Month: June 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A California man, who used an electroshock device on a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced today for the assault and other charges. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Daniel Joseph “DJ” Rodriguez, 40, of Fontana, California, was sentenced to 151 months in prison for conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of justice, and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered 36 months of supervised release, restitution of $2,000 to the Architect of the Capitol, and $96,927 to the Metropolitan Police Department for damages to the victim.

            According to court documents, In the fall of 2020, Rodriguez was the administrator of a Telegram group chat titled PATRIOTS45MAGA Gang. The group, initially created to bring together supporters of former President Trump in the lead-up to the 2020 Presidential election, became a forum for Rodriguez’s plans for violence against the seat of the federal government. In the group, Rodriguez and his co-conspirator, defendant Edward Badalian, wrote hundreds of messages about war and revolution, about traitors and tyrants.

            On Jan. 6, 2021, Rodriguez and his group traveled from California to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally on the National Mall. After the rally, Rodriguez made his way from the Ellipse to the Capitol building, illegally traversing the west front of the Capitol grounds and entering the lower west terrace tunnel at approximately 2:46 p.m. A short while later, court documents state that video footage taken from the incident depicts Rodriguez at the first set of double doors of the Capitol building facing the police line and deploying a fire extinguisher at the line of officers present.

            Shortly afterward, court documents say that Rodriguez is seen using a long wooden pole and shoving it toward officers in the line. Rodriguez then participated in an unsuccessful coordinated shove against law enforcement officers in the police line in an attempt to gain access to the building.

            At approximately 2:52 p.m., Rodriguez is seen waving his arms at the rioters outside the tunnel, encouraging them to push forward toward the police line. It is then, court records say, that fellow rioter Kyle Young tapped Rodriguez on the shoulder and provided him with a small, black, rectangular electroshock weapon. Rodriguez is then observed activating the weapon and lunging at officers in the police line. Rodriguez is then seen leaving the tunnel only to return a short while later.

            After Rodriguez returned to the lower west terrace tunnel, court documents state that video footage taken from the scene of the incident depicts one rioter, Albuquerque Head, wrapping his arm around the neck of an MPD officer and dragging the officer out on to the steps of the lower west terrace. Rodriguez is then seen making his way toward the officer and, with the electroshock weapon in hand, plunging it into the officer’s neck. As the officer attempted to escape, court records state that Rodriguez struck again, placing the electroshock weapon on the back of the officer’s neck.

            Following the assault on the officer, Rodriguez then entered the Capitol building and continued to vandalize offices, ransack rooms, break windows, and steal other items. Before, during, and after the Capitol breach, Rodriguez sent multiple images and text messages to members of the Telegram group, documenting his assault on the Capitol and the MPD officers, as well as his desire to commit violence and destruction.

            This case was prosecuted by The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Justice Department’s National Security Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

            This case was investigated by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Washington Field Offices, with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Capitol Police.

            In the 29 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing. 

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Glenn Dolford, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 270 months in prison for 2nd degree murder while armed, aggravated assault while armed, and assault with a deadly weapon, for killing one man and shooting two others in February of 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Judge Maribeth Raffinan ordered five years of supervised release.

            On February 2, 2020, Dolford fatally shot Raheem Murray and wounded two other people in the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE. Dolford pleaded guilty on February 17, 2023. 

            On February 2, 2020, at approximately 4:00 PM, a dark colored sedan pulled into the 4000 block of 3rd Street, SE, where the three victims were standing on the sidewalk discussing where they were going to watch the Super Bowl. The dark colored sedan slowed to a stop in the middle of the street at which time the defendant and another individual got out of the passenger side of the car and began shooting rifle styled firearms at the three victims. Police found 57 rifle cartridge casings at the scene. Victim Marco Harper ran from the scene after sustaining two gunshot wounds; victim Corvell Hayden was able to get himself to the end of the block where he collapsed having suffered 10 gunshot wounds. Raheem Murray fell to the ground. The defendant ran to Mr. Murray and, from inches away, shot Mr. Murray in the head with his rifle style weapon.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the officers and detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief Ashan Benedict, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Marybeth Manfreda, who prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Donnell Rojas, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 168 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.  He was also ordered to pay $117,000 in restitution to the identified victims and serve a lifetime of supervised release.

