Judge Issues 3 Bench Warrants in Felony and Misdemeanor Cases

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 17, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

DC Superior Court Judge Judith Smith presided over six pre-trial and probation hearings on Sept. 17. 

Kenneth Stevenson, 27, did not show up for his pretrial show cause hearing. Stevenson is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, oxycodone. 

Stevenson was not compliant with his pretrial release conditions and has had no contact with the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) since his re-arrest in June. 

The prosecution requested that a bench warrant be issued for Stevenson’s arrest. Judge Smith granted the request. 

Giselle Hartzog, 31, also failed to appear in court. Hartzog is charged with robbery. The defendant has not charged her GPS tracker since April and has been labeled a loss of contact by the PSA. 

Hartzog’s attorney, Peter Cooper, said he did not know his client’s whereabouts. The prosecution requested a bench warrant. 

Judge Smith issued a warrant, making this the defendant’s third bench warrant issued in this case. 

A sex abuse defendant also did not show up to court.

The defendant is charged with misdemeanor sex abuse, third-degree sex abuse and assault with the intent to commit third-degree sex abuse. 

The defendant has been deemed a loss of contact since he never showed up to get his GPS tracking device last week and has not contacted the PSA. 

Defense attorney Kevin Mosley said he has not been in contact with his client.  Judge Smith issued a bench warrant. 

Vincent Gibson appeared before the court for a probation show cause hearing. 

Gibson, 38,  pleaded guilty to simple assault in 2019 and is currently on probation. 

The hearing was called to discuss Gibson’s build up of supervision fees, which totalled to $450. Gibson has followed all other probation conditions and is compliant with probation officers, according to his attorney, Theresa Jenkins. 

Judge Smith inquired about possibly reducing his probation to unsupervised to lessen the cost on Gibson, but it was unclear if that would actually reduce costs. The next hearing is set for Dec. 8.

Mikias Geberezgiabhier, 22, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and second-degree theft.

The defendant’s attorney, Frederick Iverson, reported that his client has been compliant with pretrial release conditions. 

Both the prosecution and the agency were encouraged by the defendant’s compliance, so Judge Smith scheduled another hearing on Dec. 14 to lessen pretrial measures if compliance continues. 

Nickquan Boddie, 20, is charged with carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. 

A CSOSA representative told the judge that Boddie was meeting his pretrial conditions. Defense attorney Damon Catacalos asked the judge to discharge the hearing. 

Judge Smith ordered the pretrial show cause hearing to be dismissed and set the next hearing  for April 1.