Man arrested in pizza robbery after allegedly punching worker over fake order
GAITHERSBURG, MD – A 20-year-old Olney man has been arrested and charged in connection with a robbery at a Papa John’s pizza shop last fall, after investigators say he used a fake name to claim another customer’s order and assaulted an employee who tried to stop him.
Dean Steve Bodjona-Ali was arrested Tuesday, January 13, after detectives identified him as the suspect in the October 8, 2025, incident at the Papa John’s located in the 13000 block of Georgia Avenue.
According to investigators, Bodjona-Ali entered the restaurant around 10:35 p.m. and provided a false name to the cashier in an attempt to pick up a pizza order. When the employee refused — reportedly recognizing the tactic from a similar prior incident — Bodjona-Ali allegedly walked behind the counter and grabbed a pizza.
When the employee tried to intervene, police say Bodjona-Ali struck the worker in the chest before fleeing the store with the stolen food.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department’s 4th District Patrol Investigations Unit later identified Bodjona-Ali and secured an arrest warrant. He was taken into custody in Olney and transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where he is being held without bond.
He is facing charges of robbery, second-degree assault, and theft under $100.
Officials have not stated whether Bodjona-Ali has prior arrests or if additional charges may follow.
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Key Points
- Dean Steve Bodjona-Ali, 20, was arrested for an October 8 robbery at a Papa John’s in Gaithersburg
- Police say he used a fake name to claim an order, then assaulted an employee and stole a pizza
- He is charged with robbery, assault, and theft, and is being held without bond
