Category: US Department of Justice

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Defendant Assaulted Police on West Terrace and in Tunnel with Baton and Thrown Objects

            WASHINGTON — An Indiana man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to 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.

            Curtis Logan Tate, 32, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with civil disorder, assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a deadly or dangerous weapon, and destruction of government property. In addition to the felonies, Tate is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in the Capitol grounds or buildings, and engaging in an act of physical violence in the grounds or any of the Capitol buildings.

            Tate was arrested on Aug. 24, 2023, by the FBI in Wilmington, North Carolina, and will make his initial appearance in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

            According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Tate attended a rally in Washington, D.C., and afterward made his way toward the U.S. Capitol building. A review of open-source video, body- worn camera footage, and closed-circuit video showed Tate present at various locations in Washington, D.C., and in the restricted area of the U.S. Capitol grounds, including in the Lower West Terrace tunnel.

            At approximately 2:05 p.m., Tate is seen in body-worn camera videos from Metropolitan Police Department Officers (MPD) near the Lower West Terrace as he used a metal baton to strike an MPD officer in the hand. In response, an MPD officer sprayed Tate with pepper spray and can be heard warning another officer that Tate was wielding a baton. Tate later uploaded a video to a social media site depicting himself near the Lower West Terrace holding a metal baton, which appears to be the same baton used to strike the MPD officer, with the caption: “POST 1ST MACING.” During the video, Tate yelled, “We’re tearing this motherfucker down!”

            At approximately 2:43 p.m., Tate was outside the entrance to the Lower West Terrace tunnel. He arrived minutes after the area was first breached and entered the tunnel closely behind the initial group of rioters. Tate is later seen on Capitol CCTV footage inside the tunnel holding his cell phone above his head, consistent with using the phone to record video. At about 2:57 p.m., Tate is shown inside the tunnel brandishing the metal baton above his head and charging towards the line of police officers protecting the entrance to the Capitol building. Tate then repeatedly struck a U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officer in the helmet with the metal baton. In response, a USCP officer pepper sprayed Tate, and he retreated.

            Later, at about 4:28 p.m., Tate is seen on publicly available video throwing a black speaker box and breaking a window located to the left of the tunnel entrance. Tate then threw a black speaker box and a shoe at police officers protecting the entrance to the tunnel. The speaker box and shoe struck MPD officers. Shortly after the above assaults, Tate is shown in publicly available video receiving a broken table leg with a protruding screw through a broken window in the Capitol building. The window was the same window damaged by Tate earlier with the speaker box and now was completely broken as a result of damage caused by Tate and others.

            Tate is shown in multiple publicly available videos and photographs taken by a photojournalist, navigating through the crowd and carrying the broken table leg toward the entrance to the tunnel. At approximately 4:34 p.m., Tate is shown in publicly available video throwing the broken table leg at police officers who were protecting the tunnel entrance.

            Later, at approximately 4:38 p.m., Tate is shown in publicly available video assisting others carry a piece of lumber toward the entrance to the tunnel, and, at about 5:01 p.m., Tate is shown in multiple publicly available videos throwing a floor lamp at police officers near the tunnel.

            Tate later gave an interview to a media outlet, in which he stated, “I would never hurt an officer. I come from a military background. I’m very respectful of our military and police… I know I didn’t hurt anybody… I’m not speaking here bold as brass, because you never know what can happen…but I’ve never, ever once hurt, or put my hands on an officer… I never did it. So, I’m not going to live the rest of my life in fear.”

            This case is being 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 Southern District of Indiana, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Indianapolis and Washington Field Offices, which identified Tate as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #119 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance provided by FBI Charlotte, 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.

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

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Marquis Funderburk, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other in the neighborhood near Howard University in January 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            A jury found Funderburk guilty of two counts of Robbery While Armed in May 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at about 11:35 a.m., Funderburk and two associates grabbed Victim 1, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. As one man pointed a gun at Victim 1’s stomach the other two went through Victim 1’s pockets, taking his AirPods, iPhone, wallet, and keys.

