WASHINGTON – A teenage criminal has been handed a harsh sentence for a pair of violent robberies. Demonta King, 18, from Washington, D.C., was sentenced to fifteen years in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to armed carjacking and armed robbery. The sentencing came on the heels of his conviction for robbing a taxicab driver at knifepoint and robbing another victim at gunpoint.
King’s criminal spree began on November 18, 2024, when he confronted a taxicab driver in the NE section of Washington, brandishing a knife. After demanding the keys to the taxi, King stabbed the driver’s hand, causing him to drop them. The teenager made off with the taxi and the victim’s personal belongings before leading police on a high-speed chase.
In another harrowing incident, on August 26, 2022, King robbed a victim at gunpoint in Northeast Washington. He took the victim’s backpack and cell phone, striking the person in the face with the firearm before fleeing the scene.
Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro denied King’s request for youth rehabilitation under the Youth Rehabilitation Act. The government had recommended a twenty-two-year term of incarceration, but the judge imposed a sentence that reflected the severity of King’s crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Greene prosecuted the case with determination.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith commended the efforts of law enforcement agencies involved in apprehending King and bringing him to justice. They highlighted the importance of cooperation between local and federal authorities in combating crime in the District of Columbia.
Joining in the announcement, Chief Smith emphasized the impact such crimes have on communities, stating, ‘The sentence handed down today sends a clear message that violent crime will not be tolerated in our city.’
Related Federal Cases
- DC Teen Gets 10 Years in Armed Carjacking · Washington
- Ojahri Hart, 19, Sentenced in Armed Carjacking at NW DC Gas Station · Washington
- Daniel Skinner Gets 7 Years for 7-Eleven Armed Robbery · Maryland
- Lawrance Arnold Sentenced to 7 Years for Armed Robbery and Shooting · Washington
- D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery Spree · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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