TAMPA, FL – A pair of young Tampa residents are staring down the barrel of serious federal time after admitting to a spree of armed robberies targeting local convenience stores last May. Christopher Alvarez, 19, and Dyonnie Alvarez, 22, both of Tampa, pleaded guilty this week to multiple counts of robbery, conspiracy, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. Their brazen actions terrorized store clerks and customers, and now they’ll likely spend a significant portion of their lives behind bars.
According to court documents, the crime wave began on May 1, 2022, with an attempted robbery of an individual in hopes of obtaining narcotics. Just days later, on May 5th, Christopher Alvarez, Dyonnie Alvarez, and a third accomplice, Enrique Marquez, escalated their activity, hitting two convenience stores in the Tampa area. During each of these robberies, Marquez allegedly brandished a firearm, intimidating employees and ensuring their compliance. The following morning, the trio doubled down, robbing two more Tampa convenience stores using the same terrifying tactic.
Each robbery charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, as does the conspiracy count. But the real kicker is the firearm component. For each of the two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, the Alvarez duo face a minimum mandatory sentence of 7 years, with the potential for life imprisonment – and these sentences will run consecutive to any other penalties imposed. Dyonnie Alvarez also pleaded guilty to the initial attempted robbery, adding another potential 20-year sentence to her looming fate.
The case, spearheaded by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman, was built by investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture aspects of the case, meaning any assets obtained through the robberies will be seized by the government. Marquez, the third member of the crew, previously entered a guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced in March 2023. Details of his plea deal haven’t been publicly released.
Federal authorities are framing this case as a win for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and local communities. U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg touted the prosecution as part of a broader strategy to strengthen PSN, emphasizing community trust, prevention programs, and focused enforcement.
While the government celebrates a case closed, the victims of these robberies are left to pick up the pieces. The Alvarez duo, barely out of their teens, made a series of reckless choices that will now have devastating consequences, not only for themselves but for their families and the Tampa community. Sentencing dates for Christopher and Dyonnie Alvarez have not yet been announced, but with the potential for decades behind bars, the future looks bleak for both.
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