Executive Summary
- Maar Teng Rambang was convicted of three counts of carjacking and three counts of firearm use.
- The 2022 crime spree spanned Kent, Bellevue, Redmond, Seattle, and Renton.
- Incidents included shooting a man in Seattle and firing a gun in a Bellevue parking garage.
- Rambang faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the firearm offenses.
A federal jury has convicted a 25-year-old Seattle man of multiple carjacking and firearm offenses linked to a violent 2022 crime spree that traversed several cities in King County, Washington. According to an announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Maar Teng Rambang was found guilty on Thursday of three counts of carjacking and three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Court records filed in the case detail that the sequence of events began shortly before noon on November 7, 2022, in Kent. Rambang reportedly confronted a woman at gunpoint outside the Kent East Hill Post Office and stole her vehicle. Investigators established that Rambang drove the stolen vehicle to the Bellevue Square Mall garage, where he fired a weapon while threatening another woman to demand her vehicle.
The DOJ stated that Rambang subsequently traveled to Redmond, attempting to rob Amazon employees at a Whole Foods Market delivery locker. He then drove to Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood, where he shot a man in the leg and stole a Jeep SUV. Law enforcement officers tracked the stolen Jeep back to Kent. When police attempted to apprehend him, Rambang fled at speeds reaching 90 to 100 mph, driving erratically through heavy traffic and running red lights. The pursuit concluded in Renton, where officers successfully blocked the vehicle and executed the arrest.
During closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg emphasized the impact on the community, stating, “The victims were everyday people trying to do everyday things. The defendant’s crime spree turned these everyday things into nightmares for the victims.” The jury deliberated for approximately one hour following a four-day trial before delivering the guilty verdict.
Legal Ramifications and Sentencing
With the conviction secured, the legal process moves to the sentencing phase, which will be scheduled by U.S. District Judge John C. Chun. The Department of Justice noted that carjacking carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, while the utilization of a firearm in connection with a violent crime imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, with a maximum of life imprisonment. This case highlights the compounding nature of federal sentences when firearms are used in the commission of violent felonies.
