Tampa, Florida – In a shocking turn of events, Arsenio Dennis, a 31-year-old Palatka man, has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his involvement in a string of armed robberies of pharmacies in the Middle District of Florida.
According to court documents, between August 2017 and March 2018, several pharmacies in the area were robbed in a similar manner. The robbers wore disguises or other clothing to conceal their identity, used firearms to rob the pharmacists, took prescription opioids, and used local drug dealers to sell the pills.
Dennis had pleaded guilty to the charges on February 17, 2021. He was found to have been involved in at least three of the robberies, including a heist in Tampa and Lakeland.
On August 2017, Dennis robbed pharmacies in Tampa and Lakeland. On both occasions, he entered the pharmacy, jumped over the counter, pointed a firearm at the pharmacist’s head and demanded opioids. He then took bottles containing prescription opioid pills and put them in a bag. Dennis ordered the pharmacists to lay on the ground and count to 1,000, then walked out of the store.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Apopka Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
As part of his sentence, Dennis will also have to pay $46,236 in restitution, and forfeit a firearm and ammunition that were seized during the investigation.
Arsenio Dennis, 31, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was found to have been involved in at least three armed robberies of pharmacies in the Middle District of Florida between August 2017 and March 2018.
The case highlights the dangers of prescription opioid abuse and the devastating impact it can have on communities. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to combat armed robbery and other violent crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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