Baltimore Man Sentenced to 26 Years in Federal Prison for Three Robberies Committed at Gunpoint

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Keith Poynter, Jr., age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 26 years federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a robbery conspiracy, three counts of commercial robbery, conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, two counts of using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  The charges are all related to a series of armed commercial robberies committed in one day, and for discharging his weapon during one of the robberies.  A federal jury convicted Poynter of those crimes on April 24, 2023, after a four-day trial.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Acting Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to court documents and evidence presented during his trial, Poynter conspired with others, including Benjamin Bunn, Jr. and Tiffany Gardner, to rob businesses in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.  Specifically, on December 6, 2019, Poynter and another man robbed a jewelry store in the 200 block of N. Howard Street.  The evidence showed that the other robber placed a machete in the door to prevent it from locking.  Poynter brandished a weapon and struck a glass countertop, causing the gun to fire.  Poynter then fired two more shots into another glass case and removed jewelry and other merchandise, all in the presence of store employees.  Poynter and the other man then got into a silver Acura TL, which was occupied and operated by Bunn and Gardner and left the area. 

A short time later, Poynter entered a jewelry store in the Security Square Mall in Baltimore County, approached a store employee, brandished a handgun, and demanded jewelry.  After taking the jewelry, Poynter left the store and got back into the silver Acura TL, where Bunn and Gardner waited.  The group then left the area.  Approximately two hours later, Poynter entered a pawn shop in the 6600 block of Reisterstown Road, brandished a firearm, demanded jewelry, and threatened to shoot a customer.  Poynter took jewelry and other merchandise and left the store, again entering the silver Acura TL where Bunn and Gardner waited.

Benjamin Bunn, Jr., age 37, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies a few days before trial began and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023.  Tiffany Gardner, age 27, of Baltimore, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department  and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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