Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Columbia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 27, 2020

Defendant Was on Release Following Prison Term for Earlier Firearms Charge

            WASHINGTON – Trevonta Barnes, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 120 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release for a federal carjacking and related firearms charge stemming from the kidnapping of a New Jersey man last year in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Barnes pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of federal carjacking and one count of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence on October 28, 2019. He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 19, 2019, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Barnes, while masked, attempted to steal the victim’s car that was left unattended while he ran into a store to make a quick transaction. When the victim heard his car engine revving, he came out to investigate and encountered Barnes, who then brandished a firearm and forced the victim into his own car. Barnes directed the victim to drive and turn on various streets. Along the way, Barnes struck the victim on the back of the head with the firearm and took several items from the victim, including his cell phone and keys to his rental property. 

            Barnes then directed the victim to stop under an underpass and the victim managed to run away and get help. Barnes was spotted wearing the same clothing approximately 90 minutes later. When approached by MPD officers, Barnes fled on foot until he was apprehended shortly thereafter.  Barnes was still in possession of the victim’s property at the time.

            Barnes was arrested on Jan. 20, 2019, and has been in custody ever since. At the time of his arrest, Barnes was on supervised release following his release from prison three months earlier for unlawfully possessing a firearm. He was also on supervised probation for an earlier Maryland burglary. He now faces formal revocation of his supervised release and additional incarceration separate and apart from the sentence that he faces for the carjacking and brandishing the loaded firearm on Jan. 19, 2019.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers who investigated the case, including lead Detective David Adams. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Gripkey, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Vaillancourt, as well as Paralegal Candace Battle.