Jury Find’s D.C. Man Guilty of Armed Kidnapping of Case Worker

WASHINGTON - Thomas Venable, 59, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury yesterday of charges stemming from an incident where he held his case worker hostage in his apartment in September 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.   

Venable was found guilty of one count of armed kidnapping, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of threatening to kidnap or injure a person, and related weapons offenses on March 12, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe.  

  According to the government's evidence, on September 29, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Venable was in his home located in the 5400 block of Connecticut Avenue NW. Venable had secured his apartment with assistance from "Friendship Place," an organization that helps homeless people get back on their feet. The victim, Venable's case worker, had stopped by Venable's apartment for a monthly check-in, as he had done for the past six months.  

  The victim knocked on Venable's door for their scheduled check-in when Venable answered the door, holding a metal pole. Venable believed Friendship Place had been taking his Bitcoin and failing to help him with his bedbug infestation. Venable refused to allow the victim to leave until the victim called his supervisor. The victim called, but his supervisor did not answer. Enraged, Venable picked up an axe. The victim tried to leave, but Venable ordered the victim to "sit the f**k down" and that there was "no way you're leaving this apartment unless it's in a million little pieces." Venable told the victim, "I'm going to jail or I'm going to hell, and I'm not going back to jail." After a tense negotiation, the victim's supervisor called him back and convinced Venable to let the victim go. Venable was arrested the next day and has been in custody since.  

  Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

  This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Augustin Horner.   

 2025 CF3 012651