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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- August 31, 2020
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Suspects
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A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant to three years and three months in prison.
A grand jury found Suleman Muhammed Hamid, 24, guilty for robbery, assault with intent to commit robbery and possession of a controlled substance on March 3.
Judge Michale O’Keefe sentenced Hamid to 36 months for robbery and 36 months for assault with intent to commit robbery. The two sentences will run concurrently. Judge O’keefe also sentenced Hamid to 90 days for possession of a controlled substance, which will also run consecutive to the other sentences.
Once released, Hamid will also have to serve three years of supervised release. Hamid must also receive mental health treatments, participate in job training and maintain employment or enter into an educational program.
He is ordered to pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime fund for robbery, $100 for assault with intent to commit robbery, and $50 for possession of a controlled substance.
In 2018, security cameras caught Hamid robbing a man, according to court documents. Hamid reached in the victim’s pocket, grabbed his wallet and then punched him before fleeing the scene. At the time of the robbery, Hamid was driving a vehicle without permission. When the crime occurred, he was on probation for another robbery that took place in Maryland.
Hamid’s attorney, Nikki Lotez, asked for leniency and the mandatory minimum of two years.
Lotez also asked for her client to be sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA,) but Judge O’Keefe denied the request due to the similar robbery case that occurred in Maryland. He also denied the request for Hamid to receive the mandatory minimum.
Lotez pointed out the doctor’s observation of paranoid behavior and indicators that suggest Hamid is struggling with mental illness.
But, Judge O’Keefe responded by recalling Hamid’s failure to appear in court, his failure to comply with the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) and an incident in which Hamid was outside the courtroom but left before the case was called.
Hamid has the right to appeal within the next 30 days.