A Baltimore man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in two armed commercial robberies and a carjacking that took place in Baltimore County and Baltimore City. John Hyman, 21, will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander.
The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, along with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Baltimore Field Division; Chief Robert O. McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, Hyman pleaded guilty to participating with two other men in a series of crimes during November 2022. On November 29, Hyman and his co-defendants entered a 7-Eleven convenience store in East Baltimore where they brandished a handgun and robbed the store.
The group stole money from the cash register before fleeing. A money tracker hidden among the stolen cash enabled police to track their movements after the robbery. Officers from both BPD and BCPD were dispatched to locate the suspects.
Tracking data showed that after leaving the convenience store, the suspects traveled about 0.6 miles to Stokos carry-out restaurant. There, one co-conspirator used a handgun to rob a delivery driver of his keys before stealing more money from another cash register.
Law enforcement aviation units soon identified two vehicles matching those tracked by the device as they attempted to evade police by separating and fleeing in different directions. Authorities ultimately apprehended Hyman and both accomplices involved in these incidents. During their arrests, officers recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson firearm.
One co-defendant, Devin Grimes, previously pleaded guilty and received an identical 10-year sentence.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which coordinates efforts among law enforcement agencies and community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence across neighborhoods nationwide. In May 2021, the Department introduced an updated strategy for PSN focusing on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention initiatives led by local organizations, prioritizing targeted enforcement actions, and evaluating outcomes through measurable results.
“U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, BCPD, and BPD for their work in the investigation,” according to officials involved with this case. “Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted the case.”
Further information about programs run by Maryland’s U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
