Today, a Louisville man received a sentence of over 20 years in federal prison for a carjacking that led to the death of a teenage motorist. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Moore.
Court documents reveal that Michael Dewitt, aged 31, was sentenced to 20 years and 5 months in federal prison with an additional 5 years of supervised release. The charges stem from a carjacking incident on March 1, 2021, where Dewitt forcibly took possession of a 2011 Ford F350 in Simpsonville, Kentucky. During his escape with the stolen vehicle, he collided with another car on Dixie Highway in Louisville, resulting in the death of a minor victim. At the time of the incident, Dewitt had controlled substances in his system.
The federal system does not allow parole.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Louisville Field Office along with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Bonar and Mac Shannon.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and community organizations. On May 26, 2021, an enhanced strategy for reducing violent crime was launched under PSN focusing on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention initiatives, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.