Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Armed Carjacking in Mall Parking Lot

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two men have been sentenced to prison for the armed carjacking of a woman in a mall parking lot, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

Leon Kismit Bell, 49, and Jack Mitchell Piche, 23, both pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting carjacking and were sentenced January 20, 2023, in U.S. District Court before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright. Bell received 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Piche was sentenced to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, On February 16, 2022, Piche and Bell intentionally took a car by means of force from a victim in the parking lot of the Rosedale Mall in Roseville. As the victim drove around the parking lot looking for a place to park, Piche and Bell followed the victim’s car. Piche and Bell waited for the victim to get out of the car and then approached. As Piche was watching out, Bell went up to the victim, brandished a gun, and demanded her car keys. After the victim said that her car keys were in her purse, Bell took her purse, which also contained her cell phone and wallet. Piche and Bell then fled from the mall parking lot before law enforcement arrived. Further investigation led law enforcement to a location in south Minneapolis where Piche was taken into custody. The stolen vehicle was found a few blocks away from where Piche was arrested. On May 3, 2022, law enforcement located and arrested Bell.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Roseville Police Department, and the Minneapolis Police Department.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs.