Defendant Sentenced on Carjacking And Federal Firearm Charges

United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Letrenton Napoleon Nickles of Mobile was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment by Senior United States District Court Judge Charles R. Butler.  The sentencing followed a June 2015 guilty plea to charges of carjacking; brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and, prohibited possession of a firearm.  Nickles was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition by virtue of previous felony convictions for Manslaughter and Possession of Marijuana, First Degree.

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on October 22, 2014, Mobile Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a robbery call at a residence located off Halls Mill Road in Mobile.  The officers found two elderly residents were victims of a home invasion and carjacking committed by Nickles, while armed with a handgun.  Nickles followed the female victim into the residence from the carport, pointed a handgun at her, and ordered her to the ground in the living room.  When she screamed, her husband came to the living room and saw Nickles standing over his wife pointing a handgun at her.  Nickles pointed the firearm at the husband and ordered him to lie down on the floor also.  Nickles cursed them, and demanded their car keys, and then money.  Nickles took the female victim back to the bedroom at gunpoint to retrieve the car keys.  Nickles took the victims’ cell phone and went out to the carport and drove away in their vehicle.  

At approximately 2:15 a.m. on October 23, 2014, officers of the Mobile Police Department observed the stolen vehicle near Holcombe Avenue and Government Street.  When officers attempted to stop the vehicle using emergency lights, Nickles did not stop and drove away at a high rate of speed.  MPD officers pursued Nickles and he lost control and crashed the vehicle into a guard rail and power pole on Cottage Hill Road near the intersection of Demotropolis Road.  A 9mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered from inside the vehicle.

Carjacking is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 2119 and is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.  Brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 924(c), and is punishable by a minimum mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 7 years, up to life.  Prohibited possession of a firearm is a violation Title 18, United States Code § 922(g)(1), and is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years.     

This case was referred for prosecution by ATF Special Agent Nicholas P. Murphy working in conjunction with the Mobile Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.

United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Letrenton Napoleon Nickles of Mobile was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment by Senior United States District Court Judge Charles R. Butler.  The sentencing followed a June 2015 guilty plea to charges of carjacking; brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence; and, prohibited possession of a firearm.  Nickles was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition by virtue of previous felony convictions for Manslaughter and Possession of Marijuana, First Degree.

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on October 22, 2014, Mobile Police Department (MPD) officers responded to a robbery call at a residence located off Halls Mill Road in Mobile.  The officers found two elderly residents were victims of a home invasion and carjacking committed by Nickles, while armed with a handgun.  Nickles followed the female victim into the residence from the carport, pointed a handgun at her, and ordered her to the ground in the living room.  When she screamed, her husband came to the living room and saw Nickles standing over his wife pointing a handgun at her.  Nickles pointed the firearm at the husband and ordered him to lie down on the floor also.  Nickles cursed them, and demanded their car keys, and then money.  Nickles took the female victim back to the bedroom at gunpoint to retrieve the car keys.  Nickles took the victims’ cell phone and went out to the carport and drove away in their vehicle.  

At approximately 2:15 a.m. on October 23, 2014, officers of the Mobile Police Department observed the stolen vehicle near Holcombe Avenue and Government Street.  When officers attempted to stop the vehicle using emergency lights, Nickles did not stop and drove away at a high rate of speed.  MPD officers pursued Nickles and he lost control and crashed the vehicle into a guard rail and power pole on Cottage Hill Road near the intersection of Demotropolis Road.  A 9mm semi-automatic pistol was recovered from inside the vehicle.

Carjacking is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 2119 and is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.  Brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence is a violation of Title 18, United States Code § 924(c), and is punishable by a minimum mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 7 years, up to life.  Prohibited possession of a firearm is a violation Title 18, United States Code § 922(g)(1), and is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years.     

This case was referred for prosecution by ATF Special Agent Nicholas P. Murphy working in conjunction with the Mobile Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.