PENSACOLA, FL – A federal jury slammed the door on Quinton L. Pete, 34, of Ocala, Florida, finding him guilty of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a three-day trial. The conviction stems from a brutal shooting at Coyote’s Sports Bar in Pensacola on March 9, 2022, where Pete opened fire on two employees during a late-night robbery attempt.
The victims, shot at point-blank range, were unable to immediately identify their attacker due to their injuries, but provided a description to Pensacola Police. Investigators quickly zeroed in on a white Jeep Grand Cherokee seen fleeing the scene, captured on surveillance footage from nearby businesses. The break came when Pete was apprehended the very next day – in Dallas, Texas – driving the same vehicle registered to him. Inside, authorities recovered the firearm used in the shooting, later confirmed by ballistics testing.
Evidence presented at trial included not only the vehicle and weapon but also cell phone location data placing Pete in the vicinity of Coyote’s Sports Bar at the time of the attempted robbery. This wasn’t Pete’s first dance with the law. Court records reveal a lengthy rap sheet including prior felony convictions for burglary of a dwelling with a firearm, grand theft, and shooting at a dwelling. He had only been released from prison a mere seven months before this latest offense.
U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody announced the guilty verdict, a result of a collaborative investigation spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), alongside the Pensacola Police Department, Department of Homeland Security, Grand Prairie Police Department, U.S. Marshals, and the State Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton handled the prosecution.
The case is part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN) initiative, a broad effort to reduce violent crime and gun violence through coordinated law enforcement and community engagement. Authorities are also urging residents of the Northern District of Florida to lock their vehicles, citing a surge in burglaries that provide criminals with access to firearms.
Pete is now facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 26th at 1 p.m. before U.S. District Judge T.K. Wetherell at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola. This conviction serves as a stark reminder that armed robbery will not be tolerated and those who prey on others will be brought to justice.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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