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Press Release

District Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison For Home Invasions and Sexual Assault

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia
Defendant Forced His Way Into Two Residences Within a One-Week Period

            WASHINGTON – Antwon Pitt, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 60 years in prison on charges involving two home invasions, including one in which he sexually assaulted a woman in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Peter Newsham, Interim Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            In one of the two incidents, Pitt was found guilty by a jury on June 8, 2016, of charges of first-degree sexual abuse, kidnapping, first-degree burglary, robbery, threats, and felony assault. In the other, he pled guilty on Sept. 29, 2016, to a charge of second-degree burglary.

            The Honorable Florence Pan sentenced Pitt to the 60-year prison term. Following completion of that time, he will be placed on supervised release and required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

            “Antwon Pitt terrorized two women in separate attacks over one week, invading their homes while one was sleeping and the other doing work,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “Today’s sentence will protect our community from this dangerous predator for decades.”

            According to the government’s evidence, the first incident took place on Oct. 6, 2015, at approximately 6:15 a.m. Pitt entered an apartment unit on Michigan Avenue NE, with the intent to steal. Once inside the apartment, he entered a bedroom where a young woman was sleeping. She woke up and saw the defendant, whom she did not know, with her cell phone in his hand. After a brief verbal exchange, Pitt left the apartment, taking with him several items belonging to the woman, including her cell phone, a tote bag, her wallet, multiple identification cards, a debit card, a Metro card, and other personal items. This case led to Pitt’s guilty plea.

            The second incident took place on Oct. 13, 2015, at approximately 2:10 p.m. According to the government’s evidence, the victim was alone and working at home on her computer. Suddenly she saw Pitt standing in her apartment. He had entered through an unlocked door. After learning that the woman was alone, he grabbed her and slammed her onto the floor. He proceeded to violently press his hand over the victim's mouth and nose as he forced her down the hall with his other hand around her throat.  Once in the victim's bedroom, he raped the victim on her own bed.  After the rape, he took the victim's phone, demanded her passcode, and left.  The victim was taken to the hospital where she was treated for her injuries, which included fractured facial bones requiring surgery.

            The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) obtained surveillance footage from the alley by the victim's building showing a suspect walking through the alley after the rape wearing a backpack and bright orange shoelaces.  MPD was then able to track the victim's phone to a gas station in Mitchellville, Md., where Pitt, who matched the description of the person in the surveillance footage and the description provided by the victim, was stopped.  At the time of his stop, Pitt had the victim's phone and checks made out to the victim's husband, as well as a pair of gloves. Pitt’s DNA and the victim's DNA were found on gloves. Pitt also had the wallet and various other items belonging to the victim of the first home invasion.

            At the time of the crimes, Pitt was on release in a pending drug case. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips and Interim Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Metro Transit Police Department, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, Sorenson Forensics, and Signature Science, LLC. He acknowledged the efforts of a team that worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Donhue Troy Griffith and D’Yvonne Key, Victim/Witness Advocates Tracey Hawkins and Veronica Vaughan, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McClellan and Luke Jones, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Updated October 24, 2016

Press Release Number: 16-201