Man Admits to Violent Robbery in Frederick, Sentencing Scheduled for February

Suspect attacked and robbed a mother and 8-year old child.

Frederick, Md. (DG) – A Frederick man pleaded guilty Tuesday to robbery with a dangerous weapon following a May 2023 attack in which he pepper-sprayed a mother and her 8-year-old child before fleeing with the woman’s purse.

Nicholas Peter Albanes, 42, admitted his role in the incident and was originally scheduled to stand trial on additional charges, including attempted kidnapping, robbery, theft under $1,500, and two counts of second-degree assault.

According to the Frederick News-Post, authorities said the assault occurred on Hillcrest Drive, where the mother and child were walking when Albanes pulled up in a vehicle. He reportedly got out, grabbed the woman’s purse, and attempted to grab her daughter before using pepper spray on both victims and fleeing the scene.

Under Maryland law, robbery with a dangerous weapon is a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Albanes is set to be sentenced on February 18 at 9 a.m.