Travon Eliy, also known as Travon Jackson, a 38-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for assault with intent to kill a senior citizen in a gun-free zone and other related charges. The sentencing follows an incident involving a robbery and daytime shooting behind an elementary school in Southeast Washington. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department announced the sentencing.
On December 9, 2024, Judge Milton C. Lee handed down the sentence to Eliy for his involvement in attacks on two elderly victims. The charges included enhancements due to crimes against senior citizens, resulting in a sentence that exceeded standard guidelines. Eliy was found guilty on April 18, 2019, after a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on 18 counts, including armed robbery of a senior citizen in a gun-free zone and related assault and firearms offenses.
The government's evidence detailed that on April 1, 2016, Eliy followed a 67-year-old woman into an apartment building located in the 600 block of Savannah Street S.E., where he held her at gunpoint and attempted to steal her purse. After dragging her out of the building and fleeing with her belongings, her cries for help prompted intervention from a Good Samaritan—a 61-year-old man—who confronted Eliy by pushing him against a parked car. In response, Eliy shot the man once in the chest before escaping. This event occurred near Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School during daylight hours.
Metropolitan Police Department officers apprehended Eliy within ten minutes following the shooting.
U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended those involved in investigating the case from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office team members who contributed significantly to this case's success.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago was recognized for her role in investigating and prosecuting this case.