NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

APRIL 30, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KC MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON

FOR CARJACKING

SHOT POLICE OFFICER DURING PURSUIT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for carjacking.

Frederick D. Darrington, Jr., 20, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan, this morning to 25 years in federal prison without parole.

On July 21, 2008, Darrington pleaded guilty to two carjackings and admitted that he shot and wounded a police officer during a pursuit prior to his arrest.

Darrington admitted that he robbed a victim at gunpoint on April 29, 2007, while the victim was putting gas into his 2007 Dodge Charger at the Phillips 66 station located at 7501 Troost in Kansas City, Mo. Darrington entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle, pointed a 9 mm handgun at the victim and told him to drive off. Darrington ordered the victim to stop at 74th and Wabash, demanded that he give Darrington his watch, earrings, and money, then told him to run away. Darrington drove off in the stolen Charger, which was recovered two days later.

Darrington also admitted that he robbed a man and woman at gunpoint on May 19, 2007. The victims were in the man’s 1999 Jeep Cherokee, backing out of her apartment complex parking space near 115th and Holmes in Kansas City, when Darrington approached them to ask for directions. Darrington pointed a handgun at the man and jumped into the back seat of the vehicle, ordering him to drive to a nearby bank and withdraw $800 from the ATM. Darrington then ordered the victim to drive to 115th and Oak, where he jumped out of the vehicle.

On June 5, 2007, a Kansas City, Mo., police officer attempted to conduct a vehicle check on a stolen 1992 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Darrington. The Camaro had been stolen during a carjacking in Kansas City, Kan., earlier that evening. The carjacking victim reported that four suspects armed with a shotgun and a handgun stole the Camaro from him at gunpoint. Darrington fled from the officer until the Camaro became disabled. Darrington eventually stopped at 40 Highway and Sterling Road in Independence, Mo. Darrington left the vehicle and fired numerous rounds at the officer from a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol. The police officer was shot in the foot and his patrol car was riddled with bullets.

Darrington ran from the scene, but approximately 30 minutes later was discovered by officers hiding beneath a car in a garage at a nearby residence. Darrington was arrested and officers recovered a Cobra semi-automatic 9 mm pistol from the area where he was hiding.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

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