregnant Friend In Southeast DC Closet Convicted: Feds Raging Gunman Who Shot Ex's Pregnant Friend In Southeast DC Closet Convicted: Feds
Raging Gunman Who Shot Ex's Pregnant Friend In Southeast DC Closet Convicted: Feds A District man who went on a rampage while targeting a former paramour is facing time behind bars after being convicted of assault with the intent to kill a pregnant woman he shot in the back of the head in Southeast DC. Joshua Hemphill, 32, was convicted this week on a host of charges for a 2018 shooting when he attacked an ex who was in the company of a friend during a “fit of rage,” federal prosecutors say. On Sept. 21, 2018, Hemphill went to a home where his ex was staying with her friend, and during an outburst, he fired a shot into the door of the apartment and burst his way into th…
Man Who Assaulted Congresswoman, Police In DC Cops To Crime Man Who Assaulted Congresswoman, Police In DC Cops To Crime
Man Who Assaulted Congresswoman, Police In DC Cops To Crime The Washington, DC man who assaulted a Congresswoman in the elevator of her apartment building admitted to attacking her earlier this year, federal authorities announced. Kendrid Hamlin, 26, was arrested and charged with simple assault following an attack on Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig on Thursday, Feb. 9 inside an H Street building in Northeast, DC.  This week, the Department of Justice announced that Hamlin pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer. "According to Hamlin’s admissions in court, he willfully assaulted a member of the House of Representati…
Woman Readily Sharing Child Porn With Stranger At DC Home Gets Prison Time: Feds Woman Readily Sharing Child Porn With Stranger At DC Home Gets Prison Time: Feds
Woman Readily Sharing Child Porn With Stranger At DC Home Gets Prison Time: Feds Federal officials say that a woman who claimed to be sexually attracted to children will spend years behind bars after being busted with a host of child porn files following an investigation that was launched by a man in Washington, DC. Shemara Shay Mack-Smith, 42, of Accokeek, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, followed by 120 months of supervised release for the distribution of child pornography, federal authorities announced. Mack-Smith set her own downfall in motion in late April 2020, when a concerned citizen who met her at a home in DC alerted the police that she had showed him c…
Special Police Officer Admits To Slapping Handcuffed Suspect In DC Special Police Officer Admits To Slapping Handcuffed Suspect In DC
Special Police Officer Admits To Slapping Handcuffed Suspect In DC Federal officials announced that a former special police officer from Maryland will avoid prison time after admitting to abusing his power and violating a suspect's civil rights. Oxon Hill resident Brandon Greenfield-Logan, 33, pleaded guilty this week in US District Court to one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law for violating the rights of a handcuffed prison, according to the Department of Justice. According to his plea agreement, in September 2021, Greenfield-Logan was working as a special police officer, and while in full uniform and vested with police powers, was ca…
Plank-Wielding MD Man Who Assaulted Police During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Heading To Prison Plank-Wielding MD Man Who Assaulted Police During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Heading To Prison
Plank-Wielding MD Man Who Assaulted Police During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Heading To Prison The Maryland man who joined his stepfather during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol two years ago will have plenty of time to think about his actions on that fateful day. Fallston resident Jacob Michael Therres, 25, who assaulted officers during the Washington, DC breach, has been sentenced to 40 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon during the violent incident. In addition to his prison term, Therres, who stormed the Capitol with his stepfather Douglas Wyatt, 49, also of Fallston, was …
Turtle Trafficker In VA Admits To Role In International Smuggling Scheme: Feds Turtle Trafficker In VA Admits To Role In International Smuggling Scheme: Feds
Turtle Trafficker In VA Admits To Role In International Smuggling Scheme: Feds An elaborate turtle smuggling and trafficking ring orchestrated by a Virginia man has been broken up, federal officials announced this week. Louisa resident Stanlee Fazi, 41, pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria to trafficking turtles out of Fredericksburg in violation of the Lacey Act, according to the Department of Justice. As part of his guilty plea, Fazi admitted that between July 2017 and June 2020, he illegally collected eastern box turtles from the wild and sold them on at least 27 occasions to buyers across the country. The scheme involved Fazi collecting payments using Fa…
Public Pool Pervert Arraigned For Alleged Child Sexual Abuse In DC Public Pool Pervert Arraigned For Alleged Child Sexual Abuse In DC
