Rashad Ervin, 17, Markell Butler, 16, and Dereon Butler, 17, all from Washington, D.C., have been arrested and charged as adults with multiple counts of armed robbery and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges stem from a series of robberies in the Capitol Hill neighborhood last December.
According to evidence presented by the government, on December 2, 2024, the defendants used stolen vehicles—a gray Kia Sorento and a red Lexus sedan—to target pedestrians in Capitol Hill. They allegedly approached ten individuals at various locations, brandishing firearms or replicas to rob them of wallets, purses, cellphones, and other belongings before fleeing each scene.
The arrests were made over several months: Rashad Ervin was apprehended on May 13, 2025; Markell Butler on June 23, 2025; and Dereon Butler on July 22, 2025. All three are currently in custody.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the charges alongside Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The case is being investigated by MPD and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy.
It is important to note that a complaint is an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
