Johnny Gregory, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on July 31 to 24 months in prison for strangling his wife in January 2026, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Pirro said, “Strangulation is an unmistakable warning sign that a victim’s life is in imminent danger. Research shows that after just one episode of strangulation, a victim is approximately 800% more likely to die at the hands of the same aggressor. Crimes like this deserve stronger punishment, and the criminal justice system must treat strangulation with the gravity it deserves and do everything possible to protect victims before domestic violence turns fatal.”
Gregory was found guilty at trial on May 4 of one count of strangulation. Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel imposed a sentence at the top end of sentencing guidelines: 24 months in prison with part suspended and ordered Gregory to complete 18 months of probation. The government had requested the maximum sentence allowed under guidelines.
According to evidence presented by prosecutors, on January 5 Gregory argued with his wife over laundry detergent before pushing her down, punching her multiple times in the face, then putting his knee on her chest and strangling her with both hands until she lost consciousness. The victim’s injuries required hospital treatment; her 15-year-old daughter witnessed the assault.
Gregory was arrested on January 6 and has remained in custody since then. Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department joined Pirro in announcing the sentence.
Pirro and Carroll commended investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Friedman and Charles Klug for prosecuting the case.