District Man Sentenced to 26 ½ Years in Prison For Sexually Abusing 17-Year-Old Victim And Committing Two Separate Robberies

            WASHINGTON – Dominick Simons, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 26 ½ years in prison for three separate crimes against victims he accosted at or near Metro stations within a two-day span, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Simons pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of first-degree sexual abuse, robbery, and attempted robbery. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence within the range of 22 to 30 years in prison. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff accepted the plea today and sentenced Simons accordingly. Following his prison term, Simons will be placed on 15 years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, Simons approached a 26-year-old male victim on May 21, 2016, at approximately 4:40 p.m., while both were exiting the L’Enfant Metro station in Southwest Washington. As they approached the 400 block of 7th Street SW, Simons asked the victim whether he knew of anyone interested in buying a gun that the defendant currently had in his possession. The victim answered, “No.” Simons then told the victim that he needed money and did not want to have to shoot the victim. Simons took his right hand and placed it inside of his sweatshirt to suggest that he was reaching for a firearm. The victim said that he did not have any money. Simons then directed the victim to walk to the nearest ATM, which was at a CVS store on 4th Street SW. There, the victim withdrew $100 and gave it to the defendant. Simons also took the victim’s cell phone before separating from the victim.

            Two days later, at approximately 3 p.m. on May 23, 2016, Simons approached a 17-year-old male victim while walking into the Bethesda Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland. As they approached the mezzanine level of the station, Simons asked the victim if he could use the victim’s cellular telephone. The victim said, “Yes.” The victim then gave his phone to the defendant to use, at which point Simons immediately began to walk away.

            The victim followed Simons and told him to return the phone. Simons turned towards the victim and told him he was keeping the phone, that he had a “.38,” and that if the victim made any “noise” about the phone, the defendant would “blow [his] [expletive] brains out over the Metro station.” Simons opened his sweatshirt and brandished an object that the victim perceived to be the butt of a handgun. Simons then returned the phone to the victim after learning that the victim was only 17 years old. Simons, however, ordered the minor to board a train traveling to the District. He and the victim exited the train at Friendship Heights and entered the Chevy Chase Pavilion in Northwest Washington. Simons then ordered the victim to enter a bathroom and stand against the wall of a stall, at which point the defendant sexually assaulted him.

            After a few moments, the victim told Simons, “No, I have to go. Let me go.” The victim pushed Simons to get out of the stall, at which point the victim patted the area of his jacket where the victim had seen the butt of a handgun. The victim said, “No. I’m done. I have to go. Let me leave.” Simons directed the victim to keep his voice down, but the minor replied, “I’ll scream if you don’t let me go now.” Simons allowed the victim to exit the bathroom.

            Simons eventually walked back to the Friendship Heights Metro station, where he boarded a train towards downtown Washington. He exited the train at the Van Ness station. At approximately 5:20 p.m., he approached a 14-year-old boy in the mezzanine level of the train station and told the victim, “I have a gun on me. I don’t want to have to use it. Do you have any money or jewelry on you?” Simons then took his right hand and placed it inside of his sweatshirt to suggest that he was reaching for a firearm. The victim responded, “No.” Simons then asked the victim if he was in possession of a cellular telephone and a fare card. The victim removed his phone and fare card from his pocket and handed it to the defendant. Simons used the card to open the fare gates and left the victim behind. After the victim lost sight of Simons, he went to the station kiosk and reported the incident to a manager.

            Simons was ultimately arrested at approximately 7 p.m., at the Gallery Place Metro station, where he admitted that he had the child’s phone in his pocket. 

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips, Chief Pavlik, and Chief Newsham commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and Metropolitan Police Department’s First District. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Angelina Slagle and Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danny Nguyen and L’Shauntee Robertson, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.