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Matthew Daniel Reyes was sentenced by Judge Thomas Sponaugle after pleading guilty Monday, March 24 to multiple charges, including robbery of a motor vehicle, criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of a firearm, and fleeing police, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Reyes declined to speak in court before sentencing, though his attorney said he was "remorseful" for what happened, according to the DA.
The violent carjacking happened just after midnight on June 7, 2024, on the 100 block of East Vine Street, while the victim was delivering food. Reyes’ co-conspirator, Xavier Eriberto Velazquez, pointed a gun at the woman’s head and told her to hand over “everything you have,” authorities said.
The pair stole the woman’s cell phone, $20 in cash, and her car keys, fleeing the scene in her vehicle.
West Lampeter Township Police spotted the stolen car speeding on Willow Street Pike, where officers say Reyes struck a cement median but kept driving, reaching speeds up to 70 mph and blowing through a red light.
At one point, the vehicle bottomed out, causing the undercarriage to catch fire, authorities said.
Reyes eventually pulled into a parking lot on the 200 block of Willow Valley Lakes Drive, where he and two others — including a third person they picked up along the way, Evian M. Simmons — were arrested. A loaded 9mm handgun was recovered from the vehicle, police said.
Reyes is not allowed to possess a firearm due to a 2023 conviction for corruption of minors, and did not have a permit to carry.
During the investigation, Velazquez told police the original plan was just to steal food from the delivery driver, but they escalated and took the car, the DA’s office said. Velazquez and Simmons still have pending cases.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa, and charges were filed by Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Steven Maenza.
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