Donnell Godfrey, a 19-year-old from Washington, D.C., received a prison sentence totaling 104 months. This decision was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The sentence includes 72 months for an armed robbery and an additional 32 months for assaulting a correctional officer while incarcerated.
Godfrey admitted guilt to charges of robbery with a firearm in May 2024 and assault causing significant bodily injury in November 2024 at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
The incident occurred on November 21, 2023, when Godfrey and two accomplices approached a man on a residential street around 3:27 a.m. The victim had just parked his car when he was confronted by the armed trio demanding his belongings. They took his phone and car keys but left after he refused to let them into his home. Authorities later tracked the stolen phone to Godfrey's location, where they found him with the victim’s possessions and apprehended him along with another suspect.
In addition to this crime, Godfrey assaulted a correctional officer on April 24, 2024, while held at D.C. Jail for the robbery case. During an educational session for inmates, Godfrey attempted to turn on a television against instructions from an officer. He then used a broom as a weapon against the officer, resulting in serious injuries that required surgeries.
U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith praised the efforts of those involved in investigating this case from both the Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Department of Corrections. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun, Valerie Tsesarenko, and Ariel Lieberman for their work in prosecuting these cases.