Baltimore City Man Sentenced To Fourteen Years In Federal Prison For Committing Several Armed Robberies And Carjackings

Baltimore - United States District Judge George L. Russell, III, today sentenced Tavon Reid-El, age 25, of Baltimore City, Maryland, to fourteen (14) years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for committing two armed commercial robberies and three armed carjackings in Baltimore City, Maryland.

The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and, Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore City Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on December 28, 2019, Reid-El robbed an employee of Safeway Lock & Key. According to the employee, he was dispatched to the 1500 block of Fernley Road in Baltimore City to provide assistance with a vehicle lockout. When the employee arrived at the location, he was met by Reid-El, who indicated that he was locked-out of his vehicle, a white Nissan Sentra. The Safeway employee then programmed a new key fob and requested payment from Reid-El. Reid-El provided partial payment, and the employee informed Reid-El that he owed a balance. An unidentified co-conspirator, armed with a handgun, then approached the employee. Reid-El demanded the employee empty his pockets and return the money that Reid-El had given to him. Reid-El and the unknown suspect then took the employee's wallet and cellphone, as well as work tools from the employee's work van. The men also attempted to abduct the employee but were unsuccessful.

On January 11, 2020, Reid-El committed three armed carjackings in Baltimore City. During all three carjackings, Reid-El arrived at the scene in a white sedan and then approached the victims, brandishing a handgun. Reid-El then stole the vehicles and personal items of the victims. Co-defendant Tyree Bethel operated the white sedan during some of the carjackings.

At approximately 12:00 p.m. on January 11, 2020, Reid-El robbed at gunpoint a locksmith for Jet Locksmith in the 1700 block of East 32^nd Street in Baltimore City. At the location, the victim met with Reid-El, who informed the locksmith that he had locked his keys inside his white 2016 Honda Accord. The locksmith then unlocked the Honda and Reid-El retrieved the keys. As the locksmith prepared a work order and asked Reid-El how he was paying for the service, Reid-El replied that he was paying with cash. The locksmith then walked to his work vehicle and noticed Reid-El following him. Reid-El then lifted the hemline of his sweatshirt and revealed a brown-handled revolver firearm and asked the locksmith for his money, wallet and cellphone. Reid-El also demanded that the locksmith open the safe contained in the locksmith's work vehicle. The locksmith complied and provided Reid-El with his wallet, cellphone, and cash from the vehicle's safe. Reid-El then entered the white Honda Accord and departed the area.

A cellular telephone tracking order was authorized for two cellular phone numbers. Utilizing the tracking order, BPD officers were able to track one of the phones to a silver Honda Accord. BPD officers stopped the vehicle and located inside were Reid-El, co-defendant Tyree Bethel and another individual. The cellphone that was being tracked was recovered from Reid-El. Officers also recovered from Reid-El the cellphone of one of the victims. The other cellphone was tracked to the home address of co-defendant Bethel.

In mid-January 2020, several victims from the commercial armed robberies and carjackings responded to the BPD Citywide Robbery section and were each shown photograph arrays. The victims each positively identified Reid-El as the perpetrator of the crimes.

On January 16, 2020, a search warrant was authorized for the residence of co-defendant Tyree Bethel. During the search of the residence, law enforcement officers recovered, among other items, the Auto Pad Pro stolen from the employee of Safeway Lock & Key on December 28, 2019.

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 ATF and the Baltimore 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.