A Delaware man has been handed a sentence exceeding two decades for his involvement in two violent carjackings in Delaware County. Keenan Righter, 21, from New Castle, Delaware, will spend 280 months in prison following his conviction of conspiracy, carjacking counts, and using or carrying a firearm during a violent crime. The events, taking place in January of last year, culminated in a trial where a jury found Righter guilty in May, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Describing the heinous nature of the crimes, United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero expressed her remarks in a statement, "Imagine the shock of being violently ambushed on a Wawa run, of all things. Keenan Righter targeted and terrorized total strangers, just to steal their cars. Armed criminals who think they can victimize innocent people with impunity should take a good hard look at 21-year-old Mr. Righter’s 23-year prison sentence. Keep doing what you’re doing, and you’ll earn your own long stay in one of our federal facilities.” She continued to warn that armed criminals looking to victimize the innocent will find themselves serving lengthy sentences in federal facilities. Righter's codefendant, Jamar Miller, pled guilty to related offenses earlier last year and is awaiting his sentence, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The first incident took place on January 14, 2023, at a Wawa on Route 322 in Upper Chichester Township, where Righter and an accomplice attacked a 23-year-old college student, demanding his vehicle at gunpoint and assaulting him. On January 24, 2023, Righter repeated the crime, carjacking a 33-year-old at a different Wawa location. Each attack was marked by the assailants wearing masks and wielding firearms as they brutally overpowered their victims. Following these events, an intensive investigation led to Righter's arrest.
Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, Wayne A. Jacobs, highlighted the collaborative effort in bringing Righter to justice, "Such brazen and senseless acts, like the ones in this case, not only devastate the victims but our community at large." Jacobs attributed the successful sentencing to the value of partnerships in combatting violent crime and pledged continued work with local enforcement and the U.S. Attorney's Office to keep offenders off the streets. The case was investigated by FBI's Newtown Square Resident Agency, Brookhaven, and Upper Chichester Police Departments, and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Doherty and Branwen McNabb O’Donnell, according to the same press release.
The sentencing is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence. Launched in mid-2021, the strategy emphasizes fostering trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and monitoring results.
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