A 32-year-old Silver Spring man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison, with all but 25 years suspended, following his conviction in an attempted armed robbery that involved luring a victim to a hotel through a dating application and firing multiple shots at the victim’s vehicle.
On Monday, November 2, 2026, Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Morris sentenced Joel Manuel Moreno to serve 25 years in the Division of Correction without the possibility of parole. Moreno will receive credit for time served since March 29, 2024, and must complete a period of supervised probation following his release.
The charges stem from an incident during the early morning hours of September 8, 2023, when Anne Arundel County Police officers responded to a report of a shooting at the Garden Inn in Laurel.
According to prosecutors, the victim had been lured to the hotel to meet a woman he had connected with through a dating application. Moreno and his codefendants attempted to rob the victim, who tried to flee the scene. As the victim escaped, Moreno fired four shots at the victim’s vehicle, striking it once. No injuries were reported.
Investigators used surveillance footage from the surrounding area to track the suspects’ movements and identify clothing worn before, during, and after the attempted robbery. Crime scene technicians also recovered three spent shell casings from the area where Moreno fired three of the four shots.
Following a three-day trial, a jury found Moreno guilty on July 16, 2026, of attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony crime of violence, possession of a regulated firearm following a conviction for a crime of violence, and handgun-related offenses.
“This defendant lured a victim to a hotel with the intention of robbing him. It is fortunate that no one was physically harmed during this incident. Based on this defendant’s significant criminal history, the Court appropriately gave a lengthy sentence,” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant State’s Attorneys Nancy Jeffein Olin and Matthew Rabb. Sgt. Sean Buente of the Anne Arundel County Police Department led the investigation. A photo of the defendant was not provided.
