Birmingham Man Charged in Carjacking Appears in Federal Court

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man charged last month for carjacking and possessing a firearm was arraigned today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Staci G. Cornelius arraigned Clearance Speed, Jr., aka Bo Peep, 24, on charges of carjacking and carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime in March 2021. Speed was ordered detained pending trial. 

The maximum penalty for carjacking is 15 years in prison.  The minimum penalty for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime is a mandatory seven years in prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

The FBI investigated the case along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Birmingham Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Baty is  prosecuting the case.

An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.