Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Awosika, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to carjacking.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Darryl De Sousa of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on April 8, 2017, Awosika carjacked the owner of a 2009 Chrysler Sebring on the 1900 block of West Lafayette Street in Baltimore.  The carjacking victim was taking her five-month-old grandson out of the vehicle when Awosika got into the front passenger seat of the vehicle.  Awosika slid over to the driver’s seat of the vehicle and pointed a revolver at the victim and her grandson.  Awosika then fled with the victim’s vehicle.

As the victim reported the carjacking to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), a BPD officer saw the stolen vehicle driving through a red light at a high rate of speed.  The BPD officer began following vehicle to initiate a traffic stop but was unable to keep up with Awosika.

A Baltimore City Fire Department captain then observed Awosika driving down the road in a dangerous manner.  The captain, thinking that the driver of the vehicle was in distress, turned on his vehicle’s lights and sirens and began following the stolen vehicle. The vehicle continued to weave through traffic until it crashed into several vehicles at another intersection.

As the fire captain approached the stolen vehicle, Awosika got out of the vehicle and fired two shots at the captain’s vehicle.  Awosika then ran and threw the handgun onto the street.  Another BPD officer on patrol heard the gunshots and responded to the area to assist.  Upon arrival, the officer found the revolver that Awosika abandoned.  The revolver contained three spent cartridges in the revolver’s cylinder. Awosika was apprehended a short distance away and identified on the scene.

Awosika faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.  U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for July 3, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DellaBetta and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Perkins, who are prosecuting the case.