Chicago man sentenced to more than 14 years in prison for 2023 armed carjacking of family in Beverly
A Chicago man convicted of carjacking a family at gunpoint back in 2023 has been sentenced to 14 and a half years in federal prison.
Damarri Conner, 23, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal carjacking and gun charges.
The armed carjacking happened on Nov. 2, 2023, in the Beverly neighborhood and was caught on Ring surveillance video.
During the incident, a woman and her daughter had just returned home in another vehicle when Conner and a second man popped out from a hiding place and attacked them. Conner punched the woman in the face, causing her to fall to the ground, and then pointed a loaded handgun at her.
Prosecutors said that Conner then pointed the gun at the woman's husband, who had rushed outside to help his family and calm the situation by providing instructions to the carjackers on how to start the Audi. Both men took the Audi and drove off.
However, according to prosecutors, Conner, having stolen the keys to the victims' other car, a Range Rover, during the carjacking, returned to the victims' home on Nov. 14, and took the Range Rover from in front of the house.
Police were able to track the Range Rover to Conner's neighborhood. They found him hiding in the closet of a residence, where he was arrested.
The second carjacker, Kenneth Merritt, 29, also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on June 9.