District Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge
In Sexual Assault of an Acquaintance
- Defendant Brandished a Knife, Then Attacked Victim at Her Apartment -

     WASHINGTON - Ronnie Day, 24, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of attempted first-degree sexual abuse while armed for sexually assaulting an acquaintance earlier this summer, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Day pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19, 2012. Day faces a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison. He also will be required to register for the rest of his life as a sex offender.

     According to the government’s factual proffer, in the early morning hours of June 28, 2012, Day arrived at the victim’s residence in Southeast Washington to return her cell phone, which he’d previously taken from her. She had known the defendant for about one month.

     After entering her apartment, Day went into the victim’s kitchen, retrieved a steak knife and, displaying the knife to the victim, ordered her into the bedroom. There, over the course of several hours, he raped the victim three times. When he finally left, the victim immediately notified a female friend, who flagged down a passing Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) car. The police apprehended Day a few minutes later near the Anacostia Metrorail Station.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen acknowledged the excellent work of MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. He also commended the medical professionals of the D.C. Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program at the Washington Hospital Center for the specialized forensic evidence collection and for providing excellent medical treatment and critical services to the victim. He also thanked those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Jason Manuel; Legal Assistant Nicole Lee, and Victim Advocate Melissa Milam. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan and Peter V. Taylor, who prosecuted this case.

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