A D.C. jury has found 34-year-old Maurice Spears guilty of sexually abusing two women in separate 2024 incidents, closing a disturbing chapter that played out in Superior Court. Spears now faces multiple felony counts, with sentencing set for July 21, 2026. Authorities say he has been held behind bars since his September 9, 2024 arrest.
Verdict and charges
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the jury convicted Spears of six counts of first-degree sexual abuse, two counts of felony threats and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse. The verdict came after a trial in D.C. Superior Court, where jurors heard from both women about what prosecutors say happened over the span of a few months in 2024.
First victim held in storage unit
Prosecutors told jurors that the first victim agreed to a single date with Spears on April 15, 2024, and ended up at a storage unit where he was living. Inside that cramped space, he allegedly flashed what appeared to be a fake police badge, threatened to force her into prostitution and warned that he would kill her and her children if she tried to leave. He then sexually assaulted her twice before her family was able to find her and rescue her from a motel room, as reported by WUSA9.
Second victim targeted while seeking help
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Spears met the second woman on July 26, 2024, at a homeless-services provider. The next day, he followed her, threatened her and refused to leave her tent. Over the next five days, prosecutors allege he repeatedly sexually assaulted her, both inside the tent and at a storage facility where she rented a unit. The woman ultimately managed to call 911 and get away.
What comes next
Spears is scheduled to return to D.C. Superior Court for sentencing on July 21, when a judge will determine his punishment. Under District law, first-degree sexual abuse can carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, and penalties can be enhanced when aggravating circumstances are present, according to D.C. law.
The Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which handled the prosecution, WUSA9 reported. Spears remains in custody as he awaits sentencing.
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