What are the charges against Decarlos Brown Jr? Pam Bondi says DOJ will seek maximum penalty for Iryna Zarutska's killer

Decarlos Brown Jr., the career criminal accused of stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail, is now also facing a federal charge.

Published on: Sep 10, 2025, 10:06:13 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Decarlos Brown Jr., the career criminal accused of fatally stabbing Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail, is now also facing a federal charge. The 34-year-old career criminal ambushed Zarutska on the Lynx Blue Line just before 10 pm on August 22, as seen in surveillance footage.

What are the charges against Decarlos Brown Jr?

Brown was initially charged with first-degree murder. He is now also facing a federal charge in connection to the murder. On Tuesday, September 9, US Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that federal prosecutors officially charged Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

FBI Director Kash Patel released a statement after Brown was federally charged. “The brutal attack on Iryna Zarutska on the Charlotte Light Rail was a disgraceful act that should never happen in America. The FBI jumped to assist in this investigation immediately to ensure justice is served, and the perpetrator is never released from jail to kill again,” he said.

“I want to thank Attorney General [Pam] Bondi for her pursuit of today’s federal charges, which are the first step toward delivering justice for Iryna and her family – as well as the millions of Americans who deserve to live in our great American cities free from being targeted by violent criminals,” he added.

If convicted, Brown could face one of two maximum penalties – either life in prison or death.

Bondi has said that the Department of Justice will seek the maximum penalty for Brown. She called the murder a “direct result of failed soft-on-crime policies that put criminals before innocent people.”

“We will seek the maximum penalty for this unforgivable act of violence — he will never again see the light of day as a free man,” Bondi said.

Meanwhile, the local FBI bureau chief in Charlotte said that the federal charge will hopefully bring Zarutska’s family “a measure of justice.” “We hope this federal charge will help bring her family a measure of justice and the courts will hold the subject charged in this horrific act accountable,” FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge, James C Barnacle Jr., said on Tuesday, according to the New York Post. “Everyone in this country deserves to go to work, to school, or just across town without fear of being attacked.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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