Additional Carjacking and Firearm Charges Added to Federal Indictment Accusing Chicago Man of Murdering Rideshare Driver

DOJ Press
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CHICAGO — A newly filed federal indictment adds additional carjacking and firearm charges against a Chicago man accused of murdering a rideshare driver during a carjacking earlier this year. 

EDMOND HARRIS, 18, was initially charged with carjacking a Lexus GS sedan and fatally shooting the driver, rideshare worker Javier Ramos, on March 23, 2021, in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago.  The superseding indictment renews that charge and adds additional carjacking and attempting carjacking charges against Harris. 

JOSHUA WALKER, 21, of Chicago, is also charged in the new indictment with carjacking and firearm offenses.

According to the new charges, Harris and Walker conspired to carjack a Mitsubishi Outlander sport-utility vehicle in the Loop neighborhood of Chicago, and together committed that carjacking on Jan. 20, 2021.  The new indictment alleges that Harris on the same day attempted to carjack another vehicle – a Nissan Altima sedan – in west suburban Oak Park.


In addition to the carjacking offenses, the new indictment charges Harris and Walker with federal firearm violations that, if convicted, carry mandatory minimum sentences in federal prison.


Harris and Walker are both in federal custody.  Walker was arraigned last week in federal court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to the charges.  He is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing Thursday at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert. 

Harris will be arraigned on the superseding indictment Friday at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland.

The superseding indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen de Tineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department; and LaDon Reynolds, Chief of the Oak Park Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Kramer and Paige Nutini.

The charges against Harris carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 27 years in federal prison and a maximum of death.  The charges against Walker carry a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

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