Lee County Armed Carjacker Sentenced To More Than Twelve Years In Federal Prison

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Zachary Pegg (28, North Fort Myers) to 12 years and 3 months in federal prison in connection with an armed carjacking he committed in Fort Myers in late-2022. Pegg had pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024, to charges of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to court records, on December 30, 2022, Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) emergency dispatch received a call concerning an armed carjacking which had just taken place in a condominium complex parking garage on First Street in Fort Myers. The victim explained that as soon as he exited his vehicle, a masked assailant pointed a firearm at him and demanded his keys, cellphone, and wallet. The victim complied with the assailant’s demands, and the assailant quickly fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle.

Law enforcement officers from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Aviation Unit tracked the stolen vehicle to a residence in North Fort Myers, where they apprehended Pegg after a short foot pursuit with the assistance of a police canine. Based on several factors, Pegg was identified as the masked assailant who had earlier carjacked the victim, and he was arrested. 

This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.