By STEPHANIE TSOFLIAS pix11.com | @lifeofareporter

6:38 p.m. EST, January 24, 2012
HUDSON COUNTY, NJ (PIX11)—
The U.S. Marshals are searching for a diminutive, female carjacker whose only 20 years old, according to authorities in Hudson County, New Jersey.

Latoya Campbell was recently convicted in a 2009 carjacking case but prosecutors say she never saw the jury read down the verdict.

"The judge has issued a bench warrant for her arrest," said Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Seth Galkin.

Galkin says Campbell was out on bail during her trail. She showed up each day and even testified. But once it came time for the jury to deliberate, Galkin says Campbell failed to show.

"The defendant had medical issues and had to go home," said Galkin.

Galkin says her attorney, Garret Frutchman, was told by Campbell that she checked herself into a local hospital. But that turned out to be a lie. On Friday, when the jury read down the guilty verdict, Campbell was still not present.

"The defendant was convicted on all the charges including the most serious, carjacking charge," said Frutchman.

In 2009, Campbell was involved in a high-profile carjacking at the Newport Mall that left a woman badly bruised. The victim's credit card information was also stolen and used to buy shoes at a local mall. Frutchman says his client called him after missing the verdict and agreed to turn herself in. But she never did and now the US Marshals are searching for her.

"I have no idea where she is," said Frutchman.

Frutchman says Campbell's phone has since been disconnected and he cannot reach any of her family members. Campbell faces more than 30 years in state prison. At her last known address in Newark, no one was home.