WASHINGTON — A 30-year-old Maryland man pleaded guilty Friday to multiple robberies at Northwest, D.C. businesses within a five-month period. He started by using small weapons like hammers and knives, and eventually escalated to a gun, according to the office for the U.S. Attorney for D.C., Matthew Graves.
Roberto McBean admitted to committing 10 robberies at gas stations, wine stores and markets between between Aug. 22, 2023 and Jan. 8, 2024. He was arrested on Jan. 26 and pleaded guilty Friday to four counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery. He was hit with this charge because the stores he targeted bought and sold products in interstate commerce. McBean is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleeen Kollar-Kotelly on Sept. 5.
According to court documents McBean started by robbing a Sunoco gas station on Wisconsin Avenue, NW using a small hammer on Aug. 22. It was not said what he stole. Nine days later he used a small vegetable knife to rob the Georgetown Wine and Spirits store on P Street, NW, taking cash and a bottle of red wine.
On Sept. 18, he attempted to rob Universal Wine and Spirits on Florida Avenue, NW with a knife, but was unsuccessful after a customer saw him and shouted "Not today, get out" and he ran away with nothing. On Nov. 23, he hit the Glover Park Market on 37th Street, NW, using a gun, and stole cash. On Dec. 8 he took cash from an Exxon on Wisconsin Avenue, NW using a gun. On the same day, he went back to the Sunoco he previously robbed and told the attendant to empty the cash register into his bag, while pointing a gun.
Eight days later, he again robbed the Glover Park Market of all the cash in the register as well as lottery tickets. On Dec. 20, he went back to Georgetown Wine and Spirits and told an employee to empty the cash register. When the employee said they didn't have a key, McBean pulled a gun on them, and the employee gave him the whole register. McBean couldn't open it so he gave it back and left with nothing.
On Jan. 4, 2024 McBean hit Sara’s Market and Dry Cleaners on Q Street, NW and tried to demand cash from an employee after putting a bottle of wine on the counter. When the employee said they didn't accept cash and only took credit card payments, McBean left with just the wine. He went back to Glover Park Market the next day with a gun and told an employee to fill a bag with cash. He also stole lottery tickets, and two packs of cigarettes.
Finally, on Jan. 8, he went back to Glover Park Market for a fourth time, and a store employee recognized him and called police. McBean was arrested on Jan. 26.
The case was a multi-jurisdictional investigation handled by DC Police, the FBI's Washington Field Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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