Three of four Minneapolis men who terrorized Uber and Lyft drivers during a violent carjacking and armed robbery spree in the fall of 2021 have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger on Wednesday.
The four offenders, Shevirio Kavirion Childs-Young, 20, William Charles Saffold, 21, Javeyon Demario Tate, 23, and Eric Harrell Knight, 20, were charged in July 2022 in a 30-count superseding indictment with various counts of conspiracy, brandishing firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence, aiding and abetting carjacking, and aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act).
The superseding indictment also charged Saffold with assault on a federal law enforcement officer with a pistol. Additionally, Tate was charged with unlawful possession of a machinegun: a Glock model 21 .45 caliber pistol equipped with an auto sear.
“These defendants targeted and terrorized Uber and Lyft drivers. These carjackings were not one offs or random opportunities for joyriding; they were organized, calculated, violent crimes,” U.S. Attorney Luger said at the time of the indictment.
According to his office, between September and October 2021, Childs-Young, Saffold, Tate, and Knight engaged in a series of violent carjackings and armed robberies targeting Uber and Lyft drivers.
“As part of the scheme, the defendants conspired with each other to lure drivers to preplanned locations under the guise of picking up or dropping off passengers. When the drivers arrived, the defendants carjacked the drivers at gunpoint. To intimidate and force compliance, they brandished firearms, beat, and pistol-whipped the drivers. They also demanded keys, wallets, and cell phones and forced the drivers at gunpoint to unlock their phones and provide passcodes. The defendants then used the passcodes to further victimize the drivers by accessing and stealing money from the drivers’ Cash App accounts or other applications,” Luger’s office said.
And note, most of these robberies involve assaults. We posted last night that one of our followers contacted us about their mom being one of the drivers carjacked and they wanted to know if we could help them find her. They located her at the hospital.
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) October 20, 2021
According to Luger’s office, on May 11, 2022, while attempting to execute an arrest warrant, an FBI agent approached Saffold, who immediately drew a pistol and pointed it at the agent before fleeing on foot.
All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiring to use, carry, and brandish firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence. Saffold also pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer.
Knight was sentenced Wednesday to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On Feb. 13, Tate was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On Feb. 12, Childs-Young was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Saffold is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 20.
Offenders in federal prison must serve a minimum of 85% of their sentence incarcerated, as opposed to state sentencing which only requires offenders to serve two-thirds or less incarcerated.
Luger thanked the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI for their work on the case, and Uber and Lyft for their assistance throughout the investigation.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
