Baltimore, Maryland –Anthony Eugene Wiggins, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a string of robberies, including five bank robberies and five armed robberies at liquor stores, committed between September 24, 2018 and November 15, 2018, as well as an attempted robbery on November 15, 2018.  Wiggins was on federal supervised release at the time of the robberies, having previously been convicted for being a felon in possession of firearm.  During each of the liquor and convenience store robberies, Wiggins brandished a firearm and, in two instances, discharged the firearm during the robberies.  In nearly all of the robberies, Wiggins threatened victim employees with physical violence and, during one robbery, fought with and assaulted a store customer and a victim employee.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Charles Moore of the Bel Air Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, between September 24 and October 18, 2018, Wiggins committed robberies at five separate Maryland banks, including two banks in Baltimore, and one each in White Marsh, Bel Air, and Arbutus.

As detailed in his plea agreement, between November 2 and November 15, 2018, Wiggins committed five armed robberies at four liquor stores in Dundalk, Middle River, and Baltimore, Maryland.  Wiggins admitted that he discharged a firearm in two of those robberies, specifically, a robbery in Dundalk on November 2, 2018 and a robbery in Baltimore on November 13, 2018, and brandished a firearm in the other three robberies.  Wiggins also attempted to rob a fifth liquor store, located in Dundalk, on November 15, 2018.

Wiggins and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Wiggins will be sentenced to between 10 years and 19 years in federal prison for the robberies and gun charge, and up to two years in federal prison for violating his federal supervised release.  U.S. District Judge George L. Russell has scheduled sentencing for March 27, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.       

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Bel Air Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Mary W. Setzer, who are prosecuting the case.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Anthony Eugene Wiggins, age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, for a string of robberies, including five bank robberies and five armed robberies at liquor stores, allegedly committed between September 24, 2018 and November 15, 2018, as well as an attempted robbery on November 15, 2018.  The indictment was returned on March 20, 2019.  Wiggins’ initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore has not yet been scheduled and he is currently detained on related state charges.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Charles Moore of the Bel Air Police Department.

The 16-count indictment alleges that between September 24 and October 18, 2018, Wiggins committed robberies at five separate Maryland banks, including two banks in Baltimore, and one each in White Marsh, Bel Air, and Arbutus.

Further, the indictment alleges that between November 2 and November 15, 2018, Wiggins committed five armed robberies at four liquor stores in Dundalk, Middle River, and Baltimore, Maryland.  According to the indictment, Wiggins discharged a firearm in two of those robberies, specifically, a robbery in Dundalk on November 2, 2018 and a robbery in Baltimore on November 13, 2018, and brandished a firearm in the other three robberies.  Finally, the indictment alleges that Wiggins attempted to rob a fifth liquor store, located in Dundalk, on November 15, 2018.

If convicted, Wiggins faces a maximum sentence of 20 year in prison on each of five counts of bank robbery and for each of six counts of interference or attempted interference with commerce by violence; and a maximum of life in prison for each of three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and for each of two counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.     

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. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Bel Air Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Mary W. Setzer, who are prosecuting the case.

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