DETROIT, MI — August 7 2025 — A man described by law enforcement and prosecutors as a “nightmarish predator” has been sentenced to over 27 years in federal prison following a brutal three-month crime spree across Detroit involving multiple rapes, shootings, armed robberies, and kidnappings.
Deandre Martece Williams, whose reign of terror left a trail of at least 15 known victims, was formally sentenced to 327 months—just over 27 years—in prison on July 31, 2025. The charges included felon in possession of a firearm and kidnapping, with further implications in rape, attempted murder, and possible homicide.
“Utter Disregard for Human Dignity”
In a powerful statement during the sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith condemned Williams’ actions, calling his behavior:
“Utter disregard for human dignity… breathtaking in the worst sense of the word.”
Williams’ crimes, as outlined in the federal complaint, were chilling in their brutality and premeditation.
A Predator Lurking in the Shadows
According to investigators, Williams targeted sex workers and their customers, robbing the men—often at gunpoint—and then raping the women, sometimes for hours. These horrifying attacks often took place in parked cars along residential streets.
“He was roaming the streets of Detroit lurking in the shadows,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney James Deir.
“I can tell you that he raped a woman for four hours straight with a gun to her head. I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Victims and witnesses described similar patterns: Williams would approach vehicles, flash a gun through an open door or window, and immediately seize control. Those who resisted were shot, with several male victims injured as they attempted to flee.
Authorities said Williams’ methods were so calculated that his criminal pattern read like a horror movie script.
The Gun That Caught a Monster
The break in the case came after ballistic evidence began to connect multiple crime scenes. Investigators from the Detroit Police Department (DPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) used the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to match shell casings found at shootings, a homicide, and robberies back to a single firearm.
“We had a gun out in the community that was linked to 6 shootings, one homicide, and 5 armed robberies,” Deir explained.
This firearm, which Williams had carelessly continued to use in various crimes, ultimately led police directly to his residence.
Federal Raid and Arrest
On October 20, 2023, authorities executed a federal search warrant at Williams’ Detroit home. There, they found the weapon used in the string of crimes and took Williams into custody.
Further investigation, including DNA evidence, tied Williams to a kidnapping and rape case involving a woman he met via a dating app. After luring her to a hotel, Williams held her at gunpoint for several hours, repeatedly sexually assaulting her.
In addition to the federal charges, Williams was also linked to an unsolved 2012 criminal sexual conduct case in Wayne County. He pleaded guilty to that offense earlier this year and was sentenced in March 2025 to 10 to 20 years in state prison.
A History of Violence Finally Confronted
Prosecutors emphasized that Williams had spent years terrorizing Detroit residents, often preying on society’s most vulnerable individuals and operating in the shadows of neighborhoods already suffering from poverty and violence.
“We should all hate robbery and cruelty,” said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
“And this sinister man did plenty of both. For years, he was prowling around our streets. But through ingenuity and hard work, the ATF and DPD made our city safer.”
Gorgon commended the inter-agency collaboration that led to Williams’ capture, including the ballistics team, federal agents, and local detectives who worked tirelessly to bring an end to his rampage.
Justice Delivered, But Wounds Remain
Though the sentencing has brought a sense of closure, many victims continue to deal with the physical and emotional trauma left behind by Williams’ attacks. Prosecutors acknowledged that the full number of victims may never be known.
Authorities continue to investigate additional unsolved assaults that may be connected to Williams and urge anyone with information to come forward.
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