Clearwater Duo Charged with Convenience Store Heist

Tampa, FL – In a brazen display of violence, 31-year-old Alex Jones and 24-year-old Jhakheem Smith, both of Pinellas County, have been indicted on federal charges stemming from the armed robbery of a Clearwater convenience store.

According to court documents, on November 8, 2023, Jones and Smith stormed into the convenience store, brandishing a firearm and striking the clerk in the back of the head. The duo then forced the victim at gunpoint to the back of the store, before fleeing the scene with an unknown amount of cash.

The heinous crime was investigated by a joint task force comprised of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clearwater Police Department, and the Largo Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman is prosecuting the case, which is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. The program aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, and setting focused enforcement priorities.

Under federal law, if convicted of the robbery offenses, Jones and Smith each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each charge. If convicted of the firearm offense, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

The brazen nature of the crime has left many in the community shaken. ‘This was a senseless act of violence that put innocent lives at risk,’ said a local resident. ‘We hope justice is served and these individuals are held accountable for their actions.’

The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the Department of Justice’s commitment to combatting violent crime and keeping our communities safe.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The Department launched this program in 2001 with the goal of reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations, and setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities.