In a letter sent to parents earlier this week, the principals of Dunbar High School and McKinley Technology Education Campus noted an increase in “inappropriate behavior,” including fights along the route from the two schools to the NoMa-Gallaudet and Rhode Island Avenue Metro stations.

The campuses of Dunbar and McKinley are less an a mile apart; the NoMa-Gallaudet station is the closest Metro station to both schools.

Both high schools currently start their regular school days at 8:45 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m.

Beginning Monday, McKinley will start and end school 10 minutes earlier (8:35 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.). Dunbar High School will start and school 10 minutes later (8:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.).

“Staggered timing will allow a 20-minute gap between dismissals, which will mean fewer students heading to the Metro station at the same time. We are committed to fostering a learning environment where students feel safe and secure both in school and to-and-from school,” said D.C. Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Lerner in a written statement.

In the letter to parents, the principals of the two schools say they are partnering with D.C. police, Metro Transit Police, the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and other groups to come up with other solutions and action plans to stop the fighting.

Source

The office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement that Derek Leon Mantilla, 21, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a charge of sex trafficking of a minor.

Prosecutors believe Mantilla, along with Ismael Antonio Mendez and Caitlyn Ann Smith, recruited the girl to engage in commercial sex acts to pay off a debt that was owed to Mantilla by Mendez.

They add that the three adults taught the 15-year-old how to prostitute, took photos of her to use in ads and created ads that were posted on the Internet.

The three adults knew the girl was a minor and instructed her to lie about her age to customers in a number of states, including Virginia, the prosecutors said.

Between November 2014 and February 2015, the girl worked seven days a week and saw an average of 10 to 12 customers a night, prosecutors said.

Mendez and Smith have already pleaded guilty in the case.

Mantilla will be sentenced July 8 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison.

Source