Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Gunpoint Carjacking

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kelly Stanton, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $12,500 by United States District Judge R. Barclay Surrick for carjacking a woman at gunpoint in January of 2023.

Stanton was charged by indictment in March 2023 and pleaded guilty to the carjacking in October of last year.

As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, around 11 p.m. on January 26, 2023, a woman had parked her car on the 1600 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue in Philadelphia to pick up a pizza. After she exited the pizza shop and was getting back in her car, Stanton approached. He put a firearm to her head and said, “give me the f[***]ing keys or I’m going to shoot you.”

After struggling with Stanton, the victim was eventually able to get her keys out of her pocket, give them to him, and run away from the car. The defendant drove off in the vehicle, heading west on Cecil B. Moore. The victim’s car has still not been recovered.

“The victim in this case was just going about her night when Stanton ambushed and terrorized her, putting his gun to her head and threatening to shoot,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Anyone who would violently accost a stranger like this for their car, or any other possession, is a clear threat to our community. My office will continue to work with our partners on the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force to bring these dangerous offenders to justice.”

“Kelly Stanton’s victim was picking up a pizza when he stuck a gun to her head and demanded her car keys — he’s now facing a dozen years in federal prison,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Philadelphia Field Division. “Carjacking is a violent and dangerous crime. Together with our Carjacking Task Force partners we are using ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools to stop criminals like this from terrorizing our neighborhoods. We hope this case deters those willing to use violence in our community.”

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon and Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.