Jury Convicts D.C. Man of First-Degree Sexual Abuse Against Two Women

A jury convicted Maurice Spears, 34, of Washington, D.C., on charges of first-degree sexual abuse involving two women, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia announced May 14.

The verdict covers separate incidents against each victim. Per the Department of Justice release, the jury found Spears guilty on all counts of first-degree sexual abuse after a trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The convictions carry mandatory prison terms under D.C. Code provisions for first-degree sexual abuse. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Upon conviction, Spears must register as a sex offender and will be subject to lifetime supervision requirements that attach to such offenses in the District.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The jury’s decision means Spears moves from pretrial status to convicted status, shifting custody and classification responsibilities to the U.S. Marshals Service for presentencing detention and eventually to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

This marks the latest sexual abuse conviction secured by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia. Federal prosecutors have pursued such cases under both local D.C. statutes and overlapping federal sexual assault provisions since the office assumed responsibility for most felony sex crimes in the District following the 1997 National Capital Revitalization Act.

The verdict concludes one prosecution but leaves open the possibility of additional related charges or civil actions by the victims.

Sentencing will occur after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. Under standard federal and D.C. procedures, that report must detail the offense conduct, victim impact statements, and Spears’s criminal history before the judge imposes a final sentence.