Man indicted on federal charges after alleged Gold Coast carjacking spree

A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a man who was hit with federal charges following an April crime spree through the Near North Side during which authorities say he shot his brother and an elderly man.

The 10-count indictment charged Earrious Moore, 23, with three counts of carjacking, two counts of attempted carjacking, three counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday. Moore was initially charged in a criminal complaint last month.

Patrol officers responded about 6 p.m. to an armed carjacking in the 1000 block of North Rush, where Moore stole a Jeep, according to prosecutors and Chicago Police. The officers were then alerted to an attempted carjacking in the 1400 block of North Lake Shore Drive.

Moore allegedly opened fire on an 84-year-old man who refused to give up his Mercedes-Benz S5500, with a bullet grazing the older man’s shoulder, authorities said.

Officers found Moore minutes later in the lobby of a building at 1440 N. Lake Shore Drive and arrested him. He was carrying a .40-caliber pistol with an extended magazine, authorities said.

A witness identified Moore as the elderly man’s shooter, and he later admitted to trying to steal the car, prosecutors said.

“Carjacking is a senseless act of violence that has no place in our society,” John Lausch, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, wrote in a statement. “Our office is committed to working closely with CPD, ATF and other law enforcement partners to pursue and prosecute violent offenders. The carjacking and gun charges announced today are the direct result of that strong partnership.”

During the alleged crime spree, Moore carjacked three other vehicles at gunpoint, one of which was being driven by an undercover CPD officer who was unharmed, police said.

In one of those hold-ups, Moore shot and wounded a 37-year-old man after he tried to steal his black Nissan in the first block of East State, police said. Moore is also accused of shooting his 23-year-old brother in the arm and chest about 4 p.m. at an apartment in the 5500 block of West Adams.

Moore is being held at the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center, prosecutors said.

The firearm charges each carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, while each attempted carjacking charge is punishable by up to 25 years, and each carjacking by up to 15 years. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.