Carjackers Are a ‘Real Threat’ But Data Shows Relatively Few Are Convicted

While carjackings have tripled in recent years and remain a “real threat,” says a source in the US Attorney’s office, most offenders don’t get caught. For the relatively few that are charged, conviction rates differ significantly and prosecutions can drag on for years, according to a D.C. Witness review of the data.

Out of 2,227 total carjacking offenses documented by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) from 2020 through 2023, 607 or just 27 percent end with an arrest or are closed for other reasons.

Only a fraction of these incidents resulted in convictions for adults while juvenile prosecutions seem more effective. according to D.C. Witness data and findings from the DC Sentencing Commission.

Though violent carjackings are rare, they do happen with consequences that one DC official called “horrifying.”

Two people were shot to death in a brazen carjacking that started near the city’s convention center on Jan. 29 and ended with the suspect killed by police in Maryland the following day.
A 15-year-old boy was charged for his alleged involvement in a carjacking and non-fatal shooting incident on Jan. 12.
Near the DC court complex, a 12-year-old boy was allegedly connected to a carjacking that ended in the shooting death of 13-year-old Vernard Toney Jr., on Oct. 28, 2023.

According to the MPD, between 2020 to March of this year, there were 569 actual carjacking arrests, 360 or 63 percent of which were minors between the ages of 12 and 17 years old.

Juvenile carjackings are handled by the Office of the DC Attorney General, which last year prosecuted 186 cases with an overall conviction rate of about 80 percent.

“Our office prosecutes every serious, violent case where we have enough evidence to do so. We don’t shy away from difficult cases, and we make sure that kids face consequences when they break the law and that victims see justice,” OAG spokesman Gabriel Shoglow-Rubinestein tells D.C. Witness.

As of March 31, according to the MPD, there have been 124 carjackings offenses so far in 2024, of which 66 percent were armed and 52 cases closed. That’s a 21 percent decline in carjackings from last year.

While the number is down this year, carjacking crimes have ballooned from 360 in 2020 to 958 in 2023, nearly a three-fold increase. According to the MPD, three-quarters of these crimes involve a gun, though only a handful end in shootings or homicides.

For those who are arrested, there is often a long road to conviction or acquittal. A DC Jail spokesman tells D.C. Witness 57 individuals are currently being held on carjacking charges.

The MPD says that between 2020 and 2023 there were 1661 armed carjackings.

D.C. Witness data for the same period shows out of 17 suspects in shooting-involved carjackings, there were nine convictions (53 percent) and one dismissal in the three years. For the five accused of homicide during a carjacking, there were two convictions (40 percent).

Data from the DC Sentencing Commission, which tracks adult arrest to sentencing trends shows in 2022 there were 45 adult arrests that included a carjacking charge.

Of those, 33 or 73 percent were sent to court for prosecution. In the end, 69 percent or 29 cases ended in a conviction.

Yet, only 24 percent (seven of 29 cases) resulted in a specific carjacking conviction.

The sentencing commission says that between 2016 and 2020, the average term for all armed carjackings was 180 months, or 15 years.

According to D.C. Witness data, the average sentence for homicides that stemmed from carjackings in 2020 to 2023 was 14 years in prison. For non-fatal shooting carjackings, the average sentence was five years.

Even though most carjackers are juveniles, it’s not immediately clear how many are tried under Title 16, which allows DC to charge them as adults. Some of these prosecutions include multiple serious crimes in addition to carjacking.

There is no simple explanation for the disconnect between carjackings and convictions, but the COVID years drastically affected the court’s operations overall.

“Due to the COVID pandemic’s effect on the criminal justice system, it is hard to draw conclusions from trends observed in 2020-2022,” Linden Fry, executive director of the commission tells D.C. Witness.

Other factors in delayed prosecution include the lag time between arrest and indictment for the most serious cases which can be nine months for the US Attorney’s Office to complete its investigation.

While more arrests is the goal, that is challenging because as DC Police Chief Pamela Smith testified before the DC City Council last December, her department is confronting the lowest staffing levels in the last five decades, down 460 personnel compared to three years ago. An MPD spokesman confirmed those numbers for D.C. Witness as of April 1.

Document: MPD Arrests Suspect in February Northeast Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of a man in connection to a shooting that left a woman injured on Feb. 28 on the 2000 block of Benning Road, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location to investigate the sounds of gunshots. They located an adult woman suffering from gunshot wounds. She was transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries.

On April 28, 33-year-old Scotland Alston was arrested and charged with assault with intent to kill.

