Four men accused of participating in a cross-state scheme to lure drivers from their cars by causing rear-end collisions may be sentenced to life imprisonment, as stated by the Department of Justice.
The suspects, Tonnaire McNair-Matthews (24), David Hinson (23), Michael Caldwell (21), and Mahkya Powell (20), allegedly conspired to rear-end drivers and rob them when they exited their vehicles.
According to authorities, on April 14, in Wilmington, Delaware, a driver made a 911 call reporting a suspicious vehicle.
She claimed that the driver of a black Jeep Grand Cherokee "brake-checked" her, causing concern.
Subsequently, the Jeep stopped in front of the driver, and the front passenger exited and ran into the woods.
Another collision was reported later in the morning in the same area, where the suspect driving the Jeep rear-ended a driver, approached the victim, and then fled the scene in the victim's car.
The spree continued with another 911 call reporting a suspicious vehicle tailgating in a different location. The same black Jeep Grand Cherokee was involved, but it eventually fled the area.
Later, Delaware and Pennsylvania State Police responded to a motor vehicle collision near the Pennsylvania state line, where a woman was rear-ended by the Jeep.
The suspect, McNair-Matthews, allegedly held her at gunpoint, forced her back into her vehicle, and drove her to Pennsylvania against her will. During the ride, he forced her to undress and demanded her PIN codes.
Once they arrived in Pennsylvania, McNair-Matthews forcibly raped the woman, stole her belongings, and fled in her vehicle to withdraw money from her bank accounts at Delaware convenience stores.
McNair-Matthews then met up with the other three suspects, delivering the woman's bank cards, PIN numbers, and a ghost gun.
Under McNair-Matthews' direction, the other suspects cleaned the woman's car and removed her personal belongings.
Hinson and Caldwell used a stolen Nissan Pathfinder to withdraw more money from local gas stations, while McNair-Matthews and Powell drove the Jeep to meet them.
Police tracked the suspects to a Wilmington gas station, where McNair-Matthews and Powell escaped in a high-speed chase.
Hinson and Caldwell were apprehended after crashing the Nissan Pathfinder during a police pursuit. McNair-Matthews was arrested later that day in Maryland, and Powell was taken into custody days later.
The four suspects face charges of Carjacking, Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, and related offenses.
McNair-Matthews also faces charges of rape and robbery, while the other three suspects are charged as accessories for that offense.
If convicted, they could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, according to the DOJ.
In another news a man has been arrested for assaulting his wife and leaving her in a bush. See detailed story
Comments
Post a Comment