Three arrested for series of robberies in Maryland
One holdup led to death of Baldwin businessman
By Luke Broadwater
lbroadwater@patuxent.com
Posted 11/17/09
Federal prosecutors have charged three men with a series of robberies in Maryland — one of which, they said, led to the death of a Baldwin businessman.
Antwone Bell, 25, of Rosedale; Daniel Chase, 64, of Brownsville, N.J., and Nikolaos Mamalis, 53, of Edgewood, are accused of conspiring to commit robberies at Precision Vending in Canton on July 29; a home invasion in Pikesville on Sept. 2; and a home invasion in Cockeysville on Sept. 29.
Constantine “Dino” Frank, 54, of Baldwin, died about two weeks after the July 29 robbery in Canton, where he was found tied up inside his vending machine business and suffering from a stroke.
Around 8 p.m. the night of the Canton robbery, police were called to Precision Vending, in the 1000 block of S. Lakewood Ave., by an employee of Frank’s Top Hat Cue Club in Parkville.
The employee received a call from an unidentified person who reportedly said, “You better check on your boss. He’s not doing well,” according to Baltimore police spokesman Donny Moses.
Calls indicate the robbery took place sometime between 5:11 p.m. and 6:13 p.m., federal agents said.
Agents were able to trace the phone call — which was made from a prepaid-use cell phone — to a second prepaid phone number, which had been purchased by Chase and Jane Mamalis, Nikolaos’ wife, investigators said.
Police found Frank lying face down and tied up with “duct tape and ties” with his hands behind his back, Moses said. Police described Frank as “conscious but unable to speak.”
When asked if he had been robbed, Frank nodded his head, according to federal investigators.
Moses said he suffered a stroke apparently caused by the stress of being bound for an undetermined amount of time.
There were no signs of ransacking, but family members informed police that there was property taken from the business, Moses said.
According to federal investigators, an estimated $10,000 was stolen from the property.
Frank was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital and placed on life support. After about two weeks, family members decided to take him off life support, Moses said. He was pronounced dead on Aug. 11 at 1:38 p.m.
Autopsy reports indicate Frank died of head injuries associated with assault, charging documents state.
Frank owned several businesses in Baltimore County, including pool halls in Parkville and Dundalk, and the Painters Mill shopping center in Owings Mills.
In a second robbery, two men, posing as police officers, went to a house in Pikesville on Sept. 2, were invited inside, and then pulled out a gun, investigators said.
The assailants tied up the victim and his wife and stole $244,000 in cash and jewelry from the house, charging documents state.
In a third robbery, in Cockeysville on Sept. 29, two men, again posing as investigators — this time, the older man said he was from the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office — gained entry to a house and then pulled out a gun, agents said.
The pair stole $50,000 from the house, which is deeded to the owner of the Sparrow’s Point Inn restaurant. Then the two left in a Gold Kia with Pennsylvania plates, according to charging documents.
Chase was identified as a suspect after investigators learned that he had returned a Gold Kia to an Enterprise rental store and stated that the vehicle “might have been used in a crime,” charging documents state.
Baltimore County police said they were tipped off to Mamalis’ involvement when a citizen told investigators about overhearing Mamalis complain about Frank, stating that Frank, a former partner in a business venture, would not lend Mamalis money.
Mamalis had also been a partner in a failed joint business venture in a pizza shop with the son of the victim in the Pikesville robbery. Mamalis had also sold a mixing machine to the victim of the Cockeysville robbery, police said.
On Nov. 6, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge authorized federal agents to begin a wiretap on the cell phones of Chase and Mamalis. Investigators overheard conversations indicating the men intended to commit robberies in Atlantic City, N.J., according to charging documents.
On Nov. 8, agents followed Chase and Bell as they left Baltimore County for New Jersey, where they met with Mamalis. Investigators arrested them on Nov. 9 as they were plotting another robbery, according to charging documents.
The three men have a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
Antwone Bell, 25, of Rosedale; Daniel Chase, 64, of Brownsville, N.J., and Nikolaos Mamalis, 53, of Edgewood, are accused of conspiring to commit robberies at Precision Vending in Canton on July 29; a home invasion in Pikesville on Sept. 2; and a home invasion in Cockeysville on Sept. 29.
Constantine “Dino” Frank, 54, of Baldwin, died about two weeks after the July 29 robbery in Canton, where he was found tied up inside his vending machine business and suffering from a stroke.
Around 8 p.m. the night of the Canton robbery, police were called to Precision Vending, in the 1000 block of S. Lakewood Ave., by an employee of Frank’s Top Hat Cue Club in Parkville.
The employee received a call from an unidentified person who reportedly said, “You better check on your boss. He’s not doing well,” according to Baltimore police spokesman Donny Moses.
Calls indicate the robbery took place sometime between 5:11 p.m. and 6:13 p.m., federal agents said.
Agents were able to trace the phone call — which was made from a prepaid-use cell phone — to a second prepaid phone number, which had been purchased by Chase and Jane Mamalis, Nikolaos’ wife, investigators said.
Police found Frank lying face down and tied up with “duct tape and ties” with his hands behind his back, Moses said. Police described Frank as “conscious but unable to speak.”
When asked if he had been robbed, Frank nodded his head, according to federal investigators.
Moses said he suffered a stroke apparently caused by the stress of being bound for an undetermined amount of time.
There were no signs of ransacking, but family members informed police that there was property taken from the business, Moses said.
According to federal investigators, an estimated $10,000 was stolen from the property.
Frank was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital and placed on life support. After about two weeks, family members decided to take him off life support, Moses said. He was pronounced dead on Aug. 11 at 1:38 p.m.
Autopsy reports indicate Frank died of head injuries associated with assault, charging documents state.
Frank owned several businesses in Baltimore County, including pool halls in Parkville and Dundalk, and the Painters Mill shopping center in Owings Mills.
In a second robbery, two men, posing as police officers, went to a house in Pikesville on Sept. 2, were invited inside, and then pulled out a gun, investigators said.
The assailants tied up the victim and his wife and stole $244,000 in cash and jewelry from the house, charging documents state.
In a third robbery, in Cockeysville on Sept. 29, two men, again posing as investigators — this time, the older man said he was from the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office — gained entry to a house and then pulled out a gun, agents said.
The pair stole $50,000 from the house, which is deeded to the owner of the Sparrow’s Point Inn restaurant. Then the two left in a Gold Kia with Pennsylvania plates, according to charging documents.
Chase was identified as a suspect after investigators learned that he had returned a Gold Kia to an Enterprise rental store and stated that the vehicle “might have been used in a crime,” charging documents state.
Baltimore County police said they were tipped off to Mamalis’ involvement when a citizen told investigators about overhearing Mamalis complain about Frank, stating that Frank, a former partner in a business venture, would not lend Mamalis money.
Mamalis had also been a partner in a failed joint business venture in a pizza shop with the son of the victim in the Pikesville robbery. Mamalis had also sold a mixing machine to the victim of the Cockeysville robbery, police said.
On Nov. 6, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge authorized federal agents to begin a wiretap on the cell phones of Chase and Mamalis. Investigators overheard conversations indicating the men intended to commit robberies in Atlantic City, N.J., according to charging documents.
On Nov. 8, agents followed Chase and Bell as they left Baltimore County for New Jersey, where they met with Mamalis. Investigators arrested them on Nov. 9 as they were plotting another robbery, according to charging documents.
The three men have a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
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