Judge Sentences Homicide Defendant to 16 Years in Prison

By Bersabel Ephrem [former] - June 28, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun sentences a defendant in a 2020 homicide case to 16 years in prison.

On Nov. 18, 2020, Metropolitan Police Department received a call about a man with a weapon entering a residence that was under construction that was located on the 1600 block of Olive Street, NE. Minutes later the department received another call about the victim, Elias Flores, being shot at the same location. Upon arrival, officers found Flores unconscious with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

George Miller, 27, was arrested on Dec. 10, 2020, and charged with first-degree murder while armed. 

An impact statement was read by the sibling and the wife of the victim. 

“It is not easy but on behalf of my family, I want to speak directly to the defendant. I want you to look at my face. My brother was a hard-worker, honest, and a good person, but you took him from us,” the victim’s sibling told the court in an impact statement. 

“Why would you take him away from us in that way,” the victim’s wife said. “He was just working to provide for his family. Why did you do it?”  

The prosecutor asked Judge Okun to impose the maximum sentence of 20-years in prison. 

“Although Millers claims that it was an accident and a robbery went wrong, he still brandished a gun and pulled the trigger. It was an extremely reckless crime,” said the prosecutor. 

Miller’s defense attorney, Pierce Suen, told the court that his client is remorseful and takes full responsibility for his actions that day. Suen asked Judge Okun to impose the minimum sentence of 12-years in prison, citing Miller’s lack of criminal history and childhood. Suen also told the court that Miller was working two jobs at the time to support his family. 

“I would like to say that I take full responsibility for what happened that day,” Miller said. “I don’t even sleep at night. I get nightmares every night about this. I am so sorry to everyone.” 

Judge Okun sentenced Miller to 16 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In deciding on a sentence, Judge Okun said he considered both the nature of the offense and Miller’s criminal history. 

Judge Okun will recommend that Miller serve his sentence at the FCI Cumberland medium security correctional institution in Maryland.