Leesburg Gang Member Arrested On Federal Carjacking And Firearms Charges

Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jonathan Kyle Lanier (23, Leesburg) with carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of carjacking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for the carjacking count, up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count, a minimum mandatory 7-year penalty for brandishing a firearm, and up to 10 years in federal prison for the felon in possession charge. The indictment also notifies Lanier that the United States intends to forfeit three firearms that are alleged to have been used in facilitating the offense. Lanier made his initial appearance in Ocala today and was ordered detained pending trial.

According to the indictment, on December 23, 2016, Lanier and three other individuals conspired to rob a male victim of his money, other personal property, and his automobile by arranging a meeting at a remote location in Leesburg between the victim and a female co-conspirator. The victim believed that he was going to meet the woman only; however, shortly after he arrived, Lanier and two other men, Avery Tumer (23, Leesburg) and Timotheus Reed (29, Leesburg), pulled the victim from his car and stole his wallet and other personal property. During the robbery, the three men wore masks and pointed firearms at the victim; Tumer later pistol-whipped the victim and took his car. Thereafter, Tumer, Reed, Lanier, and the female co-conspirator drove the female’s car and the victim’s car back to a residence in Leesburg. They took the victim’s personal property into the residence, and hid the firearms in an attic.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

Tumer is currently detained on state charges, awaiting transfer to federal custody. Timotheus Reed faces federal charges and remains at-large.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Jacksonville Field Office (Daytona Beach Resident Agency), the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Leesburg Police Department, with assistance from task force members from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale Campion.