MOODY, AL – Eric Lamar White, 25, of Jackson, Mississippi, will spend the next twelve years in federal prison after a jury convicted him of a brazen carjacking in Moody, Alabama. U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze handed down the 144-month sentence Friday, finding White guilty of carjacking and carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime. The incident, which occurred on January 7, 2021, left a mother fighting for her children and sparked a high-speed chase across state lines.
The evidence presented at trial painted a grim picture of premeditation. White and his accomplice, Kendarian Toran, were already traveling in a stolen vehicle when their own car began to overheat. Rather than seek legitimate assistance, they scouted for a victim, ultimately targeting a woman pumping gas with her two young children inside a 2008 Acura TL. White strategically positioned their failing vehicle to facilitate a swift getaway for Toran, who immediately moved to seize control of the Acura.
The victim, desperate to protect her children, physically struggled with Toran, attempting to prevent the theft. The situation escalated rapidly when Toran, brandishing a firearm, pressed it against the victim’s pregnant belly, ordering her to remove her children from the vehicle. He then sped off in the Acura just as the last child was pulled to safety. White abandoned the original stolen vehicle and joined Toran in the stolen Acura.
The pair didn’t get far. Hours later, Mississippi law enforcement spotted White driving the Acura back towards Jackson. A reckless pursuit ensued, stretching 29 miles on I-20 with speeds exceeding 120 mph. Multiple agencies were involved, and officers were ultimately forced to deploy spike strips and force the vehicle into the median to bring it to a stop. Upon his arrest, White was found to be in possession of a Glock .45 caliber pistol – purchased in October 2020 – and an Alabama driver’s license belonging to the carjacking victim.
This wasn’t a crime of opportunity; it was a calculated act of violence. Toran, 18, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, already received a 90-month sentence in August 2022 after pleading guilty to the same charges. Judge Maze clearly considered the gravity of the offense and the danger posed to the victim and her children when imposing the lengthy sentence on White. The investigation was a joint effort by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, Moody Police, and multiple Mississippi law enforcement agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney Plyler and Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case. The ATF Nashville Field Division led the investigation, highlighting the agency’s commitment to disrupting violent crime and holding offenders accountable. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by everyday citizens and the swift justice that awaits those who resort to armed robbery and endanger innocent lives.
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