Delon Joseph Adams, Armed Robbery, Florida 2020

Palmetto Man Charged With Armed Robbery in Four Separate Incidents

Tampa, Florida – In a shocking turn of events, Delon Joseph Adams, a 48-year-old resident of Palmetto, has been charged with four counts of interference with commerce by robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to the indictment, between August 26 and September 15, 2020, Adams robbed four businesses at gunpoint – three in Manatee County and one in Hillsborough County. During each robbery, Adams stole cash and iPhones.

The indictment also reveals that Adams has a prior federal conviction for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, which carries a minimum mandatory penalty of 25 years, and up to life, in federal prison, to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.

The maximum penalty for each robbery count is 20 years’ imprisonment, and the felon-in-possession count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

Adams’ case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence and enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Palmetto Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant Delon Joseph Adams, exact criminal charges include four counts of interference with commerce by robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. City and state: Tampa, Florida. Exact date: August 26 to September 15, 2020. Sentence or outcome: Pending trial. Dollar amounts: None mentioned in the source.

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