Baltimore, Maryland - Donte Maurice Johnson, age 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2015, to two commercial robberies and to using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The guilty plea 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; Commissioner Anthony W. Batts 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 Nov. 2, 2013, Johnson robbed a grocery on Claremont Avenue in Baltimore. Johnson held a shotgun to the store owner’s head and demanded money. A co-conspirator stood inside the door as a look-out. The robbers took between $600 and $700.
On Nov. 25, 2013, Johnson and the co-conspirator 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. Donte 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. The co-conspirator 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 Johnson and the co-conspirator 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.
Johnson and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Johnson will be sentenced to between 183 and 198 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for Sept. 2, 2015 at 2:15 p.m. Johnson remains 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
