Man Pleads Guilty to Robbery, Shooting at Belair Road’s Crown Plus

By Andrew Michaels - January 28, 2024
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

A 27-year-old Baltimore man will serve 20 years in prison for robbing and shooting at a man at the Crown Plus gas station on Belair Road in 2022.

On Jan. 16, Joseph Vellines accepted the prosecutor’s plea offer of 25 years, suspending all but 10 years, for first-degree assault, a consecutive 20 years, suspending all but five years, for firearm use in a felony or violent crime and a consecutive 15 years, suspending all but five years, for firearm possession with a felony conviction.

Each count carries five years of supervised probation. Vellines must also have no contact with the victim, stay away from the Crown Plus and 7-Eleven on Belair Road and register as a gun offender. The defendant was recommended for the Patuxent Institute. 

Defense attorney Julie Shapiro represented Vellines during the proceeding with Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Taylor Jr. presiding.

Vellines initially faced charges of attempted murder for the incident on April 21, 2022. According to charging documents, the 40-year-old victim was sitting in his car while pumping gas at Crown Plus at 5901 Belair Road where the defendant opened the victim’s driver’s side door, pointed a gun at him and demanded money.

After stealing about $200 from the victim, Vellines walked away and fired a gun in the direction of the victim, hitting his car. The victim told Baltimore Police Department (BPD) detectives that he then fired back at the defendant in defense and hit Vellines in the right elbow and hip.

The victim called police who arrived to find Vellines on the ground bleeding with a handgun nearby and the victim standing with his gun down by his side.