Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Strangulation and Firearms Offenses

             WASHINGTON - A Superior Court jury issued the District of Columbia’s first strangulation trial conviction finding Jeffrey Strange, 29­­, of Washington, D.C., guilty of the offense and other charges related to a domestic dispute.  The incident took place inside an apartment building in Southeast Washington on Labor Day weekend of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

             On March 29, 2024, a jury found Strange guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon (a “ghost gun”), and destruction of property. Superior Court Judge Jason Park will schedule a sentencing hearing at a later date. Strange faces a mandatory minimum of three years for unlawfully possessing the firearm with a maximum sentence of 15, and up to five years in prison for strangulation. The sentence will be determined by the court after considering all factors.

             According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11 p.m. on Sep. 3, 2023, Strange began incessantly calling the victim, his former girlfriend, to determine her whereabouts. On Sep. 4, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Strange met the victim outside of their shared residence and began arguing with her until both entered the elevator of their apartment building, where an altercation ensued. The victim was able to get out of the elevator and into the lobby of the building. Strange followed her, continued to strike her, breaking her glasses, and strangling her by putting his hand on her throat and squeezing. The attack left visible injuries to the victim’s lip and face.

            The defendant fled the scene after a bystander security guard intervened and the victim called 911. Less than an hour later, he returned to the victim’s residence, assaulted her again, and attempted to discard a firearm in her bedroom closet. Police officers from the Metropolitan Police Department returned to the scene and recovered the firearm. Strange was placed under arrest and has been held in custody since. 

            The security guard provided surveillance video, that captured a portion of the assault including Strange strangling the victim. The government’s evidence also included DNA evidence linking Strange to the recovered firearm.

            This trial marks the first jury trial for felony strangulation since the D.C. Council passed the “Prioritizing Public Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2023,” designating strangulation as a felony offense.*

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monisha Rao and Richard Kelley, of the Domestic Violence Unit.

            *Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”