Lexington man sentenced to 13 years in carjackings, including one outside hospital
A Lexington man has been sentenced to more than 13 years and nine months in prison after he pleaded guilty in federal court to two separate carjacking incidents.
Jody Shipman, 29, was arrested in February 2019 and accused of brandishing a gun at a woman in the parking garage of St. Joseph Hospital before forcing her to ride with him to an ATM so she could withdraw and give him cash. The woman called police after he drove her to a church parking lot and ran away, police said at the time.
Shipman was also accused in a separate robbery in January of 2019. In that case, a woman was in her car at her apartment building when she was approached by two men who threatened to shoot her if she didn’t give then her car, wallet and phone, according to court records.
Shipman pleaded guilty in November to both incidents. He must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence and will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years when he’s released, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
In a sentencing memorandum, attorneys for Shipman wrote that he was remorseful for what happened and admitted his involvement after being confronted by investigators. Shipman also drafted a letter to the victim in the January incident apologizing for his actions, according to the memorandum.
The sentence handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves was about 10 months shorter than the maximum recommended sentence, according to court records.
The case was investigated by both the Lexington Police Department and the ATF and prosecuted by assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia T. Rieker. Shipman was represented by attorney Benjamin D. Allen.