            About noon the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, Funderburk and three associates grabbed Victim 2, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. Funderburk’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into Victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. Funderburk punched Victim 2 in the face. Then the group proceeded to punch and kick Victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded Victim 2’s account passwords, Funderburk commanded his armed associate to shoot Victim 2.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – A Chicago man pleaded guilty today to two felony charges 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.

            Joseph Pavlik, 65, a retired firefighter, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of civil disorder and a count of entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, both felonies. U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden scheduled a sentencing hearing for December 1, 2023.

            According to court documents, Pavlik is a member of the B Squad, a subgroup of a militia-style, Florida-based organization known as the Guardians of Freedom. Some members of the Guardians of Freedom adhere to the ideology of the Three Percenters. From 2009-2015, Pavlik also had been associated with the Oath Keepers.

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 5, 2021, Pavlik traveled from Illinois to Washington, D.C. with several other members of the B Squad. On Jan. 6, Pavlik and other B Squad members helped provide security for the rally at the Ellipse. Following the rally, Pavlik and his group marched to the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol building. They joined rioters attempting to force their way past the officers responsible for securing the “Tunnel,” an entry to the Capitol that provides immediate and unobstructed access to sensitive areas and offices used by Members of Congress. 

            Pavlik wore a black tactical vest, a black gas mask, a black helmet with patches on the side, and carried what appeared to be a chemical irritant spray in his hand. After entering the Tunnel, Pavlik was among a mob that engaged in a physical confrontation with law enforcement officers. As a direct result of the actions of the rioters in the tunnel at that time, the mob penetrated deeper, pushing the police line back. At one point, Pavlik interacted with a police officer, giving him a pair of goggles because the officer was not wearing any protective eye gear. The officer ordered Pavlik to leave the grounds. Pavlik did not comply.

            Video captured Pavlik on restricted Capitol grounds at about 3:09 p.m. with numerous members of B Squad. About 4:08 p.m., Pavlik, trying to force his way further into the Tunnel, struggled with an officer wearing a body-worn-camera. The tussle was captured on video by another officer standing on a ledge. Pavlik also was recorded on video on the Capitol grounds as late as 5:05 p.m.

            Pavlik told investigators that he left the Tunnel after his gas mask was dislodged and he was pepper sprayed in the face. Eventually, he said U.S. Capitol Police escorted him out of the Tunnel and Pavlik returned to his hotel room. He departed Washington, D.C. on January 7 and drove home.

            FBI agents arrested Pavlik on January 31, 2023, in Chicago.

            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 Northern District of Illinois.

            It was investigated by the FBI’s Washington, and Chicago Field Offices. 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.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Today, a federal jury found Roberto Adams, 36, of Hyattsville, Maryland, guilty of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to obtain Paycheck Protection Program loans. U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta scheduled a sentencing hearing for December 8, 2023.

            According to the evidence at trial, Adams, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of at least $18,350.  Adams applied for and obtained PPP loans on behalf of his business SuperKlean LLC, a Maryland Corporation. At the time of the loans, SuperKlean LLC had no employees, no clients, and no income.  Adams spent the funds at casinos in Maryland and at hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, on airfare, hotels, high-end sneakers, and personal debt.  In addition, he spent $12,110 of the stolen disaster relief funds to pay several months of back rent on his personal residence.

            The verdicts were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, with the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

            Adams faces a statutory maximum sentence for wire fraud of 30 years in prison and for expenditure money laundering of 10 years in prison. A federal court judge will determine the appropriate sentence based on the guideline range and other factors.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the agencies who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance by the Internal Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Lisa Abbe and Sonalika Chaturvedi, and financial analyst Bryan Snitselaar.

            Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Rothstein and Madhu Chugh, who prosecuted the case at trial.

            On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.

            For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

            Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

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.