SWANSEA, MA – A cash courier transporting over $436,200 for licensed cannabis companies was ambushed, zip-tied, pepper-sprayed, and robbed in broad daylight on February 19th. Three men – Steven Madison, 38, of Bridgewater; Christopher White, 37, of Raynham; and Quentin McDonald, 35, of Brockton – now face serious federal charges in connection with the violent heist.
According to charging documents, the operation began with the theft of a U-Haul van from Abington, Mass. This van was then used to intercept the armored courier as he made a deposit at a Swansea bank. A masked man brandishing a firearm forced the courier to the ground, binding his hands with zip-ties. A second masked assailant swiftly loaded the $436,200 in cash into the stolen van. The courier, remarkably, managed to partially free himself while still inside his vehicle, firing four rounds from his own weapon at the fleeing U-Haul before calling 911.
The brazen robbers didn’t stop there. After leaving the bank, the U-Haul was driven to a rendezvous point where they met with a third man in an SUV. The stolen cash was transferred to the SUV, and the U-Haul was deliberately set ablaze, presumably to destroy evidence. The investigation quickly zeroed in on Steven Madison, Christopher White, and Quentin McDonald as the perpetrators.
A search of Madison’s Bridgewater residence turned up a trove of ill-gotten gains: an estimated $5,000 in cash stashed throughout the house, a $47,000 Rolex watch, a sweatshirt matching the attire of one of the robbers, a firearm, and ammunition. White’s Raynham home yielded zip-ties, a black mask mirroring those worn during the robbery, another firearm, and additional ammunition. This isn’t their first rodeo; both Madison and McDonald have prior state convictions for masked armed robbery, assault and battery, and illegal firearm possession. White’s record includes convictions for larceny and receiving stolen property.
All three men were arrested yesterday and are currently being held pending a hearing scheduled for May 13, 2024. They are each charged with one count of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), one count of arson of property used in or affecting interstate commerce, and one count of conspiracy. Madison and White face additional charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, they could each face up to 20 years in prison for the Hobbs Act robbery, a mandatory minimum of five years, up to 20 years for arson, and additional time for the conspiracy charge. The felon in possession charges carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, is prosecuting the case, with the ATF leading the investigation. This case underscores the escalating risks faced by cash couriers servicing the burgeoning legal cannabis industry, and the willingness of criminals to resort to extreme violence for financial gain. The investigation remains ongoing, and further details may emerge as the case progresses.
Related Federal Cases
- Steven Vandewalker, Bank Robbery and Assault, Frederika IA, 2012 · Massachusetts
- Steven Vandewalker, Bank Robbery with Assault, Waterloo IA, 2013 · Massachusetts
- Derrick Gilliam, Armed Robbery Spree, CT 2014 · Connecticut
- Matthew T Martin, Armed Robbery Spree, VT 2023 · Vermont
- Elbert Llorens, Carjacking Armed Robbery, CT 2016 · Connecticut
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