4 indicted for 2017 carjacking spree

Crimes involved 26 cars, 16 assaults throughout Baltimore City and County

Four suspects from Baltimore have been indicted on carjacking charges for allegedly stealing dozens of cars and assaulting victims in Baltimore and Baltimore County last year, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh announced Monday.

Dalante Graham, 18; Tyheim Gray, 19; DaquanJohnson, 18; andTravon Williamston, 17, were charged with participating in a carjacking ring and stealing 26 cars between SeptemberandDecember2017. Frosh said the carjackings became increasingly violent, and the four allegedly committed 16 physical assaults during their four-month spree, including13 with a gun.

Johnsonwaschargedwiththemostcrimes of the group — 55 counts for crimes including theft, assault, robbery, armed carjacking and participation in a criminal gang. Gray was charged with 32 counts, and Williamston and Graham were each charged with 43 counts, according to the attorney general’s office.

Attorneys for the suspects could not be reached for comment.

All four suspects, including Williamston, were charged as adults.

“The defendants were unnecessarily and cavalierly violent,” Frosh said. “The gang members would continue to assault their victims even after they had control of their cars. They took pride in feeling no concern about the consequences of their violence.”

Frosh alleged the suspects “hit their victims in the face, tackled them, kicked them, hit them with guns, broke one person’s nose, fractured another person’s skull and fired shots at a third when he managed to escape.”

The suspects allegedly wore key fobs from cars they had stolen as trophies on their belts and went for joyrides in the cars before ditching them. They posted videos and photos on their social media accounts showing themselves with the stolen vehicles, according to the attorney general.

The attorney general said that in some cases, the suspects allegedly caused minor accidents with other vehicles, then would “ambush” the other drivers and steal their cars.

“Some of the victims suffered at the hands of the defendants more than once,” Frosh said, adding the suspects sometimes used keys stolen from victims to steal additional vehicles from their homes.

Frosh’s office partnered with the FBI, police in Baltimore and Baltimore County, and state’s attorneys for Baltimore and Baltimore County to bring the charges.

“It’s a good example of how collaborating with our state and local partners can help bring federal resources to bear,” Gordon Johnson, special agent in charge of the Baltimore FBI field office, said.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby echoed his sentiment.

“We have all heard the stories of cars being taken from mothers and children, with children in tow, or the elderly being preyed upon because of their vehicles,” she said. “So I consider the announcement of these indictments a true triumph in our fight on the senseless and life-changing crimes across the state.”