Waldorf Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery Conspiracy

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Shawn Delonte Allen, age 40, of Waldorf, Maryland today to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to commit the robbery of a drug dealer and for using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ivan Arvelo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department. 

According to his plea agreement, on April 11, 2014, Allen and his co-conspirators Evan Anthony Peek-Austin and Joel Varela Linares, entered the victim’s residence and awaited his arrival.  As the victim arrived home, Allen approached the victim from behind and forced him at gunpoint into the residence.  After zip-tying the victim’s hands, Allen, Linares and Austin questioned the victim about the location of drugs and drug proceeds.  The robbers thought the victim was in possession of heroin imported from Guatemala or proceeds from heroin sales. Allen, Linares and Austin each had a handgun and threated to kill the victim if he did not produce the drugs or drug proceeds.  While questioning the victim, Allen brandished his gun.  Allen also heated a metal spoon and placed the hot spoon on the victim’s hands and face, demanding the victim tell them the location of the drugs and money.  The victim finally told Allen and his co-conspirators that his American friend had the drugs and money and the robbers allowed the victim to call his friend, who was, in fact, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations.  The victim arranged to meet with the agent and told Allen and his co-conspirators that his friend would have approximately 10 kilograms of heroin.

Allen and Linares instructed the victim to drive them to the meeting location in Beltsville, Maryland.  Once the HSI agent arrived, the victim met the agent and told him that Allen and his co-conspirators were going to kill him.  As the HSI agent and the victim left, Allen got out of the car and brandished his gun.  Linares entered another vehicle and pursued the agent’s car until he was stopped by Prince George’s County Police officers.  Allen and Austin fled the meeting location and were pursued by law enforcement.  They eventually ran away and Allen was subsequently apprehended by police.

Evan Anthony Peek-Austin, age 39, of Landover, Maryland, and Joel Varela Linares, age 25, of Washington, D.C., previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 19, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. and May 28, 2015 at 10:30 a.m., respectively.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI Baltimore and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Kelly O. Hayes, who prosecuted the case.