Three Area Men Plead Guilty To Charges In Series Of Violent RobberiesGroup Targeted Victims In Adams Morgan And Near Metro Stations, Sold Stolen Phones To Eco-ATM Machines For Profit

     WASHINGTON – Three men, all from the Washington D.C. area, pled guilty today to charges stemming from multiple robberies and other crimes committed earlier this year in a series of attacks on city streets and at a Metro station, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     The defendants admitted actively participating in a group that committed crimes in the Adams Morgan, L’Enfant Plaza, and Stadium Armory areas. Since at least Jan. 1, 2013, the group’s members canvassed the areas looking for targets of opportunity and teamed up to rob their victims. Members went out in groups of two or more and looked for potential victims who might have expensive cell phones, such as iPhone5s, or other property of value. The men would then work together as a team to steal the property. When they encountered resistance, the men assaulted the victims until someone in the group escaped with the property. The defendants sold stolen phones for a profit, on the street or to an Eco-ATM machine, and split the proceeds.

     The guilty pleas took place in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Stuart G. Nash scheduled sentencing for Nov. 7, 2013. All three defendants remain in custody pending sentencing.

     Those pleading guilty included Anthony J. Doggett, 20, of Suitland, Md.; Desean Floyd, 19, of Oxon Hill, Md., and Dominique C. Jones, 20, of Washington, D.C.

     Doggett pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy, robbery, attempted robbery, accessory after the fact to armed robbery, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and contempt. Floyd pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy, robbery, attempted robbery, accessory after the fact to armed robbery, and attempted perjury. Jones pled guilty to one count each of conspiracy, robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and attempted robbery.

     As part of their plea agreements, the defendants admitted participating in various crimes, including these incidents:

     -Jan. 20, 2013: Robbery in the 1400 Block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE

     Jones admitted to taking part in the robbery of a woman during the late morning hours in the 1400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. As the victim was about to get into her car, Jones and another individual approached and cornered her. They then demanded that she give them her purse and her car keys. The woman did so against her will, and Jones and the other individual then fled with her property. About a week later, Doggett and another individual returned to the area with the woman’s stolen car keys and stole her car.

     Jones pled guilty to attempted robbery and Doggett pled guilty to unauthorized use of a vehicle for their roles in these crimes.

     -Feb. 3, 2013: Robbery in the 1300 Block of Q Street NW

     Doggett and Floyd admitted to taking part in the robbery of a man in the 1300 Block of Q Street NW. As the victim was walking down the street, Doggett, Floyd and another individual decided to rob him. The defendants approached the victim and began to assault him, causing him to fall to the ground. When the victim attempted to defend himself, the defendants repeatedly punched him in his head and body. They then took the victim’s iPhone and wallet and fled the scene. Doggett sold the stolen iPhone to an Eco-ATM machine at the Pentagon City Mall and received $300 for the phone. The defendants split the proceeds from the sale of the stolen phone.

     Doggett and Floyd each pled guilty to robbery for their roles in this crime.

     -Feb. 5, 2013: Armed Robbery at 19th Street and Constitution Avenue NE

     Doggett, Floyd, and Jones admitted to taking part in crimes related to the armed robberies of multiple victims at 19th Street and Constitution Avenue NE. Jones and another individual went out into the street with a gun at about 8 p.m. and began to look for targets they could rob. They observed a young couple walking down the street. Jones and the other individual held the young couple at gunpoint, ordering them to get down on their knees and to surrender their property. A third victim was walking down the street and walked into this armed robbery-in-progress. Jones and the other individual robbed the third victim at gunpoint as well. Jones and the other individual then fled the scene with the property of the three victims.

     Jones and the other individual went to a nearby abandoned house, where they met Doggett and Floyd. Jones told Doggett and Floyd that they had just committed an armed robbery. Doggett and Floyd then began to help Jones and the other individual “wipe” the stolen phones, meaning that they cleared the personal settings on the phones and set the phones back to factory settings. Doggett and Floyd also served as look-outs to see whether the police were following them. Doggett and Floyd did this in order to prevent the arrest of Jones and the other individual and ensure that the police would be unable to track the stolen property.

     Jones pled guilty to robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and Doggett and Floyd each pled guilty to accessory after the fact to armed robbery for their roles in these crimes.

     -Feb. 10, 2013: Robbery at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station

     Doggett and Floyd admitted to taking part in an early-morning robbery at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station, located at 600 Maryland Avenue SW. The men saw the victim, who was on the platform waiting for the Metro and looking at his iPhone, which he held in his hand. The men decided to steal the phone from the victim. One of the men snatched the phone out of the victim’s hands, while others intentionally got in his way. When the victim attempted to follow them, a third individual began to punch him. Doggett later sold the victim’s stolen iPhone to an Eco-ATM machine at the Pentagon City Mall and received $300 for the phone. Doggett, Floyd and the third individual split the proceeds from the sale of the stolen phone.

     Doggett and Floyd pled guilty to attempted robbery for their role in this crime.

     -Feb. 10, 2013: Contempt of Court

     Doggett was under court order to observe a 24-hour home confinement on Feb. 10, 2013. On that same date, he intentionally left his home to commit the above robbery at L’Enfant Plaza, and then traveled to Virginia to sell the stolen phone to an Eco-ATM machine. Doggett pled guilty to contempt of court for his role in this crime.

     -March 14, 2013: Perjury

     Floyd testified before a grand jury of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on March 14, 2013. He took an oath that he would testify truthfully. Floyd willfully and knowingly testified about matters which were not true and which he knew or believed to be false, including that he denied knowing about particular crimes in which he was involved and denied knowing one of his co-conspirators. Floyd pled guilty to attempted perjury for his role in this crime.

     In announcing the guilty pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier commended the work of the officers, detectives and crime scene technicians who worked on the case for the MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Metro Transit Police Department, which assisted in the investigation. Finally, they praised the work of those who are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Clare Pozos, who is prosecuting the matter.

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