Judge Issues 4 Bench Warrants During Pretrial, Probation Hearings

By D.C. Witness Staff - November 20, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Probation | Suspects |

A DC Superior Court judge issued four bench warrants during 12 pretrial and probation hearings on Nov. 18.

Judge Robert Okun issued bench warrants for Brandon Bishop, Wonell Jones, Christopher Waters and Stephanie Tucker’s arrests after they failed to appear in court. 

Bishop, 33, is on probation for second-degree theft, credit card fraud and lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Bishop’s attorney, Rebecca Vogel said she did not know her client’s whereabouts. 

After waiting ten minutes for Bishop to arrive in court, Judge Okun issued a bench warrant.

Jones, 33, is on probation for unlawful possession of a firearm committed during release, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. 

Defense attorney Steven Polin said he has been unable to contact his client. According to a Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) representative, Jones failed to report for GPS installation, drug testing and never verified his address. 

Waters, 38, is charged with assault with significant bodily injury for allegedly assaulting a victim on the 900 block of G Street, NW on Nov. 11, 2019. 

Defense attorney Elliott Queen did not know where his client was and has been unable to contact him. 

Tucker, 21, is charged with second-degree theft. According to court documents, Tucker allegedly took more than $200 from a store on the 2300 block of Washington Place, NE last December. 

Defense attorney Steven Ogilvie said he has been unable to contact his client, but a new attorney is taking over the case. He said the new attorney might have better contact information. 

According to the PSA, Tucker has not reported since late September. The PSA representative requested a bench warrant. 

“I still don’t understand why she isn’t here today. It seems like she hasn’t been reporting for a couple of months now,” Judge Okun said.

Tashawnda Galloway, 30, is charged with possession of a controlled substance. Galloway failed to appear for her hearing. 

Galloway’s attorney, Charles Haskell said she had been at the courthouse but was turned away. After contacting his client, he said she was on her way back but it would take roughly an hour for her to arrive. 

According to the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), Galloway is in compliance with most of her release conditions including GPS monitoring. However, she has not completed her mental health assessment. Judge Okun decided to discharge the show cause order. Her next hearing is scheduled for March 3. 

Phillip Drumgoole, 27, is on probation in two cases and on pretrial release in another case. Drumgoole is on probation for second-degree child sex abuse and a bail violation. He is charged with simple assault in his current case. 

According to the PSA, Drumgoole has never reported or made his weekly phone check-ins. According to the CSOSA, Drumgoole has also failed to register as a sex offender. A CSOSA representative asked Judge Okun to revoke Drumgoole’s probation since he has made no effort to comply with his probation conditions. 

Defense attorney Marnitta King asked Judge Okun to put her client in an outpatient mental health treatment program or terminate his probation as successful. 

Judge Okun ordered Drumgoole to attend an outpatient mental health treatment program, and scheduled a forensic competency screening in all three of the defendant’s cases. Drumgoole’s next hearing is a mental observation hearing scheduled for Dec. 9.

Judge Okun quashed a bench warrant for a defendant who came to court to resolve it. 

Juanita Jacobs, 36, is charged with simple assault. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest after she failed to report to the PSA and failed to appear for a show cause hearing. 

Judge Okun quashed the bench warrant and continued her case for 30 days, so she can come back into compliance. Her next court date is a pretrial show cause hearing scheduled for Dec. 21.

Danyell Gatewood is on probation for simple assault. According to CSOSA, Gatewood has refused to enter an anger management program but is in compliance with her other probation conditions. 

The CSOSA asked Judge Okun to continue the show cause in 60 days, so she can come into compliance. Judge Okun agreed and continued the show cause. Gatewood’s next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2021.

Judge Okun discharged a show cause order for 54-year-old Howard Montgomery. Montgomery is charged with second-degree burglary and indicted on charges of first-degree theft, unlawful entry onto private property and destruction of property. 

The show cause order was issued after Montgomery failed to charge his GPS monitor on three separate occasions. According to the PSA, since Oct. 9, Montgomery has complied with all of his conditions of release and has been charging his GPS monitor. His next court appearance is a status hearing scheduled for March 17.

Levonne Flemming, 32, is on probation for attempted robbery. According to the CSOSA, Flemming last contacted them on July 2 and has not reported since then. At a show cause hearing on Oct. 14, Fleming was ordered to come into compliance with her probation conditions, but according to CSOSA, she still didn’t contact them. She has also failed to make her Victims of Violent Crime (VVC) compensation fund payment and attend anger management classes. 

Flemming’s attorney, Thomas Healy said she has a full-time job and has had trouble reporting as directed. 

“There has been some noncompliance but no re-arrest, the issue now is making the VVC payment, so I’m inclined to set another date,” Judge Okun said, deciding to continue the hearing to give Flemming time to make her VVC payment. Fleming is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 1.

Jeffery Bennett, 54, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in two cases. According to the PSA, Bennett has been in compliance, apart from missing a few of his weekly check-ins. 

Judge Okun discharged the show cause order and reminded Bennett that he has to report weekly by phone. 

Deandre Dawkins is on probation for attempted threats to do bodily harm. Dawkins did not appear in court. 

“It’s not surprising to me that he isn’t here because there is an outstanding bench warrant,” Judge Okun said. 

The CSOSA representative was asking for the bench warrant to be modified into a full extraditable bench warrant. The prosecutor said that Judge Michael Ryan had modified the warrant yesterday.