News Release, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
UPDATE AUGUST 16, 2019 – Leonardtown, MD: William James Cooper (D.O.B. 01/26/1987) of Calvert County was sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years, suspended down to 15 years in prison for his involvement in an armed robbery of an employee at the Subway restaurant in Leonardtown, MD on April 4, 2019.
State’s Attorney Richard Fritz, who prosecuted the case, would like to thank Corporal Milton Pesante and Detective Skylar Lefave of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department for their outstanding work on this case.
On April 4, 2019, at approximately 9:42 p.m., William James Cooper, 32 of no fixed address, entered the Subway restaurant at Merchants Lane in Leonardtown. Cooper placed a knife to the neck of an employee of the store and demanded money. During the robbery, Cooper cut the victim, which caused minor injuries, before fleeing the area in a vehicle.
St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputies located and apprehended Cooper, who was processed and charged at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown.
Cooper was charged by St. Mary’s County Criminal Investigations Division Detectives with:
- First-Degree Assault
- Second-Degree Assault
- Armed Robbery
- Robbery
- Theft: $100 to under $1,500
Cooper is currently incarcerated at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center and is awaiting an appearance before a District Court Commissioner