Washington D.C. Man Exiled to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Rondell McLeod, age 23, of Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2017, to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for two armed commercial robberies and for using and brandishing a firearm during a crime a violence. Judge Titus also ordered McLeod to pay restitution of $10,568.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Acting Chief Peter Newsham of the Metropolitan Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, between March 28 and April 1, 2016, McLeod conspired with Tyrell Bailey and Steven Mosby to rob cellular phone stores in Bethesda and Forestville, Maryland. In both the March 28 and April 1 robberies, McLeod entered the store to commit the robbery and brandished a firearm at store employees, while Mosby was the get-away driver. Bailey participated in the April 1^st robbery, entering the store with McLeod to commit the robbery. McLeod and his co-conspirators stole cash, cellular phones and other high-end electronics, with a total value of approximately $30,658.

After the second robbery on April 1, 2016, a witness who saw the robbers drive away from the store called 911 and provided a description of the car. The witness followed the vehicle for some distance before losing sight of the vehicle. A Prince George’s County Police plain clothes officer in an unmarked car saw the getaway vehicle a short time later speeding, driving on the shoulder of the road, and driving through a red light. A marked Prince George’s County Police vehicle was able to start following the getaway car. Prince George’s County Police officers were also conducting aerial surveillance of the pursuit and saw McLeod and his co-conspirators flee from the vehicle. The aerial officers noticed that McLeod was gripping his waistband consistent with someone who was concealing a firearm. The aerial officers directed pursuing foot officers to the rear delivery door of a business that McLeod had entered, and McLeod was arrested. Officers found a loaded .40 caliber handgun on the ground where McLeod had been laying and recovered a cellular telephone from McLeod.

Tyrell Bailey, age 20, and Steven Walter Mosby, age 26, both of Washington, D.C., were also arrested after the chase on April 1, 2016. On December 13, 2016, Bailey pleaded guilty to robbery, and to using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Bailey and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Bailey will be sentenced to seven years and one day in prison. Judge Titus has scheduled sentencing for Bailey on March 21, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. On December 15, 2016, Mosby pleaded guilty to a robbery conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Michael T. Packard, who prosecuted the case.