Arnold entered a plea of guilty on December 5, 2019.
“Arnold’s week of robbing, attempting to rob and assaulting members of our county correctional staff came to an end thanks to a thorough police investigation and our prosecution. He will now be held accountable for his actions which jeopardized the safety of our community and our county employees,” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “Safeguarding our community from violent offenders remains the top priority for my office.”
Assistant State’s Attorney James Tuomey prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.On July 20, 2018, Anne Arundel County police responded to C Mart located in the 8000 block of Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena to investigate an armed robbery. The investigation revealed that a suspect, wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat and a red shirt entered the establishment removed a handgun from a bag he was carrying and threatened to shoot an employee if he didn’t comply with his demand to open the register. The employee opened the store’s register and the suspect took $800 and six cartons of Newport brand cigarette valued at $45 each before leaving the store.
Two days later, on July 22, 2018, an Anne Arundel County police officer was entering a WaWa located in the 8300 block of Veterans Highway in Millersville to conduct a routine check of the store. Upon entering, the officer observed several employees near the deli counter acting strangely with panicked and fearful expressions on their faces. As the officer walked further into the store, he observed the defendant, later identified as Michael L. Arnold, wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat, a dark colored t-shirt and shorts standing in the deli area pointing a handgun at the ground. Recognizing that an armed robbery was unfolding, the officer pulled out his service weapon and ordered Arnold to lie on the ground. Arnold complied and was taken into custody without incident. The firearm Arnold possessed was later found to be a BB gun. The investigation revealed that Arnold and another man entered and exited the store several times and once customers were no longer in the store, Arnold approached the deli area with a small black handgun. Arnold demanded that an employee open the store’s register drawer and he complied. After the employee opened the register, Arnold looked inside and said, “It’s not even worth it.” The officer entered the store after Arnold made the comment.
Police were able to confirm through surveillance footage that Arnold was the same individual who robbed the C Mart two days earlier. Arnold confessed to committing the robbery at the C Mart and at the WaWa.