2 charged with robbing, carjacking Uber and Lyft drivers during Twin Cities spree

In the midst of a federal carjacking crackdown in Minnesota, a newly filed indictment accuses two men of luring numerous Uber and Lyft drivers and then robbing them in a violent spree that lasted more than five weeks across the Twin Cities.

Shevirio Kavirion Childs-Young, 18, of Brooklyn Park and William Charles Saffold, 20, of Minneapolis were named Wednesday in a 20-count grand jury indictment in connection with what prosecutors say was the pair's role in a plot that they routinely enforced through violent and life-threatening intimidation in September and October.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, in announcing the charges, pointed to last month's announcement of a partnership between federal and local authorities to address the rise in violent crime in the Twin Cities. "[This] indictment represents an important step forward in that strategy," Luger said in a statement.

"As alleged, these two defendants led a carjacking ring that engaged in a series of violent, premeditated acts against Uber and Lyft drivers," he said.

Just one day before the last of the crimes outlined in the indictment was committed, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) issued a citywide alert about ride-share drivers being targeted. The alert spelled out how the ambushes were being carried out and what drivers should do to prevent being a victim and what to do if robbed or carjacked.

"After the alert went out, the occurrences of carjackings targeting ride-share drivers saw a dramatic decline," MPD officer Garrett Parten, a department spokesman, said Thursday. "Most recently, there have been very few cases."

Through Wednesday in Minneapolis, there have been 218 reported carjackings this year, compared to 211 in the city at this time last year, according to Police Department statistics.

For the previous 28 days ending Wednesday in Minneapolis, there have been 35 carjackings. That's down more than 27% from 48 during the same 28-day stretch in 2020, according to department statistics.

Luger pledged during a news conference on May 3 that all adult carjackers will be charged and prosecuted under federal laws, and everyone convicted will serve time in federal prison. Federal prosecutors also will devote more resources to indicting people caught possessing illegal guns or "straw purchasing" guns for black-market buyers, Luger said.

While it's too early since Luger's announcement to determine whether Childs-Young or Saffold face harsher sentences federally than in state court if convicted, prison time federally is almost always served without any form of early release. In Minnesota state court, convicted felons routinely serve the first two-thirds of their time locked up and the balance on supervised release.

Other factors include federal judges having wider sentencing latitude than their state counterparts. The criminal history, if any, of the defendants also can play a role in sentencing in either the state or federal courts.

In April, Jeremiah L. Ironrope, 25, of Minneapolis received more than 15 years in federal prison for a string of violent carjackings over a five-month span across the Twin Cities that prosecutors say was just a fraction of a yearlong crime spree.

Childs-Young and Saffold are charged with conspiracy, brandishing firearms, aiding and abetting carjacking, and aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery.

Saffold remains jailed ahead of a Wednesday court appearance. A message was left with his attorney seeking a response to the allegations.

Childs-Young is in state prison in Rush City in connection with convictions last year in Hennepin County for felony weapons offenses. State court records note that he has "a lengthy juvenile delinquency history involving assault and weapons offenses."

Federal records do not list a court date for Childs-Young, nor do they list an attorney.

According to the indictment:

The robberies covered a 5½-week span in September and October, and involved other suspects whose identities have yet to be disclosed by authorities.

Its participants duped drivers into thinking they were picking up or dropping off passengers at a specific location. Upon arrival, the perpetrators would threaten the drivers at gunpoint to unlock their cellphones and provide passcodes, then force them to transfer money from the drivers' accounts into their own accounts.

The conspirators would then carjack the driver, at times forcing compliance by hitting, pistol-whipping and threatening death.

Charges filed earlier in Hennepin County District Court offer greater detail than the federal indictment about how the robberies played out.

The state charges say that Saffold used an SUV he carjacked at gunpoint on Oct. 21 from a Lyft driver to carry out a similar crime two days later at N. 52nd and Queen avenues in Minneapolis.

On Oct. 23, according to the state case, Saffold and another male parked the stolen SUV behind a Lyft driver. The two stole the driver's wallet at gunpoint, ordered their victim to unlock his phone and drove off with both items.

Lyft and Uber representatives were asked Thursday for details about what they do to keep their drivers as safe as possible.

Uber responded with a statement that read, "We are grateful for the diligence of the investigators and appreciate their commitment to justice for the drivers. We have worked closely with law enforcement agencies across the country, including the Minneapolis Police Department, to assist with investigations and raise awareness of this issue.

"We also developed safety tips, in partnership with law enforcement, that we sent directly to drivers and couriers in Minneapolis. Safety is a top priority for us, and we are dedicated to using technology to enhance safety on the app for riders and drivers."

In a statement Thursday, a Lyft spokesperson emphasized that "safety is fundamental."

"We continuously invest in new products and policies to help protect drivers, and are exploring ways to expand the use of our safety features to help prevent these incidents from happening and support drivers if they do."

Staff writer Alex Chhith contributed to this report.