Tanade Warsame, a 32-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 66 months in prison for a knife attack that occurred during a fight in May 2024. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Warsame was convicted in September 2024 after a jury trial in Superior Court. He was found guilty of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, an offense committed while he was on release for another matter. Additionally, Warsame pleaded guilty to one count of contempt. On June 27, 2025, Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe sentenced him to 48 months for the assault charge, 12 months for committing the offense while on release, and an additional 180 days for contempt. Alongside his prison term, Warsame will serve five years of supervised release.
The government's evidence revealed that on May 4, 2024, Warsame and the victim agreed to engage in a fistfight over a hat dispute. During this altercation, Warsame wielded a knife and made multiple striking and slicing motions toward the victim, resulting in three stab wounds. It is noteworthy that prior to this incident, Warsame had been ordered to stay away from Chinatown due to an earlier case.
The case investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Prosecution efforts were led by Assistant United States Attorney Jasmine Dohemann and former Assistant United States Attorney Katelyn Benton.
