District Man Sentenced to Nine-Year Prison Term
For Armed Robbery, Assault With Intent to Kill, and Gun Offense
- Man Robbed a High School Student at Gunpoint and Tried to Kill Him -

     WASHINGTON - Ronald Jackson, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to nine years of incarceration for armed robbery and other charges stemming from two incidents that took place last year, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Jackson pled guilty in October 2011 to charges of assault with intent to kill, armed robbery and carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ann O’Regan Keary in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

     According to the government’s evidence, Jackson attacked the victim, an 18-year-old high school student, on June 11, 2011. On that day, at about 4:30 p.m., Jackson was in the 2600 block of Naylor Road SE when he observed the victim near a car in a parking lot. The teenager was on his cell phone with his father as he viewed a car that was for sale for $1,000. Jackson approached the victim and asked if he had the money for the car, and the victim said that he did. Accordingly, Jackson believed that the victim had at least $1,000 and decided to rob him.

     Jackson lured the victim to follow him around the corner, saying that his “man” was selling the car. Jackson also told the victim to hang up his cell phone and call his “man,” the purported seller of the car. The victim did as instructed and ended his call with his father to dial the number Jackson gave him. As he did so, Jackson pulled out a silver, loaded, .40-caliber handgun, placed it to the victim’s head, and ordered the victim to get on the ground.

     The victim initially resisted, but ultimately acquiesced after Jackson threatened to kill him. Jackson then rifled through the victim’s pockets while keeping the gun pointed at the teenager’s head. Jackson stole a cell phone, a bag of shirts the victim had just purchased, and the victim’s wallet – exclaiming “jackpot” when he found the wallet in the victim’s back pocket. Jackson also ordered the victim to take off his shirt and give it to him.

     After robbing the victim, Jackson began to back away and said words to the effect of, “since you’ve been playin’ with me, now I’m gonna’ leave you back here.” Jackson then pulled back the slide on his gun to load a bullet in the chamber and pulled the trigger of the gun while pointing it. He intended to shoot and kill the victim, but his gun jammed, and “clicked,” and did not fire. The victim heard the gun click and jumped up, and Jackson took off, running.

     Over the next few hours, police responded to the scene of the armed robbery, canvassing for evidence and combing the area with the victim and his family to find the assailant. Then, at approximately 6:50 p.m., the victim spotted Jackson walking in the area and he immediately pointed to him for his family and a friend. One of the victim’s friends recognized Jackson by his nickname, “Savage,” and they informed police and gave chase.

     The victim and police saw Jackson board a bus near the intersection of Good Hope and Naylor Roads SE. Witnesses observed Jackson hide a large silver pistol in the back of the bus. As Jackson hid the gun under the seat near a woman and her four-year-old grandchild, Jackson told her, “please don’t tell anyone.” Officers boarded the bus and detained Jackson.The gun was recovered on the bus, and found to be fully loaded and operable.

     At the time of the crimes, Jackson was wanted after failing to appear in court for a gun charge from an unrelated incident that took place on January 31, 2011; Jackson’s guilty plea included a weapons charge from that case.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), especially Detective Andrea Latson and Officers Sean Napper and Derek Washington, who were among the first to respond to the scene and interview the victim. Mr. Machen additionally praised the efforts of Paralegals Tony Griffith and Antoinette Sakamsa. Finally, he recognized the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ephraim (Fry) Wernick, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

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