Public Pool Pervert Arraigned For Alleged Child Sexual Abuse In DC A 35-year-old man who allegedly got touchy with children at a public pool in Washington, DC is facing federal charges, authorities announced. District resident Gary Jones was arraigned this week on charges stemming from an incident at the Anacostia Pool in August last year when he allegedly touched a child inappropriately. Prosecutors say that on at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2022, Jones entered the shower room at the pool. When two children entered the shower area, they observed Jones wearing underwear that exposed him to them while he rubbed his “private part” in front of them,…
Gun-Toting MD Insurrectionist Convicted Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot In DC Gun-Toting MD Insurrectionist Convicted Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot In DC
Gun-Toting MD Insurrectionist Convicted Of Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Riot In DC Federal officials say that a handgun-wielding Maryland man will face years in prison for bringing a loaded weapon to the US Capitol and loitering for seven hours during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot in Washington, DC. Christopher Alberts, 35, was convicted this week on a host of felony and misdemeanor charges for his role during the breach of the US Capitol that left several people dead or injured, the Department of Justice announced on Thursday, April 20. Alberts came to the Capitol ready for a fight, donning a body armor vest with metal plates, a two-way radio complete with a throat mic, and a m…
Civil War Reenactor Who Brought Pipe Bomb To Fake Gunfight Admits Guilt In VA Civil War Reenactor Who Brought Pipe Bomb To Fake Gunfight Admits Guilt In VA
Civil War Reenactor Who Brought Pipe Bomb To Fake Gunfight Admits Guilt In VA A Civil War reenactor who brought a pipe bomb to a fake gun fight is facing a decade behind bars after admitting to a nefarious scheme to further some questionable causes, federal authorities announced. Winchester resident Gerald Leonard Drake, 63, pleaded guilty to mailing threatening letters and planting a pipe bomb at the Cedar Creek Battlefield in Middletown during a reenactment event in 2017. Prosecutors said that in the correspondence that was sent to multiple victims and at least two newspapers, Drake purported to be a member of Antifa and threatened harm, including referencing the v…
Stabbing Suspect Who Killed DC Man 'Found By Concerned And Vigilant Senior Friends' Sentenced Stabbing Suspect Who Killed DC Man 'Found By Concerned And Vigilant Senior Friends' Sentenced
Stabbing Suspect Who Killed DC Man 'Found By Concerned And Vigilant Senior Friends' Sentenced A 60-year-old man may spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of multiple murder charges for his role in the death of a 71-year-old man in a Washington, DC apartment more than five years ago. DC resident Edward Brown was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the slaying of his victim in a Northwest Washington apartment building on Feb. 5, 2018, federal authorities announced on Friday, March 24. Specifically, Brown was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed, and second-degree murder while armed, both of which carried a “senior citizen enhancement,” according to the…
District Man Heading To Prison For Stalking, Stabbing Outside Union Station District Man Heading To Prison For Stalking, Stabbing Outside Union Station
District Man Heading To Prison For Stalking, Stabbing Outside Union Station Federal officials announced that a District man will spend years in prison after stabbing a person outside Union Station in Washington, DC and stalking him into the building last summer. Julius Yancey, 37, was sentenced on Wednesday, March 22, to 72 months in prison for a violent assault in June last year when he unexpectedly attacked his victim outside the station in broad daylight. Prosecutors said that at approximately 2:20 p.m. on June 30, 2022, Yancey approached his victim outside the station while he was looking at his phone and stabbed him three times with a knife - once in the arm …
Former State Department Employee Sentenced For Illicit Conduct With Minors In The Phillipines Former State Department Employee Sentenced For Illicit Conduct With Minors In The Phillipines
Former State Department Employee Sentenced For Illicit Conduct With Minors In The Phillipines A former member of the US Department of State will spend more than a decade behind bars for allegedly sexually abusing minors while he was serving in the Philippines, federal authorities announced. Dean Edward Cheves, 63, who served at the US Embassy in the Philippines between 2017 and 2021, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, according to the Department of Justice. Prosecutors say that between December 2020 and March 2021, Cheves used a messaging app installed on his phone to chat with a Philippine minor who he paid to create …
'If I Can't Have You, No One Can:' DC Teen Gets Prison Time For Threatening To Kill Ex-GF, Self 'If I Can't Have You, No One Can:' DC Teen Gets Prison Time For Threatening To Kill Ex-GF, Self
'If I Can't Have You, No One Can:' DC Teen Gets Prison Time For Threatening To Kill Ex-GF, Self A jilted lover in Washington, DC has been ordered to spend years behind bars after threatening to kill his teenage girlfriend, then himself, after an apparently emotional breakup, federal officials announced. A 19-year-old DC resident was sentenced to 30 months in prison after admitting in federal court that he threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, according to the Department of Justice. Prosecutors said that the teen was in a relationship with a fellow high school student that came to a rocky conclusion in March 2022. Then things got rockier for the spurned psycho. Following their break-…
