WASHINGTON, DC – Dennis Vanison, a 31-year-old resident of Oxon Hill, Maryland, has entered a guilty plea to charges of carjacking and unlawful possession of a firearm. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
On Tuesday, Vanison admitted his crimes in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, presided over by Judge Robert A. Salerno, who has set the sentencing for November 15. The charge of carjacking carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years.
The incident occurred on May 2, 2023, when Vanison and an unidentified accomplice assaulted a food delivery driver and commandeered his vehicle in the 2400 block of Wagner Street Southeast. The confrontation escalated when the accomplice brandished a firearm and forcibly took the victim’s keys, allowing them to steal the victim’s car.
Vanison was apprehended on May 3, 2023, after being found in an SUV near the stolen vehicle, which was discovered idling in an alley. A loaded pistol and items identifying Vanison, including his cellphone and keychain, were recovered from the scene.
The case continues to be investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorneys John Parron and Daniel Bromwich leading the prosecution efforts.
