19-Year-Olds Guilty of D.C. Carjackings, Guns Seized

WASHINGTON – Erick Alvarenga, 19, and Malik Kearney, 20, both of Washington D.C., have been cuffed for their roles in a pair of brazen carjackings that shook Northeast Washington D.C. earlier this year. Both men pleaded guilty today to charges including carjacking and possession of firearms during a crime of violence, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and MPD Chief Pamela Smith.

The defendants, facing stiff penalties, admitted their involvement in two separate incidents. The first occurred on December 28, 2024, when Alvarenga and Kearney stole a Jeep SUV from the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue. Armed with a black handgun, they forced the victim to hand over the keys before making off with the vehicle.

Days later, on January 3, 2025, the duo struck again at a gas station on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. This time, Alvarenga used the stolen Jeep to block in the second victim’s Dodge sedan, while Kearney approached with a firearm. The carjacking culminated in a high-speed chase that ended when both vehicles were stopped by police.

Alvarenga and Kearney were apprehended after the chase, hiding in a basement where two firearms were recovered—a ghost gun and another with its serial number removed. The pair will be sentenced on August 29, 2025, following today’s guilty pleas in D.C. Superior Court.

The investigation into these crimes was led by the Metropolitan Police Department, with prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Randle Wilson and Amanda Hoover.