DC Supplier Accused Of Providing Corrections Officer With Drugs, Contraband To Smuggle: DOJ DC Supplier Accused Of Providing Corrections Officer With Drugs, Contraband To Smuggle: DOJ
DC Supplier Accused Of Providing Corrections Officer With Drugs, Contraband To Smuggle: DOJ A man conspiring with a convict inside a DC jail has admitted to bribing a public official to smuggle drugs inside the facility. Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington, DC, pleaded guilty this week to one count of bribery following a scheme he ran with a corrections officer and drug supplier to get contraband inside the District’s Central Detention Facility (CDF). Original story - Corrections Officer From Upper Marlboro Accused Of Scheme To Smuggle Drugs To Inmates: DOJ According to court documents, McLeod admitted that in June 2022, he was contacted by an inmate being housed at the DC jail, a…
Prince George's Duo Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors By DC Jury: DOJ Prince George's Duo Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors By DC Jury: DOJ
Prince George's Duo Convicted Of Sex Trafficking Minors By DC Jury: DOJ Two Prince George’s County residents were hit with lengthy prison sentences after being convicted by a jury in Washington, DC for their roles in a sex trafficking operation involving teens, federal officials announced. Willis Lewis, 49, of Oxon Hill, and Brittany Jones, 33, of Suitland, will both be spending years behind bars after being found of multime criminal charges for the illegal operation involving two minors. Specifically, Lewis was sentenced to life, while Jones got 14 years for trafficking a 15-year-old and 17-year-old girl between April and May 2019. According to prosecutors, J…
Child Predator Who Followed Girl On DC Street, Asked For Sexual Favor, Gets Prison Time Child Predator Who Followed Girl On DC Street, Asked For Sexual Favor, Gets Prison Time
Child Predator Who Followed Girl On DC Street, Asked For Sexual Favor, Gets Prison Time The Washington, DC man who targeted a teen girl and sought to have sexual activity with him while following her will spend years in prison after pleading guilty last summer to the coercion and enticement of a minor. Federal officials say that Marcus Douglas, 53, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in August last year to the charge following an incident in July 2021. According to the Department of Justice, in 2021, Douglas approached a 14-year-old girl he saw walking on a sidewalk in downtown DC when he placed a note on her cell phone suggesting that he wanted to p…
Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ
Maryland Woman, Neo-Nazi From Florida Plotted To 'Completely Destroy' Baltimore: DOJ Federal officials say that a Catonsville woman and a Neo-Nazi man in Florida conspired to disrupt an energy facility in Maryland in furtherance of their violent extremist beliefs. Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 34, and Orlando resident Brandon Clint Russell, 27, are facing federal charges for coming up with an elaborate plan to “completely destroy the city,” in a move that threatened thousands in Maryland, according to the Department of Justice. “This alleged planned attack threatened lives and would have left thousands of Marylanders in the cold and dark,” Maryland US Attorney Erek L. Barron said…
Former Youth Pastor Out On Probation In VA For Sex Offenses Gets 20 Years For Child Porn Former Youth Pastor Out On Probation In VA For Sex Offenses Gets 20 Years For Child Porn
Former Youth Pastor Out On Probation In VA For Sex Offenses Gets 20 Years For Child Porn A former youth pastor in Virginia will spin years behind bars after being busted distributing child pornography while on probation for previous sex offense convictions, federal officials announced. Deric Wallace Peacock, 39, of Highland Springs, a former pastor at the now defunct South Hopewell Church of God, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of distribution of child pornography. Prosecutors say that on April 12, 2022, Peacock use Wickr, an encrypted messaging service, to distribute child pornography using his “vapastor” user account. Officials made note that a…
FBI Seeks Additional Victims Of Social Media Predator Facing Child Porn Charges In VA FBI Seeks Additional Victims Of Social Media Predator Facing Child Porn Charges In VA
FBI Seeks Additional Victims Of Social Media Predator Facing Child Porn Charges In VA Federal officials are attempting to identify additional victims of a Fairfax County man who exploited social media to solicit sexually explicit photos of minors online. Herndon resident Vincent Joseph Sarikey, 34, made his initial court appearance in Virginia last week, where he was charged with the production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material, according to the Department of Justice. It is alleged that Sarikey repeatedly engaged in explicit discussions with two underage victims, each of whom he was able to persuade sexually explicit photos that they then sent to him. …