Court Officials Uncertain About How to Proceed as Child Sex Offender Awaits Booking

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A felony domestic violence defendant waits for information on where he is to report to self surrender for his 12 year prison sentence. He is currently released on his own recognizance.

Winfred M. Brown pleaded guilty to all accounts of first-degree child sex abuse with aggravating circumstances on May 26. The terms of Brown’s guilty plea included registering as a sex offender and a 12 year prison sentence.

After his sentencing on Sept. 23, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan accepted the defense’s request to allow Brown to self-surrender. To self-surrender, Brown is given a time and a place to report to in order to be detained and admitted to prison.

Self surrendering allowed Brown to have three points removed from his incarceration score and to control the timing of his arrest without having to be seized by a warrant squad.

During an Oct. 6 felony voluntary surrender hearing, Brown’s defense attorney, Rodrick Thompson, said he was uncertain of how to proceed. He stated he wasn’t sure if the judge would give designation for booking or if the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) would submit designation.

Judge Raffinan similarly was unsure of booking terms, saying she would send an email to the BOP to seek out a designated correctional center where Brown could surrender.

Judge Raffinan scheduled another hearing for Oct. 11 to proceed with updates as parties await the designated location.