Georgia Man Sentenced to 13½ Years in Prison for Philadelphia, Upper Darby Carjackings

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jalaal Claitt, 20, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced yesterday afternoon to 162 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $7,400 in restitution by United States District Judge Juan R. Sánchez for committing two armed carjackings. The defendant was charged by superseding indictment in April of last year for his roles in a September 2024 carjacking in West Philadelphia and an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa. This February, Claitt entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Jose R. Arteaga to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. As described in the superseding indictment and other public filings, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Claitt and co-defendants Kristian Jackson, 20, and Legend Hall, 20, both of Philadelphia. One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car. As further detailed in court filings, on October 1, 2024, Claitt, Hall and others placed an order for a pizza delivery at Slices and Moore in Upper Darby. When the delivery driver (Victim #2) attempted to make the delivery, the defendant and others pointed guns at him and took Victim #2’s wallet, phone, car keys, the proceeds of the pizza shop, and the rest of the money that Victim #2 had on him at the time. Claitt and the others then jumped into Victim #2’s vehicle and fled the area. Co-defendant Jackson pleaded guilty to the West Philadelphia carjacking and was sentenced in February to eight and half years in prison. Co-defendant Hall pleaded guilty to both the West Philadelphia and Upper Darby carjackings and was sentenced in April to 11½ years in prison. This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Upper Darby Township Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Samantha A. Arena.