Diamond Markayla Mathis, Armed Robbery, Alabama 2020

A string of armed robberies rocked Montgomery, Alabama, in October 2016, leaving victims shaken and fearful. Among the perpetrators was Diamond Markayla Mathis, 24, who was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for her role in the crimes.

Mathis, a resident of Montgomery, pleaded guilty in November 2019 to participating in multiple armed robberies that took place between October 24 and October 31, 2016. The robberies, which involved the use of firearms and pepper spray, targeted 10 Montgomery businesses, including the Hyundai Market Store, Midori Sushi Bar, and Alabama Hotel.

Mathis was ordered to pay $6,975.00 in restitution to the victims and will be on supervised release for three years after serving her prison sentence. DeGregory Deon Lee, her co-defendant, will face sentencing at a later date.

According to court documents, Mathis and Lee’s crime spree included the robberies of the following businesses:

Hyundai Market Store on Woodmere Boulevard, October 24, 2016;

Midori Sushi Bar on Woodmere Boulevard, October 24, 2016;

Alabama Hotel on Monticello Drive, October 25, 2016;

China King Restaurant on Zelda Road, October 30, 2016;

Tai Ji Acupressure store on Minnie Brown Road, October 30, 2016; and

Satsuki Japanese Restaurant on Atlanta Highway, October 30, 2016.

U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., stated, ‘For too long, violent crime has plagued our communities. Regardless of whether a person is walking down the street or working to make a living – like the victims in this case – everyone should feel safe in their daily activities.’

The case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case, with Assistant United States Attorney Russ Duraski prosecuting the case.