Jeanine Pirro Takes Charge: A New Era of Federal Prosecution in Washington, D.C.

Jeanine Pirro, newly appointed as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, has wasted no time signaling a crackdown on violent crime and drug trafficking in the nation’s capital. Just weeks into her tenure, her office has announced a flurry of convictions and sentencings—an unmistakable indication that Pirro is making good on her promise to clean up Washington.

This past week alone, Pirro’s office secured four high-profile convictions. In separate cases, federal judges handed down sentences to robbers who kidnapped and assaulted a woman in her own home, three individuals involved in fentanyl distribution networks, a marijuana dealer who possessed a machine gun, and a man found guilty of first-degree child sexual abuse involving his 12-year-old daughter.

Last week’s announcements were no less impactful. Two men, Jamiek “Onion” Bassil, 32, and Charles “Cheese” Manson, 34, both residents of Washington, D.C., were sentenced to 135 and 175 months in federal prison respectively. The charges stem from a sweeping investigation into a major drug trafficking conspiracy in Northeast D.C., and a March 2024 shooting that endangered the lives of multiple bystanders.

“These are not just names on a case docket. These are individuals who brought violence and poison into our neighborhoods,” said Pirro during a press briefing. “Their sentences reflect the serious harm they’ve inflicted on this city.”

According to court documents, Bassil and Manson were key members of a gang known as “21st and Vietnam,” which operated an open-air drug market in the 2100 block of Maryland Avenue NE. They sold fentanyl, crack cocaine, and other narcotics, while also engaging in acts of violence to maintain control over their territory.

On March 7, 2024, Manson, armed with a revolver and wearing a ski mask handed to him by a fellow gang member, opened fire on a pedestrian walking their dog in the 1900 block of I Street NE. Though no one was injured in the shooting, the act shocked the community and led to a broader investigation. Manson was arrested just over a week later at his home—located on the very same block where the shooting occurred.

At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered a loaded Glock 17 handgun with 22 rounds of ammunition, a pistol magazine, a box of ammunition, approximately 50 grams of fentanyl analogues, nearly 14 grams of cocaine, and various items related to drug trafficking.

Bassil, meanwhile, had been repeatedly selling fentanyl and other drugs to undercover officers between January and March 2024. According to investigators, his actions alone introduced roughly 80 grams of fentanyl into the streets—an amount that could have killed thousands.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration notes that as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on an individual’s body size and tolerance, underscoring the deadly nature of the substances being distributed.

Pirro’s aggressive approach has not stopped with drug or firearms cases. Her office also prosecuted Taylor Taranto, a 39-year-old man from Pasco, Washington, who was convicted last week after livestreaming a series of threats involving firearms and explosives.

According to court testimony, Taranto posted a live video on June 28, 2023, while driving near National Harbor, Maryland. During the broadcast, he claimed he was working on a detonator and intended to detonate a car bomb at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He also expressed interest in targeting a neutron generator on federal property.

After making these statements, Taranto drove across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Alexandria, Virginia, parked his vehicle in the middle of a street, and fled the scene in an apparent attempt to provoke a public safety emergency.

Federal Judge Carl J. Nichols of the U.S. District Court found Taranto guilty on multiple counts, including illegal possession of firearms, unlawful possession of ammunition, and making false threats and hoaxes. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the court rules on whether to detain him pending that decision.

Pirro praised the work of federal law enforcement and vowed to continue holding criminals accountable, regardless of the complexity or profile of the case.

“These are only the beginning,” she said. “The people of Washington, D.C., deserve justice, and they deserve to live without fear. That’s the standard we are restoring.”

With a flurry of federal action already underway, Pirro’s arrival appears to have signaled a new chapter in how the U.S. Attorney’s Office will approach crime and punishment in the capital—one marked by swift justice, bold prosecutions, and an unapologetic pursuit of accountability.