After a three-week trial, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts convicting Donte Davon Stanley, age 33, of Rosedale, and Dennis Allen Hairston, age 34, of Windsor Mill, on federal charges of kidnapping and robbery conspiracies; kidnapping; carjacking; robbery affecting commerce.
Hairston was also convicted of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The guilty verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; and Harford County State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey.
“My office will not tolerate carjackings,” stated U.S. Attorney Barron. “We’re collaborating with our partners to prosecute these crimes and hold offenders accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“There’s no question these criminals belong behind bars, and their conviction guarantees that will happen,” said Special Agent in Charge William DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “Hairston and Stanley’s actions are disturbing and will not be tolerated.
FBI Baltimore is determined to ensure brazen individuals willing to use inconceivable violence for financial gain are brought to justice.”
Hairston and Stanley were each convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to affect commerce by robbery. Hairston was convicted of counts relating to the first and second abduction, and Stanley was convicted of counts relating to the first abduction and acquitted on counts relating to the second abduction.
Both defendants were acquitted of conduct relating to a third abduction.
Evidence at trial established that from May 3, 2021, through August 26, 2021, the defendants planned and organized the kidnapping of three victims. Two of the victims were employees of check cashing businesses.
According to trial testimony, defendants committed the crimes with the goal of robbing the check cashing businesses where two of the victims worked, and to steal cash and other items of value from the third victim. Evidence at trial also established that the defendants planned and organized the carjackings of two of the victims’ vehicles.
According to trial testimony, the victims were surveilled prior to the abductions, including attaching tracking devices to their vehicles. The defendants then abducted the victims by posing as police officers by wearing police vests, police badges, and using a police-style light bar to stop the victims and their vehicles.
Trial evidence revealed that the defendants brandished firearms, bound, and blindfolded each victim and forcibly put them into a vehicle operated by the defendants. At trial, the victims testified that the defendants used a blowtorch to burn two of the victims during the course of the kidnappings.
As to the first victim, trial evidence established that, on May 5 to May 6, 2021, the defendants followed the victim from the check cashing business where she worked and, posing as law enforcement officers, used the police-style light bar to pull over her vehicle.
According to trial testimony, defendants wore police vests and badges, and brandished firearms to remove the victim from her vehicle. Trial testimony further established that the defendants handcuffed the victim’s hands behind her back, zip-tied her feet, blindfolded her by placing a mask and duct tape around her face, and forcibly placed her into the rear of a vehicle operated by the defendants.
While driving with the victim, defendants Hairston and Stanley, burned the victim with a blowtorch in an attempt to obtain information from her to access the check cashing business where she worked, with the intent to remove all of the cash from the business.
As to the second victim, trial evidence established that, on May 15 to 16, 2021, Hairston and others approached the victim in his vehicle in Edgewood. Trial evidence proved that the Hairston again used a police-style light bar to pull over the second victim.
Wearing police vests and badges, the evidence revealed that Hairston kidnapped the second victim and forcibly placed him into the rear of a vehicle operated by the conspirators. After placing a mask over his face and duct-taping his face and stealing his vehicle, the second victim was burned with a blow torch in an effort to obtain cash and other items from him.
The defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison for the kidnapping conspiracy and for each count of kidnapping; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the robbery conspiracy and for each count of attempted robbery; a maximum of 15 years in federal prison for each count of carjacking.
Hairston also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and up to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence relating to the first abduction.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson has not set a date for sentencing.
Davonne Tramont Dorsey previously pled guilty to his role in the offenses, and sentencing is scheduled for August 22, 2024. U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson has scheduled sentencing for Dorsey for August 22, 2024, at 10 a.m. Franklin Jay Smith also previously pled guilty to his role in the offenses. Judge Hurson has not set a date for sentencing for Smith.
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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Spencer Todd of the Civil Rights and Special Victims Section are prosecuting this case. U.S. Attorney Barron also commended the work of the office’s professional staff, including the victim-witness unit, for their work on this difficult case.
