Three Men Indicted in Conspiracy to Kidnap a Bank Employee

GREENBELT, MD—A federal grand jury has indicted Darrell Jose Carter, a/k/a “Shorty,” age 43, of Fort Washington, Maryland; and Jeffery Edelen, age 42; and Kendall Taylor, a/k/a “Shamsideen Salaam,” age 40, both of Washington, D.C., for conspiracy to kidnap and use of a handgun during a crime of violence in connection with the home invasion of a bank employee.

The indictment 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; and Interim Chief Mark Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to the two-count indictment, on January 13, 2011, the defendants, armed with guns, masks, and gloves, forcibly entered the Prince George’s County home of a woman and her minor child. The indictment alleges that the defendants held the woman and her child at gunpoint and bound the child. The defendants allegedly planned to take the woman to the bank in Washington, D.C., where she worked, and force her to help the defendants obtain money from the bank.

The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for conspiracy to kidnap and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for the use of a handgun during a crime of violence. No court appearance for the defendants has been scheduled.

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

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Emily Glatfelter and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerome Maiatico, who are prosecuting the case.