Las Vegas Felon Sentenced To 18 Years For Violent Armed Carjackings

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas felon was sentenced today to a total of 216 months in prison for his involvement in two violent armed carjackings that resulted in bodily injury to the victims, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.

Uriah Zamir Crain, 29, pleaded guilty to one count each of carjacking, carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II presided over the sentencing hearing.

According to the criminal complaint and plea agreement, on June 22, 2017, co-defendant Nicole Nowak asked the victim to drive her home and invited the victim into the house. Later that night at the house, Crain and another man hit the victim in the head with handguns and stole the victim’s money, wallet, and Ford F-150 truck. Then, on June 25, Crain and Nowak committed a second carjacking. Crain shot the victim in the leg after the victim tried to escape. Crain and Nowak then stole the victim’s Lincoln Navigator and other property. At the time of his arrest, Crain had a stolen Glock 9mm handgun and a 30-round Glock magazine in his possession.  Crain was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his prior Utah felony conviction in 2008 for Injury to a Child and his prior Nevada felony convictions in 2012 for Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Attempt Robbery.

Co-defendant Nicole Elizabeth Nowak, 24, was previously sentenced on March 21, 2018 to seven years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. She previously pleaded guilty to carjacking, carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip N. Smith, Jr. and Alexandra M. Michael prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide commitment by the Department of Justice to reduce gun and gang crime in America by networking local programs that target gun and gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.

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