Man admits to carjacking food delivery driver in Southeast DC

WASHINGTON — A 31-year-old Oxon Hill man pleaded guilty earlier this week to carjacking and gun charges for a 2023 attack on a food delivery driver in Southeast, D.C. 

According to the United States Attorney's Office for the Office District of Columbia, Dennis Vanison admitted to his part in the attack on Tuesday and was convicted of one count of carjacking and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. 

During the plea hearing, Vanison admitted that he and another person carjacked a food delivery driver on May 2, 2023, after the victim had dropped off a delivery along Wagner Street, Southeast. When the victim returned, he found Vanison and another person stealing items from his car. When the victim tried to get his stuff back, Vanison and the accomplice attacked the delivery driver and tried to take his phone. 

At some point, the accomplice reportedly took out a gun and pointed it at the delivery driver before grabbing the victim's car keys from his pocket. Vanison and the other person split up to drive away in both the car they arrived in and the victim's stolen vehicle. 

Vanison was later arrested several feet from the victim's car, which had been parked and left idling in an alley. His cell phone and keychain were inside the stolen vehicle. 

Vanison is set to be sentenced in November. Carjacking carries a mandatory minimum term of seven years of incarceration.