Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 4, 2022

45 YEARS INCARCERATION FOR BURGER KING MURDER 

FREDERICK, MD – Sentencing occurred today for Darin Tyler Robey, age 21, of Frederick who was found guilty by a Frederick County jury in August 2022 of Second-Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence, and Possessing a Firearm Under Age 21.  The murder happened on December 26, 2021, when officers with the Frederick Police Department were dispatched to the Burger King located at 101 Routzahn Way for a report of a shooting. Responding officers located the victim laying in the front entrance to the Burger King with severe injuries as the result of two gunshot wounds. CPR was performed until EMS arrived on scene. Regrettably, the victim Jaion Penamon, age 21, died of his injuries at the scene.

The State believes that Robey came to the Burger King that evening to confront his then girlfriend who works there. The victim witnessed this confrontation and tried to intervene.  When Penamon asked Robey to take it outside, Robey abruptly shot him twice in the chest then fled from the scene.  He was later apprehended.  His gun and phone were never located.

At sentencing, State’s Attorney Charlie Smith argued for over an hour as to why Robey was deserving of the maximum allowable sentence of 60 years (40 years for Second Degree Murder; 20 years for Firearm/Crime of Violence).  Smith stated during sentencing that “the most egregious second-degree murders deserve the harshest sentences.  Robey lacked remorse from the second he pulled the trigger, to when he stepped over Jaion’s dying body and casually walked away, until today.”  Unfortunately, Smith’s presentation was interrupted when fights broke out in the courtroom between families of the victim and defendant necessitating a lockdown of the courtrooms and other parts of the courthouse.  The sentencing resumed an hour later when Judge Scott L. Rolle heard from members of the victim’s family and from the Defense.  Robey was then sentenced to a total of 60 years in the Division of Corrections, with 15 years suspended, for a total of 45 years active incarceration. Upon release, Robey will be under 5 years of supervised probation.

The State was represented by Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith and ASA Ricky Lewis.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2022

FREDERICK MAN SENTENCED IN 1989 FOR MURDER OF MARC UHER

HAS MODIFICATION DENIED 

FREDERICK, MD – This morning in Frederick County Circuit Court, John Paul Sexton had his request to modify his sentence denied by Judge Julie Solt.  Sexton is currently serving a sentence of life plus forty years in prison for the October 1988 murder of his classmate 16-year-old Marc Uher.  Over the Governor’s veto, the Maryland Legislature passed the Juvenile Restoration Act which allows all those who have served at least twenty years of their sentence to seek modifications if they were under 18 years of age at the time of the offense.

In October 1988, Sexton used his friendship with the victim to learn how the money from the Urbana Exxon was secured every night at the close of business.   The victim, Marc Uher, had just started working at the Exxon and told his friend Sexton that when the business closed up, the employee would drive the bank bag with all the cash to the owner’s house a short distance away. On the date of the murder, Sexton came to the Exxon and hung out with Uher while Uher worked.  Sexton asked for a ride at the end of the night.  The investigation, the autopsy, and ballistic evidence proved that the gun was placed within two to three inches of Uher’s head and he was executed.   Sexton told police his hand was bumped as he was exiting the car and the shooting was an accident.   The evidence however proved that was not possibly the scenario.  After killing Uher, Sexton took Uher’s car, dumped Uher’s body and then over the next three days pretended to help look for the missing 16-year-old until he was arrested.

Many friends and Linganore classmates gathered today at the courthouse.   They reminisced about the good times they had with their friend, and how devastated they still are by the crime that shattered the community.   Numerous victim impact statements from the Linganore Community were shared with the Court by the State’s Attorney’s office.   Uher’s brother was able to participate in the hearing and shared his requests and feelings with the court as well.   Knowing what effect this this kind of modification hearing has on the victims of violent crimes is a primary reason the Juvenile Restoration Act was opposed by the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith commented, “Many people believe that these sentence reduction motions under the Juvenile Restoration Act should be automatic.  However, there are some homicides committed by juveniles that are so senseless and heinous that life sentences are very appropriate.  Sexton is one of those cases.  Juvenile Chief ASA Laura Wilt put it best, it was a carefully planned murder to merely ensure there was no witness to his robbery.  That’s cold-blooded.”

The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Wilt.

For Immediate Release

September 2, 2022

FREDERICK, MD – This morning in Frederick County Circuit Court, Maria Gloria Vasquez-Mebo AKA Maria Gloria Vasquez-Mego AKA Maria Gloria Vasquez Mego, age 37, of Frederick was sentenced to Life with all but 35 years suspended in the Division of Corrections by the Honorable Judge Richard Sandy. She must also serve 5 years of supervised probation upon release.

Vasquez-Mebo entered a guilty plea to one count of first-degree murder in the death of 81-year-old Dolores Casas Perez-Colon on June 9, 2022. The plea agreement included a sentencing range of Life suspend all but 25 to 45 years suspended, with the State recommending an active sentence of 45 years and the Defendant seeking a sentence of 25 years.

On September 13, 2020, officers with the Frederick Police Department were dispatched to the 400 block of N. Bentz Street for the report of a cardiac arrest. First responders found the victim on the floor face up with traumatic injuries to her face. Following an autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, it was determined that the victim died from blunt force injuries sustained by multiple strikes to the head with a rolling pin. The defendant lived at the residence and was the caregiver of the victim’s wheelchair-bound husband.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith commented, “I am pleased that Ms. Perez-Colon’s family can find comfort in knowing that this defendant will serve decades behind bars for this heinous crime. Her family has indicated this outcome has provided closure, as it spared them the additional trauma of having to sit through a difficult and emotional trial.”

The State was represented by Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Rebecca Clinton and Chief Counsel Joyce King.

Maria Gloria Vasquez-Mebo