DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Maryland

For Immediate Release

Thursday, March 19, 2015
Rod J. Rosenstein
, United States Attorney
Contact: Vickie LeDuc, Public Information Officer

Baltimore Felon Exiled to Over 24 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of a Couple at a Glen Burnie Hotel

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Rodney Sylvester Wiggins, age 28, of Baltimore, today to 292 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for robbery, brandishing a gun during the robbery and being a felon in possession of a gun and ammunition.

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; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.

“Rodney Wiggins did not get the message that we have zero tolerance for gun crime after his previous state armed robbery convictions, and now he will be exiled to federal prison for the next 24 years,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Hopefully others will get the message before it is too late.”

According to evidence presented at his bench trial and other court documents, on February 2, 2013, a husband and wife checked into a Glen Burnie hotel before embarking on a vacation cruise. Wiggins rode up the same elevator as the couple. Shortly after, Wiggins knocked on their room door claiming to be a maintenance employee. Wiggins pointed a gun at the husband and demanded money, keys, credit cards and cell phones. Wiggins threatened to shoot the couple. The husband handed Wiggins $200 and Wiggins left.

The husband reported the robbery to the hotel’s front desk. A hotel employee saw Wiggins on a security monitor walking down a stairwell and leaving the hotel. The employee called 911, walked outside, saw Wiggins crossing a highway toward another hotel, and gave Wiggin’s location to 911. Minutes later, police arrived, arrested Wiggins and seized a loaded handgun and $210.

Wiggins had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a gun and ammunition.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Anne Arundel Police Department and Anne Arundel State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Bonnie S. Greenberg and Scott A. Lemmon, who prosecuted the case.

Baltimore Field Division