United States Attorney David Metcalf has announced that Phillis Fugah, a 24-year-old from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to carjacking and firearm-related charges. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage. The charges stem from an incident on August 29, 2024, in Upper Darby.
According to court documents and the defendant's admission, Fugah and an accomplice approached a parked Honda Pilot on West Chester Pike. Inside the vehicle were a man and his two young children. The male accomplice fled after opening the passenger side door.
Fugah then took control of the vehicle by threatening the man with a gun and demanding money. During the altercation, the man's five-year-old son exited the vehicle while the father attempted to retrieve his infant child from inside. A struggle ensued over the driver's side door.
Fugah fired her weapon at the man, shattering part of the window and grazing his baseball cap without causing injury. The bullet also struck a nearby SEPTA bus window but did not harm any passengers. Fugah drove away in the stolen vehicle but abandoned it shortly after, leaving the infant unharmed.
Sentencing for Fugah is scheduled for November 4. She faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and could receive up to life imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and Upper Darby Township Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Doherty and Sandra Urban are prosecuting this case.
