Executive Summary
- Dennis Allen Hairston was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for kidnapping and robbery.
- The scheme involved impersonating police officers using vests, badges, and lights to stop victims.
- Court records show victims were tortured with a blowtorch to extract information and money.
- Co-conspirators have been convicted, with sentences ranging from nine to 15 years.
Dennis Allen Hairston, 35, of Catonsville, Maryland, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for orchestrating a series of violent kidnappings and carjackings that involved impersonating police officers and torturing victims. The sentence was handed down following his June 2024 conviction on charges of kidnapping, carjacking, robbery, and firearms possession, according to the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Court documents detail a brutal robbery scheme executed between May and August 2021. In one incident, prosecutors stated that Hairston and co-conspirator Donte Davon Stanley, 34, disguised themselves with police vests and badges to stage a traffic stop on an employee of a check-cashing business. According to court records, the men handcuffed, zip-tied, and blindfolded the victim before transporting her to a separate location. Investigators revealed that the perpetrators burned the woman with a blowtorch to coerce information regarding the security protocols of her workplace.
A subsequent abduction occurred later in May 2021 in Edgewood, involving co-conspirators Franklin Jay Smith and Davon Tramont Dorsey. Court filings indicate that Hairston utilized a police light to pull over a second victim, who was then forced into a vehicle. Smith and Dorsey reportedly burned this victim with a blowtorch to extort cash and personal property.
Federal authorities confirmed that Smith and Dorsey have previously been sentenced to nine and 15 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy. Stanley, who was convicted alongside Hairston, is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on February 2, 2026, according to court officials.
Judicial Sentencing Context
The 40-year federal sentence imposed in this case reflects the extreme severity of violent crimes that exploit the public’s trust in law enforcement. The use of police impersonation—specifically utilizing tactical gear and emergency lights to facilitate kidnappings—is considered a significant aggravating factor in federal sentencing guidelines. Furthermore, the application of torture methods, such as the use of a blowtorch, demonstrates a level of heinous conduct that typically draws maximum penalties to ensure public safety and deter similar criminal enterprises.
