Most Robbery Cases Over Summer Occurred in Ward 5, Data Shows

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 30, 2020
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The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made approximately 33 robbery arrests that resulted in charges being filed between June 1 and Sept. 15, according to D.C. Witness data.

About 31 percent of the 32 arrests were for robberies that allegedly happened in Ward 5. The ward calculated more robberies than any of the other eight wards. 

Ward 3 was the only ward with no robbery cases from the time period.

One robbery case involved only an attempted robbery charge. The defendant, 25-year-old Daquan Kelly, is accused of trying to take money from a victim on July 9 on the 900 block of Bladensburg Road, NE.

Fourteen of the cases (about 44 percent) involved an armed robbery charge. That includes one in which the defendant, 18 year-old Malik Beverly, was charged with both robbery and armed robbery. 

Weapons allegedly used in the armed robbery cases include: three knives, seven guns, one BB gun, and two guns or imitation thereof.

D.C. Witness does not know the weapon type for one of the armed robbery cases. It is the only domestic violence case that resulted from the arrests.

The defendant in that case was charged with armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon on Aug. 31. During his initial hearing, DC Superior Court Judge James Cromwell chose to detain the defendant at DC Jail, where he currently remains. 

Most of the cases are, like this one, currently indisposed. However, one defendant has pleaded guilty.

On June 8, Rayshawn Tillery was charged with armed robbery and assault with significant bodily injury for taking a victim’s property and using a knife on him two days prior at the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station in Northwest, DC. 

On Aug. 27, Tillery pleaded guilty to the robbery charge. As part of a plea deal with the prosecution, his assault charge was dropped.

Tillery, 26, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 13.

Another case has also concluded because of a lack of evidence.

On Sept. 9, Judge Judith Pipe ruled that Dionte Monk’s case did not have enough evidence to go to trial.

Monk was charged with robbery on June 4 for allegedly taking property from a victim’s immediate possession that day on the 1900 block of 8th Street, NW.

Monk, 26, was detained after his initial hearing. He rejected a plea offer the following August, and his case was set for a preliminary hearing.

Following testimony from the prosecution’s witness during that hearing, Judge Smith decided that the case did not have probable cause and dismissed it.

Five of the cases involved additional charges. Four of these cases only involve one additional charge besides robbery. In the fifth case, the defendant is charges with robbery, aggravated assault knowingly and assault with intent to commit third-degree sexual abuse.

Two defendants, Tillery and 19 year-old Rayrae Stover, are charged with unarmed carjacking in addition to their robbery charges.

The two were allegedly involved in the incidents that took place June 22 on the 1700 block of F St NE and June 29 on the 500 block of Oklahoma Avenue, NE.

Judge Juliet McKenna found probable cause for both of their cases.

Beverly is being held at DC Jail. Stover is released on his promise to return to court and with orders to report to the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA.)

Editor’s note: Information could not be obtained for one arrest.

This article was written by Andrea Keckley