U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Daniel Michael Harris, Sr., 44, of Waldorf, Maryland, to 14 years in prison for perpetrating four armed robberies while using, carrying, and brandishing a pistol during and in relation to a violent felony.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence alongside Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Baltimore Field Office, Chief George Nader of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD), Sheriff Troy D. Berry of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Marc Yamada of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to court filings, Harris and his co-conspirators planned and carried out armed robberies at two businesses in Prince George’s County, one in Charles County, and one in Montgomery County. On March 23 and 28, 2023, Harris and his accomplices robbed two convenience stores in Prince George’s County, seizing cash from the registers as well as many packs of cigarettes. Harris used a pistol-grip shotgun during both crimes.
Then, on April 5, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed a Charles County convenience store, taking cash from the registers as well as a store employee’s wallet and phone. Harris also wielded a pistol-grip shotgun, holding the store employee at gunpoint and forcing a customer against a wall corner with his forearm.
On April 6, 2023, Harris and his accomplices robbed a convenience shop in Montgomery County, seizing cash from the register as well as a store employee’s pocketbook and phone. Harris also flashed the pistol-grip shotgun used in previous robberies.
Then, on April 12, 2023, a PGPD officer saw the getaway vehicle Harris and his co-conspirators used in two of the robberies, prompting a traffic stop. The occupants of the car fled and escaped. Law enforcement retrieved various items from the vehicle and submitted them for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing. A subsequent DNA analysis indicated a strong match between Harris and a DNA sample from a bottle retrieved from the vehicle.
On November 9, 2023, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office secured and carried out a search warrant for Harris’ storage facility. Detectives searched the storage container and identified Harris’ apparel and the pistol-grip shotgun he used during the robbery.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together law enforcement at all levels and the communities they serve to minimize violent crime and gun violence while also making our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy to strengthen PSN based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence in the first place, establishing focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, PGPD, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and MCPD for their efforts in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy, who handled the case.
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