PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that John Leroy Gordon, 27, of Chester, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty to carjacking before the Honorable Gerald J. Pappert yesterday, just before trial was set to commence. 

The charge arose from the defendant’s June 26, 2018 armed carjacking of a Chester woman in front of her home.  During the incident, the defendant robbed the victim of her car, which he then drove directly to Interstate 95, where he crashed it several minutes later.  The defendant then fled on foot.  The defendant’s flight was thwarted when he was swiftly apprehended approximately 15 minutes after crashing the stolen car, less than a half mile from the crash site, by officers from the Chester Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police – Media Barracks.

“The defendant’s actions here both terrorized the victim and jeopardized the safety of other innocent drivers. A conviction in a high-profile, violent crime case such as this one serves justice and also brings relief to the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “I want to thank our investigating partners at the federal and local level who did such tremendous work bringing this defendant into custody.”

“Carjackings are terrifying for their victims, particularly when, as in this case, the perpetrator is armed,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Each and every day, the FBI and our law enforcement partners are working together to get violent criminals off the street and make our community safer all around.”

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chester Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Damiani.

Philadelphia, PA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that John Leroy Gordon, 26, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was charged today by Indictment with one count of carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119, and one count of brandishing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum 7 years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment imposed, up to 5 years’ supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chester Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Damiani.                                                                             

An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation.  A defendant is presumed

innocent unless and until proven guilty.