MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – A Memphis man, identified as Brandon Albonetti, 23, has pled guilty to six counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, the robberies occurred in Memphis, between June 21, 2018 and August 14, 2018. Albonetti entered the respective stores armed with a pistol, taking cash and other items from the registers and safes. In two robberies, Albonetti displayed a knife as he demanded cash.
The defendant robbed the CVS located at 786 North Germantown Parkway twice and the CVS at 5055 Stage Road three times during this time period. On August 14, 2018, Memphis Police officers quickly responded and apprehended Albonetti as he tried to flee the scene of the CVS on Stage Road, which he had just robbed.
Albonetti faces up to 20 years imprisonment on each robbery count. He faces a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years and to life imprisonment on each firearm count. The defendant pled guilty on February 15, 2019, before the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman.
This case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force; Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce Phillips is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
The robbery spree has left a lasting impact on the community. Business owners have a fundamental right to be safe from armed robbers who terrorize our communities with their lawlessness. The senselessness of gun violence has a long lasting effect on victims of armed robbery.
With this guilty plea, the community can finally find some sense of closure and relief. The defendant is scheduled for sentencing on May 23, 2019.
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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