Armed with a mask, a fake gun, and a growing pattern, Melvin Smith, 45, of Washington, D.C., terrorized convenience stores across Northeast and Northwest D.C. in a violent crime spree last summer — and today he was locked up for 10½ years. The string of six robberies, carried out in just over four weeks, targeted late-night clerks at 7-Eleven and corner markets, leaving employees shaken and communities on edge.
Smith pleaded guilty in November 2016 to three counts of robbery and was sentenced in Superior Court by the Honorable Danya A. Dayson. The charges stem from confirmed heists on August 19, September 6, and September 12, 2016 — but prosecutors detailed a broader pattern that included six total holdups. After serving his federal prison term, Smith will face three years of supervised release.
The crime wave began in the early hours of August 19, 2016, when Smith stormed into a 7-Eleven on Brentwood Road NE, demanded the cash register, and fled with $50. Less than three weeks later, on September 6, he hit another 7-Eleven on Second Street NE, ransacking two registers and escaping with $430. Surveillance cameras began to pick up his distinctive mask and movements — clues that would soon close in on him.
On September 10, Smith escalated. He entered a 7-Eleven on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE, flashing an object on his hip that clerks believed was a handgun. He didn’t fire — but the threat was enough. He walked away with an unknown sum. Two nights later, at a market on Q Street NW, he wore a full mask and ripped the entire cash register from its housing when the clerk claimed he lacked the key.
Smith returned to the Second Street NE 7-Eleven on September 13, again brandishing what appeared to be a silver handgun in his waistband. He cleared the registers of about $100. His final robbery came on September 18 at a 7-Eleven on Bladensburg Road NE — once more wearing a mask, flashing a dark-colored gun, and fleeing with cash from both registers.
Arrested the next day, September 19, 2016, Smith was found with the same unique mask and bandana seen in surveillance footage. He has remained in custody ever since. U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Acting MPD Chief Peter Newsham praised the detectives who cracked the case, and singled out Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Barker for his work in prosecuting Smith. The message is clear: rob D.C.’s corner stores at your peril.
Related Federal Cases
- Melvin Smith Pleads Guilty to D.C. Convenience Store Spree · Washington
- Melvin Turner Gets 7 Years for NW D.C. Burglary Spree · Washington
- Smith Gets 15 Years for Attempted Hit on U.S. Marshal · Washington
- Malik Mingo Gets 13+ Years for Back-to-Back Armed Robberies · Alabama
- Jamah Harris Gets 10 Years for D.C. Armed Robberies · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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