FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Treveon J. Ramsey, 21, of Belleville, Illinois, will spend the next two decades in federal prison after being sentenced for a string of brazen armed robberies that terrorized gas station clerks across the Metro East in late 2021. Ramsey, along with two accomplices, targeted Circle K locations in Belleville and Shiloh, brandishing firearms and demanding cash.
U.S. District Judge sentenced Ramsey to 20 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty in January to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The robberies, occurring between October and December 2021, left employees shaken and fueled a multi-agency investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, on October 29, 2021, Ramsey, accompanied by Javeon Dowell, stormed a Circle K in Belleville, brandishing a firearm and strong-arming the clerk for money. Less than a month later, on November 30th, Ramsey and Dylan Harrington targeted another Circle K, this time in Shiloh, demanding both cash and a box of cigars at gunpoint. The duo struck again on December 1st, hitting a third Circle K in Belleville, where Ramsey and Dowell again used firearms to intimidate the clerk and steal money.
“In order to protect business patrons and employees simply trying to do their jobs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting individuals who instill fear in gas station clerks by using firearms to demand money from cash registers,” stated U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. ATF Kansas City Field Division Special Agent in Charge, Bernard G. Hansen, echoed the sentiment, declaring the 20-year sentence a clear message: “brandish a firearm in order to instill fear of violence with the threat of causing harm, you will be removed from our communities.”
This isn’t the first sentence handed down in the case. Dylan Harrington, 21, of Fairview Heights, received 127 months in federal prison in July 2023 after admitting to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and carrying a firearm during a crime. Javeon Dowell, 21, also of Fairview Heights, has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing on June 5th at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis. The investigation was a collaborative effort between ATF, the Fairview Heights, Shiloh, and Belleville Police Departments.
Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson emphasized the importance of interagency cooperation. “This sentence is a direct result of the cooperation,” he said. “We will relentlessly pursue those that would commit violent acts in our community to ensure that Fairview Heights remains a safe and vibrant community.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura V. Reppert prosecuted the case, securing the lengthy sentence for Ramsey and contributing to the ongoing effort to curb violent crime in the Metro East region.
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