Maryland Man Convicted in Armed Carjacking of DC Army Veteran

WASHINGTON — A federal jury convicted Miquel Beasley, a 23-year-old from Maryland, on charges of armed carjacking and armed robbery after he targeted an Army veteran in the District of Columbia in March 2024, per a U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The case impacts Beasley directly, exposing him to substantial prison time, and provides resolution for the unnamed Army veteran who was robbed at gunpoint. The incident involved one defendant and one victim, with no broader population or program effects detailed in the release.

The Justice Department announcement highlights enforcement against violent crimes in the capital region, where carjackings have risen 15 percent from 2023 levels, based on standard FBI crime statistics.

Before the trial, Beasley faced charges without a verdict; the guilty finding now shifts the case to sentencing. The change takes effect immediately, with a sentencing hearing scheduled within 90 days under standard federal procedures in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.

The conviction triggers mandatory minimum sentences under 18 U.S.C. § 2119 for carjacking and 18 U.S.C. § 2113 for armed robbery, requiring the judge to impose at least 7 years for the carjacking count alone if a firearm was involved, per federal statutes.

Prosecutors must submit sentencing recommendations within 30 days, prompting defense motions that could extend to appeals in the D.C. Circuit Court. The U.S. Probation Office will prepare a presentence report, influencing the final penalty and any restitution to the victim.

The verdict follows a string of similar carjacking prosecutions in the District, with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia securing convictions in 12 such cases since January 2024, per department records. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the outcome, aligning with ongoing federal efforts to address violent crime spikes post-2020.