D.C. man gets 22 years for choking, robbing taxi drivers

WASHINGTON — A 22-year-old D.C. man was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Monday for a series of attacks against taxi drivers.

Tony Copeland pleaded guilty in May to several counts of carjacking and robbery.

Prosecutors say Copeland was the ringleader behind several incidents in which he and others would go to the Union Station taxi line and pose as paying customers. Once inside the car, they requested to be taken to 44th Street Northeast where they choked the drivers from behind or simply demanded money.

Items stolen included hundreds of dollars in cash, cell phones, GPS devices and a Rolex watch.

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