Clinton Maurice Gantt, 46, of Lexington Park, was sentenced to 10 years in the Maryland Department of Corrections on March 2 for attempted theft of a Cedar Point Federal Credit Union in Lexington Park on Nov. 2, 2021.
He was found not guilty of felony robbery at an Aug. 23-24 trial, but guilty of three misdemeanors. He was given credit for 484 days in jail or home detention.
St. Mary’s County Circuit Court Judge Joseph M. Stanalonis said he went beyond the guidelines to allow Gantt to be authorized for substance abuse treatment at the Patuxent Institute, which requires a minimum sentence of 10 years.
Gantt got a 20-year sentence with 10 years suspended. The guidelines called for a sentence of zero to eight years. He also got one year for possession of cocaine and a “generally suspended” sentence for possession of drug paraphernalia. The drug possession conviction will run concurrently with the attempted theft conviction.
Police responded to 21748 Three Notch Road and arrested Gantt outside the business. According to a court document, Gantt was wearing a hospital gown and presented a woman’s ATM card and demanded $100,000 and then $500,000 and later jumped up and down on a couch and yelled after the manager told him to leave. Gantt eventually left the building, and the staff locked the door.
He yelled, “I’m a stomper, and I stomp on m—– f——,” according to the document. Gantt also said his nickname was Stomper “because I stomp on n—–.”
According to the document, Gantt was wearing a brace on his right leg, and staff was worried that he might have a weapon because he kept grabbing his brace when he was jumping.
Earlier that day, he was involved in a crash involving another vehicle to which Gantt pleaded guilty to driving on a suspended license. A male victim testified during sentencing, but Stanalonis said he was bound by a plea agreement in that case that he had accepted on Aug. 26, 2022. Gantt was sentenced to 188 days for that traffic offense with credit for time served. Gantt was also initially charged with failure to render aid to an injured person, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, attempting to elude police and driving on a revoked license.
“I agreed to accept it because I had no idea you had not been contacted,” Stanalonis said to the victim. “I apologize. I am bound to follow the agreement.”
Assistant state’s attorney Ashley Sowls said it was an injury accident. She noted that Gantt has prior convictions for conspiracy to commit robbery in 2017, escape in 2008 and misdemeanor assault in 2004.
Regarding the credit union incident, Stanalonis said, “Watching those videos, it was a little bit chilling.” He added, “Multiple witnesses said you kept demanding money, and you weren’t going to leave without money. You made comments about God and said you were a stomper.”
Gantt’s attorney, Amber Wetzel, said, “It’s obvious he was under the influence of substances at that time.” She noted he voluntarily gave up a pipe on the sidewalk after the incident.
Wetzel said a teller who testified at trial referred to Gantt “as a thing or it and not a person.” Wetzel said her client was treated differently because of the color of his skin.
Wetzel said Gantt is a master carpenter with five kids and two grandkids.
Before sentencing, Gantt said he put God as his co-signer on a loan document that he filled out at the credit union. “I didn’t feel like I was crazy because He is my co-signer on everything I do,” he said, noting he was under the influence of a drug.
At the time, Gantt said his account was overdrawn by $500. Stanalonis ordered him to have no contact with the credit union. “I do believe in rehabilitation and treatment,” the judge said. “There’s a lot to unpack in your history” and noted Gantt twice before failed to complete probation. He ordered that he complete five years of supervised probation upon his release.
Regarding the crash, Gantt said he didn’t run off like a coward as was alleged by the victim, and said he asked the other driver several times if everyone was OK before he left. Gantt said his son and two other people were in his vehicle.