Philadelphia's streets have witnessed Kavon Coleman, a 23-year-old resident, sentenced to a stern 121 months behind bars for his role in a forceful carjacking at gunpoint. The sentencing, handed down by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez, comes alongside five years of supervised release. The charges include carjacking, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and aiding and abetting, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The ordeal unfolded on a cold February evening in 2022, when Coleman and an accomplice terrorized a woman sitting in her car on Fairmont Avenue. The accomplice's gun was the key to their unlawful demand for her keys, while Coleman slipped into the driver's seat, commandeering the vehicle. Their criminal sprees continued the following day with a separate carjacked vehicle, leading to a reckless chase and a subsequent collision, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Interestingly, the subsequent investigation by the joint Carjacking Task Force - a collaboration between the FBI, ATF, and the Philadelphia Police Department – unearthed a "ghost gun" discarded by Coleman. These guns, which lack serial numbers thus making them challenging to trace, add a disturbing layer to already violent crimes. The task force, operational since January 2022, has its focus fixed on tackling the surge in violent carjackings that have rattled the area, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
On July 9, 2024, after the deck of justice had already been stacked with jurors for his trial, Coleman plead guilty to the indictment. This case was not just the product of diligent law enforcement but also a signal to the community. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Shulman and Joseph LaBar, along with their teams, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
