In orange jail jumpsuits, seven of the 10 teenagers charged with committing a series of armed carjackings sat quiet in a D.C. Superior Court courtroom Thursday as a judge ordered them held behind bars.
Their arraignment came after a grand jury indicted the group on a list of charges tied to two carjacking rings in D.C. and Maryland.
The teens — Jaelen Jordan, Warren Montgomery, Byron Gillum, Isaiah Flowers, Jahkai Goff, Taj Giles and Irshaad Ellis-Bey — were indicted on several counts each in connection with three carjackings that happened earlier this year.
Court documents detailed the carjackings which happened between February and May. Some of the teens allegedly jumped out of cars with masks and gloves on and took vehicles and other items at gunpoint.
Prosecutors said after stealing the cars, they would park the stolen vehicles in a Florida Avenue garage and attempt to sell them using a mobile payment service.
Lawyers for several of the teens urged the judge to release them to family as the case moved forward, but prosecutors fought back against that.
“What’s most concerning, your honor, is this personification by the group of what they were doing was GTA IRL,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney for D.C. Emily Kubo.
“GTA IRL,” according to Kubo, stands for Grand Theft Auto in real life. Grand Theft Auto is a video game in which players can use carjackings as a means of obtaining a car.
The judge sided with prosecutors, saying the nature of the crimes warrants incarceration until their next court hearing.
The charges against the group include armed carjacking, armed robbery and conspiracy.
The teens are due back in court in January.
The three remaining teenagers — Cedae Hardy, Landrell Jordan III and Malik Norman — were indicted on federal charges and are awaiting arraignment in D.C. District Court.
