Four people have been sentenced to federal prison for kidnapping an 83-year-old Arlington man from his home in order to steal his money.
The sentences range from six to 20 years in prison for the December 2023 crime that involved holding the elderly veteran at gunpoint and taking him to a “trap house” in D.C.
According to federal prosecutors, the victim suffered broken ribs, fractures to his sternum and hands, and injuries to his head and face during the ordeal.
The full press release, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, is below.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four people have been sentenced to prison for kidnapping an 83-year-old Arlington man and taking $7,000 from him.
According to court documents, on Dec. 30, 2023, Phillip Anderson, 37, Anthony Brockington, 22, Damien Griffin, 23, and K’la Hargrove, 27, traveled to the victim’s home intending to rob him. Hargrove’s boyfriend, who was incarcerated, owed $4,000 to Anderson for drugs, and had performed yardwork and handiwork for the victim. Hargrove, who had previously met the victim through her boyfriend, contacted the victim and arrived at the residence first. After the victim allowed Hargrove into his home, some of her co-conspirators, all of whom were armed, forced their way inside the home, assaulted the victim, and held him at gunpoint while demanding he give them money.
When the victim explained he didn’t have enough cash in his home, the co-conspirators kidnapped the victim and took him to a “trap house” in Washington, where they physically restrained the victim and continued to assault him. The victim was forced to transfer $7,000 to the bank account of an associate of Griffin. While the victim was being held, Griffin used the victim’s credit card to make purchases from McDonalds, DoorDash, and a gas station, and attempted to purchase gift cards at a CVS Pharmacy. During the night of Dec. 31, 2023, Griffin and Brockington, at Anderson’s direction, returned to the victim’s home, broke into a locker, and stole firearms. They transferred the firearms to Anderson, who later sold them.
On Jan. 1, 2024, the victim escaped from the trap house and returned to his home. A neighbor called 911 to report the kidnapping, and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. The kidnappers caused the victim to sustain fractures to his sternum and hands, broken ribs, and bruises and lacerations to his head and face.
On Oct. 30, 2024, Griffin pled guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. On Jan. 30, he was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison.
Anderson pled guilty on Jan. 16, to conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping. On May 1, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On Jan. 30, Brockington pled guilty to kidnapping and aiding and abetting kidnapping. On May 1, he was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison.
Hargrove pled guilty on March 13 to aiding and abetting kidnapping. She was sentenced today to six years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sehar F. Sabir and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Stam prosecuted the case.
