Chicago Man Sentenced to 16 Years After Carjacking Vehicle to Get to Car Theft Court Appearance

A Chicago man received a combined 16-year prison sentence for carjacking a driver so that he could get to court for a stolen vehicle case.

Edward Flemming, 22, was arrested in January 2020 after he sole a Ford Fusion while wearing a ski mask, but he was released on his own recognizance, CWB Chicago reported.

The following month, Flemming, along with a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, threatened a 22-year-old male with the intention of stealing the victim’s car so that Flemming could arrive at his court appearance at 9:00 a.m. on February 25, 2020.

The 22-year-old victim had intended to meet a woman he connected with online on the 300 block of West 120th Street, but once he arrived at their meeting place around 8:00 a.m., two men were waiting for him and proceeded to rob him, according to CBS Chicago.

Flemming pointed a gun at the victim while the 17-year-old assaulted him in the face before the three offenders took off with the victim’s phone, keys, and vehicle.

“After police learned about the robbery and broadcast a description of the stolen car over police radio, officers found the vehicle a short time later near 111th and Champlain, and took all three suspects into custody,” CBS Chicago reported.

Furthermore, officers also discovered a handgun in the vehicle that was linked to a stolen weapon in south suburban Lynwood, according to CWB Chicago via a police report.

Flemming pled guilty to armed robbery without a weapon for the carjacking incident; however, prosecutors dropped six felonies he was charged for the second incident. Flemming was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Flemming was also ordered to serve two years in prison for the stolen motor vehicle cases, which he will serve consecutively with the other sentence.

According to CWB Chicago, Flemming will likely serve only seven years because he will receive credit for spending two years and 293 days in custody, along with a 50 percent sentence reduction for good behavior. He is set to be paroled in September 2026, six years and seven months after the carjacking.

Democrat-run Chicago experienced a major crime wave in 2022, as crime complaints increased by 40 percent, according to Chicago police. Moreover, motor vehicle theft rose by a whopping 102 percent, while theft increased by 56 percent.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.