Quantaz Lamar Shields, Armed Robbery, Maryland 2015

Greenbelt, Maryland – In a brazen display of violence, two Maryland men, Quantaz Lamar Shields, 28, and Trevone Damone Butler, 25, were indicted for their alleged role in the armed robbery of five businesses in St. Mary’s County. The indictment, which was returned on March 21, 2016, and unsealed today after Butler’s arrest, charges the duo with conspiring to rob the businesses in question. Shields is currently in custody on other charges.

The indictment, announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron, and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard Fritz, alleges that Shields brandished a firearm and demanded money from employees at a liquor store, motel, pizza store, convenience store, and pharmacy in Lexington Park and Leonardtown. Shields allegedly took store proceeds, tip money, and cigarettes from the victims.

According to the indictment, Shields would often phone Butler to pick him up from the scene of the robberies. The duo allegedly committed the crimes on five occasions between October 20 and 28, 2015.

A detention hearing was held this morning for Butler before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jillyn K. Schulze in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. Butler was detained pending trial. Shields is scheduled to make an initial appearance on May 2, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

Shields and Butler face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the robbery conspiracy and on each count of robbery. Shields also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years in prison for the first count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, consecutive to any term of imprisonment for the robberies. Additionally, Shields faces a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison for each additional count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery and 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a gun.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, and St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly O’Connell Hayes and Leah Jo Bressack, who are prosecuting the case.

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