Prolific Anchorage Car Thief Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Steven Michael Lee McComas, age 21, of Anchorage, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve a combined sentence of 78 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.  In July 2018, McComas pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce.

According to court documents, on Feb. 9, 2018, at 3:45 a.m., a pizza delivery driver in Fairbanks was robbed at gunpoint by several individuals.  The investigation revealed that McComas’ cellular telephone was used to order a pizza to a location in Fairbanks.  When the driver arrived at the location, she was approached by two individuals armed with firearms.  They pointed the firearms at the driver and took $130 and a cellular telephone.  A vehicle then pulled up and the two individuals got inside and drove away.  McComas knew his phone was used to call the pizza delivery driver to the location in Fairbanks, and knew that his two co-conspirators were armed with firearms when they robbed the delivery driver.  McComas was also present in the vehicle that drove the two individuals away from the scene.

On Feb. 10, 2018, at 1:40 a.m., another pizza delivery driver in Anchorage was robbed at gunpoint by several individuals wearing masks and winter hats.  They took his cellular telephone, $80, his shoes, and his vehicle, a 2007 Dodge Nitro.  Later that morning, Anchorage Police saw the stolen vehicle near Elmore Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.  APD attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver accelerated and drove evasively, to include running a red light.  Officers eventually stopped the vehicle and McComas was identified as the driver.  He was in possession of a Kel-Tec Sub-2000 9mm semiautomatic rifle loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition.  Inside the vehicle was a spent 9mm shell casing, black gloves and a white ski mask. 

McComas is prohibited from possession of firearms due to his prior felony conviction for Vehicle Theft in the First Degree.  McComas has three prior adult vehicle theft related convictions, and has been charged as an adult with two other vehicle thefts that were dismissed or not prosecuted by the State of Alaska.   

Before imposing a sentence, Judge Burgess noted that this was a very serious offense and dangerous conduct.  He acknowledged the fear the delivery drivers must have felt when they were confronted by multiple individuals pointing firearms at them.  Judge Burgess was particularly concerned about the escalating dangerous behavior shown by McComas, and how he had “graduated” from stealing vehicles to becoming involved in robberies and in possession of firearms. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Anchorage Police Department, and the Fairbanks Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.