Robbers Exiled to Federal Prison for Stealing Drugs and Money from Pharmacies

Greenbelt, Maryland – On December 12, 2016, U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Daunte Antonio Jones, age 27, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, to 150 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and sentenced Ernest Ingram, Jr., age 32, of Washington D.C., to 87 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for armed robberies of pharmacies. 

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to their plea agreements and information presented at their sentencings, from March 7, 2015 to June 6, 2016, Jones and Ingram conspired with Haleem White and others to rob small retail pharmacies of cash and prescription medication.  In each robbery, the conspirators wore dark ski masks and one of the robbers brandished a handgun.  Specifically, on April 11, 2015 Jones, Ingram, and White robbed a pharmacy on Annapolis Road in Hyattsville, Maryland, and on May 2, 2015, they robbed a pharmacy on Rhode Island Avenue in Beltsville, Maryland.   

On March 7, 2015, Jones, White, and at least two other co-conspirators also robbed a pharmacy on Hamilton Street in Hyattsville.  During the robbery, one of the co-conspirators pepper-sprayed two elderly customers in the face and threw both patrons to the ground.  The robbers then escaped in a vehicle that was waiting for them outside.  On June 6, 2016, Jones, White and another conspirator robbed a pharmacy on Greenbelt Road in Berwyn Heights, Maryland, again escaping in a waiting get-away car.  As in each of the previous robberies, the conspirators stole prescription drugs, including oxycodone, and cash from the store.  In the June 6^th robbery, the conspirators also stole an employee’s handbag, which contained a cellular phone, credit cards, identification cards, and cash.

During their participation in the conspiracy, Jones, Ingram, and White stole prescription medication worth more than $20,000.  The defendants admitted that they stole the prescription medications in order to sell the drugs, which they did.

Co-conspirator Haleem Celestial White, age 25, of Washington D.C. has pleaded guilty to his role in the robbery conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2017.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michael T. Packard and William D. Moomau, who prosecuted the case.