Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the indictments of seven defendants for multiple charges, including participation in a criminal gang, attempted murder, armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault, and firearms-related counts.
These wide-ranging crimes are alleged to have occurred from August 2023 to July 2024 in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Howard, Charles, and Montgomery counties. Banking institutions that were targeted by the defendants included Navy Federal Credit Union, Bank of America, Capitol One, and Wells Fargo.
The individuals are alleged to be part of two separate criminal organizations that operated similarly. The first group was responsible for 20 robberies and attempted robberies between August 2023 and January 2024.
After local police and federal agents intervened and arrested members of the first organization, a second organization surfaced and was responsible for 14 robberies and attempted robberies between May 2024 and July 2024.
In total, the groups stole more than $155,000 from at least 34 victims.
“For nearly a year, these suspects terrorized and traumatized hardworking Marylanders who were just trying to run a simple errand and take money out of the bank,” said Attorney General Brown. “These indictments demonstrate our Office’s commitment to dismantling violent crime rings, protecting Marylanders, and doing everything in our power to make Maryland a safe place to live, work, and play.”
The investigation into the criminal organization was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Organized Crime Unit of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and began after investigators noticed a pattern of victims being robbed at gunpoint in parking lots while leaving banking institutions.
The primary objective of the group was to rob victims who had recently left a bank or ATM, a practice known as “bank jugging.” The investigation revealed that in a typical robbery committed by the defendants, they would identify a victim leaving a bank, approach the victim, point a firearm at or otherwise attack the victim, and announce a robbery.
Beginning in October 2023, members and associates of the criminal organization began to primarily rob victims as they arrived at other less secure commercial or residential environments.
During one instance in October 2023, the robbers purposely used their vehicle to collide into a victim’s vehicle so that the victim would pull over. Members and associates of the criminal organization subsequently robbed the victim of their personal property.
What separated this group from others was the extent of violence and the fact that the criminal organization was willing to shoot at or near victims in order to force them to comply with their demands.
On multiple occasions, a member of the criminal organization discharged a firearm during the commission of a robbery to force the victim to give up their property.
On two occasions a member of the criminal organization fired the handgun at the victim as they attempted to flee.
The group’s tactics evolved slightly over time. At first, the group would rob the victims as they left the bank, usually in the parking lot as the victim was entering their car. Later, the group began following the victims’ cars as they left the banks. The group would then rob the victim when they stopped at their home or at another business.
The investigation revealed that the organization is responsible for at least 20 armed robberies and attempted robberies, two attempted murders, and other related crimes. The investigation also revealed that members of the organization would often be armed with handguns modified with high-capacity magazines and machine gun-conversion devices. The handgun modifications possessed by members of the criminal organization, also known as “Glock switches,” converted what would normally be semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic machine guns.
By January 2024, charges had been filed against some of the members of the organization and the robberies stopped. However, in May 2024, a second group surfaced and began committing similar “bank juggings” in Maryland. This second group is also alleged to have targeted individuals who recently left a bank and used handguns and threats of violence to force victims to surrender their money and other property. The group would often point firearms at the victims, often at their head, and demand money.
On several occasions, members of the group threatened to shoot or kill the victim. On one occasion, the group assaulted the victim by punching the victim and by striking the victim with their guns. On another occasion, a member of the group put the victim in a chokehold during the robbery.
“ATF is proud to collaborate with our state and local partners to hold those who use firearms to commit violent crimes and victimize Maryland citizens accountable. I am proud of how our agents used ATF technology to exploit this investigation and prevent further violence from occurring,” said Toni Crosby, Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“The announcement by State Attorney General Anthony Brown today regarding the indictment of seven individuals offers a step towards closure for the residents of Bowie and the surrounding areas. These individuals instilled fear in honest, hardworking citizens during their banking activities for nearly one year. Justice is now set to be administered,” said City of Bowie Chief of Police Dwayne Preston. “I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all local and federal agencies that collaborated to end this crime spree. I take pride in the men and women of my Criminal Investigation Section here in Bowie, who remained committed to closing these cases.”
“The men and women of the Anne Arundel County Police Department remain committed to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to identify, locate, and apprehend these armed, violent criminals,” said Anne Arundel County Chief of Police Amal E. Awad. “Victimizing and traumatizing our innocent community members for profit will never be acceptable in any neighborhood within our county. We will catch you, and you will be held accountable for your criminal and violent decisions and actions.”
In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked Criminal Division Chief Katie Dorian, Organized Crime Unit Chief Paul Halliday, and Assistant Attorneys General Sal Ameri, Eric Sullivan, and Daniel Kroepsch, who are prosecuting the case, and ATF Special Agent in Charge Toni Crosby and her investigators, including all of her Agents and Task Force Officers, who led this investigation and worked tirelessly to solve this case.
Attorney General Brown also thanked the many law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation, including the Prince George’s County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, Bowie Police Department, Laurel Police Department, Riverdale Park Police Department, Annapolis Police Department, Greenbelt Police Department, Arlington County (VA) Police Department, Alexandria(VA) Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, United States Park Police, and United States Marshals Service.
Individuals Indicted:
- Tyriq Jayron Walker, 25, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
- Gary Gerald Cloutterbuck, 25, Washington, D.C.
- Zavier Emmanuel Williams, 25, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
- Robert Darrell Hill, 23, White Plains, Maryland
- Dujuan Kenneth Smalls, 20, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
- Roland Adrian Thompson, 22, Washington, D.C.
- Jeremy Adarryn Manago, 19, Capitol Heights, Maryland
A criminal indictment is merely an accusation of wrongdoing, and a defendant is presumed innocent until the state proves the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
