Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
Lafayette Davenport, a San Francisco resident, has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for carjacking and firearms offenses related to an incident in the Tenderloin district. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup delivered the sentence.
Davenport, aged 30, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024. The charges included carjacking under 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1), brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1), and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). He pleaded guilty to all counts on February 11, 2025.
The case details reveal that on August 24, 2023, Davenport targeted an employee of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation who was driving through the Tenderloin neighborhood. The vehicle was marked with logos from the nonprofit organization. After the victim collected discarded needles and returned to his car, Davenport approached wearing a ski mask and threatened him with a pistol. Davenport reportedly said, “Don’t make me shoot you” and “I swear I’ll shoot you right here,” before stealing the victim’s watch and car keys and briefly driving away in the foundation's vehicle.
Davenport was apprehended by San Francisco Police Department officers on February 22, 2024, still in possession of the ski mask and loaded pistol used during the offense. At that time, he was on probation following previous felony convictions including second-degree burglary of automobiles while on parole.
Alongside his prison sentence, Judge Alsup imposed five years of supervised release and ordered Davenport to pay $500 in restitution.
The announcement came from United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson led the prosecution with assistance from Claudia Hyslop, Alycee Lane, and Janice Pagsanjan. The case stemmed from investigations conducted by both the FBI and San Francisco Police Department.
