Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Man gets 15 years in Las Vegas carjacking, stun gun attack

A man who attacked a woman with a Taser and stole her car was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison this week, according to Daniel Bogden, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Keith Michael Costa, 35, of Las Vegas pleaded guilty March 20 to one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey sentenced him on May 27.

According to court records, Costa was at an apartment complex in Las Vegas on July 2 to ask about renting an apartment when he encountered a female resident in the parking lot, Bogden said.

He demanded her car keys, and when she refused, he shoved her to the ground and shocked her with a Taser several times. He continued to chase and shock her inside the office until she turned over the keys, Bogden said.

He drove away in the car, and the woman was transported to a hospital to be treated for her injuries.

Three weeks later, Costa, who was driving a black BMW sedan, escaped from Metro Police during a high-speed car chase on surface streets and U.S. 95, Bogden said. Police finally arrested Costa after a fight at a motel on East Tropicana Avenue, during which he pulled out a stolen 9 millimeter handgun, Bogden said.

Metro Police and the FBI investigated the case as part of the Safe Streets Task Force.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy