Nola Reporter

On June 28, 2024, Onis Washington, a 25-year-old resident of South Carolina, was sentenced to 180 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey for carjacking. The sentence also includes three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

The incident occurred on January 2, 2022, in the 1000 block of Carondelet Street. Washington and his co-defendant forcefully stole a car from the victim and fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. Louisiana State Police and the New Orleans Police Department located the vehicle but it refused to stop. Following a chase, Washington and his co-defendant collided with several vehicles before crashing the stolen car and fleeing on foot. Washington was later arrested in South Carolina.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that unites various levels of law enforcement with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence, aiming to make neighborhoods safer. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy under PSN based on principles such as fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

U.S. Attorney Evans commended the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and New Orleans Police Department in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich from the Violent Crime Unit is prosecuting the case.