Robber Sentenced to Over 14 Years in Prison for Five Retail Robberies

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Robert Lanier, age 28, of Essex, Maryland today to 175 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for commercial robbery of five retail businesses located in Rosedale and Baltimore. Judge Quarles also entered an order that Lanier pay restitution of $6,609 to the victim businesses.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III; Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy.

According to Lanier’s plea agreement, on August 17, 2009, Lanier robbed the Rosedale Pizza, located at 8432 Philadelphia Road, Rosedale, Maryland. Lanier forced employees and a customer to the kitchen floor at gunpoint and ordered them to give him cash and personal property. He then forced an employee at gunpoint to open the cash register and give Lanier $1,200. 

On June 30, 2009, Lanier robbed the Manna Café, located at 3417 Belair Road, Baltimore, Maryland. Lanier forced employees to the rear of the store at gunpoint whereupon he and an accomplice took an unknown amount of money from the cash register. 

On July 14, 2009, Lanier robbed the Krauzer’s Food Store, located at 5701 Belair Road, Baltimore, Maryland. Lanier forced employees into a closet at gunpoint while threatening to kill them. He and an accomplice took $1309 from the cash register, lottery register and phone card register. Lanier also took packs of cigarettes and demanded the victims’ cell phones. In order to prevent capture, Lanier ordered  employees to remove a video cassette from the store security camera before fleeing the store.

On July 19, 2009, Lanier robbed the Great China Express, located at 6804 Belair Road, Baltimore, Maryland. Lanier forced employees into a bathroom at gunpoint. He and an accomplice took $200 from the cash register and $3,000 from a bank bag. 

Finally, on July 13, 2009, Lanier robbed the Pizza Mart, located at 4300 Belair Road, Baltimore, Maryland. Lanier forced employees to open the cash register at gunpoint and took an unknown amount of money. Afterward, Lanier and an accomplice  forced employees into a freezer and fled.

On November 16, 2009, FBI agents arrested Lanier in Sarasota, Florida.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Debra L. Dwyer, who prosecuted the case.