Source: United States Department of Justice News
DETROIT – Two Detroit men were sentenced to multiple years in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to a series of three carjackings occurring in a three-day period, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Ison was joined in the announcement by James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Damario Howell, 21, was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison. Seandre Braxton, 24, was sentenced in February of this year to 15 years in federal prison. Both were sentenced before United States District Judge Judith Levy.
According to court records, Braxton and Howell committed the first carjacking on September 29, 2021, and the second and third carjackings on October 1, 2021, all in Detroit. In the first carjacking, Braxton and Howell pointed handguns at the victim seated in his car and removed the victim from the vehicle before Howell drove off. In the second carjacking, Braxton and Howell, while armed with handguns, confronted a victim outside his car and demanded the keys before Braxton drove off in the victim’s car. In the third carjacking, Braxton and Howell seized a third car after confronting the victims at gunpoint, with Braxton driving off with their car.
Minutes after the third carjacking, Howell fled from police by smashing the car from the second carjacking into a police car, driving off in a highspeed chase, exiting the car, and entering the car from the third carjacking driven by Braxton. Braxton drove off in another highspeed chase that ended when Braxton crashed the car into two other vehicles. Following a short foot chase, both Braxton and Howell were arrested.
Braxton and Howell both pleaded guilty to three counts of carjacking, one count of carrying a firearm while committing a carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm while committing a carjacking. Braxton and Howell’s sentencing guidelines were increased for reckless endangerment during flight because of the highspeed chases.
“Carjacking is one of the most brazen crimes. These defendant’s carjacking spree not only endangered their victims, but their reckless indifference also created a significant risk of harm across the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “We will seek significant federal penalties against those who prey on motorists in our communities.”
Armed carjacking poses an unacceptable danger to public safety and creates a climate of fear for residents in our community,” said James A. Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working alongside the Detroit Police Department and Michigan State Police to curb these violent offenses and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, Detroit Police Department, and Michigan State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Kuebler.