Hyattsville Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Carjacking and Illegal Possession of a Gun

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Marden Gonzalez, age 20, of Hyattsville, Maryland, today to seven years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for carjacking and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Larry M. Brownlee, Sr. of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Prince George’s County Division; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to Gonzalez=s plea agreement, on February 17, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. Gonzalez approached the victim, who was stopped at a red light at the intersection of East-West Highway and Ager Road in Hyattsville.  Gonzalez pointed a loaded .380 caliber pistol at the victim and demanded the victim’s car.  The victim got out of the car and Gonzalez got in and drove away in the victim’s car.

A few minutes later, a Maryland Park Police officer spotted the stolen car at the intersection of Queens Chapel and Chillum Roads in Hyattsville.  Park Police and Prince George’s County Police officers pursued Gonzalez through snowy streets.  After sideswiping several parked cars, Gonzalez crashed the victim’s car headfirst into a parked car.  The law enforcement vehicles pursuing Gonzalez slid in the snow when they attempted to brake, resulting in a crash.  Three officers were injured and one was taken to a hospital.  Gonzalez bailed out of the victim’s car and ran away, still carrying the loaded pistol.  Officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the semi-enclosed back porch of a nearby house, and recovered the gun.

Gonzalez had previously been convicted of a felony and as a result, was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the HSI Baltimore, Maryland National Capital Park Police and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsay Eyler Kaplan and William D. Moomau, who prosecuted the case.