Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Center City Carjacking
A local man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence for his role in a brazen carjacking that took place in the early hours of April 15, 2024, in Center City Philadelphia. Damon Bell, 32, was sentenced to eight years behind bars after pleading guilty to the crime.
According to prosecutors, Bell and three accomplices approached a man sitting in his vehicle at a parking lot on 13th and Vine streets, brandishing guns and demanding that the driver hand over his keys. When the man attempted to flee, Bell and his cohorts blocked his car, leaving him no choice but to get out.
In a shocking display of violence, Bell and his accomplices repeatedly pistol-whipped the man on the head, causing serious injury before he managed to escape on foot. The perpetrators then made off with two vehicles - the victim's car and one they were driving themselves.
Bell's guilty plea was met with severe consequences, as he was ordered to spend three years under supervised release following his prison sentence. He is also required to pay over $14,700 in restitution to the victim.
The carjacking, which occurred just a few months ago, serves as a grim reminder of the dangers that residents face on the streets of Philadelphia. The prosecution's case against Bell demonstrates the federal government's commitment to holding perpetrators accountable for violent crimes such as this.
A local man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence for his role in a brazen carjacking that took place in the early hours of April 15, 2024, in Center City Philadelphia. Damon Bell, 32, was sentenced to eight years behind bars after pleading guilty to the crime.
According to prosecutors, Bell and three accomplices approached a man sitting in his vehicle at a parking lot on 13th and Vine streets, brandishing guns and demanding that the driver hand over his keys. When the man attempted to flee, Bell and his cohorts blocked his car, leaving him no choice but to get out.
In a shocking display of violence, Bell and his accomplices repeatedly pistol-whipped the man on the head, causing serious injury before he managed to escape on foot. The perpetrators then made off with two vehicles - the victim's car and one they were driving themselves.
Bell's guilty plea was met with severe consequences, as he was ordered to spend three years under supervised release following his prison sentence. He is also required to pay over $14,700 in restitution to the victim.
The carjacking, which occurred just a few months ago, serves as a grim reminder of the dangers that residents face on the streets of Philadelphia. The prosecution's case against Bell demonstrates the federal government's commitment to holding perpetrators accountable for violent crimes such as this.
my heart goes out to the victim of this brutal carjacking 
... 8 years in prison is definitely a harsh sentence, but I guess it's a step in the right direction 
... can only imagine how traumatic that experience must have been for him 
... and now he has to deal with the financial burden too $14k is no joke! 
... hope he gets the help and support he needs during his recovery process 
... and to Damon Bell, I just wish you could've found a better way to cope with your issues without resorting to violence 
... 
. Eight years in prison is a pretty harsh sentence, but I get why they had to go hard on him. I mean, pistol-whipping someone and leaving them with serious injury? That's just not okay 
. It's crazy that it took three accomplices to make it happen - what kind of crew does that? 
The fact that he had to deal with this trauma is just heartbreaking.
- carjacking in broad daylight, pistol-whipping some poor soul... Eight years in prison just isn't enough IMO 
. I mean, you gotta make an example out of him so others don't even think about doing the same thing. Three years supervised release? That's just gonna let him simmer and maybe plan another attack. And $14,700 restitution? That's like, what, a drop in the bucket compared to all the suffering he caused 
.
man gets 8 yrs in prison for stealing someone's car and beating them up 
like, what's wrong with people? can't they just leave others alone? 
seems like a lot of money too for the victim to have to pay back, over $14k 
They could've killed him if they wanted to, but thankfully the guy managed to escape. The fact that Damon Bell got away with only 8 years of prison makes me wonder if justice was really served here... 
. Anyway, I'm glad they caught the guy who did it, but 8 years is still a pretty harsh sentence in my opinion 
.
and $14k restitution is a drop in the bucket 4 someone who got pistol whipped 3 times 
. I feel bad for the guy who got robbed, that must've been such a traumatic experience 
. hope he recovers well from his injuries 
.
