Armed Robberies In NoVA, MD Result In Prison Sentence

McLean VA

15 February, 2022

3:06 PM

Description

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A man was sentenced to 17 years in prison Tuesday for five armed robberies, including four in Northern Virginia and one in Maryland. Jon Karl Mcree Fleet, 62, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced in federal court for armed robberies that happened between Jan. 24, 2021 and March 13, 2021 in Springfield, Alexandria, Falls Church, McLean and Largo, Maryland. At the time of the robberies, Fleet has a previous conviction for armed robberies and was banned from possessing a gun. He has been in custody in Fairfax County since late April 2021. The first of the armed robberies happened on Jan. 24 at the Macy's at 6400 Springfield Mall at Springfield Town Center. According to an FBI agent's affidavit, the suspect approached an employee in the intimates section with an item. When the employee opened the cash register, the suspect displayed a gun and demanded money. The suspect left with approximately $300. Surveillance footage showed the suspect entering and exiting the store. The next armed robbery was Feb. 11 at a McDonald's restaurant at 505 S. Van Dorn Street in Alexandria. According to the affidavit, an employee recalled the suspect entered the business and demanded money from the register. The employee said she was unable to open the register because an order was pending. The suspect then walked to where the employee was and displayed a gun, continuing to demand money. After some time, the employee opened the register, and the suspect took money before leaving. Surveillance footage showed the suspect taking cash from the register and holding what appeared to be a shotgun with a wooden part. The appearance of the suspect's shoes, blue jeans, and jacket were "consistent with" those from the Jan. 24 robbery in Springfield, according to the affidavit. The Largo, Maryland armed robbery happened at a Subway at 10428 Campus Way South on Feb. 21. An employee said the suspect approached displaying a gun and demanded the register be opened, the affidavit stated. When the employee opened the register, the suspect stole approximately $500 and fled. Surveillance footage showed the suspect pointing a rifle with a brown stock at the employee and climbing behind the counter while the employee opened the register. Prince George's County Police received surveillance footage from surrounding businesses. Footage showed the suspect leaving the Subway parking lot in a dark colored Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The next robbery happened Feb. 23 at a Papa John's restaurant at 5860 Columbia Pike, Falls Church in the Bailey's Crossroads area. Fairfax County Police learned two suspects entered the restaurant, and one pointed a "sawed-off shotgun" while demanding an employee open the cash register. The employee recalled the second suspect implied he had a weapon but never showed one. Surveillance footage showed one of the suspects walked behind the counter and could not open the cash register. The employee then walked with the suspects to the back of the store to a bag containing cash. The suspects took approximately $187 and fled, the affidavit stated. The fifth robbery happened on March 13 at a Domino's Pizza at 8133 Watson Street in McLean. The victims recalled the suspect entered with a dark colored duffel bag and took out a sawed-off shotgun. The suspect came around the counter, emptied the cash register, and ordered employees to get on the ground, according to the affidavit. Court documents stated the suspect fled after ordering the employees to walk toward the back of the restaurant. Identifying the suspect As stated in the FBI agent's affidavit, video surveillance footage from a nearby business showed a dark colored Chevrolet Malibu Maxx hatchback drove by just before the McLean robbery. The suspect was seen coming to and from the area of the vehicle before and after the robbery. Police in Prince George's County were notified about the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx hatchback seen in several surveillance videos. On March 14, a detective spotted a blue Chevrolet Malibu Maxx hatchback on Indian Head Highway, but a pursuit was unsuccessful. That same day, Prince George's County Police responded to a crash in Fort Washington and found the same blue Chevrolet Malibu Maxx from the pursuit. The vehicle was unoccupied and overturned in the woods with a sawed-off shotgun inside. The vehicle was impounded and taken in for processing evidence. Three days later, a court-ordered search warrant on the vehicle was executed. During the search, police found a black knit hat and dark colored bag similar to those from the McLean robbery, several rounds of shotgun ammunition, and cards containing Fleet's name, among other items. When Fairfax County Police obtained a search warrant for a cell phone from the vehicle, police found the phone activated near cell towers around the time of the robberies at the Springfield, Largo and McLean robbery locations. Police obtained an arrest warrant for the McLean robbery, and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Fleet in DC on April 21. He was extradited to Fairfax County on April 26 and has remained in Fairfax County custody since then.