Teen Carjacking Kingpin Indicted on 16 Counts

Teen Carjacking Kingpin Indicted on 16 Counts

WASHINGTON – A 16-year-old Washington, D.C. teen has been indicted on multiple armed carjacking, armed robbery and assault charges stemming from a brazen August 2023 crime spree, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today.

Zakyh Samuel, 16, was charged as an adult by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in a 16-count indictment on May 30, 2024. Samuel was charged with two counts of armed carjacking, five counts of armed robbery, and assault with intent to rob while armed, along with possession of a firearm during each of those crimes of violence.

According to the government’s evidence, Samuel and his accomplices used a stolen burgundy Jeep Grand Cherokee to traverse around the District and prey on members of the community from about 1:30 a.m. to 5:15 a.m., flanking their victims, brandishing firearms, demanding property, and then fleeing, in each offense. DNA testing and surveillance footage later linked Samuel to the spree of offenses.

The investigation into the crime spree was led by the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from other law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

Samuel was arraigned on May 31, 2024, before the Honorable Jason Park, and will face trial in the coming months. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department are committed to bring justice to the victims of Samuel’s crime spree and to keep the streets of Washington, D.C. safe from violent crime.

The full indictment and charging documents are available upon request. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Metropolitan Police Department.

As the investigation and prosecution of this case continue, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department will work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served and that the people of Washington, D.C. are protected from violent crime.