Westminster, Maryland – February 22, 2024

A Baltimore man has been found guilty of First Degree Assault, Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, Use of a Firearm during a Violent Crime, and Possessing a Firearm with a Felony Conviction after a two-day trial in Carroll County Circuit Court. Gary Qian Newton, aged 48, faces sentencing on April 3, 2024, as determined by Judge Brian L. DeLeonardo.

During the trial, owner Michael McKeldin of the Flight Delta 9 Tobacco Shop recounted the events of April 15, 2023, when an armed African-American male wearing dark clothing, gloves, and a mask entered the shop and demanded cash. McKeldin managed to flee the store and call for help, leading to the dispatch of officers from the Hampstead Police Department and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigation and camera footage traced the suspect to Ridgley House apartments, where a resident identified him as Gary Newton. The prosecution was led by Melissa Hockensmith, Deputy State’s Attorney, with the case being investigated by Corporal Jonathan Cranshaw of the Hampstead Police Department.

State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating, “The swift apprehension and subsequent prosecution and conviction of Newton for his brazen armed robbery of a local business committed in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon, speaks volumes about how seriously we in law enforcement in Carroll consider this type of crime to be.”

For more information, please contact the Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County at 410-386-2671 or ccstatesattorney@carrollcountymd.gov.

Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County
55 North Court Street, Suite 100
Westminster, MD 21157
Phone: (410) 386-2360
Fax: (410) 876-9286

For more information, please contact:
Office of the State’s Attorney for Carroll County
Phone: 410-386-2671
Fax: 410-876-9286
Email: ccstatesattorney@carrollcountymd.gov