District Man Sentenced For Sexually Abusing 14-Year-Old Girl

     WASHINGTON - Aqui Smith, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to prison for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

      Smith pled guilty in August 2011 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of attempted second-degree child sexual abuse. The Honorable William M. Jackson sentenced him to 28 months of incarceration and five years of supervised release, with the execution of all but 12 months suspended, and two years of probation.

      At the plea hearing, Smith admitted that on July 25, 2010, he sexually abused the victim, then 14, at an apartment in Northeast Washington Smith was a friend of the victim’s family and previously had stayed at the apartment for a period of time. On the night of the assault, Smith snuck into the victim’s bedroom through the window and engaged her in sexual activity.

      Smith also pled guilty to a separate charge of simple assault for an incident of domestic violence that occurred on June 7, 2010, involving another victim. In that case, Smith admitted to pushing the female victim to the ground, causing a laceration to the back of her head and bleeding. On that charge, Smith was sentenced to a consecutive term of 180 days of imprisonment, with the execution of all but 120 days suspended, and two years of probation.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), especially Detectives Henry Gerald, Craig Farmer and Andre Davis. He also commended the work of Legal Assistant Ashley Patterson, Paralegal Joyce Arthur, and Victim Advocate Veronica Vaughn, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Lastly, he commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassidy Kesler Pinegar, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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