Guilty Plea By DC Man In String Of 2021 Carjackings In MD: Court

WASHINGTON, DC — A 19-year-old District man pleaded guilty on Friday to multiple federal carjacking and firearm charges in connection with a series of carjackings that occurred last year in Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland, according to court documents.

As part off a plea agreement, James Albert Borum admitted in U.S. District Court that he and his accomplices committed four carjackings and one attempted carjacking in June 2021. He also admitted that a firearm was used in three of the carjackings, according to court documents. At the time of theses events, Borum was on pre-trial supervision in D.C. and was wearing an ankle monitor.

As part of his plea agreement, Borum admitted to his role in the following incidents:

• June 4, 2021: Borum and an accomplice beat and carjacked a victim. In the process, they stole the victim's cellphone and wallet, which contained several items, including a Social Security card and a bank card. Police recovered the two cards while conducting a search of Borum's bedroom on July, 1, 2021.
• June 10, 2021: In this incident, the victim had just parked his car and was walking into an apartment courtyard in Silver Spring, when Borum and an accomplice confronted him. According to court documents, they pointed a handgun at the victim's head and said, "I'll kill you. Give me the keys." After the victim complied, Borum and his accomplice drove away in the victim's car.
• June 18, 2021: Borum and an accomplice confronted a victim in a parking garage in the 8700 block of Cameron Street in Silver Spring, according to police. They demanded the victim's keys, but she refused to hand them over. A physical struggle ensued, but the two men failed to obtain the keys. They fled the scene when another vehicle pulled into the garage.
• June 18, 2021: On the same day, another victim was sitting his car in the 3500 block of East West Highway in Hyattsville, Maryland, when Borum and his accomplice opened the driver's side door. After pointing a handgun at the victim's head, they ordered him out of the car. The two men drove off in the vehicle, which police tracked and recovered in the 1200 block of Douglas Street, N.E. in Washington, D.C. Police later found a key to the vehicle in Borum's residence.
• June 23, 2021: In the final incident, Borum and his accomplice approached the victim as he was getting into his car in a parking garage in the 8700 block of Colesville Road in Silver Spring. They pointed a handgun at the side of the victim's head and demanded his keys. After the victim handed over his keys and wallet, the two men drove off in his car. Police recovered the car five days later in the same block where Borum lived. They also found his fingerprints inside the car.

Borum is scheduled to be sentenced at 2 p.m., on Nov. 22. If the judge approves plea agreement, Borum will be sentenced between 90 months and 169 months in federal prison, according to a release.