Judge Hands Down Lengthy Sentences for Pair Who Killed Woman in Broad Daylight

Press Release

August 2017 Shooting Happened at Busy Northeast Intersection

WASHINGTON - Robert Moses, 25, of Washington, D.C., and James Mayfield, 25, of Washington, D.C., were sentenced to decades in prison for the murder of Jamahri Sydnor and wounding of three others in a daytime shooting in August 2017 in Northeast D.C. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced Moses to 61 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Mayfield was sentenced to 50 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Moses and Mayfield were found guilty on December 8, 2022, by a Superior Court jury of one count of conspiracy, one count of first-degree murder while armed (premediated), two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed (one with aggravating circumstances), one count of aggravated assault while armed (with aggravating circumstances), one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Moses was also convicted of two counts of obstructing justice, and because he was on pre-trial release at the time of the offenses, faced additional penalties. Mayfield is charged in a separate multiple-count indictment, including two counts of murder, for a three-day crime spree that occurred December 24-27, 2017. Trial in that case is scheduled to begin January 2025.

According to the government's evidence, at around 3:30 p.m., on August 10, 2017, Moses and Mayfield, each armed with firearms, approached on foot the busy neighborhood intersection of Montana and Saratoga Avenues Northeast, where numerous people were outside, in and around area. Both defendants opened fire across Montana Avenue towards the people on Saratoga Avenue, collectively firing over ten rounds. As they fired their weapons indiscriminately, Jamahri Sydnor, the 17-year-old daughter of retired MPD Homicide Detective and Sgt. Que Wallace, who was driving through the intersection with her 12-year-old nephew, was struck in the head by a bullet. After being struck, she lost control of the car, and it crashed into another parked car. Her nephew was injured by the shattering glass caused by the bullet that struck Ms. Sydnor, which traveled through the front passenger window. A third victim was shot as he stood on the corner speaking with friends, and another innocent bystander shattered his leg, after throwing himself from his wheelchair, attempting to take cover from the hail of gunfire.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark; former Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Robert Cephas and Lesley Slade; former Victim/Witness Security Specialist Wanda M. Queen; Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Gilbert, Lashone Samuels, and Grazy Rivera; former Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews-Yette; Lead Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity; Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris; and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.

Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Lenerz who provided Appellate support, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah Sines and Glenn Kirschner, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Santiago and Kimberley Nielsen, who investigated, indicted, and prosecuted the case.

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Updated September 6, 2024