Baltimore Man Exiled to Over 10 Years in Prison for Two Armed Carjackings

Baltimore, Maryland — U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Dennis Hairston, age 20, of Baltimore, today to 130 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit carjacking and possession of a gun in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

According to Hairston’s plea agreement, on June 11, 2009, the Baltimore City Police Department received a call reporting an armed carjacking that occurred in the 3600 block of Elmora Avenue in Baltimore. The victim reported that two men armed with handguns ordered the victim out of his car. The men got in and drove away in the vehicle. Soon thereafter, the victim’s vehicle was involved in an armed robbery. Upon further investigation of the robbery,police detectives identified one of the two suspects involved in the robbery and constructed a photo array for the carjacking victim. The victim identified Hairston, and a warrant was issued for Hairston’s arrest.

Four days later on June 15 another armed carjacking was reported, this time of a black Tahoe in the area of the 4500 block of Frederick Avenue in Baltimore. The victim stated that a man, later identified as Hairston, approached the victim asking for a ride, and the victim complied. Hairston removed a gun from his waist, cocked the hammer and pointed it at the victim’s head. Hairston told the victim to leave his wallet and cell phone in the vehicle and stated that “if you call anybody, I know where you live.” Hairston ordered the victim to exit the vehicle. The victim ran away, flagged down a motorist and called the police.

Following a police city-wide broadcast of the vehicle description, police detectives were at the intersection of N. Pulaski Street and Mulberry Avenue when they observed two suspects in the stolen vehicle. A car chase ensued and concluded when Hairston lost control of the vehicle and skidded into the front of 10 S. Exeter Street. A police helicopter, which entered the pursuit earlier, observed the two suspects flee on foot and directed the assisting police units to the suspects. Both Hairston and the passenger were apprehended shortly thereafter. Officers in the helicopter also observed one of the subjects throwing an object underneath a vehicle during the foot chase. Detectives recovered a duffle bag under a car parked near S. Exeter Street containing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition.

The detectives obtained a search warrant for the stolen vehicle and recovered a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with nine rounds of ammunition.

Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted this case.