Armed and masked, Donte Powell, a.k.a. “Rain,” stormed into a CVS Pharmacy in Elkridge, Maryland, on January 21, 2014, with a black handgun and robbed the store alongside co-defendant Avery Terry. The 29-year-old Crips gang member from Washington, D.C., and Columbia, Maryland, was sentenced on October 14, 2016, by U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, to 11 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Powell’s sentence will run consecutive to a 20-year state sentence he’s already serving for the same armed robbery, sealing his fate behind bars for more than a decade. The federal charges stemmed from evidence recovered after his February 3, 2014, arrest in Laurel, during a bizarre early-morning incident where a naked man jumped from a car being pursued by police. Officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol from the wrecked vehicle—the same gun used in the CVS heist.
Video surveillance from the CVS captured Powell and Terry in distinctive clothing, later matched to items found in Terry’s car during the arrest of Desmick Lewis on January 26, 2014. Lewis was apprehended in connection with a separate robbery and homicide that occurred on January 23. A detective working the CVS case noticed the clothing during the arrest and linked both crimes. A search of Terry’s home turned up a mask and additional clothing matching the robbers’ attire.
Powell, a confirmed member of the Dogghouse Crips set, admitted his role in the robbery through a plea agreement. Despite being a convicted felon, he carried and used a firearm during the CVS stickup—illegal under federal law. While serving his state sentence, Powell continued to declare his loyalty to the Crips in recorded jail calls and letters, reinforcing his deep ties to the violent street gang.
The investigation widened to expose connections between Powell, Terry, and the January 23 murder. Phone records revealed frequent calls between Powell, Terry, Lewis, and others involved before and after the killing. Evidence showed they met after the murder to discuss the crime. Avery Terry, 23, of Laurel, pleaded guilty to the CVS robbery, brandishing a firearm, and acting as an accessory after the fact in the murder. He was sentenced to 181 months in federal prison.
Desmick Lewis, 24, of Columbia, pleaded guilty in Howard County Circuit Court to his role in the January 23 robbery and murder and was sentenced accordingly. The coordinated takedown by federal and local agencies—including the ATF, Howard County Police, Laurel Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office—exposed a web of gang-related violence that terrorized the community. Powell’s federal conviction ensures he won’t see freedom anytime soon.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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