Month: August 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A corrections officer and an inmate were sentenced this week on bribery charges in a scheme that smuggled narcotics into the District of Columbia Central Detention Facility, better known as the D.C. Jail.

            Andre Gregory, 31, of Washington, D.C., who was incarcerated at the time of the bribery offense, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison. Former Corrections Officer Beverly Williams, 52, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced August 21, 2023, to 18 months in prison. The two defendants were charged along with Keywaune McLeod, 28, of Washington, D.C., who is awaiting sentencing. All three defendants pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

            The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

            “Corrections officers are critical to the safe and orderly operation of our prison system,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “Through this bribery and smuggling scheme, in exchange for cash, Beverly Williams betrayed her duty and undermined security and the whole function of the D.C. Jail by bringing drugs to the inmates inside. Inmate Andre Gregory and co-defendant Keywaune McLeod conspired with Williams to pull this off – and all of them profited from her corruption.  Our Office will do everything in our power to eliminate corruption in our prison system, and anywhere in government, and to ensure that crimes like this don’t pay.”

            “Corrections officers are responsible for cultivating a safe and orderly environment for the inmates they guard,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist. “By conspiring with Gregory and McLeod to smuggle drugs into the D.C. Jail in return for cash, Williams abused her position of power and risked the safety and integrity of the city’s correctional facility. The FBI thanks the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services for their partnership throughout this investigation and reaffirms our commitment to holding public servants accountable to the oaths they take and the people they serve.”

             According to the government’s evidence, Williams admitted that while working as a Correctional Officer at the D.C. jail in 2022, she accepted bribe payments of $6,400 to smuggle packages containing narcotics into the facility. Williams received packages of drugs and cigarettes from Keywaune McLeod, Gregory’s cousin, and secreted them into the jail by concealing them on her body. Once inside, Williams transferred the drugs to inmate Gregory, in secure areas where they could not be seen on surveillance cameras. Gregory then distributed the drugs for a profit. McLeod, who accepted and managed the proceeds, used CashApp to make bribe payments to Williams for the drug smuggling. Gregory used jail-issued phones and electronic tablets to communicate with McLeod, using coded language in an attempt to avoid detection of their conspiracy.

            In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered 36 months of supervised release for each defendant.

            Separately, District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Robert D. Okun, today, sentenced Andre Gregory to 96 months in prison for an armed carjacking and unlawful possession of a firearm. The sentenced will run consecutively.

            The District Court case against Williams, Gregory, and McLeod was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal and Ahmed Baset with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Andre Gregory, 31, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for carjacking and unlawful possession of a firearm that occurred in March of 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

            According to the government’s evidence in the Superior Court case, on March 4, 2019, at approximately 8:40 p.m., the defendant and a second suspect pointed firearms at and ran towards the victim, who had just parked his BMW in the 100 block of Wilmington Place, SE.  The defendant and second suspect forced the victim out of his car at gunpoint and ordered the victim to the ground. Gregory stood over the victim as the victim lay on the ground, and kept his firearm pointed at the victim while the second suspect searched the victim.  Then, Gregory entered the victim’s vehicle and opened the trunk so that the second suspect could search through the contents of the trunk.  Having taken the victim’s keys, ID card, and money, Gregory and the second suspect then told the victim that they were taking the victim’s vehicle and that the victim needed to leave.  The victim fled and Gregory and the second suspect then stole the victim’s vehicle. Officers subsequently located the victim’s vehicle in Capitol Heights, MD and returned the vehicle to the victim.

            Gregory was also sentenced today to 42 months by U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich for his role in a bribery scheme. The sentences will run consecutively.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith and Special Agent in Charge Kailimai commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the ATF. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kukowski who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Defendant Sent Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material to Undercover Officer

            WASHINGTON – Daniel Mahnke, 35, of Manteno, Illinois, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            According to the government’s evidence, in December of 2020, the defendant was using the website Rapey.SU, a social media site where countless users discussed the sexual exploitation of children, bestiality, and hardcore child pornography. During the course of the investigation, Mahnke began communicating with an individual he believed had a child, but who turned out to be law enforcement acting in an undercover capacity (UC).  Believing that he was communicating with a pedophile, Mahnke requested that the UC send him sexually explicit photos of the UC’s fictitious child. Mahnke told the UC that he would send child pornography and, in fact, sent the UC a link containing hundreds of videos and images of child pornography.

            Mahnke was arrested on December 11, 2020, and charged with distribution of child pornography. He has been detained ever since. Mahnke pled guilty on January 6, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Geist commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell, who prosecuted the case.

            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.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A Utah man pleaded guilty today to a felony assault charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 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.

            Justin Dee Adams, 49, of West Jordan, Utah, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of assaulting, resisting, and impeding certain officers. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled Adams to be sentenced on Dec. 8, 2023.

            According to court documents, Adams – a licensed gun dealer – traveled with two companions from Utah to Washington, D.C., to protest Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote. Adams posted a photo online showing him and two other men standing in front of a vehicle along with text that said he was “starting the road trip” and “driving out to DC to smack a couple politicians around [emoji] … maybe.”  On Jan. 6, 2021, following the rally at the Ellipse, Adams marched to the Capitol building, where he joined a mob on the Upper West Plaza. Many of Adams’ actions were captured on body-worn camera video.

            At about 2:04 p.m., Adams confronted the police line defending the building. Adams raised his hands above his head and walked toward police officers until he made physical contact with one or more officers. He was subsequently pushed back several feet. Adams then charged at the police line, attacking one or more Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers. He struck an MPD officer, who was wearing a helmet, twice in the head.

            At approximately 2:13 p.m., Adams grabbed a metal bicycle rack that police were using as a barricade to prevent rioters from advancing further into the restricted areas. An officer attempted to prevent Adams from removing the bike rack. Adams threw a plastic bottle at the police officer. Adams and another rioter pulled the bike rack away from the police and dragged it into the crowd.

            Adams later wrote of his actions that day: “We safely made it out of Washington DC before the lockdown, and before the gunfire of the capitol police. Got a little roughed up but the politicians are no longer meeting the standards We the People require our elected officials to meet. Great times are coming, but difficulty will be required before.”

            FBI agents arrested Adams on Oct. 19, 2022, in Utah.  

            A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Salt Lake City and Washington Field Office, which identified Adams as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #374 on is seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

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