Michael Wedington Jr. Pleads Guilty To Kidnapping Charge Stemming From Baltimore Armed Carjackings
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A 19-year-old Baltimore man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal kidnapping charge stemming from two armed carjackings in June 2019, the justice department said.
Officials said Michael Wedington, Jr., used the online person-to-person commerce app OfferUp to lure victims to a location where he carjacked them at gunpoint. Wedington reportedly offered tools for sale on OfferUp, and when the victims arrived they were sent to another location where he robbed and carjacked them.
In the first of two carjackings, which happened on June 8, 2019, Wedington and two men waved down the victim in the 2400 block of West Lexington Street and appeared to load the tools they were selling in the victim's vehicle. One of the men, who was armed, then forced the victim into the trunk, where the trio robbed them, the justice department said.
19-Year-Old Man Allegedly Used Tool Sales Through App to Lure Victims In 2 Baltimore Carjackings
One of the men then put a gun in the victim's mouth and demanded their PIN number before the group drove to an ATM and stole money from the victim's account. The victim was later able to escape and reported the incident to police.
The second carjacking reportedly happened two days later in the same area. Wedington and another man lured the victim into an alley whey they robbed them and stole a Toyota Sienna.
In November 2019, police searched Wedington's home and found a gun, 1,000 rounds of ammunition, replica guns, cell phones and a Toyota car key. One of the cell phones had evidence of the June carjackings on it, the justice department said.
Wedington faces a maximum sentence of life in prison when he's sentenced on November 19.
