Fully Suspended Sentence Handed Down for Robbery and Carjacking Spree

WASHINGTON - Derrick West, 18, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, for a spree of robberies and carjackings that took place in September 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

West, who was seventeen years old at the time of the offenses and who was charged pursuant to Title 16, pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, to one count of armed carjacking, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of robbery. At West's sentencing on March 13, 2026, the United States requested a sentence of twelve years of incarceration, representing a sentence at the top of his sentencing guidelines for each count, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Honorable Judge Jennifer DiToro sentenced West to a fully suspended sentence of 48 months, with 18 months of supervised probation. The Court's sentence was entered pursuant to the Youth Rehabilitation Act, over the government's objection, which permits a sentence beneath the mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration for carjacking and five years of incarceration for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. 

According to the proffer of facts, on September 19, 2024, at approximately 10:31 p.m., in the 500 block of 48th Place NE, West, his co-defendant Antonio Gaither and two additional suspects, pulled up next to the first victim, while she was parking her car. Two of the suspects exited their vehicle and one pointed a firearm at the victim and ordered her to exit her vehicle. Two of the suspects took the victim's car, and all four suspects fled the scene.

Separately, on September 20, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., in the 800 block of P Street, NW, West, Gaither and additional suspects approached the victim, who was sitting in his vehicle with his doors unlocked. One of the suspects opened the driver's side door and ordered the victim to exit the vehicle, while another suspect assaulted the victim, striking him about the face and body. The victim exited the vehicle and fled in fear of his safety. The suspects fled the scene in the victim's vehicle, taking with them the victim's wallet, credit cards and phone which were inside the car.

In addition, on September 30, 2024, at approximately 5:21 p.m., in the 100 block of 35^th Street, NE, West and Gaither approached a third victim, who was talking on his cell phone as he walked away from his vehicle. One of the defendants grabbed the victim's phone out of his hand. Both West and Gaither demanded the victim's car keys. Out of fear for his safety, the victim handed over the keys, but he was still punched in the face several times by both defendants. The defendants took the victim's cell phone and fled the scene in his vehicle.

Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and Ben Helfand, who prosecuted the case.

2024 CF3 011076