Louisville Riot Activity Results In Multiple Federal Indictments For Pharmacy Looting, Carjacking, And Armed Felons

Louisville Riot Activity Results In Multiple Federal Indictments For Pharmacy Looting, Carjacking, And Armed Felons

Louisville Riot Activity Results In Multiple Federal Indictments For Pharmacy Looting, Carjacking, And Armed Felons

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Kentucky
18 June 2020
Non-automotive sections removed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman today announced federal indictments returned against multiple individuals in Louisville, Kentucky, as a result of civil unrest in Jefferson County during the period Monday, June 1, through Wednesday, June 3, 2020. The defendants charged are alleged to have engaged in robbing area pharmacies, a carjacking, and the illegal possession of firearms.

“Our black neighbors and the safety of the neighborhoods in which they live matter,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Which is why looting local pharmacies for dangerous drugs, carrying weapons as a convicted felon, carjacking, and a felon traveling to our city to put police and protestors at risk will not be tolerated by federal law enforcement here. These federal charges, with more to come, seek to respond to lawlessness that has nothing to do with constitutionally-protected protest and everything to do with exploiting Louisville’s challenges for their own gain.”

“Protecting our community’s First Amendment right to peacefully protest is of utmost importance to the FBI. The individuals named in these indictments attempted to subvert peaceful protests for their own personal gain and ultimately threatened the rights and safety of law-abiding citizens,” Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown, FBI Louisville Field Office. “FBI Louisville will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, locate, and apprehend those exploiting nonviolent protests and to ensure individuals wanting to be heard can do so safely.”

“At the request of the Attorney General, ATF has deployed resources and is supporting our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law,” stated ATF Louisville Division Special Agent in Charge, R. Shawn Morrow. “These defendants threatened the safety of Metro Louisville and were acting outside of residents who were peacefully assembled. Further, ATF will continue to aggressively investigate the illegal use of firearms and the often resulting violent crime in order to secure the safety of our communities.”

Carjacking

Damion Lemont Hayes, 20, of Louisville, Kentucky, has been charged with carjacking. Hayes was on a felony diversion at the time of the carjacking as a result of a February 2020 conviction for charges that were initially filed as complicity to murder and complicity to robbery.

According to a criminal complaint, on June 2, 2020, the victim was driving a black 2017 Subaru Forester with a friend down Bardstown Road. The two victims ran into protestors and police activity on Bardstown – they parked to see what was going on. As the victims were walking they were asked for a ride by two females and five males. They all walked back to the victims’ Subaru, however, only three of the males got in the car.

The victim continued to drive down Bardstown, but was caught in traffic. According to the victim, she was uncomfortable with the men in the car, and told them she needed to get gas. She was directed by one of the men to BP, where one of the men put $20 worth of gas in the Subaru. The driver was then directed to drive to three different houses.

The victim reported she wanted the men out of the car, and as she turned to tell them she needed to get home one of the men in the rear passenger side of the car pointed a gun at her. At that point both victims were forced out of the car. The men attempted to take their cell phones, according to the complaint. A minor struggle ensued and one of the men was sprayed with mace by the owner of the car.

The victims reported they were left at Strader and Wheeler Street in Louisville at 12:23 a.m. on June 3, 2020.

On June 4, 2020, at approximately 1:40 a.m. LMPD officers were in pursuit of the Subaru, which flipped into the median off I-64. At that time five people were inside the vehicle, all of whom were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital. One of the occupants at the time of the crash was defendant Hayes, who was arrested by LMPD on state charges.

The federal carjacking charge carries a penalty of no more than 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000 and no more than three years of supervised release.

The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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