A young D.C. man has been handed a 28-month prison sentence following a double robbery that involved firearms, authorities announced yesterday. Ralph Butler, 19, of Washington, D.C., entered a guilty plea on February 7, 2024, on charges tied to a brazen robbery and assault with a deadly weapon that took place in September last year, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The early morning heist saw Butler and an accomplice confront two men at approximately 5:45 a.m. in the 2200 block of Shannon Place SE. Prosecutors say the pair brandished handguns to quickly abscond with their victims' phones, currency, car keys, and eventually, their vehicles. Butler managed to swiftly drive away in one man's car, while his partner-in-crime fled in a separate SUV, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.

Surveillance footage played a pivotal role in the apprehension of the young criminal, as it captured both Butler and his accomplice near the scene, as well as footage of them driving the stolen vehicles. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested Butler the following month on October 19, 2023, which helped to seal his fate.

In a joint statement, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith praised the investigative work that led to Butler’s arrest and subsequent sentencing. "They commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department," the U.S. Attorney's Office detailed. The announcement also credited Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parron, alongside other unnamed office personnel, for their diligent work on the case.