Document: Shooting Victim Dies, MPD Working to Upgrade Charges

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a man, who was a victim of a shooting on Jan. 30 on the intersection of Q Street and Connecticut Avenue, NW, has succumbed to his injuries and they’re planning to upgrade the suspect’s charges.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located a man inside a car suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

On April 29, the victim died from his injuries at the hospital. He has been identified as 28-year-old Rasheek Abdullah.

MPD is seeking to upgrade 56-year-old Rodney Baggott’s, who was arrested on April 15 and charged with assault with intent to kill.

Document: MPD Investigating Fatal Northeast Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on April 28 on the 2600 block of Bladensburg Road, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they found a man with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The victim was identified as 72-year-old Larry Kiser.

MPD offers a reward to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide in the District.

At Arraignment, Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to Firearm and Drug Charges

A shooting defendant was arraigned and pleaded not guilty in front of DC Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur for firearm and drug charges.

Daniel Fula, 34, is charged with endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of an unregistered firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of liquid PCP, and destruction of property less than 1000 dollars, for his alleged involvement in a shooting that took place on the 1600 block of New York Avenue, NE on February 28. No injuries were reported.

According to court documents, Fula indiscriminately fired multiple shots into the air. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers later recovered multiple shell casings at the scene. Officers allegedly recovered a firearm from Fula’s pocket, as well as a vial of PCP.

On April 29, Fula’s attorney, Camille Wagner, asked the judge to waive the rule that misdemeanors must come to trial within 90 days. Since Fula is accused among other charges of possessing of PCP, which carries a felony sentence of three years, Judge Arthur granted the request.

Fula is expected to return to court for a status hearing on May 7.

Homicide Defendant Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment

Accused of killing a senior citizen and injuring a minor while fleeing police, Benjamin Robertson pleaded not guilty before DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan during his arraignment on April 29.

Robertson, 34, was arraigned on second-degree murder of a senior citizen, assault with a dangerous weapon against a minor, fleeing a law enforcement officer, tampering with physical evidence, and destruction of property less than $1000.

Robertson allegedly struck two pedestrians while driving a blue Honda through the intersection of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, on July 12, 2023. One victim, 74-year-old Bing Wong, was pronounced dead at George Washington University Hospital later that day, while a 13-year-old victim surstained minor injuries.

According to court documents, eyewitnesses reported seeing the Honda speeding southbound on 17th Street, NW, through a red light and into the intersection. They said it collided with cross traffic before striking the pedestrians in the crosswalk on the south side of the intersection.

The Honda was allegedly fleeing a traffic stop initiated by a marked United States Secret Service (USSS) police cruiser that had turned on its emergency lights, according to court documents.

At the arraignment, the prosecutor suggested that Robertson’s attorney, Madalyn Harvey, might have a conflict of interest in representing Robertson.

Harvey works for the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDSDC), which previously provided counsel for Antonio Hensley as he faced charges in the murder of Robertson’s brother, Andre Robertson.

“It’s PDS’s position that there is no conflict,” Harvey stated. “I spoke with Mr. Robertson, and he is aware that PDS represented Mr. Hensley. It is Mr. Robertson’s wish to continue with PDS.”

Judge Raffinan scheduled Robertson’s trial for Feb. 23, 2026.

Parties will reconvene on Sept. 6.

Document: MPD Investigating Fatal Crash in Northwest

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a fatal car crash that resulted in the death of a pedestrian on April 27 on the 3100 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

According to MPD documents, the man was found lying in between cars on the roadway at the location. He was pronounced dead.

The investigation determined an unknown vehicle, driving northbound on Georgia Avenue, drove over the pedestrian and fled the scene without making their identity known.

The identity of the pedestrian is being withheld pending next of kin notification.

Anyone with information regarding the incident should call MPD.

Document: MPD Arrests Southwest Stabbing Suspect

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of a suspect, who was taken into custody at a homicide scene, on April 27 on the 100 block of T Street, SW.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a stabbing, where they located an adult male suffering from multiple stab wounds. The man was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The victim was identified as 41-year-old Marin Gross Jr.

Officers detained a suspect near the scene, who was identified as 49-year-old Wali Shabazz. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

The investigation revealed they knew each other, and the altercation was the result of a workplace dispute.

Document: MPD Investigating Fatal U Street Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a homicide that occurred inside a restaurant on April 27 on the 1300 block of U Street, NW.

