Skip to main content
Press Release

Career Offender Admits to Committing Three Armed Robberies in Maryland in Six Weeks

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland
Agrees to be Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison

Greenbelt, Maryland –James Davis, age 56, formerly of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit robbery, robbery of money belonging to the United States, carrying and  brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Director in Charge Andrew G. McCabe of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge David M. McGinnis of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department and Chief Douglas Holland of the Hyattsville Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on August 8, 2013, Davis and co-conspirator Recardo Beatty drove to the Hyattsville Post Office.  Beatty first entered the post office to scout the inside.  Davis then entered, while Beatty waited outside in their getaway vehicle.  Davis pointed a long black paintball gun at an employee.  The employee and another employee fled from their cash registers, while Davis grabbed money and money orders out of the register.  Davis and Beatty fled in their vehicle.

On August 15, 2013, the pair traveled to the Glut Food Co-Op in Mt. Rainer, Maryland.  As Beatty waited outside in the vehicle, Davis entered the store, walked behind a counter where an employee was working and displayed a paintball gun.  Davis ordered the employee to open the cash register and Davis removed money.  Davis and Beatty fled in their vehicle.

On September 17, 2013, Davis and Beatty traveled to the Dollars and Sense store in Brentwood, Maryland and entered the store together.  Davis demanded that an employee open a cash register, from which he took money and a cash box.  Beatty, who was armed with a firearm, saw another employee approach a store exit door.  A fight ensued, and the employee was hit on the head.  Davis and Beatty fled the store in their vehicle.

On the same day as the Dollars and Sense robbery, officers recovered the firearm from Beatty that was used in the robbery.  The next day, September 18, 2013, officers executed a search warrant at Beatty’s residence where Davis was staying, and recovered a paintball gun and clothing used in the robberies.

Davis had previously been convicted of a felony and was thus prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Davis and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Davis will be sentenced to 16 years in prison. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for August 12, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.

Recardo Beatty, age 50, of Washington, D.C., previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the robberies and awaits sentencing.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Prince George’s County and Hyattsville Police Departments for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Leah Jo Bressack and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matt Paeffgen, who are prosecuting the case.

Updated May 5, 2015

Topic
Project Safe Neighborhoods