Five Members of Violent Crew Sentenced for 2020 Homicide and Shootings That Occurred in 2020 and 2021

           WASHINGTON – Five members of the Avenue Crew a.k.a. the 1080 Clickas a.k.a. Simple City of Washington, D.C., were sentenced for their roles in the April 2020 murder of 21-year-old Brea Moon and shootings that took place in May 2020 and June 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

           DaJuan Jones, 24, pleaded guilty on April 11, 2025, to one count of second-degree murder while armed for his role in the April 2020 murder of Brea Moon and one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for his role in the May 2020 shooting in the 5000 block of H Street Southeast. On September 3, 2025, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Jones to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

           Charles Hill, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed for his role in the April 2020 murder of Brea Moon and one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for his role in the June 2021 shooting in the 3200 block of 34th Street Northwest. On September 3, 2025, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Hill to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

           Dominique Franks, 24, Melvin Morris, 27, and Nkobia Edwards, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for their roles in the June 2021 shooting on the 3200 block of 34th Street Northwest. On August 22, 2025, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman sentenced Franks to 13 years in prison, Morris to 12 years in prison, and Edwards to 11 years in prison, each of which will be followed by five years of supervised release.

           With respect to the April 2020 homicide, according to the government’s evidence, Jones was driving, and Hill was riding in a stolen white vehicle that pulled into the BP gas station located at 4101 Alabama Avenue SE shortly before 10:30 p.m. on April 7, 2020.  Minutes later, a gray sedan pulled into that same gas station with the victim, Brea Moon, in the front passenger seat.  When the gray sedan left the gas station, the white vehicle intentionally followed closely behind.  Shortly thereafter, the white vehicle pulled up beside the gray sedan and multiple gunshots were fired by the occupants of the white vehicle at the gray sedan, including one that struck the victim in the head and killed her.

           With respect to the May 2020 shooting, according to the government’s evidence, Jones rode in a silver car toward the 5000 block of H Street Southeast shortly before 4:00 p.m. on May 2, 2020. After the car stopped nearby, Jones exited the vehicle and fired multiple gunshots in the direction of numerous individuals who were in the front yard of 5023 H Street SE.  Two individuals were hit by Jones’ gunshots, suffering gunshot wounds to their leg and arm, respectively. When Jones was done shooting, he got back into the silver car and the car drove off.

           With respect to the June 2021 shooting, according to the government’s evidence, on June 17, 2021, at approximately 1:35 p.m. Hill, Franks, Edwards, and Morris were inside a stolen silver Dodge Charger that stopped on the 3200 block of 34th Street Northwest, immediately adjacent to John Eaton Elementary School, which was undergoing renovation.  After the car came to a stop, the defendants got out of the car, brandished their firearms, and fired multiple gunshots at an individual, who was standing just 50 to100 feet from the defendants. As a result, the individual suffered multiple gunshot wounds.  

           Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

           In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. 

           Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Julia Cosans, Sarah Folse, Yasmin Emrani, and Daniel Bromwich, who investigated and prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Alec Levy.