Ceres man faces life sentence after violent carjacking conviction
A Stanislaus County jury has convicted a Ceres man of carjacking and multiple violent felonies stemming from a 2023 attack in Modesto. He faces a possible life sentence under California’s Three Strikes law.
Steven Pierce Jr., 27, was found guilty in January of carjacking, assault with a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and attempting to dissuade a witness. He also was hit with multiple sentencing enhancements including personally using a gun and inflicting great bodily injury, according to court records.
Because of prior serious felony convictions, Pierce qualifies as a third-strike offender and faces a potential sentence of life in prison when he returns to court for sentencing on March 13.
The convictions stem from a Feb. 2, 2023, incident near the Needham Street overpass in Modesto. According to court documents and trial testimony, the victim had just finished work and was sitting in his parked vehicle when Pierce approached and asked to use his cellphone.
When the victim refused, prosecutors said Pierce became angry, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at him. Pierce then dragged the man from the vehicle, forced him to his knees and threatened to shoot him, court records state.
During a struggle, Pierce repeatedly struck the victim in the head with the gun, leaving him with a laceration that required stitches. Pierce then drove away in the victim’s vehicle, prosecutors said.
A witness later reported seeing the assault and the vehicle being taken.
Police located the stolen car hours later near Pierce’s residence in Ceres. DNA evidence recovered from the vehicle matched Pierce, and detectives later found the victim’s blood on Pierce’s pants at the time of his arrest, according to court filings.
Prosecutors said Pierce was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his criminal history.
Following several days of deliberations, jurors returned guilty verdicts on the major counts and found true the allegations that Pierce personally used a firearm and inflicted great bodily injury. The jury also found Pierce guilty of attempting to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness from testifying.
After the verdicts were read, the judge ordered Pierce remanded into custody without bail pending sentencing.
Court records show Pierce’s criminal history in Stanislaus County dates back to 2018, when he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. In 2021, he was convicted in a separate case involving robbery and assault likely to cause great bodily injury. Prosecutors cited those convictions as prior serious felonies supporting Three Strikes sentencing in the 2023 case.
The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office said no plea agreement was offered, citing District Attorney Jeff Laugero’s policy of pursuing maximum sentences for repeat offenders charged with violent crimes.
Pierce remains in custody at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.
This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 12:48 PM.
