Two Maryland Men Convicted At Trial After Violent Crime Spree

Press Release

Defendant Convicted of Murdering a Victim During One Armed Robbery

Greenbelt, Maryland - After a 9-day trial, a federal jury returned verdicts against Thaddeus Lamont Wills, age 51, and Keionta Shawn Hagens, age 44, both of Waldorf, Maryland, of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, carjacking, and of murder.

The conviction was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George's County Police Department; Chief Troy D. Berry of the Charles County Sheriff's Office; and Chief Peter Newsham of the Prince William County, Virginia Police Department.

Evidence presented at trial established that on November 12, 2020, conspirators, including Wills and Hagens, while armed with firearms, robbed an employee of Business-1 of cash and merchandise, and a customer of Business-1 of personal property. To facilitate their escape from Business-1, conspirators, including Wills and Hagens, forcefully, and using firearms, took a 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck from the victim customer.

Trial evidence further established that on or about November 17, 2020, conspirators, including Wills and Hagens used a stolen 2014 Ford F-150 pickup truck to drive to Business-2 for the purpose of robbing Business-2. Wills and Hagens thereafter, while using at least one firearm, robbed an employee of Business-2 of cash and merchandise as well as a customer of personal property. During the robbery, Wills and Hagens zip tied the hands of the employee. In addition, Between November 12, 2020, and November 26, 2020, conspirators, including Wills and Hagens, stored and concealed the stolen Dodge Ram pickup and stolen Ford F-150 pickup in the area of Brandywine, Maryland.

On January 6, 2021, in Waldorf, Maryland, conspirators, including Wills, while armed with firearms, forcefully took a 2008 Honda Pilot Sport Utility Vehicle from a victim. On January 6 and January 7, 2021, conspirators, including Wills, used the 2008 Honda Pilot to travel from Maryland into Virginia. Then, on January 7, 2021, in Woodbridge, Virginia, conspirators, including Wills, while armed with firearms, robbed customers, agents and employees of Business-3 of cash, merchandise, and personal property. After driving the 2008 Honda Pilot back from Virginia to Maryland on January 7, 2021, Wills and a co-conspirator burned the vehicle in the area of Brandywine, Maryland.

Finally, on January 18, 2021, conspirators, including Wills and Hagens, robbed Victim-8, the owner of Business-4, of merchandise while using at least two firearms, and shot and killed the business owner during the robbery. In order to escape after the robbery and murder of the victim, Wills used a firearm to forcefully take a 2019 Lexus RX350 Sport Utility Vehicle from a separate victim.

Wills faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for the murder of victim-8 during the robbery on January 18, 2021; a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years and a maximum sentence of life for each count of using, carrying, brandishing a firearm during the robbery on November 17, 2020, the carjacking on January 6, 2021, and the carjacking on January 18, 2021. Wills faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison each for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and interference with interstate commerce by robbery related to the robberies on November 17, 2020 and January 18, 2021, as well as a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for each carjacking.

Hagens faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for using and carrying a firearm during the robbery on November 17, 2020. Hagens also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years each for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and interference with interstate commerce by robbery for the robberies on November 17, 2020 and January 18, 2021.

U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Wills on February 7, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. and for Hagens on February 14, 2024 at 9:30 am. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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.

U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI, PGPD, Charles County Sheriff's Office, and the Prince William County, Virginia Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Moomau and Patrick D. Kibbe, who are prosecuting the federal case.

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

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Updated October 25, 2024