Armed Robber Gets 6 Years

SNOW HILL – A Pocomoke man, one of three arrested in connection with an armed robbery spree in the south end of Worcester County in June, pleaded guilty last week to one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in jail, half of which was suspended.

Around 11:35 p.m. on June 9, the clerk of the Goose Creek convenience store in Pocomoke was attempting to lock up for the night when she was confronted by three masked men who had just entered the store. One of the men was brandishing a handgun and all three demanded money from the clerk while one of the suspects pointed a gun at her, according to police reports. The suspects were able to get an undisclosed amount of money from the clerk before fleeing the area on foot.

During the subsequent investigation, it was learned that about 30 minutes earlier, the manager of a Pizza Hut restaurant nearby had contacted the Pocomoke Police Department to report three masked men had attempted to rob him at gunpoint as he closed the business for the night. The store manager was able to get into his car unharmed and drove away.

The information obtained from the Pizza Hut manager matched the information provided by the Goose Creek clerk in terms of physical descriptions of the suspects and the types of clothing they were wearing at the time of the armed robberies. Based on the information provided by the victims, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives were able to identify three suspects, including Dexter Wise, Jr., 23, of Laurel, Del.; Decarlo Marcus White, 19, of Pocomoke; and Dorian Rashawn Johnson, 19.

Warrants were sworn out on the three suspects and each was arrested a short time later. Each of the suspects were charged with 23 total counts including armed robbery, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Last week in Circuit Court the first of three suspects, Wise, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in jail, of which six months were suspended, netting Wise six years in jail. He was also placed on probation for two years after his release and was given credit for the 118 days he spent in jail awaiting trial. Wise was also ordered to pay roughly $1,500 in combined restitution to the victims, Goose Creek and Pizza Hut.

White is expected to appear for trial for his role in the robberies on Jan. 10, while Johnson’s trial is scheduled for Jan. 12.