The U.S. Department of Justice and several other agencies announced the indictment of 16 alleged members of a violent crime ring Wednesday, all accused of committing multiple armed carjackings, armed robberies, money laundering and firearms offenses while targeting Asian American-owned jewelry stores.
The indictment alleges that between Jan. 7, 2022 and Jan. 27, 2023, the 16 defendants made plans in Washington, D.C. to commit robberies in Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The robberies all took place at jewelry stores owned by Asian Americans, according to the DOJ.
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The suspects are accused of wearing dark clothing, mask and gloves, carrying a firearm and having at least one other defendant in a vehicle, sometimes stolen, to rob the stores and flee from the scene.
According to the indictment, the crimes took place in E. Falls Church, Virginia; Iselin, New Jersey; Springfield, Virginia; Paterson, New Jersey; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Jacksonville, Florida; Franklin Park, New Jersey; and Falls Church, Virginia.
The crew is also accused of robbing one of the stores, Sara Emporium Jewelry & Boutique, in Springfield, Virginia, at least twice — once on Sept. 20, 2022, and again on Nov. 27, 2022.
Will Hunter, 28, prosecutors claim, conspired with others to commit carjackings between Sept. 11 and Oct. 22, 2022.
He is also accused of conspiring to launder the proceeds from the robberies with 32-year-old Trevor Wright, 28-year-old Avery Fuller and 29-year-old Franklin Hunter.
“We allege these suspects took part in take-over style armed robberies meant to terrify and overwhelm store owners and employees,” FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James Dennehy said. “The alleged violent and reckless actions of the subjects are astounding; they gave no thought to the people who could have been seriously injured or even killed.”
Additional defendants named in the indictment are 29-year-old Andrew Smith; 20-year-old Antonio Tate; 30-year-old Davon Johnson; 29-year-old Decarlos Hill; 25-year-old Delonte Martin; 45-year-old Hesham Gomaa; 32-year-old Jameise Christian; 21-year-old Jaylaun Brown; 26-year-old Keith McDuffie; 32-year-old Robert Sheffield; 32-year-old Timothy Conrad; and 27-year-old Lamont Marable.
The charges against the suspects include conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce, or the Hobbs Act, robbery; interference with interstate commerce by robbery; using a firearm in a violent crime; conspiracy to commit carjacking; and conspiracy to engage in a monetary transaction with property derived from unlawful activity.
“The defendants targeted small businesses along the East Coast, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry from hardworking families,” Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg said. “For the past 20 months, the FBI worked with our partners across state lines to connect the defendants to these heists. Today’s indictment is a testament to the strength of our partnerships and the commitment we all share to eradicating violent crime.”
Federal agents with the help of local law enforcement agencies arrested Smith, Johnson, Hill, Gomaa, Brown, McDuffie, Sheffield and Conrad on Wednesday morning.
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The other suspects were already in custody.
When search warrants were executed as part of the investigation, the DOJ said, agents seized multiple guns and about $300,000 from a safe in one of the residences.
