FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 13, 2023

Defendants Accused of Daylight Shooting in the Congress Park Area

            WASHINGTON – Johnny Wilkins, 34, of Temple Hills, Maryland, Marcel Gavin, 31, Kharee Jackson, 30, Earl Robinson, 31, and Darryl Little, 29, all of Washington D.C. are named in a 20 count indictment charging them with conspiracy, three counts of first degree murder while armed – felony murder, one count of premeditated first degree murder while armed, one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, three counts of robbery while armed, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, one count of possession of a firearm with a prior conviction (Wilkins), and nine counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The defendants were arraigned on July 10, 2023, before D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.

            The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Interim Chief Ashan Benedict of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            According to the indictment, on June 13, 2020, decedent Albert Smith, who was an up-and-coming rap artist from the Tennessee/Georgia area, travelled up to the District with seven friends to meet up with the defendants and other individuals from the Congress Park area in Southeast, Washington, DC. After settling into their hotel, the victim and his friends (the “Georgia Group”) took an Uber to Congress Park. Once there, the Georgia Group joined the defendants and other members of the Congress Park group, where they socialized and gambled tens of thousands of dollars through the night into the next morning. Around 7:15 a.m., the Georgia Group decided they were going to leave. The five defendants and seven other members of the Congress Park Group followed the Georgia Group onto 13th Place where they split up and attacked and robbed three members of the Georgia Group. Defendant Wilkins chased Smith and four other members of the Georgia Group down Congress Street while shooting at them. Smith was killed, another member of his group was also shot, and two more victims were pistol whipped and robbed by the four other defendants and other members of the Congress Park Group, robbing each of them of approximately $20,000.

            The defendants are currently held without bond pending trial.  A status hearing is scheduled for September 8, 2023, before Judge Michael O’Keefe.

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves and Interim Chief Benedict commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Metropolitan Homicide Detective Jeffrey Clay; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Lauren Douglas. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marybeth Manfreda and Miles Janssen, who are investigating and prosecuting the case.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.