District Man Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison For Armed Robbery Of University Student-Attack Took Place In Middle Of Afternoon; Victim Was Headed To Class-

     WASHINGTON - Sterling Walton, 46, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a seven-year prison term for an armed robbery of a university student that took place earlier this year in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Walton pled guilty in September 2014, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of armed robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable William M. Jackson. The judge sentenced Walton to six years in prison for the armed robbery and an additional year for committing the crime while having been released earlier on unrelated misdemeanor charges. Upon completion of the prison time, Walton will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:45 pm on Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, the 18-year-old victim, then a freshman at George Washington University, was walking to catch a shuttle to class when he was accosted at 22nd and F Streets NW. Walton demanded money, claimed he had a gun, and reached toward the waistband of his shorts as if he had a weapon. The victim gave Walton his wallet and Walton fled with the $25 contained in the wallet.

     Believing Walton had a gun, the victim called 911.   A look-out was broadcast by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and immediately re-broadcast by the U.S. Secret Service, which was in the area. Minutes later, uniformed Secret Service officers stopped Walton.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the excellent work and collaboration of the MPD and the U.S. Secret Service in quickly apprehending Walton.  He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Allison Daniels and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and Katherine Earnest, of the Felony Major Crimes Trial Section, who prosecuted the matter.