Rafael Jimenez, Hobbs Act Robbery, Florida 2026

A brazen daylight robbery at a Tampa gas station ended in a guilty plea for Rafael Jimenez, a 31-year-old man from Tampa.

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

According to court records, Jimenez stole cigarettes and more than $600 from the store. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days earlier showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo.

Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling near the scene of the robbery before and after it had occurred.

United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the guilty plea. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky is handling the forfeiture.

Jimenez faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the crimes of Hobbs Act robbery, possession and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2026.

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.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/tampa-man-pleads-guilty-robbing-gas-station-and-discharging-firearm