Jovante Matthews, Carjacking and Armed Career Criminal, Louisiana 2024

A federal jury has convicted 30-year-old Jovante Matthews of committing an armed carjacking that occurred on April 3, 2024, in the 2900 block of Hollygrove Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.

According to the evidence introduced at trial, Matthews approached two contractors who were renovating a house on Hollygrove Street at approximately 12:00 noon. He produced a semi-automatic handgun, put it to the head of one of the victims and demanded his keys and wallet. The victims complied, and Matthews drove off in their Ford F-350 work truck, which belonged to a construction company.

After the victims reported the incident, New Orleans Police officers arrived at the scene and obtained a neighbor’s security camera video. The video showed the perpetrator, who wore distinctive clothing, walking up to the truck and the victims at 11:58 am, but did not capture the actual robbery. Matthews was caught inside the stolen truck wearing the carjacking victim’s jacket and carrying the victim’s wallet. Police also located a semi-automatic firearm on the driver’s side floorboard of the truck.

The jury also found that Matthews met the legal definition of being an ‘Armed Career Criminal.’ To prove this, prosecutors proved at a sentencing hearing that Matthews committed an armed carjacking on May 16, 2022, in the 500 block of South White Street. Additionally, prosecutors proved that Matthews also committed an armed carjacking on May 18, 2022, at 12:45 pm in the 2600 block of Canal Blvd, and, later that day, an armed robbery in the 1000 Block of Ursuline Street.

A review of Matthews’ criminal history revealed that on June 3, 2023, Matthews pled guilty in Criminal District Court to all three of these robbery offenses and to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Although sentenced to serve 5 years in the Louisiana Department of Corrections, Matthews did not actually serve the full five years, as he was arrested on this latest carjacking on April 3, 2024.

Based on his current conviction, Matthews now faces a statutory sentence of up to 15 years for the Carjacking offense, not less than 7 years, and up to life imprisonment for Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Any sentence imposed on this count will have to be served consecutively to any other sentence. He also faces a sentence of not less than 15 years, and up to life, for being an Armed Career Criminal. In total, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 22 years to life in prison. He will be formally sentenced on November 5, 2025, by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Jovante Matthews, 30, of New Orleans, Louisiana, faces up to 15 years for Carjacking, up to life imprisonment for Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and up to life for being an Armed Career Criminal. The exact date of the crime was April 3, 2024, and the sentencing date is November 5, 2025.

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