District Man Sentenced to 37 ½ Years in Prison For Sexually Assaulting 14-Year-Old Girl Defendant Earlier Convicted of Similar Offense

            WASHINGTON - Orlando Roberts, 46, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 37 ½ years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl within months after he got out of prison for a similar attack, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

            Roberts, who in 2001 was convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, was found guilty by a jury in October 2014 of six counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a child. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer Anderson.  Following his prison term, Roberts will be placed on five years of supervised release.  He also must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

            According to the government’s evidence, on July 13, 2014, Roberts drove to the 14-year-old victim’s foster home, together with Javon Henson, 19. Roberts referred to Henson as his “son,” though there was no biological relationship between the two.

            Henson had met the victim online a few days earlier, and he had asked her to accompany him on a date at the park.  The victim responded that she would need the permission of her foster mother.  On the evening of July 12, Roberts called the victim’s foster mother and assured her that he would look out for her foster daughter on her date with his “son.”  The foster mother agreed to meet them the next day.  Arriving at the foster home on July 13, Roberts again assured the foster mother that he would chaperone the entire date between the victim and his “son” and that nothing would happen to her on his watch.  Roberts also lied about Henson’s age, telling the foster mother that he was only 17. After much deliberation, the foster mother agreed to let victim leave her house with Roberts and Henson.

            Roberts drove Henson and the victim to Hains Point.  Although he had told the foster mother that he would drive the victim home immediately after they left the park, he instead took her and Henson back to his home in Northwest Washington.

            Once inside Roberts’s home, Roberts got the victim and Henson into the basement, where his bedroom was located.  Roberts instructed the 14-year-old victim to remove her clothing.  She complied out of fear.  Roberts then retrieved a flashlight from a counter in the basement and proceeded to use the flashlight to show Henson the victim’s genitalia.  The victim was mortified and placed her hands over her eyes.  Roberts then performed various sexual acts on the victim under the guise the he was merely teaching his “son” how to perform those sexual acts.  Roberts directed Henson to perform the same sexual acts that he had just performed.  When he was finished with her, Roberts drove the victim to a mall, where he bought her some T-shirts and a pair of earrings, before taking her back to her foster mother’s house.

            Both Henson and Roberts were subsequently arrested.  Henson immediately admitted his role in the assault and pled guilty to second-degree sexual abuse of a Child.  He testified against Roberts at trial.  He was sentenced today to three years in prison, with all but six months suspended on the condition that he successfully complete five years of probation. He also must register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years.

            In the 2001 case, Roberts was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse of a child for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in the parking lot of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. He was sentenced to 14 years of incarceration and released in October 2013—just eight months before sexually assaulting the 14-year-old victim in this matter.  He was registering as a sex offender and under Court order to stay away from all children when he committed this offense.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, including the detectives of the Youth Investigations Division and the Sexual Assault Branch.  He also expressed appreciation for assistance provided by the Laurel, Md. Police Department as well as Jason Harley, a social worker with the Charles County, Md. Department of Social Services. In addition, he recognized the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson, Paralegals Jason Manuel and Troy Griffith, Criminal Investigator John Marsh, and Elizabeth Trosman, Chief of the Appellate Division, who provided legal advice throughout the trial.

            Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea L. Hertzfeld and Jason Park, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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