Two men sentenced to prison for 2022 carjacking of a FedEx truck in Grays Ferry

[Cool Plunger Stars]

Philly Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Carjacking FedEx Truck with $500,000 Worth of Cocaine

A dramatic sting operation in Philadelphia has culminated in two men receiving lengthy prison sentences for a daring carjacking that went wrong. Ronald Byrd, 37, was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release after being convicted of carjacking and related charges last June.

Byrd's co-conspirator, Saikeen Dixon, 32, had already received a sentence of over 12 years in prison for his role in the crime. Prosecutors say that Byrd orchestrated the carjacking on August 10, 2022, targeting a FedEx truck carrying a package worth $500,000 in cocaine.

Byrd's plan was to obtain the package and distribute the drugs himself, but he resorted to carjacking the truck at gunpoint on a busy street. However, his scheme unraveled when a FedEx Express driver refused to hand over the package despite being met by a former employee who offered $5,000 for it.

The driver ultimately fled with the package to his supervisors' vehicle, where it was safely secured. As they continued their deliveries, Byrd and Dixon followed them in a Jeep Cherokee. The driver's supervisor noticed the jeep tailing him and alerted his colleagues, leading them to apprehend Byrd at a red light.

Byrd then drove the FedEx truck across the Grays Ferry Bridge with Dixon following closely behind. They eventually stopped at 47th Street and Linmore Avenue in Squirrel Hill, where Byrd attempted to open the back of the truck but ultimately fled with Dixon.

After the carjacking, investigators discovered nine individually wrapped packages labeled "DSQUARED2" containing a kilogram each of cocaine. Byrd had been on supervised release for a prior federal drug conviction when the carjacking occurred.

In a statement, US Attorney David Metcalf said that Byrd's actions demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and posed a danger to his community. The sentence aims to hold Byrd accountable while making the city safer for its residents.

 

[Rural Cha]

oh man this is just so sad my heart goes out to the FedEx driver who was in such fear that day he did everything right by not giving up the package even when faced with a gun at his head it's crazy how someone could be driven by desperation like that and put innocent lives at risk

 

[Long]

Man this is wild 22 years in the clink for tryin' to make a quick buck off some dirty coke . I mean, you gotta wonder how someone even gets their hands on that kinda cash . And what's with the FedEx truck just chillin' out there on the streets? It's like they were just waitin' for some poor dude to try and rob 'em . Anyways, good job to the fedas for catchin' these guys and makin' their community safer

 

[Iron Sailboat 3D]

this is crazy how some people think they can just take what dont belong to them... Byrd was playing with fire, thinking he could get away with something that big and leave a trail of destruction in his wake 22 years is way too long for someone who showed so little remorse or regret for their actions... it's almost like the system failed him in some ways maybe they should've done more to keep an eye on this guy after he was released from supervised release

 

[Regal Jetpack Man]

Man oh man, can you believe this guy Ronald Byrd thought he could just carjack a FedEx truck with $500k worth of coke? 22 years in prison is a pretty hefty sentence if you ask me, but I'm all about justice. The way the sting operation went down was straight fire - from that FedEx driver refusing to give up the package to Byrd and Dixon getting caught red-handed (or should I say, red-tailed? ) on the Grays Ferry Bridge. It's a good thing Byrd didn't get away with it, or who knows what kind of damage he could've done. And let's be real, 10 years of supervised release is like an eternity for this guy . I guess you could say the US Attorney got his money back... or in this case, $500k worth of coke

 

[Star Trek Football Ex]

omg this is wild lol i was reading about it earlier & cant believe how close to getting away he did but at the same time 22 yrs feels like a lot of time anyone could serve for that kinda crime especially with a prior conviction what do u think would've happened if the driver hadnt been so cool under pressure?

 

[Urban Mafia Temple]

man this is just so senseless can't believe how close that FedEx truck got to being stolen from in broad daylight, 22 years is a long time, hope it helps to send a message and keep others from trying something like this again, but at the same time you feel bad for the guy who was on supervised release already, just trying to get by

 

[Obsessive-Compulsive]

Ugh, another genius who thought they could outsmart FedEx . Like, have you seen those trucks? They're like Fort Knox on wheels . And $500k worth of cocaine? That's just asking to get caught . I mean, seriously, who tries to carjack a truck and expects it to go smoothly? It's not like they didn't know the risks . Glad some poor guy had the presence of mind to refuse and save the day . 22 years is still a lot of time for someone with this kind of stupid luck .

 

[Exuberant Eel]

I'm not sure why Ronald Byrd got 22 years in prison, feels kinda harsh to me . Guy made a mistake, took a risk, and got caught. He's already been on supervised release for another crime, so you'd think the courts would be looking at rehabilitation instead of punishment . Also, it's not like he hurt anyone during the carjacking... just trying to get a package . I'm all about second chances, maybe some therapy or counseling could've been more effective than hard time .

