DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee issued a bench warrant for a non-fatal stabbing defendant after her failure to appear in court on July 21.
Brenda Blanco, 36, was sentenced on May 16 to 24 months of incarceration for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon following a non-fatal stabbing on Feb. 17 at 3612 14th Street, NW. Blanco’s sentence was fully suspended, allowing her to serve her time on probation.
Following an alleged violation of her probation, Blanco was scheduled to appear in court on July 21, which she failed to do.
Per her release conditions, Blanco had been attending a drug treatment program. However, it was reported that she was unsuccessfully discharged after relapsing while enrolled. Additionally, Blanco has not reported for supervision since June 26.
Blanco’s defense attorney, Jonathan Lanyi, provided context for his client’s release from the treatment program, explaining that Blanco was hospitalized due to an overdose.
“This is a very serious issue, a very serious addiction…that she’s struggling to get away from,” Lanyi stated, after disclosing that Blanco’s heart is currently functioning at about 20 percent capacity.
Lanyi also described his efforts to locate Blanco, which included sending an investigator in pursuit of her and leaving a note at her last known residence. Despite these efforts, Blanco remains unaccounted for.
At the request of the prosecution, Judge Lee issued a bench warrant for Blanco, effective immediately.
Parties will reconvene when Blanco is taken into custody.
