Rashaun Onley, Armed Robbery and Carjacking, Maryland 2021

Washington, D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Committing an Armed Robbery and Two Armed Carjackings

Greenbelt, Maryland - Rashaun Onley, age 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to federal charges of committing an armed commercial robbery, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Don Hayes of the City of Alexandria, Virginia Police Department; Chief Charles “Andy” Penn of the Arlington County, Virginia Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.

According to his guilty plea, in the early morning of February 5, 2021, Onley and a co-defendant entered a convenience store in Silver Spring, Maryland, selected some items from the shelves, and approached the counter. Onley grabbed a convenience store employee, Victim 1, by the shirt, struck Victim 1 in the head, led Victim 1 behind the counter, and forced Victim 1 to his knees. Onley then brandished a black semiautomatic handgun and ordered Victim 1 and Victim 2, another employee, to open the cash register. Victim 2 opened the cash register, and Onley and the co-defendant removed the cash from the register and fled. Officers with the Montgomery County Police Department (“MCPD”) recovered video surveillance footage showed Onley and his co-defendant committing the robbery.

Also on February 5, 2021, at approximately 4:57 p.m., in Alexandria, Virginia, three men carjacked at gunpoint a dark gray Volkswagen Tiguan with Pennsylvania registration plates (“Volkswagen”). Victim 3, the driver, reported that he had just parked his vehicle when one suspect told Victim 3 to get out of the vehicle, while a second suspect pointed a black handgun at Victim 3. Victim 3 began to get out of the car but was grabbed by a suspect and pulled away from the vehicle. All three suspects fled in the Volkswagen. Victim 3 reported that his iPhone was still inside the vehicle.

As detailed in Onley’s plea agreement, a little more than one hour later, Onley, his co-defendant, and Co-Conspirator 1 carjacked at gunpoint Victim 4, who was driving a Lexus ES300 (“Lexus”) in Silver Spring. Onley approached Victim 4 first with a gun in his hand and stated, “I’m gonna blow you up, give me your money and keys.” Onley’s co-defendant, who also was armed with a gun, approached Victim 4 and demanded his car keys. Co-Conspirator 1 was driving the Volkswagen. Fearing for his life, Victim 4 handed over his property. Onley’s co-defendant drove the Lexus away, while Onley got into the front passenger seat of the Volkswagen and fled the scene. A short time later, the Lexus was located abandoned nearby.

Rashaun Onley, the 22-year-old defendant, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of committing an armed commercial robbery, carjacking, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He will face sentencing on this crime, the exact date of which is not specified in the source. The mandatory facts are as follows:

Defendant/Respondent: Rashaun Onley

Criminal Charges: Armed Commercial Robbery, Carjacking, and Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence

City and State: Greenbelt, Maryland

Exact Date: February 5, 2021

Sentence or Outcome: To be determined at sentencing

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/washington-dc-man-pleads-guilty-federal-charges-committing-armed-robbery-and-two-armed