Jamah Harris, 25, of Washington, D.C., is behind bars for a decade after being sentenced today for two violent armed robberies committed within minutes of each other in Northeast D.C. The brutal spree, carried out at gunpoint on August 25, 2014, targeted two working men — one a retired electrician, the other a small business owner — in what prosecutors called a cold, calculated assault on the community’s sense of safety.
Harris was convicted in August 2016 by a jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He received a 10-year prison sentence from the Honorable Zoe Bush. After his release, he will face five years of supervised probation — assuming he stays out of trouble. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Barker and J. Matt Williams.
The first attack happened at 8:10 p.m. outside a Bladensburg Road NE home. The victim, a lifelong D.C. resident and retired electrician, was confronted by Harris and an armed accomplice who demanded he empty his pockets. Terrified, the man surrendered his wallet and cash. Less than ten minutes later, Harris struck again — this time outside a car repair shop on Evarts Road NE. A mechanic running his business was met with a shotgun and a handgun, both pointed at his face. He handed over his money as the suspects fled to a 1997/1998 Mercedes Benz E32.
Luck turned against Harris when one of the suspects dropped the first victim’s wallet as they jumped back into the Mercedes. Surveillance footage captured the second robbery in full. Investigators matched the vehicle to Harris, whose 1997 Mercedes E32 was seen in both crime zones. The digital trail and physical evidence painted a damning picture.
On September 16, 2014, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives located Harris and attempted to apprehend him. He fled in his Mercedes, leading officers on a high-speed chase into Bladensburg, Maryland. Cornered at the Anacostia River waterfront, Harris jumped into the water — only to be captured by Prince George’s County Police. A weapon matching the victims’ descriptions was later recovered from his home during a search warrant execution. His accomplice remains at large.
U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips praised the relentless work of MPD and Prince George’s County Police, calling the investigation “swift and thorough.” He also commended prosecutors Jennifer Kerkhoff, Kimberley Nielsen, Jeffrey Nestler, Stephen Rickard, and support staff including paralegals Zoe Antwi and Tiffany Fogle, litigation tech Kimberly Smith, and Appellate Chief Elizabeth Trosman. “This sentence delivers justice for two men who were terrorized in their own neighborhood,” Phillips said. “No one should live in fear on their own street.”
Related Federal Cases
- Daniel Skinner Gets 7 Years for 7-Eleven Armed Robbery · Maryland
- Maryland Man Gets 18 Years for Second Degree Murder While Armed · Maryland
- Dana Dixon Gets 6 Years for NW D.C. Burglaries · Maryland
- Gene James Gets 17+ Years for Uber Driver Carjacking, Shooting · Maryland
- Jordan Tyler Alexander Gets 46 Months for Stolen Car Chase, Gun Possession · Minnesota
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
