Deaundre Blount, 33, was found guilty of multiple charges related to his involvement in a violent robbery crew that targeted pharmacies and cell phone stores across the Mid-Atlantic region. The verdict was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia following a week-long trial, during which a federal jury deliberated for just a few hours before reaching their decision.
Blount was convicted on all counts, including 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 three counts of Hobbs Act robbery. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro commented on the case, stating, “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.”
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson has scheduled Blount’s sentencing for March 2, 2027. Court documents revealed that between May 9, 2020, and May 26, 2021, Blount and his associates carried out a series of robberies targeting pharmacies and cellular retail stores in the region, stealing prescription drugs and cellphones for resale.
Blount’s convictions stem from three specific robberies: the May 9, 2020, robbery of a Walgreens Pharmacy in Neptune, New Jersey; the June 8, 2020, robbery of a CVS Pharmacy in Nottingham, Maryland; and the June 9, 2020, robbery of a T-Mobile store in College Park, Maryland. Several co-defendants have already been sentenced for their roles in the operation, with notable sentences including Ashley Gause, co-leader of the conspiracy, who received 140 months in prison, and D’Marrell Mitchell, another co-leader, who was sentenced to 192 months.
Other members of the crew have also faced significant prison time for their actions, reflecting the legal system’s response to this violent series of crimes. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to address and dismantle violent criminal enterprises in the region.
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