District Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting Man In Early Evening Attack in June 2017

            WASHINGTON – Deangelo Paris Belton, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a felony charge stemming from a shooting that occurred in June 2017 near a busy intersection in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.

            Belton pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of aggravated assault while armed.  The plea, which is subject to the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentencing range of five to six years in prison.  The Honorable Judith Bartnoff scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15, 2017.

            According to the government’s evidence, on June 12, 2017, at approximately 6:20 p.m., the victim was walking near the intersection of Nannie Helen Burroughs and Minnesota Avenues NE when he passed Belton and two other males. The victim and Belton knew one another, and the victim is the father of Belton’s cousin’s child. Belton and the victim briefly exchanged words about whether Belton was still mad at the victim for a fistfight they had several months earlier.

            During this exchange, Belton pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at the victim, hitting him and causing him to fall in the street. Belton then fired several more shots at the victim before fleeing.  The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen and waist, that required surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing rehabilitation and treatment.

            Following the shooting, Belton fled to Georgia. He was later apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service and brought back to the District of Columbia in August 2017 to face charges.

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  She also expressed appreciation for the work of the U.S. Marshals Service. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen.  Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Smalky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.