John E. Childress Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
Bryant Hoskins, 20, and Samuel Fancher, Jr., 19, both from Indianapolis, have been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentencing follows their guilty plea to charges including two counts of carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and discharging a firearm during such a crime.
Court documents reveal that in late May 2024, Hoskins and Fancher Jr. carried out two violent carjackings within one week. They targeted Uber drivers during late-night hours.
The first incident occurred on May 24, 2024. At around 4:30 AM near East 21st Street in Indianapolis, the duo called an Uber. Upon reaching their destination, they held the driver at gunpoint and ordered him out of the vehicle. When he hesitated, one defendant forcibly removed him and assaulted him before stealing his Toyota Rav 4. Videos later surfaced showing them boasting about the theft.
Five days later on May 29, they targeted another Uber driver near Franklin Road for her luxury Mercedes GLA with intentions to sell it for profit. During this encounter, Hoskins fired his weapon when the female driver resisted, injuring her shoulder.
John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana stated: “Uber drivers frequently work alone during late hours... The defendants exploited this vulnerability... Our office remains committed to working with federal and local partners to ensure that violent offenders are held accountable for their reckless actions.”
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O'Malley added: “No one should fear becoming a victim of violence simply while driving their car... This sentence sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will pursue violent offenders relentlessly.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and IMPD and presided over by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey L. Massa and Jeremy C. Fugate prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities.
