ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a five count indictment charging Jacob Loyd, 19, of Rochester, NY, with carjacking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of marijuana. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on June 16, 2019, the defendant stole a vehicle at gunpoint in the area of 115 Gothic Street in Rochester. Later that evening, Loyd was arrested near 1454 North Street and found to be in possession of a loaded firearm, a quantity of cocaine packaged for sale, and marijuana.
The defendant was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and detained.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. #
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
