District Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Prison for 2017 Shooting in Northeast Washington

Derrick Watson, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for his role in a three person shooting that took place in Northeast, Washington in July 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

           Watson was found guilty by a jury of five counts assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, felon in possession by a jury on July 24, 2019 following a one-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Craig Iscoe.

           According to the government’s evidence, on July 10, 2017, at approximately 8:54pm, Watson engaged in a gun battle with Saheed Salu and Kevin Williams in a small courtyard behind 1341 I Street NE, Washington, DC. During the shooting at least 15 innocent adults and children were in the immediate area and a one-year-old was struck in the crossfire requiring medical attention. Earlier in the evening, Watson was involved in a verbal altercation with Saheed Salu over gambling. Saheed Salu left the area and returned with Kevin Williams both armed. Once Watson noticed Kevin Williams was armed, he walked to his car, retrieved his own firearm, and returned closer to Salu and Williams. Soon after, at least 13 gunshots were fired by the three shooters. Saheed Salu and Kevin Williams pleaded guilty and were sentenced in January 2019.

           In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Karina Hernandez, former Victim-Witness Advocate Diana Lim, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sabrina Turner, Paralegals Tiffany Fogle and Antoinette Sakamsa, former Criminal Investigator John Marsh, intern Elizabeth Brown, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff and Louis Manzo.

           Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen who prosecuted the case and Monica Trigoso who investigated and prosecuted the case.