LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A spike in carjackings in Kentucky’s largest city has led to the formation of a task force to prosecute the crime in federal court, officials said.
U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman announced the formation of the task force on Thursday during a press conference in Louisville and said it would combine local, state and national law enforcement officials, news outlets reported.
The move comes as the number of carjacking in the city rose: there were four reported in July 2019 and more than 30 this July.
“If you carjack in Jefferson County, we are going to take you federal,” Coleman said. “We’re going to take you through the federal system and ultimately take you to federal prison.”
Penalties for carjacking in the federal system call for up to 15 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Officials say the carjackings come amid a rise in crime in the city.
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