A D.C. schools social worker and former Army reservist has admitted he robbed six Maryland banks of nearly $20,000 and tried to rob one of them a second time. Damon K. Roberts, 47, pleaded guilty in federal court in Greenbelt to three counts of bank robbery. Prince George’s authorities called him a serial bank robber after he held up five banks in the county between March and July, largely in the Bowie and Largo areas. He also robbed an Annapolis bank.
Roberts was arrested in August and charged in federal court in September.
He admitted to robbing six banks for a total of $19,599.
Court documents say Roberts was linked to the robberies through DNA found on clothes he discarded near the banks and through fingerprints he left on the notes he handed to bank tellers.
His haul in the robberies ranged from $600 to $6,810, according to court records. But in one incident, a June 26 attempted robbery at a BB&T Bank in Largo, employees recognized him and refused to hand over cash.
Roberts faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the three counts. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May.
Roberts was a special education social worker for D.C. Public Schools. After his arrest, he was placed on indefinite administrative leave.
A DCPS spokeswoman said at the time that district employees convicted of crimes are terminated, but she did not respond to a request for an update on Roberts’ employment status on Wednesday.
Roberts served in the Army from 1982 to 2006 and was diagnosed this April with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to Court documents.
An Army official said Roberts was a sergeant first class and served in the reserves as a personnel clerk and infantryman. His unit was sent to Iraq from July 2005 to July 2006, and Roberts retired in November 2006.
Roberts admitted to robbing or trying to rob the following Prince George’s County banks:
• Chevy Chase Bank on the 6100 block of High Bridge Road on July 8
• BB&T Bank on the 10500 block of Campus Way South on June 26
• M&T Bank on the 6900 block of Laurel Bowie Road on June 12
• M&T Bank on the 1000 block of Shoppers Way on May 21
• BB&T Bank on the 10500 block of Campus Way South on April 19
• SunTrust Bank at 24 Watkins Park Drive on March 12
He also robbed a Chevy Chase Bank in Annapolis in August.
