Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

COVINGTON, Ky.- A Cincinnati, Oh., man, Sammie Green, 25, pleaded guilty Friday, before U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning, to carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to his plea agreement, Green admitted that, on August 15, 2019, he got into a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, during which a pizza delivery driver arrived. The girlfriend and her children fled from Green and asked the delivery driver to call the police. Green further admitted that, as the delivery driver called the police, he fired multiple shots from a handgun. Green then approached the delivery driver, pointed the gun at him, and demanded the keys of his vehicle.

When the delivery driver complied, Green admitted to fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Green was indicted in February 2020.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, jointly announced the guilty plea.

The investigation was conducted by ATF and Boone County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow and Tony Bracke.

Green is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2020. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the carjacking charge and a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for the discharging of a firearm charge. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.

This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Robert Duncan Jr., coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. Click here for more information about Project Guardian.

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