Seattle – Louis Montel De’Andre Dowers, a 32-year-old resident of Seattle, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to carjacking and using a firearm in a crime of violence. This announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. The incident occurred on June 9, 2024, in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, when Dowers carjacked a BMW outside the Seattle Team Shop on Occidental Avenue South. Dowers is set to face sentencing by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on August 4, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and could be sentenced to life.
The plea agreement reveals that the carjacking occurred while the victim was waiting for his wife in the car. Dowers approached the vehicle, brandished a distinctive firearm, and ordered the victim to exit, reportedly declaring, "It’s mine now. Get out." The victim exited with his dog, and Dowers drove off. The victim’s wife nearly encountered the car as it sped away.
Authorities located the car in Auburn, Washington. A King County Sheriff’s deputy identified Dowers nearby using a description from the scene. A search revealed Dowers was carrying a semi-automatic firearm, identified as a 'ghost gun,' which was loaded with a round chambered. Dowers admitted to using this weapon during the carjacking in his plea agreement.
Carjacking carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Using a firearm in this context entails a mandatory minimum of five years and could result in a life sentence. According to the plea deal, prosecutors will recommend a maximum of seven years in prison, while the defense will suggest a minimum of five years and a day. Judge Chun may choose any sentence within the legal framework, considering the sentencing guidelines and relevant factors.
The federal carjacking task force, comprising the Seattle Police Department, the Kent Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and the FBI, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg, leader of the Western District of Washington Carjacking Task Force, is prosecuting the case.
