Executive Summary
- Ronald Byrd was sentenced to 22 years and Saikeen Dixon to over 12 years for the 2022 carjacking.
- The pair targeted a FedEx truck in Philadelphia attempting to steal a package containing $500,000 worth of cocaine.
- U.S. Attorney David Metcalf cited the defendants’ willingness to use violence on busy streets as a key factor in the severity of the sentences.
Two Philadelphia men have been sentenced to federal prison for the armed carjacking of a FedEx truck in August 2022, an ambush orchestrated to intercept a package containing a significant quantity of cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ronald Byrd, 37, was sentenced on Tuesday to 22 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was convicted in June of carjacking and related drug and firearms offenses. His co-conspirator, Saikeen Dixon, 32, received a sentence of more than 12 years last month for his role in the scheme.
According to prosecutors, the incident began on August 10, 2022, when a FedEx driver delivering to Temple University Hospital was contacted by a former employee offering $5,000 for a specific package. The shipment, originating from California, contained approximately nine kilograms of cocaine. When the driver refused the bribe, supervisors secured the package.
Investigators stated that Dixon, driving a Jeep Cherokee, and Byrd stalked the delivery truck from the hospital to the Grays Ferry section of the city. At a red light, Byrd exited the Jeep and held the driver at gunpoint with a semi-automatic pistol, forcing the driver to flee into traffic to escape.
Byrd commandeered the truck, driving it to the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, but was unable to open the cargo area to access the narcotics. Both men subsequently fled the scene. U.S. Attorney David Metcalf characterized Byrd as a danger to the community who was willing to use violence on a busy street to obtain the drugs.
Federal Judicial Impact
This case underscores the rigorous application of federal sentencing guidelines in incidents involving the intersection of narcotics trafficking and violent crime. By prosecuting the carjacking and firearm offenses at the federal level, authorities secured significant custodial terms intended to serve as a deterrent against armed interference with interstate commerce. The outcome highlights the continued collaboration between local law enforcement and federal prosecutors to address violent criminal enterprises operating within Philadelphia.
