Tihaja Ortiz-Tucker, 18, was charged with conspiracy and brandishing a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, federal officials said.
Ortiz-Tucker accosted a girl who experienced posted her car for sale on Facebook Marketplace on July 7 soon after conference her on Thompson Road in Bridgeport, officials claimed.
Together with other people today, Ortiz-Tucker exam drove her car or truck — then pulled out a gun, prosecutors stated.
“The sufferer documented that, right after the test push, Ortiz-Tucker attained into a black fanny pack-design and style pouch slung in excess of his shoulder and pulled out a 9 mm handgun and pointed it at her,” prosecutors reported. “Ortiz-Tucker instructed the sufferer to get out of the auto or he was likely to shoot her. The sufferer complied and Ortiz drove away in the victim’s car or truck.”
Ortiz-Tucker is also “suspected of being involved in other gunpoint carjackings,” which include two carjackings involving Uber drivers on May well 2 and Could 4, prosecutors reported.
In the Might incidents, prosecutors stated the Uber drivers picked up travellers in New Haven who carjacked them in Wallingford. The autos ended up later on recovered in the identical spot of Hamden.
Ortiz-Tucker faces up to five many years in jail on the conspiracy charge and a mandatory sentence of at least 7 years if convicted of the firearm offense, prosecutors reported.
He appeared Friday in advance of U.S. Magistrate Choose Robert M. Spector in New Haven and is remaining held right up until a July 26 detention hearing.