Details Emerge in Armed Robbery Incident at Annapolis Hall

On Feb. 7, 2020, officers from the Frostburg State University Police Department responded to the third floor of Annapolis Hall for an armed robbery, according to a press release provided by the department and documents obtained by TBL. 

The audio dispatch from the evening of the incident and the police report suggests that an African-American male, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark mask entered Annapolis Hall. The suspect appeared to be carrying a grey/orange duffle bag and displayed a black semi-automatic handgun. The suspect was identified as FSU student Oluwashina Michael Aguda.

When officers arrived on the scene, they identified three potential victims, initially including Joseph Lawrence Bonds Jr., and two eyewitnesses.

According to police, two victims of the victims advised that Bonds owed one of the two victims $400 because of a bet placed on the outcome of a Madden Football video game. Bonds lost the bet and were not able to pay the victim immediately. 

Witness statements indicate that Bonds was walking the walls, unable to pay the sum, and appeared to be stalling. After returning to the Annapolis Hall room, a knock was heard at the door. After opening the door, the victims say that the suspect, Aguda, rushed through the door carrying a handgun. After pointing the gun at the victims, as well as holding the gun to the side of their heads, Aguda took a Playstation 4 and Bonds’ wallet before fleeing the scene.

The total value of the items stolen in this incident is approximately $275.00. 

Two witnesses were in the third-floor hallway as Aguda fled and told detectives that it appeared that Aguda had a gun in his waistband. The weapon was described as a “black semi-pistol (non-revolver)” in the police report. The victims in this circumstance advised police that they were in fear for their lives during the robbery and that they believed the handgun used during the incident to be real.

On Jan. 26, 2020, a week and a half before the robbery, Aguda was involved in a traffic stop on campus, according to the robbery incident report. At the time of the Jan. incident, Corporal Patrick Livingston can be heard in the body-worn camera footage advising Aguda that a “BB gun,” which was found in the vehicle, appeared to be identical to a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun.

Initially, police believed that Bonds was one of the victims in this circumstance. However, the victims of the robbery indicated that Bonds was “constantly on his phone communicating with someone while he appeared to be stalling to pay the money before the robbery.” Moreover, the victims indicate that they felt Bonds may be involved. 

As a result, Corporal Richard Lemro of the FSUPD advised Bonds of his Miranda Rights and Bonds signed the FSU Police Department Advice of Rights Form that he understood these rights. Bonds was not placed under arrest at the time.

During this discussion, Bonds informed Cpl. Lemro that he had met Aguda at the Lane University Center earlier in the day. Bonds told Aguda that he had previously bet on video games with one of the victims and had lost. According to Bonds’ statement, Aguda told Bonds that he would “take back his money tonight,” and threatened Bonds into opening the rear door of Annapolis Hall later in the evening. Bonds told investigators that he did now know what Aguda would do, but that he was afraid that something would happen to him if he did not comply. 

When Aguda arrived at Annapolis Hall, Bonds said he went downstairs to let him in. Aguda followed Bonds upstairs and hid while Bonds and the two victims began playing video games again. After a few moments, Aguda entered and threatened the group as previously indicated. 

Frostburg State University utilizes a video surveillance system to record footage at the entrance of campus buildings, as well as inside many lecture halls and residence buildings. As such, FSUPD was able to track Aguda and Bonds’ whereabouts on campus before the robbery. 

This evidence indicated that Aguda picked Bonds up en route to Annapolis Hall where the two drove to the lower quad together. 

Bonds was not a resident of Annapolis Hall. Therefore, at 7:34 p.m., Bonds can be seen entering Annapolis Hall with assistance from one of the victims of the robbery.   

At 7:42 p.m., Bonds can be seen opening the rear entrance to Annapolis Hall for Aguda to enter. 

At 8:18 p.m., Aguda can be seen running out the rear door of Annapolis Hall, entering his vehicle parked in the State Street parking lot, and driving away. 

After fleeing the scene, Aguda’s car is recorded in video surveillance footage at the 7Eleven on Main St. in Frostburg within 25 minutes of the robbery.

Police affirm that Bonds never called them or warned the victims of Aguda’s plan. Moreover, because of Bonds’ involvement in allowing Aguda into the building, as well as riding in the car with him before arriving at Annapolis Hall, police believe the two conspired together to commit armed robbery.

Additionally, Bonds’ cell phone was seized by police on Feb. 7 and a search warrant was issued to search the contents. Indeed, messages between Aguda and Bonds were found, despite Bonds telling police that he ever communicated with Aguda other than in person.

As a result of the above conclusions, Detective Nicholas Mazzone of the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) requested that both Aguda and Bonds be charged with felony Armed Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, among other related charges. 

An arrest warrant for both suspects was obtained on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020. 

Aguda was arrested in Towson, MD on Sunday, Feb. 16 and held without bond, pending extradition to Allegany County. Aguda was transferred on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Joseph Lawrence Bonds Jr. has yet to be located by investigators and is believed to have fled to the Baltimore, MD area. Bonds, a native of Baltimore, attended Carver Vocational-Technical High School where he played football and was featured in a news clip about students who learned to 3D print violins. 

The search for Bonds is still ongoing. 

As for Aguda, a commitment hearing is pending, according to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search. He remains in the Allegany County Detention Center in Cumberland, MD.