CVS Arson Suspect Pleads Guilty to Role During Riots: U.S. Attorney

Officials say the Baltimore man charged in the CVS arson on Pennsylvania Avenue pled guilty Wednesday to rioting, a federal charge applicable when one crosses state lines or uses interstate commerce—including a phone—to participate in a civil disturbance involving acts of violence.

Raymon Carter, 24, of Baltimore, admitted to using the phone April 27 to communicate plans to go to North and Pennsylvania avenues, where he then found people rioting and setting small fires, the U.S. Attorney reported.

Looters stormed into the CVS in the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue at approximately 5:30 p.m. and less than an hour later, Carter had set fire to the store using paper products, according to the report.

At 6:28 p.m., Baltimore Fire Department was dispatched and found heavy smoke coming from the building’s entrance and roof, the report stated.

The CVS building sustained $1.1 million in damage, the U.S. Attorney reported. The amount of restitution will be determined at sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 17, according to the report.

“Anyone who considers participating in a riot should know that police, prosecutors and citizens will track them down and send them to prison,” U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said.

Related:

• Police Arrest CVS Arson Suspect
• Feds Have Arrest Warrant for CVS Arson Suspect
• Baltimore Riots: Assessing the Damage
• Scenes from Day After Baltimore Riots

Rosenstein noted that a $10,000 reward helped lead investigators to Carter.

Within two days of issuing suspect information in the CVS arson and the offer of a reward, officials say they received a hotline tip identifying Carter and providing his location.

Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms briefly chased and then arrested Carter, who did not have much on his person aside from two black lighters, officials reported.

“The most important aspects of this case are that Raymon Carter will be punished for participating in the riot,” Rosenstein said, “and that ordinary citizens concerned about their neighborhood helped to catch him.”