Taxi Driver Terrorized by Gun-Pointing Duo

⏱ 3 min read

A chilling display of gun violence unfolded in Washington D.C. on November 11, 2019, when Erick Blanco-Cordova and his accomplice, Lesly Taracena, terrorized a taxi driver. The pair, picked up in Arlington, Virginia, ordered the driver to take them to Union Station, but instead of paying their fare, they fled without settling up. The driver, understandably, followed them, only to be met with a gun pointed directly at him by Taracena. Blanco-Cordova stood by, as the victim ran for his life.

Police quickly apprehended the duo, recovering a .40 caliber handgun from Blanco-Cordova’s possession. Lesly Taracena was previously sentenced to five years in prison in June 2025, after a jury found her guilty of conspiracy and other related charges.

Blanco-Cordova, 24, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a pistol without a license on January 16, 2026. The Honorable Judge Robert Salerno handed down a two-year prison sentence, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro commended the Metropolitan Police Department for their work in investigating the case, which was also praised by Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katerina Qesari led the prosecution effort.