Thomas Herbert Lewis Jr., Armed Robbery, Florida 2020

Tampa, FL – A Plant City man is facing federal charges for armed robbery after allegedly pointing a firearm at a Circle K clerk in Riverview.

According to court documents, Thomas Herbert Lewis Jr. (41, Plant City) entered a Circle K store on Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview at approximately 4:00 a.m. on April 30, 2020. Lewis pointed a firearm at the clerk and demanded money, stating, 'I know you have a family,' and 'don't make me kill you.'

Lewis was later arrested and found to be in possession of a rifle and 16 rounds of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Lewis is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

The charges against Lewis include robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of robbery, and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Lewis faces a minimum mandatory sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison.

An indictment 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.

The case was 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 Natalie Hirt Adams as part of the Department of Justice's 'Project Safe Neighborhoods' Program (PSN).

This is another case prosecuted as part of the nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety – one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.

In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/plant-city-man-indicted-armed-robbery-circle-k