The four suspects involved in the Sept. 24, PNC Bank Robbery and Kidnapping of a bank manager and her two children from their residence were indicted Nov. 17.

"I am grateful to all of the agencies that assisted in the investigation that resulted in these serious federal criminal charges," said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of the indictment. "The crime of using a gun in a violent crime carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison."

According to the 10-count indictment, prior to the robbery, Joseph Brown, William Johnson and Quinita Ennis observed the whereabouts of the bank manager, determining the time and route she used to leave her minor children in the care of another, and the procedures used by bank employees to open the bank.

On Sept.  24, Ennis drove Brown and Johnson to the bank manager’s residence in Calvert County. Brown and Johnson, wearing masks and camouflage clothing and brandishing a 9 mm rifle, kidnapped the manager and her two minor children. Brown and Johnson drove the family to St. Mary’s County in the manager’s vehicle. Brown got out of the vehicle in California and Johnson ordered the manager to drive to the bank and obtain funds from the bank, while Johnson held her minor son hostage in her vehicle. The manager’s daughter was released.

The indictment alleges that Johnson took $169,900 from the bank manager and forced her to drive him to an elementary school, where the manager and her son were released. Johnson drove the manager’s vehicle to a pharmacy in California, where he abandoned the vehicle and joined Brown in Ennis’s vehicle with the stolen bank funds. Ennis drove Brown and Johnson to Brown’s residence.

The indictment further alleges that between Sept. 24 and Sept. 29, Brown and Johnson buried the rifle used in the robbery behind a shed in the backyard of Brown’s residence.

Brown and Johnson bought safes and buried the safes with approximately $84 thousand of the stolen funds in Brown’s backyard. Brown and Johnson attempted to burn camouflage clothing, sunglasses, a stocking hat and gloves used in the robbery in Brown’s backyard. Between Sept.  30 and Oct.  3, Brown and Johnson allegedly traveled to Virginia and North Carolina with some of the stolen funds. On Oct. 1, Ennis allegedly made a wire transfer of $9 thousand from a store in California to Brown in Raleigh, N.C.

Joseph Franklin Brown Jr., 36 of Great Mills, William Cordell Johnson, also known as Backyard Billy, 37 of Port Republic, and Quinita Jesse Ennis, 30 of Lexington Park, face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy; 25 years in prison for bank robbery; and life in prison for using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of property from these three defendants, including $169,900 and the rifle used in the bank robbery, as well as another rifle from Brown that was recovered from his residence. Brown and Johnson also face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for evidence tampering; and five years in prison for interstate transport of stolen property.

Ennis also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for making false statements in purchasing a rifle on June 20, at a Lexington Park store that was used in the robbery, falsely representing that she was the actual purchaser, when in fact she was purchasing the firearm for Brown. She also faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for interstate transport of stolen property.

A fourth defendant, Edwin Jonathan Jones, 40 of Lexington Park, faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for being an accessory after the fact in connection with assisting Brown and Johnson from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3, to hinder their arrest.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked St. Mary’s County Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron and the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigation; St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard D. Fritz and his office; Calvert County State’s Attorney Laura L. Martin and her office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maryland State Police for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Dunne and Stuart Berman, who are prosecuting the case.