District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Carjackings

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Columbia
November 5, 2010

Took Three Cars, Robbed a Total of Four Victims

WASHINGTON—Jamel Monroe, 20, was sentenced Thursday, November 4, 2010 to a 20-year prison term on charges stemming from a series of crimes in which he robbed and carjacked four young victims and stole a car from a fifth victim, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., John G. Perren, Acting Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.

Monroe pled guilty in July to charges of carjacking, armed robbery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, and offenses committed during release. He was sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Honorable Judge Ann O’Regan Keary.

According to the government’s evidence, the crimes began on May 24, 2010, when Monroe stole a 1996 burgundy Mercury Grand Marquis belonging to a District man. Police officers attempted to stop Monroe, who exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The police gave chase and stopped Monroe on Southern Avenue SE. He was arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle and was released by a judge pending indictment.

A day after his release, on May 26, 2010, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Monroe and another suspect approached a purple Plymouth Neon in Southeast Washington. Two young women were sitting inside. Monroe’s accomplice approached the vehicle on the driver’s side, and Monroe approached on the passenger side of the vehicle. Monroe and his accomplice brandished handguns and ordered the women out of the vehicle and to turn over their money. Monroe and his accomplice told the victims to walk away and then rode off in the vehicle.

Minutes later, at approximately 12:05 a.m., Monroe and his accomplice robbed two youths at gunpoint of the keys to a relative’s Ford Expedition, as the boys were retrieving a cell phone charger from the vehicle, also in Southeast Washington. They then fled in the vehicle.

Then, at approximately 12:25 a.m., police attempted to stop Monroe, who was driving in the purple Neon at 16th and Butler streets SE. Monroe fled at a high rate of speed until crashing into a fence in the 1300 block of Morris Road SE.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Acting Assistant Director Perren and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation to the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and praised the work of the MPD personnel who worked on the case. They expressed appreciation for the outstanding efforts of Detectives James Francis and Michael Day, and the FBI special agent who worked on the case. They also commended the work of Paralegal Antoinette Sakamsa. Finally, they commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Sroka and Kathleen Connolly, who investigated the cases.