18-year-old charged in string of violent crimes across Montgomery County: police

Teen accused of cross-county crime spree

Joseph Tyler Jhingory IV faces multiple charges, including home invasion, armed robbery, first- and second-degree assault, third-degree sexual assault, vehicle theft and more in Montgomery County.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - An 18-year-old Maryland man has been charged in connection with a months-long spree of armed robberies, assaults, and other violent crimes across Montgomery County, police said.

Teen faces charges

What we know:

Joseph Tyler Jhingory IV faces multiple charges, including home invasion, armed robbery, use of a firearm in a violent crime, false imprisonment, first- and second-degree assault, third-degree sexual assault, vehicle theft, and related offenses.

The first incident dates back to Dec. 1, 2023, when investigators say Jhingory broke into a Rockville home armed with a gun, bound and gagged the homeowners, sexually assaulted a female victim, and stole their vehicle before fleeing.

Crime spree detailed

On Feb. 17, 2024, police say he attempted to rob a victim outside a 7-Eleven, then fled the scene, scaled a fence onto Andrews Air Force Base, and stole a car. After crashing the vehicle and trying to escape on foot, he was arrested by military police but later released.

Jhingory was formally charged on Aug. 27 after being transferred from a Maryland juvenile facility, where he was being held on unrelated charges, to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.

What they're saying:

Vernon Brownlee, who represents Jhingory, said in a statement to FOX 5 DC that he "cannot discuss the specific details of this case."

"My foremost duty is to safeguard my client’s rights and ensure that this matter is resolved fairly and in accordance with the law," Brownlee said. "We respect the role of the court and ask that the public and media refrain from speculation or premature judgment. Thank you for respecting my client’s right to a fair legal process."