D.C. Man Sentenced 10 Years for Attempted Armed Carjacking Near Justice Sotomayor Security

Kentrell Flowers, a 19-year-old man from Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after attempting to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint belonging to deputy U.S. Marshals protecting Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The incident occurred in the early hours of July 5, 2024, when Flowers approached an unmarked vehicle and pointed a loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol at a marshal, who fired four shots, striking Flowers in the mouth. Flowers was treated at a hospital, while two accomplices fled the scene and remain at large. The case highlights ongoing carjacking issues in Washington, D.C., where authorities have expanded efforts to combat such crimes, including the creation and expansion of a Carjacking Taskforce. Although Justice Sotomayor was not in danger, the attack emphasized the risks faced by law enforcement officers tasked with protecting Supreme Court justices, especially following past security threats to other justices like Brett Kavanaugh. Prosecutors and law enforcement have condemned Flowers' actions as a direct threat to federal officers and public safety.