Accused Birmingham Carjacker Sentenced To Prison

BIRMINGHAM, AL — A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Birmingham man for his involvement in a carjacking and shooting that occurred in 2019.

U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Joshua Young, 22, to 17 years in prison. Young pleaded guilty in December of 2019 to one count of carjacking, one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the plea agreement, on January 22, 2019, the carjacking victim gave Young a ride to show him a property that needed painting. During the ride, Young reportedly pulled a pistol and demanded the victim’s vehicle and money.

The victim attempted to flee the vehicle, but Young shot him, according to court records. Young then drove off in the vehicle. People at a nearby business found the victim and called an ambulance. The victim survived the shooting.

The next day, Birmingham Police responded to a caller who was following the victim’s vehicle away from the scene of another crime, court records show. Officers located the stolen vehicle at a convenience store, with Young in the driver’s seat. A semi-automatic pistol matching the description given by the carjacking victim was found on the driver’s floorboard, according to arrest reports.

"Removing the criminal element that uses a firearm to facilitate violent crimes such as carjacking is a priority of ATF," said Special Agent in Charge, Mickey French. "The partnerships with the public safety departments and the U.S. Attorney’s office were crucial in resolving this case."