Four Tampa Men Charged with Hobbs Act Robbery, Tampa FL, 2024

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Four Tampa Men Charged with Hobbs Act Robbery

Tampa, FL – In a brazen display of violence, four Tampa men have been arrested and charged with Hobbs Act robbery for their roles in two convenience store robberies in July 2024. E’Barous Harris, 25, Ronald Brown, 23, Tra-Vontae Watson, 30, and Jermaine Dawes, 32, face up to 40 years in federal prison if convicted.

The first robbery occurred on July 14, 2024, at a convenience store in Tampa. The robbers, armed with a rifle and a pistol, made off with cash and tobacco products. One of the perpetrators even went so far as to force a customer to the ground, stepping on their back to steal their wallet.

Just two days later, on July 16, 2024, the same group of men struck again, this time at a second convenience store in Tampa. Surveillance footage from inside and outside the stores, as well as data from the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority and license plate reader data, helped investigators link the two robberies and identify the suspects.

The investigation was a multi-agency effort, involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman will be prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities nationwide. By fostering trust and legitimacy, supporting community-based organizations, setting focused enforcement priorities, and measuring results, PSN seeks to make neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The arrests and charges bring a sense of relief to the Tampa community, which had been shaken by the brazen robberies. The men are currently being held without bail and await trial.