A Fresno resident has admitted to a federal carjacking charge following an incident last year in Fullerton. The Justice Department reported that Deshawn Ricks, 35, confessed to one count of carjacking after forcibly removing a motorist from her vehicle and initiating a high-speed chase.
Court documents reveal that on June 14, 2023, Fullerton Police responded to a carjacking at a downtown parking structure. The victim recounted that while she was seated in her stationary 2022 Mazda CX-5 SUV, Ricks approached, opened the door, and demanded she exit. When she resisted, he threatened her with a metal object described as a "shank," pulling her out by her hair.
After entering the vehicle, Ricks struggled with its "push to start" system before the victim retrieved her purse and sought assistance. Ricks drove off shortly thereafter. Fullerton Police located him about ten minutes later in the stolen SUV. Despite attempts to stop him, Ricks led officers on a high-speed chase through Fullerton, running red lights and colliding with police vehicles before fleeing on foot.
Upon apprehension, officers discovered a pointed metal stake near the driver's seat of the recovered vehicle. United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong has set sentencing for April 11, 2025. Ricks could face up to 15 years in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Orange County Violent Crimes Task Force investigated this case alongside various local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Chelsea Norell are leading the prosecution.