A defendant who stabbed a fellow inmate was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment by DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on July 10.
Michael Sanders, 31, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19 to assault with a dangerous weapon for his involvement in a non-fatal stabbing that injured one person, a fellow inmate at the DC Jail on April 1, 2025, on the 1900 block of D Street, SE. The victim sustained 18 stab wounds.
Sanders reportedly told his pre-sentencing report writer that he “was an angry person,” said the judge at sentencing. According to Judge Ryan, Sanders’ story is a “sad sort of commentary,” including previous incarcerations and periodic violent crimes. Sanders is currently awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in a murder and has been held at the DC Jail since 2024.
The sentencing guidelines for Sanders’ stabbing case range from 36-to-78 months in prison.
Prosecutors classified Sanders’ actions as an “incredibly heinous offense” that “appears to be unprovoked.” They played surveillance footage that depicted Sanders repeatedly stabbing the victim as the victim attempted to run away.
According to the prosecutors, this was an “unprompted, unnecessary attack” that warrants “straight incarceration.” Prosecutors requested Sanders receive 78 months, followed by three years of supervised release.
Prosecutors also highlighted that Sanders is getting a “significant benefit” through his plea agreement, as he was originally charged with assault with intent to kill while armed.
Sanders’ attorney, Daniel Kovler, asserted that he is “proving innocence” in Sanders’ pending murder case.
Kovler argued “nothing that happens in the DC Jail is what you see on the surface.” He alleged that Sanders was provoked and alluded to “veiled threats” the victim may have made. Kovler reminded the court that the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening.
He characterized the DC Jail as being “in a sad state,” with “violence…all too frequent” inside of the facility.
Kovler requested a sentence at the bottom of the guidelines and asserted that Sanders would have accepted responsibility earlier if not for his pending trial. He also requested an intervention plan so Sanders will be able to “move forward.”
Sanders addressed the court, saying, “I want to apologize to the court for my actions.”
Judge Ryan highlighted the “inefficiency” and “dangerousness” currently present in the DC Jail. He claimed that it “has not been operating well” and that it is a “hard time” for anyone currently incarcerated there.
Judge Ryan said, “If I had a place to send people pre-trial other than the DC Jail, I’d send them there.”
However, he also claimed that Sanders’ behavior was “heinous,” although the threats “may very well be there” from the victim. Judge Ryan described Sanders’ actions as “one of the most serious” of the assault with a dangerous weapon cases he had seen.
Judge Ryan sentenced Sanders to 72 months, followed by three years of supervised release. He will have mental health evaluation and treatment upon his release.
No further dates were set for the stabbing case.
