Serial Hotel Burglar Faces 66 Years of Incarceration

Baltimore (Md.) September 14, 2026 - Today, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City announced that Defendant Jamal Gardner entered an open guilty plea to three counts of Burglary in the First Degree; three counts of Burglary in the Fourth Degree; one count of Theft $1,500- $25,000; and two counts of Theft $100-$1,500. At sentencing on October 21, 2026, the Defendant faces a total of 66 years. Gardner stole items from guests’ rooms at the Marriott Hotel on 110 S. Eutaw Street between December 7, 2025, and February 7, 2026. Assistant State’s Attorney Samantha Danzinger prosecuted this case.

“People come to Baltimore to experience all that our city has to offer. They should be able to do so without worrying that they will become the victim of a crime. Having your hotel room burglarized is not just a property crime; it is a deeply violating experience that can stain an otherwise memorable visit to our city. We will not accept that as the price of doing business in Baltimore,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “This defendant has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law, with 13 other pending cases with our office for similar conduct. That criminal history makes it clear that this was not an isolated incident, but part of a pattern of criminal behavior. He now faces up to 66 years of incarceration, and we hope the court imposes significant prison time that reflects the seriousness of these offenses and the Defendant’s position as a career criminal. Visitors deserve to feel safe in Baltimore, and our office will continue working to hold accountable those who prey on them.”

Incident 1:

On December 7, 2025, a couple left their room at the Marriott Hotel located at 110 S Eutaw Street at approximately 7:00 p.m. The door to the room was shut and locked. Upon their return, at approximately 11:30 p.m., the guests noticed that their belongings were ransacked and several items were missing, including Bose headphones, a backpack, $400 in cash, various credit cards, prescription glasses, a laptop, a duffle bag, a Garmin watch, men’s clothing, and a Ray Lewis jersey.

The victims were shown a picture of the Defendant, Jamal Gardner, and stated that they do not know him or permit him to enter their hotel room.

A search and seizure warrant was executed at the Defendant’s residence on the 100 block of E. Fayette Street. Inside, detectives recovered some of the victims’ items.

Incident 2:

On December 9, 2025, at approximately 6:00 p.m., an individual left their Marriott Hotel room with the door shut and locked. When they returned at approximately 11:15 p.m., they found several items missing from their room, including a laptop, a notebook, a set of keys, a Naval Academy Graduation ring, AirPods, and a North Face jacket.

Detectives recovered CCTV footage showing the Defendant enter the 6th floor of the hotel via the staircase. In the footage, he can be seen holding a wire tool in his hand. The Defendant used that tool under the victim’s hotel room door to gain entry. The footage then showed the Defendant walking back to the staircase with the victim’s belongings in hand.

The victim was shown a picture of the Defendant and stated that they did not know the Defendant or permit him to enter the hotel room. A search and seizure warrant was executed at the Defendant’s residence, and detectives recovered some of the victim’s belongings.

Incident 3: 

On February 7, 2026, a woman left her Marriott Hotel room at approximately 4:45 p.m. with the door shut and locked. Upon her return, the woman noticed her electronic chargers were missing from the wall outlets.  

Detectives recovered CCTV showing the Defendant enter the victim’s hotel room at approximately 6:53 p.m. using the metal tool to force the door open. The Defendant took two iPhone chargers, a power connector, a pair of Solo Beats by Dre earphones, and a Kendra Scott necklace.

The victim was shown a picture of the Defendant and stated she did not know him or permit him to enter her hotel room. A search and seizure warrant was executed at the Defendant’s residence, and detectives recovered the victim’s necklace.