DNA and Other Evidence Linked Defendant to Crimes
WASHINGTON - Levi Ruffin, 37, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today of charges stemming from a nighttime attack on a woman as she tried to enter her home in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips.
Ruffin was found guilty by a jury of six counts: kidnapping while armed; third-degree sexual abuse while armed; first-degree burglary while armed; attempted robbery while armed; assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault causing significant bodily injury. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced by the Honorable Rhonda Reid Winston on Dec. 18, 2015. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for all offenses except for assault with a dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum of 10 years, and assault causing significant bodily injury, which carries up to three years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 14, 2013, at about 9 p.m., the victim was entering the door to her home in Northwest Washington after an outing with her friends. As she entered the residence, she was rushed from behind by Ruffin, who placed his hand over her mouth. Ruffin pulled out a knife, placed it next to the woman’s face, and demanded she drop her belongings. Ruffin then forced her inside her home and demanded money. When the woman told Ruffin she had no money and attempted to give him her credit cards, Ruffin slapped the credit cards away and began to sexually assault her. The woman fought Ruffin when he touched her. During the fight, Ruffin cut the woman on both her hands and bit her face and back.
The bite marks on the woman’s face were swabbed for potential DNA. DNA was recovered from those bite marks and was traced to Ruffin. A warrant for Ruffin’s arrest was issued, and when Ruffin was arrested on Aug. 6, 2014, he was found to have generally matched the description the woman gave of the attacker. Ruffin also had a knife that matched the description provided by the woman of the knife used during the attack.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences and Bode Technologies. In addition, he acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Mark Morse and Wanda Trice; Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan; Litigation Technology Specialist Karen McColman; Criminal Investigators Nelson Rhone and Melissa Matthews; Legal Interns Emma McArthur and Meghan Monahan, and Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenechukwu Okocha and Akhi Johnson, who prosecuted the matter, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi Lazarus, who indicted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
