Rafael Jimenez, Hobbs Act Robbery, Florida 2025

Tampa Man Charged in Gas Station Heist

A Tampa man is facing federal charges after allegedly robbing a gas station with a firearm, striking the ground behind a clerk and making off with over $600.

Rafael Jimenez, 30, of Tampa, was arrested on charges of Hobbs Act robbery, a federal offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

According to the complaint, on March 8, 2025, Jimenez entered a gas station in Tampa and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the register. Shortly after making this demand, Jimenez fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk.

Jimenez stole more than $600 from the store as well as cigarettes. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days before the robbery showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo. Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash outside his home included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling on roads close to the scene of the robbery before and after it occurred.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

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 unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Tampa, FL – Rafael Jimenez is currently facing federal charges for allegedly robbing a gas station in Tampa with a firearm. He is charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery, a federal offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The incident occurred on March 8, 2025, at a gas station in Tampa. According to the complaint, Jimenez entered the gas station and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the register. He then fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk.

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