Tony Sullivan, Home Invasion Robberies, Texas 2019

SHERMAN, TX – A reign of terror targeting hardworking donut shop owners in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex came to an end this week with the sentencing of Tony Sullivan, 28, of Mesquite, to 25 years in federal prison. Sullivan was handed down a 300-month sentence by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on July 26, following a guilty plea to a litany of federal charges stemming from a brutal crime spree between April 2019 and August 2019.

The FBI investigation revealed a calculated pattern of home invasion robberies. Sullivan and his accomplices didn’t just target businesses; they stalked the owners, conducting meticulous surveillance to learn their home addresses and routines. Late at night or in the pre-dawn hours, they’d break into the victims’ homes, subjecting them to horrific violence. At least nine robberies have been linked to the group, with victims routinely beaten with baseball bats, bound with duct tape, and held at gunpoint. The aim? To force them to open safes and hand over cash.

One particularly harrowing incident, which helped break the case, occurred on the evening of July 8, 2019, in Euless, Texas. A witness found a man stumbling down the street, hands bound with tape, suffering from a severe head wound. The victim, a donut shop owner in Dallas, had been ambushed in his home by two assailants. They beat him mercilessly, stole approximately $9,500 from his safe, another $900 from his wallet, and made off with his car and phone. The victim barely escaped with his life.

U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs emphasized the severity of Sullivan’s crimes. “Sullivan has been justly punished for subjecting innocent victims to his spree of violence,” Diggs stated. “Today’s sentence sends a powerful message to those who use violence and fear to carry out their crimes.” The investigation, led by the FBI’s Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force, utilized a combination of surveillance footage, cell phone data, and digital forensics to connect Sullivan to the attacks.

“The defendant targeted a close-knit community of successful business owners, inciting fear throughout the metroplex,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough. “His victims were stalked and terrorized, some for hours and some to the brink of death, and all have a long road of recovery ahead.” Yarbrough highlighted the proactive investigative techniques employed by law enforcement, which ultimately dismantled the criminal enterprise before it could inflict further harm. Agencies involved included the Dallas Police Department, Garland Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department, Richardson Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), among others.

Sullivan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; aiding and abetting; conspiracy to kidnap; and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. While Sullivan’s sentence provides a measure of justice for the victims, the scars of this brutal crime spree will undoubtedly linger for years to come. The investigation remains open to identify and prosecute any remaining accomplices involved in these horrific attacks.

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