Baltimore, Maryland - Brandon Ferrell, age 23, and Stephanie Amber Smith, age 24, both of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to an armed robbery of a convenience store on Sept. 27, 2013, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The couple admitted that they also committed three other armed convenience store robberies two days later.
The guilty pleas were 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; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein.
According to their plea agreements, on Sept. 27, 2013, Ferrell and Smith stole approximately $160 from a convenience store located in the 3500 block of Boston Street in Baltimore. Ferrell entered the store first, grabbed an iced-tea and walked to the counter. Then Smith entered the store, pointed a semi-automatic pistol at the clerk, and demanded money. Ferrell removed the money from the cash drawer located behind the counter. Ferrell and Smith then fled the store.
Ferrell and Smith robbed three other convenience stores at gunpoint on Sept. 29, 2013.
Ferrell, Smith and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts their plea agreements, Ferrell will be sentenced to 22 years in prison, and Smith will be sentenced to 13 years in prison. U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for Ferrell on December 17 and Smith on Dec. 18, 2014, both at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney James G. Warwick, who is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
