District Man Sentenced To 28 ½ Years In Prison

For Sexually Abusing Stepdaughter and Other Crimes
-Defendant Also Violated Court Orders, Assaulted Police Officer With a Knife-

     WASHINGTON – A 47-year-old man from Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to a prison term of 28 ½ years for sexually abusing his stepdaughter, sending letters and making phone calls to her and her mother in violation of court orders not to do so, unlawfully entering the family’s house after being ordered to stay away, and assaulting a police officer who had come to assist the family in the unlawful entry, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     The defendant, who is not named here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty to charges in June 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He pled guilty to first-degree child sexual abuse, attempted first-degree child sexual abuse, violating a civil protection order, criminal contempt, unlawful entry, and felony assault on a police officer. He was sentenced by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Upon completion of his prison term, the defendant must register for 10 years as a sex offender.

     The defendant is the ex-husband of the girl’s mother. At the plea hearing, he admitted that in the spring of 2012, when the victim was 14, he sexually abused the girl at their home in the District of Columbia. As a result of the sexual abuse, the victim became pregnant.  The defendant told the victim to say that the baby’s father was a boy from school. Early this year, the victim revealed to her mother that the baby’s father was in fact the defendant.  The victim further disclosed to law enforcement that the defendant had sexually abused her over a period of time beginning in at least 2010.

     Early this year, the victim’s mother filed for and was granted a civil protection order from the defendant.  On or about Feb. 5, 2013, he sent the victim’s mother a text message indicating that he knew who she was with.  Alarmed that the defendant was nearby and watching her, the victim’s mother contacted the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Officers met her outside her house and went inside to make sure the defendant was not there.  Two uniformed officers went into the basement.  The defendant jumped out from beneath the stairway, brandished a knife, and stabbed one of the officers in the torso, cutting through his shirt and bullet-resistant vest.  The defendant was placed under arrest.  He later violated court orders by mailing a hand-written letter to the victim’s mother and calling the victim numerous times.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the MPD, especially the detectives who led the investigation of the case.  U.S. Attorney Machen also praised the work of Victim/Witness Advocates Shawn Slade and Veronica Vaughn, as well as Paralegal Specialist Jason Manuel.  Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy H. Zubrensky and Jeff T. Cook, who investigated and prosecuted the case.