Armed Store Robberies Terrorize Tuscaloosa County
Two Tuscaloosa men have been indicted for a series of armed store robberies that left the community shaken. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Jose Antonio Brown, 34, and Kelvin Quntavius Thomas, 28, were charged with Hobbs Act robberies at four stores in Tuscaloosa County between December 2017 and April 2018.
The indictment charges Brown and Thomas with robbing a Chevron convenience store and three Dollar General stores, as well as employees at the stores at the time of the robberies. The indictment also charges Brown and Thomas with either brandishing or discharging firearms during the robberies, and charges Brown as a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm.
The Hobbs Act prohibits actual or attempted robbery that affects interstate commerce and that involves the taking of property from another person by means of actual or threatened force or violence. The maximum penalty for Hobbs Act robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charge of carrying, brandishing or discharging a firearm during a crime of violence carries varying penalties. The penalty for someone previously convicted of a gun crime is a minimum 25 years in prison. The penalties for someone without a prior gun crime conviction are a minimum 10 years for discharging a gun, seven years for brandishing a gun and five years for carrying a gun.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Department, the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Northport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa K. Atwood is prosecuting.
The indictment charges Brown and Thomas with Hobbs Act robberies at the following stores:
- Chevron convenience store, 7836 Alabama Highway 69 South, Tuscaloosa, on Dec. 24, 2017;
- Dollar General, 4419 U.S. Highway 43, Northport, on Jan. 23, 2018;
- Dollar General, 6520 Hargrove Road, Tuscaloosa, on Jan. 30, 2018;
- and Dollar General, 11573 U.S. Highway 82 East, Duncanville, on April 2, 2018.
The maximum penalty for each count is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and each count also carries a separate fine of $250,000 upon conviction.
The indictment is a significant development in the case, and the community can rest easy knowing that the perpetrators are being held accountable for their crimes.
The case is a reminder that violent crime will not be tolerated in our communities, and that those who commit such crimes will face the full force of the law.
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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