MINNEAPOLIS — Ricardo Rydell Walker, Jr., 21, of Ramsey County, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of carjacking and illegal possession of a firearm, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Court documents detail Walker’s involvement in a June 30, 2022, carjacking in which he violently took a black 2021 Toyota Highlander. Walker and others confronted the victim, tripping them as they attempted to escape and striking them on the head with a handgun. Less than a week later, on July 6, Walker was arrested in Maplewood, Minnesota, in possession of a stolen car and a Springfield Hellcat 9mm handgun.
In addition to the Toyota Highlander carjacking, Walker admitted to aiding and abetting several other carjackings, including a black 2019 Volkswagen Atlas and a gray 2015 Mazda 3 in 2021, as well as a gray Nissan Rogue on June 24, 2024. In all cases, Walker and his accomplices used firearms to intimidate their victims and take vehicles by force.
Walker also pleaded guilty to receiving a firearm while under indictment for a felony, further violating federal law. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Katherine M. Menendez to enter his plea.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the St. Paul Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Mary Riverso are prosecuting the case.
Walker faces significant prison time for his involvement in the violent carjackings and firearm-related offenses, with sentencing yet to be scheduled.