David Zanders, a 22-year-old Washington D.C. resident, has entered a guilty plea on charges of kidnapping and carjacking related to incidents that occurred in May 2022, as announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Zanders admitted to his crimes in U.S. District Court before Judge Royce C. Lamberth, who has scheduled the sentencing for March 4, 2025. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Zanders is potentially facing life imprisonment for the kidnapping and up to 15 years for the carjacking.
On November 18, 2022, law enforcement officials detained Zanders, and he has remained in custody since that day. The charges stem from two separate incidents, the first being a calculated kidnapping of two males outside a nightclub on Florida Avenue, NW. Zanders, alongside an accomplice, pretended to be Uber drivers to lure their victims into their vehicle. The perpetrators then resorted to threatening the victims with a firearm and proceeded to rob them. According to court documents, they attempted to withdraw money from the victims' credit cards at various locations. One victim managed to escape during this ordeal, while the other was eventually released following a forced ATM withdrawal in Maryland.
The same day, Zanders and two other cohorts orchestrated a carjacking. Under the guise of a car sale, they met with additional victims and through the use of threats and demands, forcefully took possession of a 2019 green Dodge Charger. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and Cameron Tepfer are prosecuting the case, with contributions from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud. The U.S. Attorney's Office release highlights the collaboration between the MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Unit, FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Prince George’s County Police Department in the apprehension and investigation.
Officials emphasized the seriousness of Zanders' crimes and the extensive investigative work that led to his capture and guilty plea. The full context of these actions and the subsequent legal process is outlined in the official report by the U.S. Attorney's Office. With the sentencing hearing yet to take place, the range of punishment Zanders is to face will be determined by applicable U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors mentioned in the press release by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
