Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.
By
Natalie Note
- October 28, 2024
Carjacking
|
Daily Stories
|
Suspects
|
A carjacking defendant who went on a crime spree was sentenced to 12 years incarceration with three years of supervised release before DC Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe on Oct. 25.
Montello Washington, 18, pleaded guilty on Aug. 16 to robbery while armed, unarmed carjacking, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in multiple robberies and carjackings from Aug. 6 to 16, 2023, in several locations.
According to court documents, the first offense occurred on Aug. 6, 2023, on the 1300 block of Tewkesbury Place, NW, when Washington and four others stole a car from a victim.
The next offense occurred on Aug. 14, 2023, on the 2500 block of 13th Street, NW, according to court documents. Washington stole an empty car from a victim who later found it missing.
On Aug. 15, 2023, at the intersection of Piney Branch Road and Whittier Place, NW, Washington and three others robbed an individual. One of the perpetrators pointed a gun at the victim and stole his car, phone and wallet.
Washington participated in three crimes on Aug. 16, 2023. He was involved in a shooting on the 1300 block of Tewkesbury Place, NW, where two shell casings were found. Later that day, he took part in an armed robbery and stole a victim’s credit card. He went on to commit an armed carjacking on the 1300 block of Missouri Avenue, NW.
The final offense occurred between Aug. 15 and 16, 2023, on the 2700 block of Macomb Street, NW, during which Washington stole another victim’s car.
At the hearing, the prosecution asked for a sentence of 17 years with three years of supervised release. They claimed Washington had been given multiple chances to succeed but had not taken them.
The prosecution opposed sentencing Washington under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) which would effectively seal his sentence if he successfully completed the terms.
The prosecution’s reasoning was the number of victims and serious nature of the crimes. They said Washington had “terrorized” the DC community and received a huge benefit from the plea deal. Washington was originally charged with armed carjacking but pleaded guilty to unarmed carjacking, which carries a significantly reduced mandatory minimum sentence.
Over the defense’s objection, the prosecution read into the record a victim impact statement from a carjacking incident to which Washington did not plead guilty. The defense asked for the statement not to be read, but Judge Pipe agreed to hear it without letting it carry much weight in her sentencing decision.
In the statement, the victim said he was a veteran who previously thought the enemy was outside the country, but now he is always on guard because “the enemy is everywhere I go.”
“You are the enemy of every law-abiding citizen in this country,” the victim told the defendant in the statement.
Thomas Key, one of Washington’s defense attorneys, said Washington should have been tried in juvenile court because he was 17 at the time of the incident.
Key said Washington has been in protective custody since he was transferred to DC Jail from the Youth Services Center (YSC) when he turned 18. He said Washington should have been held at YSC until he was 21.
Key said Washington was exactly the kind of person the YRA was designed for and requested a sentence of three years.
Aubrey Dillon, Washington’s second defense attorney, told the court that Washington was homeless and going through trauma at the time he committed the crimes. Dillion said, since Washington was not tried in juvenile court, he was deprived of restorative justice–an approach that involves understanding the crime’s impact and trying to repair the damage.
Washington addressed the court to express remorse for his crimes.
“I’m certainly a different man and I have a different mindset,” Washington said.
Judge Pipe sentenced Washington to 12 years of incarceration with three years of supervised release. Washington is also required to pay $400 to the Victims of Violent Crimes Fund and register as a gun offender.
Judge Pipe said Washington’s conduct in these incidents was “egregious” after handing down his sentence.
No further hearings are scheduled in this case.