Armed Robber Exiled to 16 Years in Prison for Two Commercial Robberies

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Chavez Tyrone Smith, age 36, of  Washington, D.C., today to 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to rob two businesses and for using a firearm during a crime of violence.

The sentence 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; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Michael E. Scott of the Mount Rainier Police Department; and Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh.

According to Smith’s plea agreement, on May 21, 2012, Smith and his co-conspirators Anthony Akrah Morris, and Tiffany Edmundson, robbed a convenience store and a fast food restaurant.   Smith’s role in the conspiracy included conducting surveillance of the businesses prior to the robberies, planning the robberies with his co-conspirators, knowing that at least one co-conspirator would be armed with a gun, entering the businesses and participating in the robberies, and receiving a portion of the proceeds of the robberies.

Specifically, Smith, Morris and Edmundson robbed a convenience store in the 12000 block of Laurel Bowie Road in Laurel, Maryland.  Smith and the other robbers work masks partially covering their faces. Smith stood at the entrance of the store to watch for other customers or law enforcement.  Smith was armed with a gun.  Smith’s co-conspirators ordered customers to the floor and the robbers stole $340 from the store cash register and $475 worth of cigarettes from the store shelves.  Edmundson took a cell phone from a customer.  Smith and his co-conspirators fled in a vehicle being driven by another co-conspirator.

Approximately one hour later, Morris, Edmundson, and another of Smith’s co-conspirators, Cornelius Jennings, robbed a fast food restaurant located in the 15000 block of Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville, Maryland.  The robbers wore masks and Jennings was armed with a handgun, which was brandished at employees in the store.  Smith’s co-conspirators forced employees to open the restaurant’s safe and stole $1,400 from the safe.  Smith and the robbers fled in a vehicle being driving by another co-conspirator who was acting as a lookout.

Smith admitted that he received a portion of the money stolen in the two robberies and that he provided the vehicle used to drive to and from the robberies.

Anthony Akrah Morris, age 25, of Burtonsville, Maryland, was convicted after trial and sentenced to 505 months in prison for conspiring to commit robbery, two counts of robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery.  Cornelius Jennings, age 27, of Washington, D.C., and Tiffany Edmundson, age 26, of Greenbelt, Maryland, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., and September 15, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., respectively.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Mount Rainier Police Department and the Maryland Attorney General’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein praised the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance and coordination. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.