Two Conspirators Convicted in Lexington Market Armored Car Robbery

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland
January 13, 2010

BALTIMORE, MD—A federal jury convicted Donald Cromwell Jr., age 54, and Walter Morsely, age 50, both of Baltimore, late yesterday for the May 9, 2008 armed robbery of a Dunbar armored car at the Lexington Market.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy; Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III, and Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to testimony at the seven day trial, on May 9, 2008, Cromwell, Morsely, Charles Witherspoon and others robbed the armored vehicle which was picking up and dropping off cash at the Lexington Market in Baltimore City. The robbery netted $105,000. After the robbery Cromwell, Morsely, Witherspoon and the other conspirators fled, later meeting at an abandoned house on Payson Street, where the robbers divided the stolen money. The guns used in the robbery, which included a sawed-off shotgun, a Tech 9 pistol and a pistol stolen from one of the armored car guards, were in plain view in the abandoned house while the conspirators divided the money.

The federal jury also convicted Cromwell of robbing a Loomis armored car of $60,000 at the Royal Farms store on Eastern Avenue on June 13, 2008; robbery of a Dunbar car of $24,000 in collection proceeds of St. Pius X Church on July 22, 2008; and the attempted robbery of $261,000 from a Loomis car on August 6, 2008 at 421 North Charles Street. Cromwell was shot during the August 6th attempted robbery by a Loomis guard, and fled in a waiting car.

In addition to the robbery counts, the jury also found Cromwell and Morsely guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery and related firearms offenses.

Cromwell and Morsely face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the May 9, 2008 robbery; 20 years in prison for the conspiracy; 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm; and seven years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for brandishing a firearm. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled their sentencings on March 26, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. for Cromwell and 2:00 p.m. for Morsely.

Charles Witherspoon, age 50, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and possession of a gun in furtherance of a crime of violence and was sentenced on December 22, 2009 to 15 years. in prison. Defendant Melvin Morton is scheduled to begin trial on February 1, 2010.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked United States Attorneys James G. Warwick and Rachel M. Yasser, who prosecuted the case.