Washington, D.C. – A local Northwest Washington, D.C. homeless man, Anthony M. Young, has been sentenced to 21 years of incarceration for violently raping a 53-year-old woman in 2007, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today.

On May 23, 2008, Young, 45, formerly of the 1100 block of North Capitol Street, NW, was found guilty by a Superior Court of the District of Columbia jury of First Degree Sexual Abuse and Felony Assault. The Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. presided over the trial and sentenced Young earlier today.

According to the government's evidence, on August 14, 2007, officers responded to the 1100 block of New York Avenue, NE, for an assault. Once on the scene, the victim was transported to Washington Hospital Center’s MedStar for her injuries. At the time, the victim was suffering from significant injuries to her face. While at the hospital, the victim reported that she and the defendant spent the day together on August 11, 2007. On that day, the defendant introduced the victim to his daughter and grandchildren and spent much of the day without incident.

On the night of August 11, 2007, the defendant escorted the victim to a large open field located at the intersection of New York and Florida Avenue, NE (PSA 504). The defendant brought the victim to this area so that they could finish eating the remaining seafood that they had cooked at the defendant’s daughter’s house earlier that evening. While eating the seafood on the ground in the middle of this field, the defendant informed the victim that she owed him sex because he bought her dinner. When the victim refused, the defendant began to strike the victim in the face and then violently raped her on the ground in the field. During the course of the rape, the defendant beat the victim unconscious and then dragged her into an abandoned green shed located in the middle of the field.

The victim regained consciousness two days later, as the defendant was attempting to nurse her back to health with cocoa butter and peroxide. The victim told the defendant that she needed to go to the hospital, but the defendant stated that there was nothing the hospital could do for her. On Tuesday, August 14, 2007, the victim finally gained enough strength to exit the shed and signal for help after the defendant left the area.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor commended the investigative efforts of Metropolitan Police Department Detectives Derek Bolding, Karen Zibrat, and Elgin Wheeler of the Sexual Assault Unit, Detectives John Hamer and Eric Schuler of the 5th District, and Officers Nathaniel Covington, Natasha Pettus, and Dewayne Mitchell of the Criminal Investigation Division. He also praised the work of Victim/Witness advocate Tracey Hawkins, Paralegal Gena Johnson, and Legal Assistant Nicole Lee. Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark O’Brien and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel, who prosecuted the case.