Robber Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Two Store Robberies

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Willie Jones, age 31, of Towson, Maryland, today to nine years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for two commercial robberies and for using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.  Judge Hollander also ordered Jones to pay $750 in restitution.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Interim Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, on November 2, 2013, Jones and co-conspirator Donte Johnson robbed a grocery on Claremont Avenue in Baltimore.  Jones stood inside the door of the store as a look-out while Johnson held a shotgun to the store owner’s head and demanded money.  The robbers took between $600 and $700.

On November 25, 2013, Jones and Johnson robbed a convenience store, located on Philadelphia Road in Baltimore.  Specifically, two employees were working at the counter area of the store and two men approached the counter.  Johnson pointed a shotgun at both employees and demanded that they open the registers.  In fear for their lives, the clerks complied.  Johnson reached over the counter and obtained money from one register.   Jones, who admitted that he knew Johnson would be using a gun during the robbery, walked behind the counter and retrieved money from another register.  The total loss to the store was $153.

Donte Johnson continued to rob the store’s customers.  As this was happening, a customer was able to leave the store and get into his vehicle, which was parked in the store’s parking lot.  He called 911 and waited for the robbers to exit.  The customer saw the robbers run across Philadelphia Road to the parking lot of a bar across the street, and enter a dark green Honda Civic.  The customer followed Jones and Johnson so he would be able to give directions to the police.  Once the robbers turned onto Square Ridge Road, the car stopped, and Donte Johnson fired one round from a shotgun at the customer in his vehicle.

Baltimore County Police detectives were able to locate the shotgun used in the convenience store robbery.  The shotgun had two unfired shotgun shells lying on the ground next to it and one fired shotgun shell casing loaded in the action of the gun.

Donte Maurice Johnson, age 30, previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced September 2, 2015 at 2:15 p.m. Jones and Johnson remain detained.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Baltimore City Police Department and the Baltimore County and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who prosecuted the case.