A federal jury convicted a Washington man on Feb. 17 of using a firearm in connection with murder and robbery.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Madani Ilara Tejan, aka Malik, aka Mylik, aka Dani, 30, arranged to sell drugs to an individual (Victim). On Oct. 3, 2018, Tejan directed the Victim to meet him in a residential neighborhood in Lanham, Maryland, where he fatally shot the Victim. Prince George’s County police officers responded to a concerned citizen’s call about a shooting and found the Victim dead with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. Tejan had also taken the Victim’s personal items, including drugs, money, his car, and wallet.
On Oct. 20, 2018, officers executed a search warrant on a residence associated with Tejan in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Officers recovered the Victim’s wallet, two bags of marijuana, and a backpack that contained a pre-paid Cricket Wireless phone. The device had been in touch with the Victim several times on the day of the murder and was used interchangeably with Tejan’s registered phone to communicate with the Victim during the hours leading up to his death.
Additionally, 1,013 fentanyl pills were seized from Tejan while he was residing in a government-run residential facility. Tejan’s social media accounts and phone messages revealed that he distributed oxycodone as well as other prescription drugs and marijuana to multiple individuals.
Tejan was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, Hobbs Act robbery, and use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a crime of violence. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to a crime of violence. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department, Robert J. Contee of the Metropolitan Police Department, Director Corenne Labbé of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, Director Thomas N. Faust of the D.C. Department of Corrections, and State Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy of the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Office made the announcement.
The FBI, DEA, Prince George’s County Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, D.C. Department of Corrections, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Criminal Investigations Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Gerald A. A. Collins and Lisa K. Man of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin R. Cottingham for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
