Cary Man Sentenced For Carjacking

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Louise Flanagan sentenced MICHAEL DONNELL LEONARD for weapons offenses stemming from a carjacking. LEONARD, 50, of Cary, North Carolina, received 262 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.

On March 29, 2012, LEONARD entered a business in Raleigh, North Carolina, looking for his estranged girlfriend. He pulled a pistol on other employees of the center, and demanded the victim come to him. LEONARD held the gun against the woman as he forced her out of the building and to her car, and they drove off. A short while later, Raleigh Police located the vehicle at a gas station in Raleigh. When LEONARD and the woman emerged from the station, LEONARD was apprehended. A Lorcin .380 semi-automatic pistol was recovered.

USA Walker commented, “We are thankful this incident ended without physical injury to those threatened by this defendant, and hope the significant sentence meted out today will provide encouragement to all victims of domestic violence.”

Investigation of the cases was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Louise Flanagan sentenced MICHAEL DONNELL LEONARD for weapons offenses stemming from a carjacking. LEONARD, 50, of Cary, North Carolina, received 262 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.

On March 29, 2012, LEONARD entered a business in Raleigh, North Carolina, looking for his estranged girlfriend. He pulled a pistol on other employees of the center, and demanded the victim come to him. LEONARD held the gun against the woman as he forced her out of the building and to her car, and they drove off. A short while later, Raleigh Police located the vehicle at a gas station in Raleigh. When LEONARD and the woman emerged from the station, LEONARD was apprehended. A Lorcin .380 semi-automatic pistol was recovered.

USA Walker commented, “We are thankful this incident ended without physical injury to those threatened by this defendant, and hope the significant sentence meted out today will provide encouragement to all victims of domestic violence.”

Investigation of the cases was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.