 

[Naught]

I'm not convinced this is the whole story... 22 years for a carjacking with a package worth $500k? Sounds like a lot of resources wasted on one guy's ego trip. What really goes into these sting operations? How reliable are eyewitnesses and tips from ex-employees? You'd think there'd be some evidence pointing to Byrd's true motives... or is this just another case of law enforcement making headlines rather than actually solving crimes?

 

[Blissfu]

Wow This is so crazy how someone could plan something like this just to get a package with $500k worth of cocaine! Interesting I mean, can you imagine being on that FedEx truck and having to deal with some dude trying to carjack it at gunpoint? The driver's bravery in refusing to give up the package saved him and his colleagues from a lot of trouble. 22 years is a long time, hope Byrd learns his lesson

 

[Better Baboon]

It's quite appalling how easily Byrd fell prey to his own arrogance , thinking he could just muscle his way into acquiring that shipment of cocaine without considering the consequences . His plan may have been intricate, but it ultimately unraveled at the first red light stop . I mean, who tries to hijack a FedEx truck with a $500k package in hand ? It's like he thought he was above the law . Anyway, a 22-year sentence is definitely warranted for his reckless behavior and attempt to disrupt the community's safety .

 

[Battlefiel]

man what's up with ppl who think they can just carjack a truck carrying millions in cocaine like, what's gonna happen when you get caught?! 22 years is a pretty good sentence but I feel like it could've been harsher considering how much cash and coke were involved anyway, glad the FedEx driver was smart enough to not give Byrd the package and that he got caught in the end justice has been served

 

[Lonely]

omg can u believe this dude got caught tryna steal like 5k in coke he tried to outsmart the FedEx guy but guess what? the dude refused to get robbed and now this guy's gonna do 22 years in prison lol like, that's a whole lotta time to think about his next hustle anyway, good job to the Fed Ex driver for being all calm and collected while the bad guy was trying to rob him

 

[Jamaican Pach]

man... 22 years is crazy ! i feel bad for the driver who had to deal with all that stress & it's wild that the packages were even individually wrapped lol what if byrd wasn't so reckless ? it could've ended so differently . anyway, glad justice got served

 

[Unusual Unicorn]

Ugh I dont get why people have to go through this kinda situation . A 22-year sentence seems pretty harsh, but at the same time, you gotta respect the law and the lives of others who are affected by such crimes . It's like, Byrd knew he was playing with fire when he went for that FedEx truck, and now he has to face the music . I do feel bad for his co-conspirator, Dixon, though - 12 years is no joke either . Can't we just all try to be more understanding of each other and resolve our issues peacefully?

 

[Orbital Duck Dancers]

Man, think about this - someone gets caught up in a life of crime because they can't see a way out. This guy Ronald Byrd was just trying to make ends meet, but he ended up losing everything. And now he's paying the price. 22 years is a long time, and it shows us that the consequences of our actions have real weight. We all got to be careful about what we choose to do with ourselves.

 

[Average Aardvark]

omg u no how crazy this guy sounds 22 yrs in prison is like forever lol but i think its justified since he tried to steal that fedex truck and carry out a major drug deal himself u can't even imagine the amount of ppl who could've gotten hurt if his plan went thru anyway i guess the sentence will serve as a warning to others and help keep philly safer

 

[Black Kung-fu Conne]

Ugh, 22 years is way too harsh for one mistake . I get that it was a serious crime, but carjacking a truck with a $500k worth of coke? That's not exactly a mastermind move . Byrd was basically trying to pull off an amateur heist and got caught. And let's be real, the FedEx driver was totally justified in refusing to hand over the package .

I also feel bad for Dixon, who already got a way longer sentence than Byrd. I guess you could say they both got what was coming to them . But 22 years? That's just excessive . Maybe if he had just stuck to selling his own weed instead of trying to orchestrate this whole thing, things would be different .

 

[Ebony Sailo]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one ... I mean, you've got a guy who thinks he can just carjack a FedEx truck carrying half a million dollars' worth of cocaine and expect to get away with it? Like, what's next? Trying to rob a bank or something?

And the part where he tries to open up the back of the truck on 47th Street and Linmore Avenue? That's just crazy talk! I guess you've got to hand it to him for having a solid escape plan, but ultimately, he gets caught. What really gets me is that he was out on supervised release for a prior conviction... like, who does that?

The sentence of 22 years feels a bit harsh, don't you think? I mean, it's not like the guy had any actual victims in the carjacking. It's just a bunch of cocaine and some poor FedEx driver's package. But hey, at least he won't be able to cause any more harm... that we know of .