Green used Facebook Marketplace listings to lure two victims, later robbing them. The robberies occurred on Aug. 19 and Dec 3 in 2023.
In the Aug. 19, 2023 robbery, Green advertised a Stihl brand saw for sale using Facebook Marketplace. The victim agreed to meet Green at the 5100 block of B Street SE in Washington D.C., but when he showed up, Green and an accomplice grabbed the victim. They then robbed him at gunpoint, taking his wallet, cell phone and checks totaling around $1,500.
The second incident happened on Dec. 3, when Green advertised a Hilti laser for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The second victim agreed to meet Green in the 3600 block of Highwood Drive SE, also in Washington, D.C.
When the second victim arrived with his wife at the meeting point and got out of his car, Green and an accomplice robbed him of his wallet and his cell phone. One of the robbers pointed the weapon at E.C.’s wife and searched through the center console of the vehicle to get additional cash and cards.
After these two incidents, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), in cooperation with Prince George’s County Police, obtained enough evidence to identify Green as a primary suspect.
Green was arrested on Dec. 20. Police searched Green’s house on Dec. 21. Many suspects would not keep robbery proceeds at their homes for weeks, but, fortunately for police, that’s what Mr. Green did. During the search, officers found a phone linked to the Facebook account used in the first robbery, along with the wallet that belonged to one of the victims, based on the identification card that was still in it. Police also found an empty Hilti box Green used to lure the victims via Facebook Marketplace.
Five months after the arrest, Green pleaded guilty on May 2, 2024, according to an earlier press release. After the 10-year prison sentence, Green will serve five years of supervised release.
Upon his arrest, Green was also accused of the third robbery that occurred Aug. 17, 2023, two days before the first incident mentioned in this story, according to a D.C. metro police report. However, he wasn’t indicted for that incident when he was for these crimes.
How to protect yourself from Facebook Market robberies? Facebook offers a safety guide to help you stay safe when meeting someone in person. Here are some of their tips:
● If you see anything suspicious or feel unease because of the transaction, cancel
● Don’t share your home address
● Don’t go to another person’s house
● Choose public, well-lit places
● Share your meeting plan with a friend or a family member
● Don’t change the location
● Don’t carry more cash than needed
● Have someone with you
● Don’t accept any sudden changes in meeting plans
And if you feel that anything is off with the deal, even after you’ve arrived, don’t be afraid to turn around and go home.
Not even the most lucrative Facebook find is worth your life.
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