Story Category: Crime and Punishment »

A Charlotte Hall man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to attempted robbery. St. Mary’s County Circuit Court Judge Michael Stamm sentenced Christopher French, 21, on August 8. French pled guilty on May 5.

The overall sentence for French was six years and six months but the judge suspended all but the 18 months. French will serve five years of supervised probation after being released. French was given credit for the six months he has already served awaiting sentencing.

French was indicted in January in connection with an armed robbery at Arby’s in Charlotte Hall last year. The original police report on the arrest is as follows:

On November 6, 2011 at 8:40 P.M. police units responded to the Arby’s Restaurant located in Charlotte Hall, Maryland for the report of an armed robbery.  Detectives from the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations responded and assumed the investigation.  Investigation revealed the manager exited the rear of the store when he was confronted by two male subjects wearing dark clothing, ski masks and displaying handguns.  The manager was ordered back into the store at gunpoint at which time the suspects demanded money from the business.

“During the robbery, the manager believed he recognized the voices of the suspects and called out to them by name.  Upon the suspects hearing their names both suspects ordered the manager to the rear of the store, placed him on the ground and fled on foot.  Both suspects were identified by detectives as former employees of the Arby’s Restaurant.

Search and Seizure Warrants were obtained and executed resulting in the recovery of evidence related to the robbery and the arrest of Christopher B. French, age 21, of Charlotte Hall, Md. and Matthew A. Harper, age 21, of Mechanicsville.  French was charged with Robbery, Assault 1st Degree and Assault 2nd Degree.  Harper was charged with Robbery.  Both were incarcerated in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center pending an appearance before the District Court Commissioner. Additional charges are pending following a case review with the State’s Attorney’s Office.”

French was represented by La Plata attorney Hammad Matin.