Baltimore, Maryland -Taylor King Pepe, age 21, of Laurel, Maryland pleaded guilty today to an armed robbery conspiracy, and to aiding and abetting the brandishing and use of a gun during a crime of violence, arising from the robbery of an individual who was shot and killed.
The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Dario Broccolino.
According to his plea agreement, on Jan. 23, 2014, Pepe, Desmick Lewis, Amanda McAdoo and Lauren Maready planned to rob the individual of Oxycodone pills. Maready drove the conspirators to the location where McAdoo had arranged to meet the victim, purportedly to buy the pills from the victim.
When they arrived at the meeting place, Lewis hid behind a fence and McAdoo went to meet the victim in his car, while Pepe and Maready remained in her car. Lewis approached the robbery victim’s car and began shooting. Upon hearing the shots, Pepe and Maready drove away, leaving Lewis and McAdoo. The victim was discovered by Howard County Police a short time later, after his car had run into a tree. There were bullet holes in the driver’s side window and the victim had been shot several times in the head. He subsequently died. The conspirators met a short time later near McAdoo’s residence in Laurel, close to where the shooting occurred. Pepe told Maready to drive them to his friend’s home in Elkridge, Maryland, where Pepe and McAdoo went inside and discussed the robbery/murder. Maready then drove Pepe, McAdoo and Lewis to Lewis’ grandmother’s house in Columbia, Maryland. Avery Terry and another person joined them later and they discussed the robbery/murder. Terry then drove Pepe, McAdoo and Lewis, along with the gun, to Pepe’s home.
On Jan. 25, 2014, Pepe, McAdoo and Maready were arrested in connection with the robbery and shooting. No search was conducted of Pepe’s residence at that time. On Jan. 26, 2014, knowing that the other conspirators had been arrested, Lewis went to Pepe’s residence, spoke to Pepe’s mother, and went down to the basement alone to retrieve an item. Lewis texted Terry and the two men met at Lewis’ grandmother’s house. Law enforcement officers, who had set up surveillance at the residence, saw Terry trying to shield Lewis from view as they left the home and got into Terry’s car. Police made a traffic stop and arrested Lewis. A black.38 caliber revolver was recovered from Terry’s car. The victim was killed with a.38 caliber revolver.
Pepe faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the robbery conspiracy; and a mandatory minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in prison for aiding in the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Jan. 28, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Pepe remains in federal custody.
Avery Terry, age 23, of Laurel, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to the Jan. 21, 2014 robbery of a CVS Pharmacy in Elkridge, Maryland, using and brandishing a firearm during that robbery, and to being an accessory after the fact to the Jan. 23, 2014 robbery resulting in death. Terry was sentenced to 181 months in prison.
Amanda McAdoo, age 20, of Laurel, Lauren Maready, age 20, of Highland, Maryland; and Desmick Lewis, age 23, of Columbia, have all pleaded guilty in Howard County Circuit Court to their roles in the Jan. 23, 2014 robbery and murder. They are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Howard County Police Department and Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office, especially Assistant State’s Attorneys Brian Furlong and Devora Kirschner, for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Wilkinson and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Perry, who are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
