Armed Career Criminal and Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Four Armed Robberies of Liquor Stores in Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties

 Witnesses at Trial Testified that During One Robbery Dingle Racked His Gun, Pointed the Gun at a Store Clerk and Threatened to Shoot the Clerk in the Head

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Donte Lamont Dingle, a/k/a Kane, Donte Dingol, Donta Dingle, and Dante Dingle, age 47, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for four counts of interference with commerce by robbery; a conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; four counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in connection with the robberies of four liquor stores.  In each of the four liquor store robberies, Dingle brandished a gun and wore various costumes and disguises.  A federal jury convicted Dingle on October 20, 2020, after a six-day trial.  

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Acting Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Chief Amal Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

“Criminals like Donte Dingle who use firearms to commit robberies jeopardize lives, undermine communities and must be held accountable. Dingle committed these robberies in broad daylight and threatened the store employees at gunpoint,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner.  “Let this sentence send a strong message that these criminal actions cannot, and will not, be tolerated.  If you commit a crime with a gun, you could face a lengthy federal prison sentence, and with no parole.”

“Donte Dingle was a walking crime spree, endangering the lives of employees and customers at the businesses he robbed, leaving many with emotional and even physical scars,” said Rachel Byrd, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office.  “We hope today's sentence sends a clear message that the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, will do everything in our power to bring these offenders to justice.”

According to the evidence presented at trial, between June 6, 2018 and July 12, 2018, Dingle committed four armed robberies of liquor stores located in Baltimore and Anne Arundel Counties. During each of these robberies, Dingle entered the store and brandished a pistol at the victims, forcing them to empty the money from the cash registers into his bag and often threatening the victims with death or serious bodily injury.  After getting the money from the registers, Dingle forced the victims into a room in the rear of the store, and then fled to a waiting getaway car.  During the robbery on July 12, 2018, in Reisterstown, Maryland, witnesses testified that Dingle racked the slide of his gun loading a bullet into the chamber, pointed the gun at the store clerk, and threatened to shoot the clerk in the head if the clerk didn’t comply with Dingle’s orders.  In total, Dingle stole approximately $10,000 from the four stores.

According to trial testimony, DNA matching Dingle’s was recovered from a fake mustache that the robber had left on the floor behind the counter at the June 6^th robbery.  Dingle’s DNA was also recovered from clothing, wigs, glasses, and other disguises that matched items worn by the robber, as well as from a silver .380-caliber pistol, that were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant at Dingle’s residence.  Dingle’s fingerprint was also recovered from a bag of chips that Dingle stole but then left at the scene of the July 12^th robbery.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner commended the FBI and the Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaRai N. Everett, who prosecuted the case.