Lorenzo Vince Green, Armed Carjacking, SC 2016

In a brazen act of violence targeting a defenseless man, brothers Lorenzo Vince Green, 29, and Javontay Jamal Green, 25, of Beaufort, South Carolina, were sentenced in federal court in Charleston for the armed carjacking of a handicapped victim outside a local restaurant. The attack, which unfolded on February 27, 2016, left the victim traumatized and the community on edge — now, justice has been served.

Lorenzo Vince Green pointed a loaded firearm at the wheelchair-bound man as he struggled to enter his vehicle after dinner. With no means to defend himself, the victim was forced to surrender his keys as the Green brothers seized his car and fled the scene. Moments later, law enforcement tracked the stolen vehicle to a nearby wooded area, where the brothers were caught attempting to escape on foot.

At a change of plea hearing, federal prosecutors laid bare the cold calculation behind the crime. Lorenzo Vince Green, already a convicted felon with prior convictions for burglary and armed robbery, was slapped with an additional charge of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. His criminal history sealed his fate, leading U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel to impose a 130-month prison sentence, followed by five years of supervised release.

Javontay Jamal Green, though not charged with firearm use, played a key role in the violent theft. He was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Prosecutors emphasized that targeting a vulnerable victim amplified the severity of the crime, calling it a cowardly act that shattered public trust.

The investigation was a coordinated effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Their swift response not only recovered the stolen vehicle but ensured both perpetrators were held accountable in a federal system with zero tolerance for violent street crimes.

Assistant United States Attorney Nick Bianchi, who prosecuted the case out of the Charleston office, underscored the message: “No one is beyond the reach of justice, especially when the vulnerable are targeted.” The sentencing marks a hard-won victory for victims’ rights — and a warning to those who prey on the powerless.