Defendant Sentenced To Eight Years In Prison For Two Shootings And Armed Carjacking

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CHRISTOPHER SMITH, a/k/a “Christopher Johnson,” a/k/a “Mad Max,” a/k/a “Max,” a/k/a “Trouble,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams to eight years in prison in connection with committing two shootings and an armed carjacking in the Bronx and Yonkers, New York.   

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Christopher Smith committed two dangerous shootings and an armed carjacking over the span of two months.  He put New Yorkers’ lives in jeopardy and brazenly flouted the rule of law.  This Office remains steadfast in its commitment to ending the scourge of gun violence on the streets of New York City and will continue to hold accountable those who endanger public spaces.”

According to the Superseding Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court:

Over a two-month period in the fall of 2022, SMITH committed two shootings and an armed carjacking. 

In September 2022, SMITH encountered a group of men standing in front of a convenient store in Yonkers, New York.  SMITH asked the men to sell drugs for him, but when the men refused, SMITH brandished a black handgun with a light blue handle, as depicted in the images below: 

After SMITH brandished his gun, the group of men dispersed, and SMITH and a friend drove away in the friend’s black Mercedes-Benz.  Approximately 30 minutes later, SMITH and his friend drove back to the same area and found the group of men with whom SMITH had gotten into an argument.  After another altercation, SMITH fired his gun twice in the vicinity of the group of men, and SMITH and his friend sped off in the Mercedes-Benz.

Approximately 30 minutes later, law enforcement stopped the Mercedes-Benz in Mount Vernon, New York.  Although SMITH’s friend was in the driver’s seat, SMITH jumped onto his friend’s lap and attempted to drive the Mercedes-Benz into the police vehicle to flee.  When that failed, law enforcement opened the driver’s side door and arrested SMITH’s friend, but SMITH fled the scene on foot while carrying his gun in his pocket.  A 30-minute foot chase ensued.  Eventually, SMITH ran up to a 70-year-old woman who was exiting her church and placing her belongings into her Jeep.  SMITH shouted at the woman to give him her car keys, forcibly ripped her keys out of her hands, climbed into her Jeep, and sped off with her Jeep, as well as her other personal belongings.

Just two months later, in November 2022, SMITH was residing in the Bronx, New York, with a friend whom he had known for approximately 10 years.  SMITH argued with his friend over poor quality narcotics and left the apartment.  Soon thereafter, SMITH reappeared on the outside balcony of the apartment with a black handgun with a light blue handle.  SMITH lifted the window screen, aimed his firearm through the window at his friend’s head, and fired one shot.  The friend ducked and ran at SMITH, who fled the scene.

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In addition to his prison term, SMITH, 28, of Mount Vernon, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. 

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Yonkers Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda C. Weingarten and Katherine Cheng are in charge of the prosecution.