FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, August 12, 2021

District Woman Pleads Guilty to Two Assaults, Including One Prosecuted as Hate Crime

Attacks Took Place This Spring in Northeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – Nicole Gogan, 41, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty this week to charges stemming from two assaults that took place this spring, including one that was prosecuted as a hate crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced today.

            Gogan pleaded guilty on Aug. 9, 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of bias-related assault and one count of simple assault. She was sentenced by the Honorable Neal E. Kravitz to a total of 180 days in jail, with all but 90 days suspended on the condition that she complete a year of probation.

            According to the government’s evidence, the first incident took place on April 6, 2021. At approximately 9:30 that night, Gogan assaulted a U.S. Postal Service worker who was making deliveries in the vicinity of the 400 block of 4th Street NE. Gogan shoved the worker, who is a Black female, while using racial slurs against her. The worker tried to flee, but Gogan pursued her and continued her assault by repeatedly shoving her while using racial slurs.

            The second incident took place on May 7, 2021. That evening, at about 7:15, Gogan initiated an encounter with a woman at 12th and H Streets NE, and then assumed a fighting stance while yelling, “Do you want to fight?”

            Gogan was arrested on May 7 and has been detained ever since.

            In announcing the plea and sentencing, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the cases from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the cases from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf, who investigated and prosecuted both matters.