OCEAN CITY — Two Berlin men were arrested for armed robbery and first-degree assault last weekend after robbing at gunpoint another man they had met had met outside a downtown underage club a week earlier.
Around 7 a.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer met with the victim of an armed robbery at the police substation on the south end of the Boardwalk. The victim told police he had been robbed at gunpoint by two suspects, one of whom he had met a week earlier and had been in contact with in the days leading up to the incident.
The victim told police on Saturday, June 2, he met a man later identified as Trenton Smith, 19, of Berlin, outside a downtown underage club. According to police reports, the victim exchanged phone numbers and Snap Chat names with Smith and discussed meeting up later in the week. Smith and victim exchanged Snap Chat messages throughout the week leading up to their renewed meeting early last Saturday morning.
Darry Ames, Jr.
The victim told police he and a friend began walking south on the Boardwalk from 8th Street around 2:30 a.m. At some point, the victim’s friend returned to their hotel room and the victim continued walking south alone. Along the way, the victim ran into Smith again, along with another man, later identified as Darry Ames, Jr., 26, of Berlin.
The victim engaged in conversation with Smith and Ames, who invited him to go with them to a party. The victim agreed and walked with Smith and Ames to an area on Washington Lane, which runs north-south parallel to the Boardwalk. At that point, Ames allegedly pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the victim and told the victim to give him $60.
The victim told police he removed $750 from his wallet and Ames grabbed all of the money from him along with a 24-carat gold ring valued at $900. Also taken from the victim was a mini glass vaporizer valued at $300, a backpack containing a Bluetooth speaker, his key ring, which included the key to his house, his Ocean City hotel key and a Bluetooth keychain device which could be used to track the location of the keys.
Trenton Smith
The victim told police Smith also raised his shirt, revealing what appeared to be the handle of a black handgun in his waistband. At that point, Smith and Ames fled north on foot up Washington Lane and the victim ran south, re-entering the Boardwalk at 2nd Street. The victim then ran south on the Boardwalk to North Division Street where he called police.
Within an hour of the armed robbery, Smith began sending public Snap Chat messages of the victim’s stolen property for sale. The investigating officer was able to utilize Facebook and Snap Chat to pull up pictures of Smith and the victim stated he was “100 percent sure it was him.”
Through the investigation, OCPD officers were able to identify Smith and Ames and the suspects and located them a short time later. Smith has been charged with armed robbery, first- and second-degree assault, theft from $1,000 to $10,000 and the use of a firearm during a violent crime. Ames has been charged with armed robbery, first- and second-degree assault, theft from $1,000 to under $10,000 and possession of a replica gun. Both were taken before a District Court Commissioner and each was ordered to be held at the Worcester County Jail without bond.
