Derrick Rondell Battle Gets 198 Months for Armed Robberies

Derrick Rondell Battle, 43, of Bladensburg, Maryland, is behind bars for 198 months after pleading guilty to a string of armed commercial robberies that terrorized Prince George’s County in September 2015. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang in Greenbelt, includes five years of supervised release and marks the end of a violent crime spree that ended with Battle scrambling through a ravine, chasing stolen cash in the wind.

Battle admitted to three armed robberies between September 21 and September 25, 2015, each carried out with military precision. Wearing a mask and armed with a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, he stormed into a Landover pharmacy, a Landover Hills discount store, and a Cheverly gas station. In each incident, he brandished the firearm at employees, seizing approximately $1,600 in cash while leaving workers shaken and communities on edge.

The final robbery unraveled in chaotic fashion. As Battle fled the gas station in the 5800 block of Annapolis Road, a strong gust of wind blew the stolen money from his bag. He stopped in a nearby ravine to collect the scattered bills—just as police arrived on scene. Officers spotted him mid-recovery, leading to a brief foot chase before he was apprehended. The arrest was swift, the evidence undeniable.

Within feet of where Battle was caught, investigators recovered the loaded handgun—six .45 caliber rounds ready to fire—the jacket he wore during the crimes, and bundles of cash. Of the $1,600 stolen, $1,200 was recovered. The firearm possession alone was a federal offense: Battle, a convicted felon, is legally barred from possessing any firearm or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.

Battle was convicted on charges of armed commercial robbery, using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Menaka Kalaskar and Bryan E. Foreman, painted a clear picture of a repeat offender who chose violence and fear as tools for profit. The 198-month sentence reflects the severity of the crimes and the federal stance on armed robbery.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the collaborative effort between the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the Prince George’s County Police Department, whose investigative rigor led to Battle’s swift capture and conviction. ‘This sentence delivers justice for the victims and sends a message,’ Rosenstein said. ‘When you wield a gun in a violent crime, federal time is certain.’