Silver Spring man sentenced to 25 years for Laurel hotel attempted robbery

A Silver Spring man was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in an attempted armed robbery at a hotel in Laurel, according to FOX45 Baltimore.

The incident occurred on September 8, 2023, at the Garden Inn in Laurel, where the victim was lured through a dating app to meet a woman. When the victim tried to escape, the man fired several shots at the victim's car, striking it once.

Joel Manuel Moreno, 32, was convicted by a jury on July 16 of multiple charges including attempted armed robbery, conspiracy, assault, reckless endangerment, and firearm offenses, the Anne Arundel State's Attorney's Office reported.

Moreno was sentenced to 45 years in prison, with all but 25 years suspended, and must also complete supervised probation after release. He will receive credit for time served since March 29, 2024.

Investigators used surveillance video to identify Moreno and his co-defendants by tracking their movements and clothing. Police recovered three spent shell casings from the scene. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Nancy Jeffein Olin and Matthew Rabb, and led by Sgt. Sean Buente of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.