Damion Lemont Hayes, Carjacking, Kentucky 2021

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In a brazen act of violence, Damion Lemont Hayes, 21, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 91 months in federal prison for his role in a carjacking that occurred during protest activity in Louisville last year.

Hayes, who pleaded guilty to the single count of carjacking in violation of Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 2119 and 2, admitted to taking a 2017 Subaru Forester on June 3, 2020, in Jefferson County, Kentucky, by force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm.

On October 26, 2020, Hayes pleaded guilty in United States District Court to the carjacking charge. The vehicle’s owner suffered a significant loss, with the total amount of victim restitution ordered at $20,117.81.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Louisville Metro Police Department investigated the case.

Acting United States Attorney Michael A. Bennett praised the commitment and partnership between federal law enforcement and LMPD in the fight against violent crime, including carjacking. "Like this defendant, those who carjack and threaten the safety of others will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted," Bennett said.

FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown also weighed in on the case, stating, "Mr. Hayes was one such person who attempted to exploit the unrest in Louisville by committing a violent crime for his own personal gain. His arrest, conviction, and ultimately his 91-month sentence shows that FBI Louisville and its partners are committed to fostering safe communities by removing violent offenders from our neighborhoods."

Hayes will serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

This sentence serves as a stark reminder that carjacking is a violent crime that will not be tolerated in our community. The ATF, along with our federal law enforcement partners and LMPD, will continue to work together to combat this threat and seek justice for innocent victims.

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