District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Carjacking of Nun in Northeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – Brandon Brown, 20, of Washington, D.C, was sentenced today to seven years in prison on charges stemming from the carjacking of a nun who he accosted at gunpoint in a parking lot in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.

            Brown pled guilty in May 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of carjacking and carrying a pistol without a license. The plea, which was subject to the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence in the range of seven and 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Honorable Marisa Demeo accepted the plea and sentenced Brown accordingly.

            According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on April 9, 2018, at approximately 6:45 p.m., the victim, who was wearing full clerical garb, was walking to a parking lot in the 1300 block of Quincy Street NE to retrieve something from a minivan. As she neared the parking lot, she observed Brown, who had a bandana covering his face.

            The victim continued into the parking lot and opened the passenger side door of a white Dodge Caravan belonging to the convent. She turned on the minivan and retrieved a compact disc from the stereo. She then began to walk away from the vehicle as Brown approached her. When he was within a few feet of her, Brown demanded the car keys. The victim did not say anything, but continued to hold onto the keys. At this point, Brown brandished a firearm and pressed it to her left temple and once again demanded the keys. The victim held out the key and Brown took it from her. She then told him: “May God bless you.”

            Brown got into the Caravan and drove off. The victim walked into a nearby building, told others what happened, and one individual called 911. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) quickly spotted the Caravan at 21^st Street and Maryland Avenue NE. They attempted to stop Brown at 26^th Street, but he got out of the minivan and fled.

            He was eventually apprehended, and officers recovered a loaded, small gray semi-automatic handgun in the front right pocket of his sweatpants. They also recovered a red bandana. Brown was arrested and has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the matter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff and Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan. Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen D’Angelo, who investigated and prosecuted the case.