Suspects in three Richmond Highway-area armed robberies indicted in federal court

A screen shot from security camera footage of the Quality Inn robbery on Dec. 15, 2016.

Four Washington D.C. residents were indicated last week in federal court for an alleged six-month crime spree across D.C., Maryland and Virginia that included three armed robberies around the Richmond Highway area.

Desmar Rashad Gayles, Andrew Bernard Duncan, Anton Durrell Harris and Lamont Kortez Gaines were allegedly involved in 19 armed robberies of commercial establishments, as well as three carjackings. The men allegedly used two of the carjacked vehicles during some of the robberies, and a loaded Tec-9 handgun believed to be used in some of the robberies was found when Gayles, Harris and Gaines were arrested on April 13.

The full list of charges:

(United States Attorney’s Office)

According to the indictment, the crime spree began Nov. 1, 2016 when the 7-Eleven at 2305 Huntington Avenue was robbed at gunpoint. Duncan and two accomplices allegedly forced two employees and a customer to the floor before stealing money and cartons of cigarettes.

Three of the men later robbed the Quality Inn at 7212 Richmond Highway on Dec. 15, 2016, according to the indictment. The Fairfax County Police released video of that incident, which showed two men entering the hotel before one immediately jumped over the counter. The second robber held two employees at gunpoint. 

The indictment says those two men were Gayles and Duncan. A third, unnamed suspect waited outside in a getaway car.

The robbers reportedly took $400 during the holdup.

All four men were allegedly also involved in a violent March 19 robbery at the Red Roof Inn at 5975 Richmond Highway. One of the men allegedly hit an employee in the face after an unsuccessful attempt to open a safe.

The Red Roof Inn robbery reportedly netted $4,000 for the suspects. Later that night, the suspects are alleged to have robbed a Domino’s Pizza store in the city of Alexandria. 

The authorities began to catch up with the crew on March 29 when Duncan was seen by D.C. police allegedly disposing of a handgun, just hours after he and an accomplice allegedly robbed the Advance America Cash Advance in Springfield. Duncan was allegedly carrying $3,659 in cash at the time of his arrest — $9 more than what was stolen from Advance America Cash Advance earlier that evening.

The indictment alleges that the other men continued the crime spree even after Duncan was arrested. However, investigators say they were able to tie Gayles to Duncan based on social media posts on Duncan’s Facebook page. While surveilling Gayles, investigators say they found evidence allegedly linking Gaines and Harris to Gayles, and determined they were also involved in some of the crimes committed during the spree.