MoCo Man Found Guilty In 2023 Laurel Hotel Shooting, Attempted Robbery

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Joel Manuel Moreno, a 32-year-old man from Silver Spring, was found guilty Thursday for his role in a shooting and attempted robbery that occurred in 2023 at a Laurel hotel.

After a three-day trial, an Anne Arundel County jury found Moreno guilty on a total of nine charges, which include the following:

• Attempted armed robbery
• Conspiracy to commit armed robbery
• First- and second-degree assault
• Reckless endangerment
• Use of firearm in the commission of a felony crime of violence
• Possession of a regulated firearm after having been convicted of a crime of violence
• Loaded handgun on person
• Wear/carry/transport handgun on person

Following the guilty verdict, State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said her office was looking to obtain a long prison sentence for Moreno.

"This defendant conspired to rob someone, attempted to execute the plan and when that didn’t work out, he fired a gun four times at the victim’s vehicle," she said in a statement. "Thankfully, the victim was able to escape and bravely called 911 to report the incident. We look forward to seeking a lengthy prison term at sentencing."

Sentencing in the case is scheduled for Nov. 2.

What Happened In 2023?

The charges all stem from the Sept. 8, 2023, incident that unfolded at the Garden Inn in Laurel, where Anne Arundel County Police had initially responded to reports of a shooting.

A Friday release from the Office of the State's Attorney lays out that Moreno was part of a group that used a dating app to lure another person to the hotel.

When that individual arrived at the Garden Inn to meet the woman he'd been talking to on the app, Moreno and company tried to rob him.

While the person was able to flee the scene and drive away, he did so as Moreno fired four shots toward the vehicle. Officials determined that one bullet struck the car, as three spent shell casings were found at the scene.