District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison For Series of Home Burglaries

            WASHINGTON - Donte Purcell Polk, 27, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a string of home burglaries that took place last year in various neighborhoods, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Polk pled guilty in June 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree burglary and two counts of second-degree burglary. He was sentenced on Oct. 5, 2016, by the Honorable Juliet McKenna. Following his prison term, Polk will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also must pay $4,000 in restitution to the victims.

            According to the government’s evidence, during the months of August and September of 2015, Polk gained entry into various occupied and unoccupied residences and stole numerous items ranging from electronics to luxury watches. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) subsequently identified Polk by his fingerprints found at the residences. Polk pled guilty to carrying out three burglaries in August and September of 2015: in the 1300 block of E Street SE, the 900 block of Seventh Street NE, and the 1200 block of Fourth Street NW.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, Paralegal Specialist Tamaya Reid, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Goodwin, who investigated and prosecuted the case.