Two District Men Found Guilty of Robbing and Assaulting Women In Separate Attacks Within 35-Minute Period

            WASHINGTON – Terrez Crocker, 20, and Andre Walker, 28, both of Washington, D.C., have been found guilty by a jury on charges of robbing and assaulting two women in separate attacks in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            The jury found Crocker guilty of one count each of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery, fleeing from law enforcement, reckless driving, destruction of property, and receipt of stolen property, as well as three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle during a crime of violence. The jury found Walker guilty of one count each of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery, and fleeing from law enforcement.

            The verdicts, on April 20, 2017, followed a one-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2017.

            According to the government’s evidence at trial, at about 6:45 p.m. on Sunday, August 30, 2015, a young woman was walking by herself on 61^st Street NE at the intersection of Eads Street NE. She was walking home after work when she noticed a white Volkswagen Jetta parked in the intersection. Unbeknownst to her, Crocker and Walker were waiting in that vehicle, which had been stolen in Maryland approximately three weeks earlier. GPS evidence placed Crocker at the scene of the car theft during the time-frame in which the vehicle was stolen.

            As they sat in the stolen Jetta, Crocker and Walker directed their two female accomplices to jump out of the vehicle to steal the woman’s purse and cell phone. The two female accomplices followed Walker and Crocker’s directive, jumped out of the vehicle, and snatched the woman’s purse and cell phone, and then returned to the vehicle where Crocker and Walker were waiting. The four assailants then fled the scene.

            Shortly thereafter, at approximately 7:20 p.m., Crocker, Walker, and their two female accomplices spotted their second victim, another young woman walking near the intersection of Southern Avenue and Bass Place SE on her way home from church. The woman also noticed the white Volkswagen Jetta. Unbeknownst to her, as she walked, Crocker and Walker again directed their two female accomplices to jump out of the car to rob her. At the direction of Crocker and Walker, the two female accomplices again jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to take the woman’s purse. However, the woman fought back, fending off her attackers and thwarting the robbery. The two female accomplices then ran back to the Volkswagen Jetta, where Crocker and Walker were waiting.

            Both victims were able to provide information to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including the make and model of the vehicle used during the commission of the robberies and a partial license plate tag number.

            Members of MPD’s Fifth and Sixth Districts canvased the area in search of the suspects’ vehicle, which was spotted at East Capitol Street and Benning Road NE. Officers attempted to pull over the vehicle. However, Crocker and Walker ignored the directive of the police and sped away. Crocker, the driver, fled from the police, driving at a high rate of speed, driving erratically, and committing multiple traffic violations during the pursuit. Eventually, Crocker crashed the Volkswagen Jetta near the intersection of 57^th Place and A Street SE. All four assailants then fled on foot and were apprehended within blocks of the crash site. The two female accomplices, an adult and a juvenile, pled guilty to charges in the case.

            In announcing the guilty verdicts, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff, Paralegal Specialists Richard Cheatham, Lashone Samuels, and Donville Drummond, and Intelligence Research Specialist Zachary McMenamin. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Long and Laura Crane, who investigated and prosecuted the case.