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Stephen Kennedy, 33, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and Donnell Kelly, 33, of Washington, DC, have been charged on a 10-count indictment by a federal grand jury on a host of charges following a yearlong conspiracy.
Prosecutors say that between January 2021 and January 2022, the pair conspired to commit arsons at 7-Eleven stores so that they could obtain cash contained in ATMs inside the stores.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that Kennedy and Kelly traveled to 7-Eleven locations throughout the region while they were open for business and deployed explosive devices to set fire to the buildings, and on at least one occasion, demanded the contents of the cash register.
According to officials, the pair allegedly burned the stores to force their closure and shut off power to the security cameras, which would enable them to return to the unguarded locations to burglarize the ATMs unhindered.
In total, the pair caused nearly $250,000 in losses to the ATM companies.
Officials said that to conceal their crimes, Kennedy and Kelly allegedly burned vehicles used in the arson attacks, burglaries, and made false police reports regarding stolen license plates.
Kennedy and Kelly have been charged with:
- Conspiracy to commit arson;
- Arson affecting interstate commerce;
- Commercial robbery;
- Use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, in connection with a series of convenience store robberies;
- Being felons in possession of a firearm;
- Being felons in possession of an explosive device.
Kennedy was also charged with carrying an explosive device during the commission of a felony.
If convicted of using a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, the pair face life in prison. Their next court appearance was scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, March 3.
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