Sweep of Carjacking Suspects Brings Charges Against 10 Young Men

WASHINGTON -- Ten young men were indicted last week as part of a carjacking ring that allegedly operated throughout the Washington, D.C., area.

The indictments are part of an increasingly aggressive law enforcement campaign against carjackings as the number of them reaches a record level.

Nearly 1,000 carjackings have been reported in Washington this year, twice the rate from the same time last year.

“Carjackings are among the most violent crimes we prosecute,” Matthew M. Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said at a press conference. “The overwhelming majority arrested for carjackings are juveniles, and many of the adults are themselves teenagers.”

One of the victims in October was Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, which added to complaints in Congress about carjackings and other crimes in Washington. It also renewed calls among lawmakers for federal intervention.

The 10 suspects indicted last week were tracked down partly through their social media chat. They called themselves GTAIRL, which stands for Grand Theft Auto In Real Life.

Graves said the accused carjackers used the chat to buy and sell stolen vehicles. Some of the vehicles were used to commit other car thefts and crimes, he said.

Most of the defendants are either 18 or 19 years old. Three of them are charged in D.C. Superior Court with 33 counts. They include conspiracy to commit carjacking, carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.

Convictions for armed carjacking could bring 15 years in prison. Defendants who were younger than 18 years old when they committed the crimes typically get shorter sentences.

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