Home Baltimore Press Releases 2009 Three Charged in a Series of Armed Robberies
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Three Charged in a Series of Armed Robberies

U.S. Attorney’s Office November 16, 2009
  • District of Maryland (410) 209-4800

BALTIMORE, MD—Criminal complaints have been filed charging Daniel Chase, age 64, of Brownsville, New Jersey; Nikolaos Mamalis, age 53 of Edgewood, Maryland; and Antwone Bell, age 25, of Rosedale, Maryland, of conspiring to commit a series of armed commercial robberies, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. The complaints were filed on November 9, 2009 and the defendants had their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. All three defendants were detained pending detention hearings scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2009, beginning at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge James K. Bredar.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaints, on July 29, 2009, a robbery was committed at a business in Baltimore City with investigators estimating that approximately $10,000 was taken from the business. When police arrived, they found the owner of the business zip-tied and duct taped to a chair. The victim nodded his head when asked if he had been robbed, but was unable to speak. The victim died on August 11, 2009. Investigation revealed that an employee of another business owned by the victim received a call advising that “your boss is in his office and he is not doing so good.” Police were called and discovered the victim a short time later.

According to the affidavit on September 2, 2009, there was an armed home invasion robbery at a residence in Pikesville, Maryland. The victim invited two men into his home, whom he believed to be inspectors with the police. One of the men opened a briefcase and removed a gun, which he pointed at the victim and his wife. The robbers forced the wife to open a safe in the bedroom and took cash and jewelry. The robbers then tied up the victim and his wife with duct tape. The robbers stole approximately $244,000 in cash and jewelry from the home.

On September 29, 2009, a second home invasion occurred in Cockeysville, Maryland. One of the robbers identified himself as an investigator with the State’s Attorney’s office. Once inside, the robber pulled a semi-automatic gun from his briefcase and handcuffed the victim to a kitchen chair. A second robber then entered the home and demanded to know the location of the victim’s safe. The victim advised that he did not have a safe, but had cash in a drawer in his kitchen. The robbers took $10,000 from the drawer, but continued looking for the safe, finally locating a safe in the basement. The victim was taken downstairs and gave the robbers the combination to the safe after the robbers threatened to cut off his finger. The robbers stole $50,000 from the safe.

As part of the investigation, on November 6, 2009, law enforcement began monitoring Chase and Mamalis’ telephone calls and overheard them planning to commit a home invasion robbery in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On November 8th, investigators began monitoring the movements of Chase and Mamalis. On the evening of November 8th, agents followed Mamalis and a third man to Atlantic City. The next morning, Mamalis and the third man met Chase at a café in Atlantic City. The three were arrested as they left the café. The third man was identified as Antwone Bell. From a briefcase in Chase’s car officers recovered: mace; rope; rubber gloves; handcuffs; money bags; a knife; tape; an identification for “John Peters” of the “Office of the Attorney General, Major Crimes Division,” state of New Jersey, but bearing a picture of Chase; and a loaded .38 caliber revolver.

The defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy.

A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore City Police Department; Baltimore County Police Department; New Jersey State Police; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger and their offices for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Michael C. Hanlon, Debra L. Dwyer and Thiru Vignarajah, who are prosecuting the case.

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