            After receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”), law enforcement executed a search warrant on a Yahoo account later revealed to belong to the defendant.  The search warrant revealed that on April 29, 2020, the defendant sent three emails attaching numerous files constituting child sexual abuse materials (“CSAM”) to and from the Yahoo account—apparently sending the attachments to himself.  Several of the files depicted the violent sexual abuse of prepubescent girls and boys, including at least two “GIF” files identified as part of the widely known “Daisy’s Destruction” series.  A subsequent search warrant on a Facebook account tied to the defendant revealed that he distributed three images containing CSAM to other Facebook users, asking if one user had “[a]ny kid videos?”

            On March 8, 2021, law enforcement executed a warrant at Rojas’s residence.  During the search, Rojas admitted that the recovery email accounts linked to the Yahoo account belonged to him.  Law enforcement also seized nine devices during the search warrant, including a white Apple iPhone 8 on his person bearing a phone number tied to the Yahoo account.  A subsequent forensic review confirmed that five of the seized devices contained voluminous CSAM, including an encrypted hard drive containing CSAM in folders labeled “Taboo” and “Very Taboo.”

            Rojas was arrested on Nov. 5, 2019, following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is composed of FBI agents and local, state, and federal partners.  He has been detained ever since. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2022.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and MPD.  They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim Witness Service Coordinator Tonya Jones. Finally, they commended the work of Trial Attorney-Detailee Jessica Arco, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON — Tyronne Gregory Taylor, 53, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison, suspended, and five years of supervised probation, on one felony count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.    

            According to information presented in court documents, Taylor admitted that from on or about July 2020, to December 2020, he gained unauthorized access to a family member’s debit card, who suffered from cognitive impairments and was hospitalized at a District of Columbia skilled nursing facility.  Taylor used his family member’s ATM card for cash withdrawals and purchases at auto parts stores, hardware stores, restaurants, gas stations, liquor stores, hotels, and the purchase of a new car.  Taylor also used his family member’s ATM card to make fraudulent payments to his company, TNTGreenConstruction, LLC.  In total, Taylor was able to obtain more than $51,000 for his personal use, from his hospitalized family member, who was unable to make decisions for himself or to communicate meaningfully. 

            Taylor entered his guilty plea in the U.S. Superior Court for the District of Columbia on February 23, 2023.  In addition to his sentencing, the Honorable Errol Arthur ordered Taylor to pay $51,886.31 in restitution and pay $100 to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

            This matter was originally reported to the District of Columbia’s Office of Aging and Community Living’s Adult Protective Services Division and initially investigated by the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General.  In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who prosecuted the case from the Office of Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  They also acknowledged the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the Office of the Inspector General, who prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Suzgo Phiri, 36, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 41 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered restitution of $108,000. Phiri pleaded guilty February 21, 2023.

            According to court documents, between 2018 and his arrest in March of 2022, Phiri – who used multiple false identities including: “Malcolm Tucker,” “David Campbell,” “Eric Brooks,” “Aaron Brooks,” “John Sanders,” “Jaamal Brooks,” “Brady Jones,” and “Payton Deel” – committed multiple fraud schemes.  In one fraud, he generated approximately $10,000 per week through a scheme that exploited weaknesses in the payment processing systems used by Square and American Express. The defendant moved fraudulent “tip” amounts that were instantly credited by Square to bank accounts that he had opened using one of many false identities and then quickly withdrew those funds before the fraud could be detected. The government has identified at least $300,000 in gross proceeds from that scheme.

            In addition to the fraudulent identity scheme, the government has identified numerous other instances in which the defendant has possessed false identification documents, bank records, and bank cards for individuals other than himself.

            This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.