GREENBELT, MD – Two men are behind bars, accused of a calculated and dangerous scheme to torch 7-Eleven convenience stores across Maryland, then return later to raid the ATMs. Stephen Kennedy, 33, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and Donnell Kelly, 33, of Washington, D.C., were unsealed on federal indictments today, facing a litany of charges stemming from a year-long crime spree.
According to federal prosecutors, Kennedy and Kelly allegedly conspired to set fire to multiple 7-Eleven locations while they were open for business, deploying explosive devices to ignite the buildings. The fires weren’t random acts of destruction, however. The indictment details how the pair would then return to the disabled stores, security systems crippled by the power outages, to pilfer cash from the ATMs. The total loss to the ATM company is estimated at a staggering $249,000.
The pair didn’t stop at arson and robbery. Investigators say Kennedy and Kelly attempted to cover their tracks by torching the vehicles used in the attacks and filing false police reports about stolen license plates. The investigation, a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Maryland State Fire Marshal, and multiple local police departments, finally brought the alleged arsonists to justice. The indictment was returned on February 22, 2023.
The charges are substantial. Both Kennedy and Kelly face a conspiracy to commit arson charge, along with four counts of arson affecting interstate commerce. Each carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. They are also charged with commercial robbery, carrying a maximum 20-year sentence. Kennedy faces an additional, severe penalty: a mandatory minimum of 10 years consecutive to any other sentence for carrying an explosive during the commission of a federal felony.
Perhaps the most damning charge is the use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and up to life in federal prison. Additionally, Kennedy is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and Kelly with possession of an explosive device, each facing a maximum of 10 years. U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron, announced the indictments, emphasizing the seriousness of the crimes.
Both Kennedy and Kelly made initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt today, agreeing to remain detained pending detention hearings scheduled for Friday, March 3, 2023. Kennedy’s hearing is set for 3:30 p.m., while Kelly’s is at 1:00 p.m. It’s critical to remember that an indictment is not a finding of guilt; both men are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it unfolds.”
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