Baltimore Felon Exiled to 12 Years in Prison for a Series of Violent Armed Robberies

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Trevon Jones, age 28, of Baltimore, today to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for armed robbery 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; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Baltimore County Police Chief James W. Johnson.

According to Jones’ plea agreement, from December 22, 2008 through March 21, 2009, Jones planned and participated in a series of violent armed robberies with Todd Bell, Quindell Ford, and others.

Specifically, on December 22, 2008, Jones, Todd Bell and Quindell Ford entered the Texaco Station at 2415 York Road in Timonium, Maryland. The cashier was alone in the store at the time and attempted to stop Bell from coming behind the counter. Bell drew a gun from under his jacket and struck the cashier in the head with the gun twice before the cashier fell to the ground. Bell ordered the cashier to stay down and the robbers ransacked the area behind the counter, stealing the money from the cash drawer, five cartons of cigarettes, as well as the cashier’s wallet and cellular telephone. Jones was the look-out for the group.

According to the statement of facts, on December 24, 2008, Jones, Bell, and Ford cased the Charles Street Liquors store at 1122 South Charles Street in Baltimore, with plans to rob the store. Later that day Bell and Ford entered the liquor store with a third robber. The robbers grabbed the store owner and threatened him and a store employee with a silver semiautomatic handgun. The third robber locked the front door of the store from the inside. The robbers made the employee get on the ground at the rear of the store and took the owner behind the counter to the cash register and ordered him to open the register. The robbers then took money from the cash register and from a bag under the cash register, money from a separate drawer that the owner used to cash checks, and a loaded .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver from behind the counter. The robbers took cash from the store employee and cash, an engraved silver money clip and a wallet from the owner. The robbers then made the owner get on the ground, bound his hands with duct tape, and left the store.

Similarly, on December 29, 2008, Jones, Bell and Ford, went into the Shell Station located at 9101 Snowden River Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. One of the robbers drew a weapon and demanded that the cashier get on the ground. The robbers then stole lottery tickets, money, cigars, and other items from the Shell station. On January 16, 2009, Jones, Ford and a third robber entered the Euro Liquors store at 10512 Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills, Maryland, and one of them put a gun to the owner’s head. The robber then bound the owner’s hands with tape, took him to the basement and removed the video surveillance system from the store. One of the other owners was also in the store and a robber forced him to the ground at gunpoint and taped the owner’s hands together. The robbers stole money out of the cash register and alcohol from the store.

Finally, on March 21, 2009, Jones admitted that he, Quindell Ford, and a third robber again robbed the Charles Street Liquors store. As the owner was at the register talking to one of the robbers, another robber drew a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband, charged around the counter, pointed the handgun at the owner and hit him in the head with the weapon. The robber then demanded the owner open the cash register. The robbers stole cash from the cash register and the cash box in the rear of the store, as well as four bottles of alcohol. The owner was carrying a Glock 26 9mm handgun for protection, which Jones took from him and gave to the third robber.

Quindell Ford and Todd Bell, both age 29, of Baltimore, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the robberies. They face a maximum penalty of life in prison for the robberies and for brandishing a gun during a crime of violence. Judge Bennett has scheduled their sentencing hearings on November 4, 2010 and October 8, 2010, respectively.

Mr. Rosenstein thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who prosecuted this case.