Baltimore man pleads guilty to trying to kill federal officer in Shipley Hill
BALTIMORE -- A Baltimore man has pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a federal officer in Shipley Hill in 2021, according to the Office of the Maryland Attorney General.
Davon Rogers, 40, made the guilty plea on Wednesday, state authorities said.
The shooting happened on the night of December 29, 2021. That's when members of the Drug Enforcement Administration were conducting surveillance in the 2500 block of West Fayette Street, according to state authorities.
This surveillance was part of a federal narcotics investigation, state authorities said.
One of those surveillance team members was in the Shipley Hill neighborhood in an unmarked vehicle. Rogers took an interest in the vehicle, approached it along with another person, and peered in its windows, according to state authorities.
The federal agent attempted to avoid being seen by laying down in the rear part of the vehicle, state authorities said. Once Rogers and the other person walked away, the federal agent got into the driver's seat and attempted to drive away.
As the federal agent began driving, Rogers and the other person began shooting at him, according to state authorities.
Some of the bullets nearly hit the federal agent. They struck his driver's side front and rear doors, the rear window, the trunk, and the passenger's side sun visor and ceiling area, state authorities said.
The federal agent was only able to drive for about a block amid the onslaught of bullets, according to state authorities. He eventually crashed his vehicle into a parked car and began running.
Rogers and the other person fled the area, too, state authorities said.
Investigators recovered multiple shell casings of two different calibers from the shooting site, according to state authorities.
Following the shooting, investigators executed warrants at the home of Rogers and the residence of 41-year-old Juan Hester, state authorities said.
They conducted the searches on Dec. 30, 2021, and Jan. 4, 2022, according to state authorities.
During that time, investigators recovered 113 grams of almost pure methamphetamine hydrochloride, 814 grams of THC, 34 grams of mixtures containing cocaine, three grams of mixtures containing fentanyl, and various cutting agents from Hester's residence, state authorities said.
Additionally, they seized approximately fourteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Rogers' home, according to state authorities.
Investigators conducted additional search warrants at Hester's residence on Jan. 1, 2022 and Jan. 6, 2022, state authorities said.
The second round of search warrants yielded for investigators 337 grams of mixtures or substances containing fentanyl, 78 rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition, 32 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition and one handgun magazine, according to state authorities.
Hester admitted to investigators that he maintained the residence as a premises for manufacturing or distributing controlled substances, state authorities said.
Hester pleaded guilty earlier this month to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, according to state authorities.
If the court accepts the plea agreements of Rogers and Hester, then Rogers will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison and Hester will be sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, state authorities said.
Rogers is scheduled to be sentenced at 11 a.m. on September 11, 2023, and Hester is slated to be sentenced at 11 a.m. on Sept. 12, 2023.