On April 22, detectives assigned to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division Robbery Unit arrested five suspects for several armed robberies that go back to April 9.
The suspects have been identified as Darius Lerenzo Mearis, 21, of White Plains, Justin Amari Banks, 18, of Waldorf, Jerrell Maurice Grey, 20, of Waldorf, and two 17-year-old males from Waldorf who were charged as adults but whose names are not being released, according to a sheriff’s office press release.
In these cases, the suspects allegedly used a fake profile of a female on a social media dating app “Tagged.”
People who responded to the profile were given directions to meet at an apartment located at 2002 Amberleaf Place in Waldorf, according to charging documents.
When they arrived, the suspects allegedly robbed them at gunpoint, physically assaulted them and stole money. The profile of the female changed in each case.
In one incident, a victim was given the address of the apartment and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. As he began to walk away, he was stopped by two individuals in the stairwell who pushed him back up the stairs, charging documents say.
One of the individuals, later identified as Grey, allegedly began punching the man with a closed fist while another had his hand in his hoodie pocket as if he had a gun, the documents say.
The man was told to open his CashApp account and transfer his assailants $1,000, which he complied with as he feared for his life, the documents say. The assailants allegedly then stole his phone, which was valued at $1,000.
Detectives identified the suspects and served search warrants at six residences, recovering four handguns and evidence linking them to the robberies.
Several of the suspects were arrested during the search warrants. One of the 17-year-old suspects was arrested on his way to school at St. Charles High School, the release says.
During that arrest, officers located a loaded privately made handgun — commonly known as a “ghost gun” — with an extended 30-round magazine concealed in the suspect’s pants, according to the release.
All of the suspects were charged with robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, illegal possession of a firearm and other related charges. The suspects are being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.
Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call Charles sheriff’s office Detective Thayer at 301-609-6484.
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