Eleven Durham men face federal charges in a brutal string of home invasions targeting minority business owners across central North Carolina. Indicted on May 3, 2019, the group is accused of a coordinated conspiracy to rob residences where cash proceeds from convenience stores, nail salons, and jewelry shops were believed to be stored. The robberies, spanning Durham, Guilford, and Orange Counties between October 18, 2015, and January 29, 2016, relied on fear, violence, and firearms to terrorize victims in their own homes.
The defendants—SAVIAN JACOBY TURRENTINE, 26; DEION TYRELL LILES, 23; ERVIN MONTEZ ALSTON, 26; JERMAUCIYAE RYSUAN ABRAM, 21; KEVIN JAMIE JENAVOUS MALONE, 24; TERRELL LEE MCLAMB, 26; HOWARD FREEMAN EARL, JR., 24; MARKEY ANTONIO GOLDSTON, 29; BARRY DION HOLT, 26; JOSHUA QUINTON JONES, 23; and ANTHONY LATARIO JAMES, 23—all face charges of Hobbs Act Robbery conspiracy. Business owners hit in the scheme include operators of Tobacco World, T-Nails Salon, Pink Nails, Lakhani Jewelers, Biswas Tobacco, and China Fuji—all specifically targeted due to assumptions about cash stored off-site.
Each defendant also faces individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. A conviction on the robbery or conspiracy charge carries up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, and up to 3 years of supervised release. The firearm charge mandates a minimum 7-year sentence, a $250,000 fine, or both, and up to 7 years supervised release—stacked consecutively, these counts could bury defendants in decades behind bars.
“These organized criminals systematically terrorized and preyed upon minority business owners and their families,” said United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to reducing violent crime and protecting the people of the Middle District by identifying and prosecuting violent offenders like these.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong emphasized the joint effort behind the indictments: “The defendants committed violent robberies across the community which instilled fear in the hearts of innocent people. These indictments send a clear message—we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to make sure those bringing violence to our streets are held accountable.”
Adding a deeper layer of criminality, MARKEY ANTONIO GOLDSTON, 29, faces a separate two-count indictment for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, GOLDSTON faces up to 20 years and a $1,000,000 fine for the drug charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years for the firearm count. All defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation involved the FBI, ATF, Durham Police Department, Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, NC DPS Special Operations & Intelligence Unit, and the NC State Highway Patrol.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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