According to MPD documents, officers on patrol in the area heard the sounds of gunshots and immediately responded to the establishment on that block. They located a man inside with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite all life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead on scene.

He was identified as 43-year-old Kenneth Goins.

MPD offers a reward to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide in the District.

Document: MPD Quickly Arrests Man For Connecticut Avenue Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of a shooting suspect, who was quickly apprehended after an incident on April 26 on the 1200 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the sounds of gunshots, where they located six adult victims with gunshot wounds. Three men and two women were transported to hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. A fourth man was treated on the scene for a graze wound and refused to go to the hospital.

Witnesses were able to direct officers to the suspect, 29-year-old Rennwel Mantock, who was quickly detained. A firearm was recovered on the scene.

The detectives’ investigation determined Mantock opened fire after employees removed him from a nightclub following a dispute.

Mantock was arrested and charged with assault with intent to kill, possession of unregistered ammunition, and possession of an unregistered firearm.

Document: MPD Searching for Suspects in a Firearm Offense

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating two suspects involved in an unlawful discharge of a firearm that occurred on April 18 on the 1400 block of G Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, the two suspects were are the location when they discharged a firearm. There were no reports of injuries.

The two fled the scene, but were captured by surveillance footage.

MPD offers a reward to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each violent crime in the District.

Document: Updated Reward MPD Seeking Man Wanted for Northeast Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a wanted suspect in connection to a shooting that occurred on April 23 on the 4800 block of North Capitol Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male and a five-year-old girl suffering from gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.

The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Alante Partlow, and he has an arrest warrant charging him with aggravated assault while armed.

The investigation revealed Partlow and the victims were known to one another.

His photo can be seen below.

MPD is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone that provides information.

Document: MPD Arrests Suspect in Fairlawn Shooting

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of an individual in connection to a shooting that occurred on March 22 on the 2400 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE.

According to MPD documents, the victim was inside a business at the location when the suspect confronted them and a physical altercation ensued. The altercation continued outside of the establishment, where the suspect brandished a gun and shot the victim. They both fled the scene, and the victim sought medical attention at a police substation.

On April 25, 30-year-old Calvon Brown was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. A firearm and ammunition were recovered in connection with his arrest, which led to the additional charges of possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of unregistered ammunition, and felon in possession.

Document: MPD Investigating Fatal Shooting in Northeast

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a shooting that left one dead on April 25 on the 4500 block of Sheriff Road, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male who was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

He was identified as 38-year-old Ricky Canty.

MPD offers a reward to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide in the District.

‘Giving You Freedom is What Gets You in Trouble,’ Judge Says to Homicide Defendant During Re-Arrest

DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt ordered the re-arrest of a homicide defendant on April 26 after multiple failures to show up to court and positive drug tests.

Joseph Ballard, 60, is charged with first degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 33-year-old Monte Daniels on July 28, 2023 on the 1600 block of Benning Road, NE.

On Sept. 18, Judge Brandt released Ballard for drug treatment and warned him that if he violated any release conditions, he would be rearrested.

However, Ballard failed to appear in court, which prompted Judge Brandt to issue a bench warrant for his arrest on Jan. 18.

During the hearing, the prosecution requested Ballard’s re-arrest due to his failure to comply with his release conditions.

Ballard’s defense attorney, Pierce Suen, countered with a request for release on a GPS monitor. He said that Ballard has been doing well in the community and needs grief and trauma counseling to continue this positive progress.

“The charges are wildly out of character for him,” Suen said. “Ballard wants help and is committed to staying clean.”

A clinical expert said Ballard experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression while trying to maintain his sobriety. She said she believes longer treatment with different parameters would be effective.

The prosecution invited a relative of Daniels to deliver a victim impact statement.

“The defendant has shown his ability to fail at the opportunities given to him,” the family member said. “At some point, we all have to be held accountable for our actions.”

The prosecution said Ballard is not a good candidate for release due to his prior criminal history and the nature and circumstances of the crime.

Judge Brandt told Ballard that he is in clear violation of release conditions.

“The court gave you that opportunity on release, but you dropped the ball,” Judge Brandt said.

Judge Brandt said the prosecution has clear and convincing evidence that release is not appropriate, and she isn’t willing to risk the public’s safety or Ballard’s safety.

“Giving you freedom is what gets you in trouble,” Judge Brandt said. “Sometimes reality is the best medicine.”

Ballard was also arraigned during this hearing. He pleaded not guilty and asserted his right to a speedy trial.

Parties are expected to return to court on Sept. 15.