Three D.C. teens are facing adult charges in what authorities describe as a crime spree involving carjackings and armed robberies across the nation's capital. Keiphone Bennett, 17, Kevin Edwards, 16, and Asia Clark, 17, were hit with a series of grave charges following a string of violent incidents that terrorized residents.
Displayed before the Superior Court on May 16, the trio were accused of participating either together or individually in four armed carjackings and additional robberies from April 29 to May 6, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Bennett, Edwards, and Clark's alleged crime wave came to an end on May 7 after a police unit recognized a vehicle linked to one of the offenses, igniting a high-speed chase that spanned three jurisdictions before coming to a halt in Southeast D.C.
As detailed by the prosecution's evidence in court documents, Bennett faces the most severe allegations with four counts of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery, as well as five counts of firearm possession during a violent crime. Edwards is charged with two counts of carjacking, one count of robbery, and three counts of firearm possession during a crime of violence. Clark's charges include one count of armed carjacking, one count of armed robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a violent crime. Refusing their bond, the court awaits their preliminary hearing, set for June 7.
The Metropolitan Police Department has led the investigation into these harrowing crimes. The Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and John Parron are at the reins of the prosecution. Despite the severity of the allegations, it's a cornerstone of the justice system that all defendants are considered innocent until proven otherwise – a principle that stands unchanged as the community and victims await the resolution of this distressing case.
