District Man Sentenced to 15-Year Prison Term
For Operating Large-Scale Crack Cocaine and Marijuana Distribution Business From a Residence

     WASHINGTON - Thomas Washington, 53, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 15-year prison term for operating a large-scale crack cocaine and marijuana distribution business out of a residence in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Washington was found guilty in August 2011 following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The jury convicted him of charges of possession with intent to distribute at least 28 grams of cocaine base, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person previously convicted of a crime punishable by a term exceeding one year in prison, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth.

     According to the government’s evidence, on the afternoon of September 27, 2009, officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) executed a search warrant at a single-family house located at 3025 Yost Place NE. No one was home at the time, and the officers found in the residence approximately 129 grams of crack cocaine, over one kilogram of marijuana, four firearms, including a semi-automatic Tec-9 machine pistol, ammunition, and over $25,000 in cash. Officers also found photographs of Washington, his driver’s license, and mail materials bearing his name. The evidence showed that Washington owned a different house on the same block but had rented the residence at 3025 Yost Place for many years. At the time of the search, he used that residence as a stash house from which he could conduct his drug trafficking activity.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of MPD Officers Jordan Katz, John Fitch, Christopher Ritchie, Wayne David, Herbert Leboo, James O’Bannon, Richard Elliot, and Thomas Sheehan, as well as Sgt. James Boteler. He also expressed gratitude for the assistance of MPD Officer Joseph Abdalla and Special Agent William Smith of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Machen acknowledged the assistance of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Investigator Duncan Templeton and Interns Elisabeth Power and Julia Shu. Finally, he expressed his appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stewart and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dana, who prosecuted the case.

11-464

###