Marcel Vines, 28, who is currently serving a life sentence for kidnapping and murder, received an additional 46-month federal prison sentence for his involvement in smuggling contraband into the Central Detention Facility (CDF) in Washington, D.C. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Vines pleaded guilty on July 29, 2025, to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States—specifically, possession of contraband in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered that this new sentence be served consecutively to Vines' existing life term.
The announcement was made alongside officials from several agencies: Director Tom Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections, FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Vines was previously convicted by a federal jury on August 19, 2024, for his role in the kidnapping and murders of Kerrice Lewis and Armani Coles. According to trial findings, both victims were abducted at gunpoint and killed. Armani Coles was held in a car trunk for over ninety minutes before being shot and left inside a burning vehicle.
On March 7, 2025, Judge Dabney L. Friedrich sentenced both Vines and co-defendant Malique Lewis to life plus sixty years in prison for their roles in these crimes.
Court documents indicate that while awaiting trial at CDF, Vines was housed with other detainees from the Clay Terrace neighborhood and became involved in efforts to bring weapons and drugs into the facility beginning as early as February 2024. Two correctional officers were recruited to help smuggle items into the jail.
Investigations led by the DOC Office of Investigative Services resulted in two significant recoveries of contraband. On February 28, 2024, officers intercepted a bag containing items such as a switchblade knife, cell phone accessories, marijuana packages wrapped in plastic wrap, tobacco products also wrapped similarly for concealment purposes, rolling papers used for smoking substances like marijuana or tobacco; gambling dice; sheets soaked with MDMB4en-PINACA—a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance; more packages containing marijuana; and about one hundred cigarettes wrapped individually.
A subsequent search on July 25, 2024 uncovered further contraband within the unit housing Clay Terrace detainees—including substantial quantities of fentanyl pills (269 total with 120 found specifically in Vines’ cell), suboxone strips (255 total with most found again in Vines’ cell), multiple cellular phones seized during this operation along with various other illicit items such as cigarettes soaked in unknown liquids and pieces of paper treated similarly.
The investigation was conducted by DOC’s Office of Investigative Services together with the FBI Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Gold and Sarah Santiago prosecuted the case.
"This case highlights our commitment to prosecuting those who attempt to undermine security within our detention facilities," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
