VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A 49-year-old Virginia Beach man has been sentenced to 35-years in prison for a carjacking that happened in the city May 2014.
According to officials, James Clifton Pree approached a young woman at a shopping center on Holland Road, punched her in the face and took her, along with the car she was driving.
Pree then made the woman pull out $200 from an ATM, before making her drive him to somewhere he could get away.
The 49-year-old would tie the woman up with an emergency roadside kit she had in her car, after crying and speaking to her about religion. He then fled the incident with the woman’s shirt, after trying to clean any DNA from the car in an effort to cover up the crime, according to court records.
Police were still able to pull his DNA from the car and the woman who was involved gave a thorough description of Pree.
Pree pleaded guilty to charges on January 3, 2018.
Pree has an extensive criminal record dating back to 1990. He has prior convictions for Robbery (2 counts), Attempted Robbery, Burglary, Attempted Burglary, Grand Larceny, Destruction of Property, Assault, Public Intoxication, Open Container, Concealment, as well as multiple traffic infractions and violations of probation.
