CHICAGO — A federal judge has handed down a 22-year sentence to Jamar Edwards, 23, for carjacking three vehicles and shooting one victim in a brazen series of crimes that terrorized the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago.

In August 2022, Edwards committed his first offense at a drive-thru coffee shop, where he pointed a gun at a driver and demanded keys. His second and third carjackings took place outside a convenience store and gas station. In each incident, the defendant used violence to take control of the vehicles.

The most tragic incident occurred during the coffee shop carjacking, where Edwards shot the driver in the leg after securing the vehicle. Before shooting, he coldly inquired, ‘Why are you not scared?’

Edwards, a resident of Chicago, was apprehended and has been in custody since 2022. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and firearm charges. On September 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the sentence.

The severe penalty was meted out by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Simar Khera represented the government in court.

Related Federal Cases

Drug Lord Dickey Faces Sentence Attack in Court · Illinois
Dubuque Gunman Gets 10 Years: Bar Fight Led to Federal Sentence · Illinois
East Alton Felon Roof Gets 30-Month Sentence for Illegal Firearm Possession · Illinois
Chicago Men Indicted in Ohio Credit Card Fraud Ring · Illinois
Convicted Felon Davis Guilty of Illegal Gun Possession in Chicago · Illinois

Key Facts

State: Illinois
Agency: DOJ USAO
Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
Source: Official Source ↗

🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →

Browse More

All Illinois Cases →All Districts →