Newark Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Prison for Carjacking and Related Crimes

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
January 9, 2013

NEWARK—A Newark man was sentenced today to 150 months in prison for his role in an April 2011 carjacking of a victim at gunpoint in Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Jirrod Parker, 25, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an indictment charging him with one count each of theft of a motor vehicle by force, violence, and intimidation; use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

On April 10, 2011, Parker approached an individual who was walking toward his parked Lexus. Parker pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the individual’s chest and demanded “everything,” including the victim’s car keys and wallet. Parker then drove off in the victim’s Lexus sedan. Shortly thereafter, Parker crashed the stolen Lexus during pursuit by the Elizabeth Police and fled on foot through a residential area, with a police officer giving chase. Parker attempted to evade the police by breaking into a home but was apprehended in front of the residence.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Parker to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $7,867.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Violent Crimes/Fugitive Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez in Newark; the Elizabeth Police Department, under the leadership of Police Director James Cosgrove; and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. This case was brought as part of a cooperative effort between federal, state, county, and local law enforcement to address a spike in carjacking and related crimes in northern New Jersey.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirley U. Emehelu of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.