Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to 17 Charges, Released on Curfew

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On July 11, before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan, a non-fatal shooting defendant pleaded not guilty to 17 charges.

Nathaniel Arce-Washington, 28, is charged with two counts of assault to kill while armed, eight counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of significant bodily injury while armed, two counts of aggravated assault while armed, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol outside a home or business, for his alleged involvement in a shooting that injured two individuals on . Oct. 9, 2023 on the 1200 Block of Queen Street, NE.

According to court documents, Arce-Washington allegedly fired ten shots at the two individuals, who are alleged to have robbed him earlier.

During the hearing, Paulette Pagán, Arce-Washington’s defense attorney, alerted the court he was pleading not guilty to all charges, and asserted his constitutional rights.

A motion to modify Arce-Washington’s release conditions was filed on March 3, in which Pagan stated that Washington has been compliant with his release conditions since Oct. 19, 2023.

Through the motion, Pagan requested his release conditions, which have been set as 24-hour home confinement for nine months, be modified to GPS monitoring and a curfew, in order to allow him to search for a job and provide for his five-year-old child.

The prosecuting attorney objected, arguing that “the evidence is strong,” and that they have clear video evidence of the robbery and Arce-Washington firing at the victims.

According to the prosecution, one of the victims is paralyzed and the other had to have a large portion of their stomach removed.

They also mentioned an incident in 2018 where Arce-Washington was charged, but later acquitted of attempted second-degree murder and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

“Arce-Washington is facing some of the most serious charges,” Judge Raffinan stated, but based on the defense counsel’s argument for Washington’s potential employment, the motion was granted.

The prosecution requested his curfew be set to “whatever the hours he isnt working.”

Based on the recommendations from a representative from the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) and the prosecution, Arce-Washington’s curfew is set from 10 p. m. to 6 a. m.

Parties are set to reconvene on Sept. 10.