Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Christopher Allen Young, a/k/a “40,” age 26, of Washington, D.C., to 126 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit kidnapping, in connection with the kidnapping of a victim from a Maryland casino and hotel.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Washington Field Office Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to Young’s guilty plea, on February 3, 2021, Young, Darius Young a/k/a “Mup”, Anthony Hebron, Lamar Perkins, and Co-conspirator 1 worked together to kidnap a victim from a Maryland casino and hotel. Hebron and Co-conspirator 1 met Victim A at the casino and hotel, where they made the false promise that they would get women for Victim A if Victim A accompanied them to Southeast Washington, D.C. At approximately 7:30 a.m., Victim A agreed to travel to Southeast Washington, D.C. in Co-conspirator 1’s car with Hebron and Co-conspirator 1.
At 8:12 a.m., Young received a call from Hebron. A minute later, Young called Mup to report that Co-conspirator 1 and Hebron had “snatched” Victim A. Young advised Mup that he was going to split the proceeds of the robbery with Co-conspirator 1 and Hebron and would pay Mup from his share. Young added that, if Victim A “gets feisty, I don’t want to have to crush him.”
A short time later, Co-conspirator 1 and Hebron arrived in Southeast D.C. with Victim A, and Young and Mup got in the car. Hebron then pointed a gun at Victim A, while Young and the co-conspirators took Victim A’s personal items, including Victim A’s wallet, cellphone, and watch (which had been purchased for approximately $500), and the key to Victim A’s hotel room. Young and the co-conspirators then demanded the code to the safe in Victim A’s hotel room. After Victim A refused to provide the code to the safe, Hebron struck Victim A in the forehead with the gun, and Victim A gave up the code to his safe. Hebron then forced Victim A out of the vehicle.
Young and Mup then exited the vehicle with Victim A, while Co-conspirator 1 and Hebron drove back to the casino and hotel. Young and Mup then led Victim A, at gunpoint, to a boiler room inside an apartment building in Southeast D.C. Inside the boiler room, Young and Mup physically assaulted Victim A and demanded that Victim A disclose the PIN number for his ATM card and provide details about items located in Victim A’s hotel room.
According to the plea agreement, members of the conspiracy were seen on surveillance footage leaving Victim A’s hotel room with a backpack and roller suitcase, which contained items they had stolen from the room, including an Xbox, at least $1,500 in casino chips, and approximately $6,000 in cash.
Soon after learning that Co-conspirator 1 and Hebron had stolen Victim A’s valuables from his hotel room, Young and Mup left the boiler room, leaving Victim A behind.
Just a few moments later, law enforcement located Victim A near the apartment building, with blood running down his face and a wound on his forehead. Victim A also appeared to have suffered cuts on his mouth and eye, and a broken nose.
Following the robbery and assault, Young and his co-conspirators discussed the kidnapping and robbery on a phone call. Young told the co-conspirators that he was not worried about Victim A talking to law enforcement because Victim A would be too afraid after Young and Mup threatened him. Young said he told Victim A, “If the police come, or anything come, I got your address. Mom…your little brother, all them is gone!”
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Washington, and the FBI Baltimore Field Offices for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also praised the Prince George’s County Police Department for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking, who are prosecuting 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-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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