Jonathan Brown, known on the streets as "Tsunami," entered a guilty plea for his involvement in the July 31, 2021 death of Kervin Sanches, an innocent bystander fatally caught in the crossfire of a gun battle in Northwest Washington D.C. Brown's plea to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine base, along with voluntary manslaughter while armed, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and counterparts from the FBI and the MPD, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

During a concerted effort to crack down on drug trafficking and violent crime, the FBI and MPD launched an operation that would eventually to expose Brown's culpability. Court documents unveiled that Brown frequented a stash house on 1221 M Street, engaging in the sale of drugs like fentanyl and cocaine base, as per the court documents. Law enforcement officials tapped undercover officers to quickly purchase substantial amounts of narcotics from the conspiracy's members, thereby compiling evidence against the group.

Brown and his associate's firm grip over the drug trade in their sector was marked by the territory at 7th and O Street, NW, also the site of the shootout that took Kervin Sanches' life. On that fateful night, Brown arrived at the scene with a loaded gun, triggering a confrontation with another armed male. According to details from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the exchange of gunfire ensued between Brown and the unidentified male, while unsuspecting individuals like Sanches were caught in between.

The tragic outcome saw Sanches trying to escape when he was hit by a stray bullet. Despite rushing to the hospital for emergency care, the 31-year-old succumbed to his injuries. Brown is slated to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton on August 8, marking the end of one chapter in this ongoing narrative of violence and drug-fueled crime in the city. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg, Solomon Eppel, and Erin DeRiso will to spearhead the prosecution of the case, which has been wrought by the loss of an innocent life.