BALTIMORE — Daniel Michael Harris, Sr., 45, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to committing armed robberies across three counties while using and brandishing a firearm during crimes of violence, authorities announced. The plea was revealed by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly O. Hayes, alongside leaders from the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Prince George’s County Police Department, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Montgomery County Police Department.
According to the guilty plea, Harris and his co-conspirators executed a series of armed robberies targeting convenience stores in Prince George’s, Charles, and Montgomery counties between March and April 2023. On March 23 and March 28, 2023, the group struck two stores in Prince George’s County, stealing cash from registers and several packs of cigarettes. During both incidents, Harris brandished a pistol-grip shotgun to intimidate victims.
The crime spree continued on April 5, 2023, when Harris and his accomplices robbed a convenience store in Charles County. They took cash from the registers, as well as an employee’s wallet and phone. Harris again wielded the shotgun, holding a store employee at gunpoint while pinning a customer against a wall with his forearm. The following day, April 6, the group hit a Montgomery County store, stealing cash, an employee’s purse, and a phone, with Harris once more displaying the firearm.
Law enforcement began closing in on April 12, 2023, when a Prince George’s County Police officer spotted the getaway vehicle used in two of the robberies. A traffic stop ensued, but the occupants fled on foot and evaded capture. Officers recovered items from the abandoned vehicle, including a bottle later linked to Harris through DNA testing. The FBI’s forensic analysis confirmed a high-probability match between Harris’s DNA and the sample from the bottle, strengthening the case against him.
Further evidence emerged on November 9, 2023, when Charles County Sheriff’s Office detectives searched a storage unit belonging to Harris. Inside, they found clothing he wore during the robberies and the pistol-grip shotgun used in all four incidents, tying him directly to the crimes.
Under the plea agreement, if accepted by the court, Harris faces a sentence of 13 to 17 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for July 18, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative launched in 2001 and bolstered in May 2021 to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement and communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Montgomery County Police Department. She also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy, who is prosecuting the case. The multi-agency effort highlights a coordinated approach to tackling violent crime in Maryland, aligning with PSN’s goals of strategic enforcement and community safety.
The investigation relied on traditional police work and forensic science, with DNA evidence playing a pivotal role. According to the Justice Department, PSN emphasizes measurable outcomes, and this case reflects its focus on targeting repeat offenders like Harris. Additional details about the co-conspirators and their legal statuses were not disclosed in the announcement.
