Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Guilbert Rojas Villarroel, 39, of Alexandria, Va., was arraigned today before the Honorable Heidi Pasichow of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on a Superior Court indictment arising from a September 2023 carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The grand jury returned its indictment on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, charging Villarroel with armed carjacking, robbery while armed, threats to injure/kidnap, and first-degree theft.
According to the government’s evidence, on September 9, 2023, an Uber Eats driver stopped in the 2000 block of K Street NW to pick up an order, leaving his friend, the victim, in the car. Villarroel jumped in the driver’s seat and ordered the victim out of the car. The victim refused, and Villarroel drove off with him still in the car. After a short distance, Villarroel stopped the car and threatened to shoot and kill the victim if he did not get out, and reached toward his waistband, making the victim believe he had a gun. The victim got out of the car and started to call 911 as he walked away. Villarroel eventually abandoned the vehicle and began walking towards the victim. Villarroel approached the victim and threatened to kill him if he called 911. Villarroel then ran away. MPD officers arrived immediately, and arrested Villarroel a short distance away.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaniqua Butler.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.