Maryland Felon Sentenced for Conspiring to Commit Arson and Robbery at Convenience Stores (DOJ)

Greenbelt, Maryland - A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court today, in connection with an arson conspiracy.

U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Stephen Kennedy, 34, of Temple Hills, Maryland, to 45 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit arson, arson affecting interstate commerce, commercial robbery, using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, carrying an explosive device during the commission of a felony, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Chuang also ordered Kennedy to pay $367,354.82 in restitution. In February 2025, after a five-day trial, a federal jury found Kennedy guilty of these charges.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Acting Maryland State Fire Marshal​ Jason M. Mowbray​​; Fire Chief Thelmetria Michaelides, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department; Sheriff Steven A. Hall, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD).

According to court documents, from at least January 2021 to January 2022, Kennedy and co-conspirators, including co-defendant Donnell Kelly, conspired to commit arsons at 7-Eleven convenience stores. The co-conspirators set the fires so they could later steal the cash contained in ATMs in the stores.

Kennedy, Kelly, and other co-conspirators traveled to 7-Eleven locations while they were open for business and deployed explosive devices to set fire to the buildings. On at least one occasion, a co-conspirator demanded the contents from the store's cash register. The co-conspirators burned the stores to force their closure and then shut off power to the security cameras, which enabled them to return to the unguarded locations to burglarize the ATMs.

This scheme resulted in losses to the ATM company of at least $90,000.

In October 2024, Kelly, who also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson, received a 10-year prison term, followed by three years of supervised release.

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 Hayes commended the ATF Baltimore Field Division's Arson & Explosive Investigations Group, Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Additionally, Ms. Hayes recognized the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, ATF Washington Field Division, U.S. Marshals Service, and Alexandria, Virginia Fire and Police Departments for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Christopher Sarma who prosecuted this case.

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

# # #