Oakland Man Sentenced To Twenty-Three Years In Prison For Robbery And Carjacking

OAKLAND - Ismael Eduardo Axtle was sentenced on September 23, 2013, to 276 months in federal prison for carjacking, robbery, possession of methamphetamine for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

According to the plea agreement, Axtle, 31, of Oakland, Calif., and co-defendant Patrick Fiammetta-McConnell robbed a parking garage in San Francisco and stole an Acura TL from the garage on July 27, 2011. On August 5, 2011, Axtle carjacked a BMW from a driver in San Francisco. On September 9, 2011, Axtle carried methamphetamine and a firearm in the carjacked BMW down to Turlock, in the Eastern District of California. On November 17, 2011, Axtle and unknown co-conspirators robbed a massage parlor at gunpoint in Petaluma. On November 18, 2011, Axtle carjacked a family in an SUV at gunpoint during a police chase in Oakland that involved several law enforcement agencies.

Axtle also admitted to possession of two firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in a storage locker in Oakland.

“The prosecution of this case illustrates the strong commitment the United States Attorney’s Office has in reducing violence caused by guns and the victimization of innocent people in the City of Oakland and in the Northern District of California as a whole,” stated U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. “We will continue to combine our resources, skills, and efforts in partnership with federal and local law enforcement toward this important goal.”

“This case is indicative of how violent criminals use firearms to terrorize our citizens and subject them to danger,” stated Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Riehl. “ATF will continue to focus on the suspects who commit these heinous crimes.”

Axtle, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2013, to two counts of carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119; two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a); possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1); being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1); and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).

The Honorable Saundra Brown Armstrong, United States District Court Judge, handed down the 276-month. Judge Armstrong also ordered Axtle to forfeit all firearms and ammunition, and to serve a five-year term of supervised release during which he may be searched by any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer with or without cause. Axtle’s co-defendant, Fiammetta-McConnell, has been sentenced to 157 months in federal prison for his role in the January 27, 2011, robbery and carjacking, and other unrelated crimes.

Judge Armstrong ordered Axtle to begin serving his prison sentence immediately.

Brigid Martin is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kathleen Turner. The conviction and sentence were the result of an investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oakland Police Department, Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force, California Highway Patrol, San Francisco Police Department, Petaluma Police Department, and Turlock Police Department.

(Axtle superseding information )