Convicted Felon Sentenced for Armed Robberies in Maryland and Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Upper Marlboro, Maryland, man who had previously been convicted of a felony offense was sentenced today to over five years in prison for committing two armed robberies and one attempted armed robbery across Northern Virginia and Maryland.

According to court documents, in February 2021, Francis Ford, 53, robbed a Subway restaurant in Largo, Maryland, and a Papa John’s restaurant in Falls Church, and attempted to rob a Marathon gas station in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. On February 21, 2021, Ford and his co-conspirator, Jon Fleet, 62, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, drove to the Subway restaurant. Fleet entered the Subway and brandished a firearm at employees while Ford waited in the getaway vehicle. Once Fleet had completed the robbery, he fled the restaurant and Ford drove himself and Fleet away from the crime scene. On February 23, 2021, Ford and Fleet both walked into the Papa John’s restaurant together. Fleet pointed a firearm at an employee and demanded that the cash register be opened; Ford made employees believe that he was carrying a firearm by keeping his hand on his waistband as though a firearm was there. After the employee eventually produced a bag containing cash, Ford and Fleet fled the store. Finally, on March 7, 2021, Ford entered the Marathon gas station with a sawed-off shotgun and demanded that the store clerk produce cash from the register. The store clerk refused to give Ford any money and called the police, thwarting Ford’s efforts.

At the time of the robberies, Ford and Fleet were convicted felons and thus prohibited from possessing firearms.

In February of 2022, Fleet was sentenced to 17 years in prison in connection with these and other robberies across Virginia and Maryland.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Malik Aziz, Chief of Prince George’s County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cristina Stam and Bibeane Metsch prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-10.