A jury in DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz’s courtroom partially convicted six carjacking co-defendants, but fully convicted another on Jan. 6, following two months of trial.
Irshaad Ellis-Bey, 20, Isaiah Flowers, 20, Taj Giles, 20, Byron Gillum, 20, Jahkai Goff, 21, Jaelen Jordan, 20, and Warren Montgomery, 20, are charged with conspiracy, trafficking stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery while armed. These charges stem from the group’s alleged involvement in a series of armed carjackings and the subsequent distribution of the stolen vehicles between February and May of 2023.
Additionally, everyone, except Montgomery, is charged with two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, armed carjacking, receiving stolen property of $1000 or more, and robbery while armed.
The carjackings occurred on Feb. 27, 2023 at the intersection of 20th Street and Sunderland Place, NW, on April 27, 2023 at the intersection of K and 8th Streets, NE, and May 16, 2023 on the 600 block of Butternut Street, NW.
During the hearing, the jury, which had been deliberating since Dec. 12, alerted the parties that they had reached a verdict for multiple charges, but were unable to reach a unanimous decision on many others.
According to Judge Kravitz, their note stated any further deliberations would not be productive.
The jury convicted Goff of an armed carjacking, robbery while armed, and unauthorized use of a vehicle, but was unable to reach a unanimous decision on one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, and acquitted him of all other charges. Montgomery was convicted of all charges.
Flowers was convicted of conspiracy, trafficking stolen property, three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, receiving stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, and two counts of robbery while armed. The jury acquitted him of two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and was unable to reach a unanimous decision on four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, an armed carjacking, robbery while armed, and an unauthorized use of a vehicle charge.
Ellis-Bey was convicted of two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, armed carjacking, robbery while armed, and acquitted of everything else.
Giles was convicted of conspiracy, trafficking stolen property, three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, receiving stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, two counts of robbery while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was acquitted of two additional counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and the jury was unable to reach a verdict on two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, armed carjacking, robbery while armed, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Gillum was convicted of conspiracy, trafficking stolen property, three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, receiving stolen property, two counts of armed carjacking, and two counts of robbery while armed. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, armed carjacking, robbery while armed and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was acquitted on two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Jordan was convicted of conspiracy, trafficking stolen property, three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of armed carjacking, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery while armed. He was acquitted of two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and receiving stolen property. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle, armed carjacking, and robbery while armed.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Jan. 30 to allow the prosecution time to decide what to do with the unresolved charges and set sentencing dates.
