CLEVELAND — Two Maple Heights men will serve lengthy federal prison terms after pleading guilty to their roles in a Northeast Ohio carjacking spree last summer.
Donteze Congress and Thomas J.D. Williams, both 19, admitted to three counts each of carjacking as well as two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge James S. Gwin sentenced both last week to 15 years behind bars.
Prosecutors say all three incidents took place on Aug. 9, 2022, in the cities of Cuyahoga Falls, Solon, and Streetsboro. During the first two thefts, Congress and Williams (and sometimes a third accomplice) intentionally rammed their car into the victims' vehicles and pulled out guns as the victims surveyed the vehicles, eventually taking the keys as well as the car.
During the third incident in a shopping center parking lot, Congress and Williams again drew their weapons and demanded the keys, but this time did not get away with the vehicle. Congress was later arrested at his home in Maple Heights, while Williams was captured in Garfield Heights with a stolen Volvo and credit card as well as a loaded semi-automatic 9mm pistol.
Congress and Williams' co-defendant, Kenneth Franklin, was also apprehended and will be sentenced for his roll in the carjackings on June 5.