Show-Me State Times

ST. LOUIS – A man involved in a 2022 carjacking incident has been sentenced to 105 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk. The sentencing took place on Thursday in relation to the case that unfolded on July 7, 2022, outside a Family Dollar store in Jennings.

During the incident, the carjacker, identified as La’Vontray Hayes-Williams, brandished a handgun and demanded the vehicle from the driver by saying, "give me the car." Subsequently, he fled the scene with his girlfriend in a 2018 Nissan Sentra, triggering a high-speed chase that spanned nearly ten miles and reached speeds exceeding 100 mph.

Hayes-Williams, who had pleaded guilty in January to charges of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, was the subject of the sentencing. The St. Louis County Police Department conducted the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.

The case was highlighted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at collaborating with law enforcement agencies and communities to combat violent crime and gun violence. The program, which prioritizes building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, and implementing strategic enforcement measures, focuses on creating safer neighborhoods for all residents.

The sentencing of the carjacker to 105 months in prison serves as a reminder of the consequences of engaging in violent criminal activities and reinforces the commitment to ensuring public safety and reducing crime within the community.