Elbert Darell Crump, Armed Robbery, Maryland 2015

Baltimore, Maryland – In a shocking turn of events, Elbert Darell Crump, a 47-year-old man from Towson, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to armed robbery. The charges stem from a series of robberies that took place in the Baltimore area in January 2015.

According to the plea agreement, Crump entered the Dollar Tree on Joppa Road in Towson on January 14, 2015, wearing a mask covering part of his face. He pointed a semi-automatic handgun at a cashier and demanded money, taking cash from the register drawer and a dollar from a nearby customer before fleeing.

The next day, Crump entered the Gino’s Burgers and Chicken Restaurant on LaSalle Road in Towson, producing a firearm and demanding money from the employees. When the manager struggled to open the cash register, Crump struck the manager in the head with the firearm, knocking him to the ground. Another employee helped the manager open the cash registers, and Crump took the cash. A video recording shows Crump pointing the firearm in the direction of some of the customers as well as the employees.

On January 21, 2015, Crump entered the Toys ‘R Us store on Putty Hill Avenue in Towson, wearing a ski mask on his face. He pointed a gun at a cashier and demanded money, forcing the employee to open eight cash registers and put the cash into a bag. During this time, several customers and employees called 911, and police from Baltimore County responded quickly and surrounded the store.

Crump attempted to leave the store by the front and then the back, but returned inside once he saw all the police outside. Baltimore County tactical officers and hostage negotiators arrived, and police were advised by fleeing customers that Crump was armed and that customers remained inside. Crump asked two customers to help him hide and handed them about $400. He hid in a large box on a shelf, but tactical officers and canine officers subsequently entered the store and located Crump, hiding in a large box on a shelf. A 24-hour search of the store took place before the .380 caliber handgun was located in the baby section, inside a bag with $1,650 taken by Crump from all of the registers.

Video recordings of all three robberies identified Crump as the robber. The firearm was registered to Crump’s girlfriend, with whom Crump was staying. Clothes worn by Crump during the robberies were found at their residence.

Crump had previously been convicted of at least one crime of violence and one drug offense. Crump and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Crump will be sentenced to 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2016.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Baltimore County Police Department, FBI, and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney A. David Copperthite is prosecuting the case.

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