Frederick Lee Alvin, Hobbs Act Robbery, Florida 2022

MIAMI, FL – A Little Havana market cashier stared down the barrel of a gun on April 3, 2022, as a masked man demanded cash and then fired a shot at their feet. That man, Frederick Lee Alvin, 39, of Miami, was found guilty on January 24th of multiple federal charges following a six-day trial, the Department of Justice announced Friday. Alvin faces a potential life sentence.

According to evidence presented in court, Alvin entered the market dressed in all black, brandishing a firearm and demanding money from the register. He made off with $3,400 in cash and the cashier’s wallet before fleeing the scene. Investigators quickly zeroed in on Alvin, ultimately arresting him at a local motel still in possession of the very gun used in the brazen robbery. The case hinged on a mountain of evidence – DNA, ballistics reports, cell-site data, surveillance footage, and eyewitness testimony.

Prosecutors successfully argued that Alvin’s actions constituted Hobbs Act robbery, a federal crime involving theft impacting interstate commerce. But the charges didn’t stop there. He was also convicted of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and, critically, of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This last charge triggered the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) enhancement, significantly increasing the potential penalty he now faces.

This isn’t Alvin’s first brush with the law. Court records reveal three prior felony convictions, contributing to the severity of the sentencing guidelines. He’ll appear before U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Seitz on April 17th to learn his fate. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Rosenzweig and Abbie Waxman spearheading the prosecution. Asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson jointly announced the conviction. The case is a part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a nationwide initiative focused on reducing violent crime through targeted enforcement and community partnerships.

PSN aims to focus resources on the most dangerous offenders while simultaneously investing in prevention and reentry programs. The goal: to not only take violent criminals off the streets but also to address the root causes of crime and create safer neighborhoods. While the program’s long-term efficacy is often debated, officials maintain that a multi-pronged approach is essential to tackling the ongoing epidemic of violence plaguing communities across the country.

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