Man Pleads Guilty to November 2024 Armed Carjacking and August 2022 Armed Robbery

            WASHINGTON – Demonta King, 18, of Chevy Chase, MD, pleaded guilty today for carjacking a taxicab driver at knifepoint in November 2024 and robbing another victim at gunpoint in August 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            King pleaded guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery. The Honorable Jennifer Di Toro scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2025.

            According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:50 a.m., on November 18, 2024, in the 5000 block of Fort Totten Drive, NE, King, while armed with a knife, approached the victim, a taxicab driver, who was standing approximately five feet from his taxicab. King announced a robbery and said, “Give me everything,” and ordered the victim to hand over his keys. King then stabbed the victim in the hand causing him to drop the keys. The defendant picked up the keys and took the victim’s taxicab, along with his phone, driver’s license, bank cards and other personal items. Officers later spotted the victim’s vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed, in the 500 block of Chillum Road in Hyattsville, MD, when the defendant crashed and exited on foot. Police gave chase and stopped the defendant.

            In a separate incident, according to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:45 a.m., on August 26, 2022, in the 100 Block of Gallatin Street and 1st Place NE, King approached a different victim, brandished a firearm, took the victim’s backpack and cell phone, and then struck the victim in the face with the firearm and fled.  King was 16-years-old when he committed this offense and was prosecuted as an adult under Title 16.

            King was placed under arrest at the scene of the armed carjacking and has been in custody since his arrest.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green.