ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — A Silver Spring man will serve decades in prison for his role in an attempted armed robbery at a Laurel hotel more than three years ago.
A judge sentenced 32-year-old Joel Manuel Moreno to 45 years in prison, suspending all but 25 years to serve without the possibility of parole, according to the Anne Arundel State’s Attorney’s Office.
Moreno will also receive credit for time already served since March 29, 2024, and must complete supervised probation after release.
A jury convicted Moreno on July 16 of attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, using a firearm during a violent crime, possessing a regulated firearm after a previous violent crime conviction, carrying a loaded handgun and illegally wearing or transporting a handgun.
The charges stem from an attempted robbery on Sept. 8, 2023, when police were called to the Garden Inn in Laurel in the early morning hours for a reported shooting.
Investigators learned that the victim had been lured to the hotel through a dating app to meet a woman. When the victim tried to escape the attempted robbery, Moreno fired several shots at the victim’s car, striking it once. Surveillance video helped identify Moreno and his codefendants by tracking their movements and clothing before, during and after the crime.
Police recovered three spent shell casings from the area where Moreno fired three of the four shots.
Anne Arundel State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said, “This defendant lured a victim to a hotel with the intention of robbing him. It is fortunate that no one was physically harmed during this incident. Based on this defendant’s significant criminal history, the Court appropriately gave a lengthy sentence.”
Assistant State’s Attorneys Nancy Jeffein Olin and Matthew Rabb prosecuted the case. Sgt. Sean Buente of the Anne Arundel County Police Department led the investigation.
This post was originally published on Fox 45 by Sinclair Media Group.
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