Edinburg Carjacker Sentenced to Federal Prison

U.S. Attorney's Office
26 November 2014

MCALLEN, TX—Edinburg resident Stephen Santos, 28, has been sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Santos pleaded guilty Oct. 4, 2011, to taking a motor vehicle from a male victim with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm by the use of force, violence and intimidation.

Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa handed down the nine-year sentence and further ordered he pay $4,868.62 in restitution to the victim in the case. Santos will also serve a three-year-term of supervised release following completion of that sentence. Judge Hinojosa had previously heard testimony from the victim of the carjacking, including how Santos ordered the victim out of the car at gun point and pointed the gun at the victim’s son.

On May 31, 2011, the victim and his 10-year-old son were departing a residence in Edinburg when Santos wedged his foot into the driver’s side door of the vehicle. Santos pointed a pistol at the victim while ordering him and his son out of the car. Prior to fleeing the scene in the victim’s vehicle, Santos pointed the pistol at the boy and directed the 10-year-old to leave his laptop in the car.

Santos has been in custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prison facility to be determined in the near future.

The investigation leading to the charges against the defendant was conducted by the FBI with the assistance of the Edinburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Joseph Leonard and former AUSA Grady J. Leupold prosecuted the case.