Serial carjacker who shot and pistol-whipped victims given 25-year prison sentence

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The 23-year-old who pled guilty to multiple carjackings back in 2020 was sentenced to 25 years in prison this week.

Rayquan Sturgis, who pled guilty last September to charges of carjacking causing a serious bodily injury, discharging firearms, and other crimes was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Sean Cox. 

Sturgis had originally been charged in Wayne County in one instance of carjacking. It was soon dismissed before it was elevated to include federal crimes as well. County Prosecutor Kym Worthy called the work "excellent collaboration" between levels of justice.

Sometimes it takes a village working together collaboratively to keep the community safe. These cases are a good example of this. A dangerous predator will no longer be free to prey on others," she said.

Sturgis was involved in three separate carjackings in June and July 2020, according to the Eastern District of Michigan where he would ask for help from an unsuspecting individual before robbing them.

The first case was on June 10 when a victim offered Sturgis a ride after he was in a crash. She drove him 15 minutes away before he brandished a firearm, forced her out of her car and drove away. 

Eight days later, Sturgis approached a second victim and asked for help jumpstarting his car. The two traveled a few bocks before Sturgis got out, walked around to the driver's side of the victim's car and shot him multiple times. 

The victim suffered "permanent injuries" from the gunshots. 

On July 7, Sturgis was given a ride by a third victim form Inkster to Detroit. When they got to Detroit, Sturgis pistol whipped the victim while he was driving, stole his sunglasses, before striking him again and forcing him out of the car.

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It required more than a year of work, along with witness interviews, and evidence collection from the defendant's social media accounts before the prosecutor's office could tie him to the crimes.

"Individuals who assault and carjack the citizens of this district will not escape the dedicated and persistent employees of the Department of Justice, the Detroit Police Department, and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office," said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison.