Baltimore Robber Exiled To 10 Years In Prison

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Edward Lee, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.

According to his plea agreement, on December 1, 2012, Lee and co-defendants Michael Gwaltney and Devan Martin were seen, via the Baltimore Police City Watch camera system, speaking to a man who was entering his vehicle on Carrollton Avenue in Baltimore. The conversation appeared to turn argumentative. The man handed Gwaltney money, while Lee patted him down. Lee had a gun in his hand. Lee and Gwaltney escorted the victim across the street, while Martin rummaged through the victim's vehicle, and removed a briefcase from the trunk. As Lee and Gwaltney entered a dwelling in the block, the City Watch operator saw what appeared to be a gun in Gwaltney’s waistband.

The City Watch operator called for police to respond to the area. Police stopped Martin a half block from the victim’s car with the briefcase. Police located the victim leaving his wife’s hair salon business. The victim explained that two men had taken him into the business and demanded drugs and money. After seeing officers in the block, according to the victim, Gwaltney ordered the victim to leave the business and advise the officers that everything was fine. Eventually, both Lee and Gwaltney left the location and were arrested. The business was searched and officers seized a revolver and clothes worn by Gwaltney as he entered the location. Officers also seized a handgun in the yard next to the business.

Michael Gwaltney, age 39, and Devan Martin, age 41, both of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the robbery and await sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, Baltimore Police Department, and Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney James Wallner, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.