Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Duane Thomas Mobley, age 40, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, today to nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to rob a business and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with the May 22, 2013 armed robbery of a pizza restaurant.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.

According toMobley’s plea agreement, he conspired with Keith Dana Steedley, Jr. to rob a pizza restaurant in Largo, Maryland. Steedley went into the restaurant brandishing a shotgun, while Mobley stayed by the front door. Steedley pointed the shotgun at several employees and demanded money. Steedley took five dollars from a store employee and the cash register money drawer, which contained $90. Steedley and Mobley got into a vehicle and fled. Witnesses called 911 and provided a description of the getaway vehicle.

While responding to the 911 calls, a Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) officer saw a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car a few blocks from the restaurant. The officer saw the vehicle turn onto a dead end street and followed. As the officer turned into the street, he saw Steedley bail out of the passenger side of the vehicle and run into a wooded area. A K-9 search was conducted and Steedley was found hiding in the woods. A search of the area recovered forty-eight one dollar bills. Victims brought to the scene identified Steedley as the person who robbed them. A subsequent search of the vehicle recovered the shotgun used in the robbery, a starter’s pistol on the passenger floorboard, a money drawer from a cash register, and cash and receipts from the pizza restaurant. The vehicle was registered to Mobley.

The next morning a woman called 911 when she saw a man coming down the street shouting for help. The woman stated that the man – later identified as Mobley – was “taped up.” In an interview with PGPD officers, Mobley falsely claimed that he had been carjacked and kidnapped the night before and gave a written statement to police recounting his purported kidnapping. During the investigation of Mobley’s kidnapping, PGPD officers realized that Mobley was the registered owner of the vehicle used in the pizza restaurant robbery. After being questioned by police, Mobley admitted that he had been involved in the robbery and that his claim of being carjacked and kidnapped was false.

Telephone records also show several calls between Mobley and Steedley shortly before the robbery.

Keith Dana Steedley, Jr., age 29, of Germantown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Prince George’s County Police Department and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.

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