Lamontee Fowler, a 21-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., faced arraignment today following a 35-count indictment linked to an armed carjacking spree in Southeast Washington during April and May of 2024. The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The charges against Fowler were presented by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. They include armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, among other related offenses.
According to evidence provided by the government, Fowler's alleged criminal activities took place on three separate occasions: April 27, May 2, and May 8 of 2024. All incidents occurred within close proximity in Southeast Washington. On April 27, Fowler reportedly used the handle of a firearm to knock on the window of a victim's Toyota Rav 4 before ordering them out and firing the gun. He then fled with the vehicle after taking the keys. A similar pattern followed on May 2 when he allegedly threatened another victim at gunpoint for their Honda Civic and again on May 8 for a Nissan Rogue.
On May 10, after arriving at his then-girlfriend’s residence in the stolen Nissan Rogue, Fowler is accused of firing near her father through the car window. Later that month, on May 24, police executing a search warrant at his home discovered a ghost gun under his pillow.
Judge Robert Salerno ordered Fowler's detention during today's arraignment.
The investigation is being conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Claire Hoover and Sabena Auyeung from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C.
"An indictment is merely an allegation," authorities noted. "All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."