Man Sentenced To 18 Years After Robbing Multiple 7-Elevens With A Handgun

Eugene Emanuel Hardy, 31

LA PLATA, Md. —Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, July 28, 2022, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Eugene Emanuel Hardy, 32, of Waldorf, to 18 years in prison for 4 counts of Armed Robbery and First-Degree Assault.

On May 23, 2022, Hardy entered a guilty plea to the aforementioned charges in Charles County Circuit Court.

On September 7, 2021, officers responded to a 7-11 convenience store located in the 1000 block of St. Ignatius Drive in Waldorf for the report of a commercial armed robbery. Upon arrival, officers made contact with a store employee, who reported that a suspect approached him, brandished a black handgun, and demanded him to give money from the store’s register. In fear for his life, the employee complied with the suspect’s demand.

An investigation revealed that the suspect, later determined to be Hardy, committed a string of armed robberies, including a prior robbery at the same 7-11 convenience store on August 19, 2021.

Additionally, he committed two armed robberies at a 7-11 convenience store located in the 300 block of Smallwood Drive in Waldorf on August 27, 2021, and August 23, 2021.

During the armed robbery on August 23^rd, Hardy pointed a handgun at a customer coming into the store, ordering him to leave.

Surveillance footage of each robbery was reviewed, revealing Hardy’s physical description. Hardy’s vehicle was also observed on surveillance video in the area of 7-11 on September 7^th.

During a search and seizure warrant conducted at Hardy’s residence and vehicle, officers located the handgun, clothing, and mask used during the armed robberies.

WALDORF, Md. – On September 8, Eugene Emanuel Hardy, 31, of Waldorf, was arrested in connection with four armed robberies of convenience stores in the county. In each case, Hardy entered a store, displayed a handgun, demanded money and fled.

As a result of the investigation, detectives assigned to the Robbery Unit and investigators from the Agency’s Homeland Security Section identified the suspect.

Detectives apprehended Hardy and then served a search warrant at his residence and recovered evidence linking Hardy to the robberies. Hardy was charged with armed robbery, robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and theft. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.