Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to 81 Carjacking and Robbery Charges

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A carjacking defendant was arraigned on an 81 count indictment before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe on Aug. 1.

Hanif Brown, 18, is charged with 31 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, 16 counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, 13 counts of robbery while armed, 11 counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, three counts of first-degree theft, two counts of armed carjacking, conspiracy, first-degree identity theft of a senior citizen, second-degree theft of a senior citizen, felony credit card fraud of a senior citizen, and unarmed carjacking of a senior citizen for these crimes he allegedly committed between May 11, 2021 and April 2024.

Carjacking on April 9, 2023 on the 2700 block of 9th Street, NW
Armed Robbery on April 9, 2023 on the 1100 block of U Street, NW
Armed Robbery on April 9, 2023 on the 1100 Block of Wallach Place, NW
Felony Credit Card Fraud of a Senior Citizen on April 10, 2023

During the arraignment, Brown pleaded not guilty to all the charges. If convicted, he faces a maximum of fifteen years for each armed carjacking, seven years for unarmed carjacking and five years for each firearm-related offense, according to a release from DC U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.

The statement says, in 2021, Brown and other suspects created a Cash App account using a senior citizen’s stolen personal identifying information.

Two years later, say prosecutors, Brown and his associates carried out a months-long crime spree.

“During those robberies, Brown and his associates stole currency and jewelry and forced their victims to surrender the passcodes for their phones, which Brown and his associates then accessed to initiate unauthorized monetary transfers via Cash App,” says the release.

Defense attorney Andrew Ain announced his intention to request the charges be severed so they are not all presented at the same trial.

The trial is set to begin Jan. 12, 2026.

Parties will reconvene Feb. 7.