In mid-August, five men ranging in age from 16 to 22 years old were arrested and charged in connection with a series of armed robberies and sexual assaults that occurred on the National Mall last May and July (click on “More Information” below for the original incident report). Four of them subsequently pled guilty to the charges. On Tuesday, September 5th, Ryan Newman, the fifth and final defendant, appeared in DC Superior Court and pled guilty to one count of first degree sexual abuse while armed, six counts of robbery, and four counts of possessing a firearm while committing a crime of violence. When he is sentenced on November 8th, Newman will face a maximum possible sentence of 180 years of incarceration under the statute, and between 41 and 83 years under the voluntary sentencing guidelines. “Today’s fifth and final guilty plea puts an end to the brutal reign of terror committed by this band of defendants on unsuspecting visitors to our National Mall,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein. “The fact that investigators and prosecutors were able to resolve this case with all five defendants pleading guilty within 32 days of the first arrest is a testament to the outstanding work and tenacity of the investigative team.” The five men were arrested by USPP officers following an intensive investigation conducted by the U.S. Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Metro Transit Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department.
