Years behind bars—that's the harsh reality for a Maryland man after a brazen daytime robbery-turned-carjacking in Southeast Washington. Derrick Teeter, 23, from Oxon Hill, received a hefty seven-year prison sentence for his crime spree, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and U.S. Park Police Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor.

In a stark courtroom moment, Superior Court Judge Erik Christian laid down the law, handing down 60 months for the robbery charge and stacking a consecutive 24 months for the unlawful vehicle use against Teeter. The young defendant's plea for leniency under the Youth Rehabilitation Act was shot down, leaving him to face the full weight of his adult consequences.

Details emerged in court that painted a disturbing picture of the June 2, 2022 incident, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. Teeter, feigning illness during a Lyft ride, lured the unsuspecting driver to pull over, only to turn violent—shoving the driver to the ground, stealing the vehicle, and dragging the victim who was holding onto the door in a desperate attempt to stop the thief. The victim's ordeal ended on the pavement, injured and watching his car speed away.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Park Police Major Crimes Unit and the Metropolitan Police Department, the stolen vehicle was recovered the next day, and Teeter's short-lived escapade came to an end. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Bartz led the prosecution, ensuing a swift delivery of justice for an act that left a rideshare driver traumatized and a community on edge.

The severity of the sentence reflects an intolerance for such violent thefts within the community, a stark reminder that the wheels of justice, while sometimes slow, grind exceedingly fine. Teeter now has several years in prison to reflect on the day he chose crime over conscience and the lives he recklessly endangered for a fleeting moment of unlawful gain.