Ricky McNeil, 51, was given a lengthy 35-year sentence for a horrific episode of violence that shook the local community. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, McNeil was convicted of kidnapping, sexual abuse, robbery, and assault, along with other charges related to a July 2023 attack on a woman on Benning Rd, NE in Washington, D.C. In the ruling delivered by Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe, the defendant was additionally ordered to five years of supervised release post-imprisonment, and to permanently register as a sex offender.
The attack began under the pretext of McNeil asking his victim for a cigarette. The situation quickly escalated to a purse snatching, and then alarmingly to kidnapping and sexual assault within McNeil's residence. According to evidence presented during the trial, it was only through sheer determination and courage that the victim managed to escape by jumping out of a second-story window after being forced to perform oral sex. This attempted robbery turned violent encounter ended with the victim seeking help from a McDonald’s patron to call 911. The authorities were unable to apprehend McNeil immediately, who had managed to hastily flee before they arrived.
Police executed a search warrant the next day, where they discovered evidence linking McNeil to the crime, including the victim's clothing, shoes, and both of their blood inside the apartment. McNeil would not be apprehended until October of the same year, when he was located and arrested in Tampa, Florida, and later extradited to Washington, D.C. He remained in custody without bond until the trial and subsequent sentencing.
The combined efforts of several individuals working within the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were highlighted by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith for their integral roles in bringing the case to a close. "they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Smith and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor and of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted the case," according to the release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
