Kelvin Powell, a former employee of the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, has been found guilty by a D.C. Superior Court jury on multiple counts related to the sexual abuse of a 17-year-old ward under his care. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The jury reached its decision after one day of deliberation following an eight-day trial, convicting Powell on sixteen counts including first-degree and second-degree sexual abuse charges involving both a minor and a ward. Sentencing is scheduled for September 5, 2025, before D.C. Superior Court Associate Judge Rainey Brandt.
During the trial, evidence showed that Powell held the position of Youth Development Representative at the Youth Services Center managed by DYRS, which oversees young individuals detained pending delinquency charges. His role involved caring for juvenile residents at YSC.
U.S. Attorney Pirro stated, "The Defendant used his position of authority to repeatedly sexually abuse a minor who was in his care and more than four decades younger than him." She emphasized the efforts made by prosecutors and partners at the FBI and MPD to uncover such crimes and hold offenders accountable.
Assistant Director in Charge Steven Jensen from the FBI's Washington Field Office remarked that Powell exploited his position to harm vulnerable children: "Today’s verdict is the next step in bringing the full measure of justice."
Between December 2021 and February 2022, Powell allegedly isolated and abused the minor in areas not monitored by video surveillance within YSC. Surveillance footage captured one incident where he groped her clothed buttocks in a hallway.
Powell could face significant prison time with maximum penalties ranging from five to fifteen years depending on each charge's severity.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with support from local law enforcement agencies including the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service. Prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Visser, Jessica Wash, Niki Holmes along with contributions from former Assistant United States Attorneys Risa Berkower and Cara Gardner.
