Christopher Smith, Armed Carjacking, New York 2022

Armed Carjacking Lands Defendant 8 Years in Prison

A former Mount Vernon, New York resident, CHRISTOPHER SMITH, a/k/a 'Christopher Johnson,' a/k/a 'Mad Max,' a/k/a 'Max,' a/k/a 'Trouble,' has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for committing two shootings and an armed carjacking in the Bronx and Yonkers, New York.

According to the Superseding Indictment and public filings, SMITH committed two shootings and an armed carjacking over a two-month period in the fall of 2022. In September 2022, SMITH encountered a group of men standing in front of a convenience store in Yonkers, New York. SMITH asked the men to sell drugs for him, but when the men refused, SMITH brandished a black handgun with a light blue handle.

After SMITH brandished his gun, the group of men dispersed, and SMITH and a friend drove away in the friend's black Mercedes-Benz. Approximately 30 minutes later, SMITH and his friend drove back to the same area and found the group of men with whom SMITH had gotten into an argument. After another altercation, SMITH fired his gun twice in the vicinity of the group of men, and SMITH and his friend sped off in the Mercedes-Benz.

Approximately 30 minutes later, law enforcement stopped the Mercedes-Benz in Mount Vernon, New York. Although SMITH's friend was in the driver's seat, SMITH jumped onto his friend's lap and attempted to drive the Mercedes-Benz into the police vehicle to flee. When that failed, law enforcement opened the driver's side door and arrested SMITH's friend, but SMITH fled the scene on foot while carrying his gun in his pocket.

A 30-minute foot chase ensued. Eventually, SMITH ran up to a 70-year-old woman who was exiting her church and placing her belongings into her Jeep. SMITH shouted at the woman to give him her car keys, forcibly ripped her keys out of her hands, climbed into her Jeep, and sped off with her Jeep, as well as her other personal belongings.

Just two months later, in November 2022, SMITH was residing in the Bronx, New York, with a friend whom he had known for approximately 10 years. SMITH argued with his friend over poor quality narcotics and left the apartment. Soon thereafter, SMITH reappeared on the outside balcony of the apartment with a black handgun with a light blue handle. SMITH lifted the window screen, aimed his firearm through the window at his friend's head, and fired one shot.

In addition to his prison term, SMITH, 28, of Mount Vernon, New York, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/defendant-sentenced-eight-years-prison-two-shootings-and-armed-carjacking