Matthew M. Graves U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia
Lamontee Fowler, a 21-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., faced arraignment today following a 35-count indictment related to an armed carjacking spree in Southeast Washington, D.C. during April and May of 2024. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., alongside Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The charges against Fowler include armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, among other related offenses. These charges were brought forward by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to evidence presented by the government, Fowler's alleged criminal activities occurred on three separate occasions: April 27th, May 2nd, and May 8th of 2024. Each incident took place within close proximity in Southeast Washington, D.C. On April 27th, he reportedly used the handle of a firearm to knock on the window of a victim's Toyota Rav 4 before firing the gun and fleeing with the vehicle. On May 2nd and May 8th respectively, similar incidents involved victims being threatened at gunpoint for their vehicles—a Honda Civic and Nissan Rogue.
Additionally noted was an event on May 10th where Fowler allegedly fired near his then-girlfriend’s father while seated in one of the stolen vehicles. A subsequent search warrant executed at his residence on May 24th uncovered a ghost gun beneath his pillow.
During today's arraignment proceedings presided over by Judge Robert Salerno, Fowler was ordered detained.
The case is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Claire Hoover and Sabena Auyeung from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C.
"An indictment is merely an allegation," stated officials involved in this case "and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
