Frederick Gunman Gets 12 Years for Legion & Bank Heists

FREDERICK, MD – Anthony Young, 38, of Jefferson, Maryland, will spend the next twelve years in federal prison for terrorizing Frederick County with a pair of brazen armed robberies. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander handed down the sentence Friday, June 21, 2024, along with three years of supervised release following his incarceration.

The case, spearheaded by U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office led by Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, and Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando, details a spree of violence that began November 18, 2019, at the Francis Scott Key Post 11 American Legion. Young, along with an accomplice, stormed the Legion’s bar, brandishing a black handgun. They didn’t just want money; they brutalized an employee, striking him twice in the mouth before hogtying him with zip ties. A substantial sum of U.S. currency was stolen.

Less than three weeks later, on December 5, 2019, Young struck again, this time targeting the Woodsboro Bank in Frederick. The MO was chillingly similar – a black handgun, a demand for cash, and a swift getaway. Witnesses and employees identified the robber as matching the description of Young from the Legion robbery. The stolen amount was substantial, though the exact figure hasn’t been disclosed. Crucially, in both instances, the getaway vehicle was traced directly back to Young.

Law enforcement didn’t have to play a long game. On December 16, 2019, a search warrant was executed at Young’s residence. Inside, investigators found clothing and other items that directly matched the descriptions of the suspect in both robberies. Faced with the mounting evidence, Young waived his rights and confessed to both crimes. The speed of the investigation and the solid evidence were key to securing the conviction.

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. The current iteration of PSN, launched in May 2021, focuses on building trust within communities, supporting local violence prevention programs, prioritizing strategic enforcement, and, importantly, measuring the impact of those efforts. This sentencing serves as a stark warning: Frederick County will not tolerate violent crime.

U.S. Attorney Barron praised the collaborative efforts of the FBI and the Frederick Police Department, acknowledging their dedication to bringing Young to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., was the lead prosecutor on the case. Those seeking more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and its community outreach programs can visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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