WASHINGTON – Deaundre Blount, 33, of the District, was found guilty today in connection with his role in a violent multi-state robbery crew that targeted pharmacies and cell phone stores in the District, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Following about a week of trial, a federal jury deliberated for only a few hours before finding Blount guilty of all counts: Conspiracy to Interfere with Interstate Commerce by Robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances from the pharmacy robberies, and three individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery. “This defendant was a member of a violent robbery crew that terrorized pharmacy employees and retail workers from Virginia to Northern New Jersey, showing no regard for the safety of workers or the communities they harmed,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that if you’re in a predatory crew you will be identified, prosecuted, and brought to justice.” U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2027. According to court documents, from May 9, 2020, through May 26, 2021, Blount and his co-conspirators targeted pharmacies and cellular retail stores in the mid-Atlantic region, seeking to rob the businesses of prescription drugs and cellphones that they could then resell in the District. Blount was found guilty in connection with his role in three of the robberies: the May 9, 2020, robbery of the Walgreens Pharmacy on State Road 33, in Neptune, New Jersey; the June 8, 2020, robbery of a CVS Pharmacy on E. Joppa Road, in Nottingham, Maryland; and the June 9, 2020, robbery of a T-Mobile store on Baltimore Avenue, in College Park, Maryland.

Surveillance photo of the May 9, 2020, robbery of the Walgreens Pharmacy in Neptune, NJ. Multiple co-defendants already have been sentenced. Conspiracy co-leader, Ashley Gause, 33, of the District, was sentenced on October 13 to 140 months for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances from the pharmacy robberies, and eight individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.  Conspiracy co-leader D’Marrell Mitchell, 36, of the District, was sentenced June 18 to 192 months for conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and of nine counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.  Floyd Neal, 32, of the District, was sentenced to 157 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of interstate commerce by robbery and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.  Ashawntea Henderson, 33, of the District, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.  Glenn Dolford, 32, of the District, who pleaded guilty to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, was sentenced to 38 months to be served concurrent with a 42-month sentence out of DC Superior Court Case for an aggregate term of 80 months. Dolford is also serving a 22-year sentence for murder.   Terrance Branham, 36, of the District, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.  This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Henrico County Police Division, Laurel Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Neptune Township N.J. Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department.  The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Michael Lee.

Surveillance photo of the June 9, 2020, robbery of the CVS in Nottingham. 23cr190