Case Is One of many Prosecuted by United States Attorney Wigginton’s Hobbs Act Robbery Initiative
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On July 10, 2014, Jahrastafar Jamal Farmer, 25, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, received a 96 month sentence in federal prison, to be followed by a three year term of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $200, a fine of $200, and restitution in the amount of $206.88, following his plea of guilty to violating the Hobbs Act and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, in connection with the robbery of Moto Mart in Fairview Heights on Nov. 2, 2013, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced today.
A factual stipulation filed at the time of the guilty plea indicates that a Moto Mart employee and a customer were ordered to the floor at gunpoint by Farmer, who then fled the scene with a mere $206.88. Alert employees and cooperative citizens provided valuable leads to the Fairview Heights Police Department, which ultimately led to a search of Farmer’s home and a recovery of physical evidence linking him to the armed robbery, to include a 9mm semiautomatic handgun. Text messages recovered from Farmer’s phone indicated he was having some financial difficulties and “had to do sum extreme shit to bounce back."
“The Fairview Heights Police Department conducted a commendable investigation in this case. Metro East residents have grown intolerant of violence in their community. We’re very pleased with the cooperation we received in this case from citizens. Stated simply, they were instrumental in solving this crime." said United States Attorney Wigginton. “I will continue to use the Hobbs Act, and any other tool that I have, to try to stop this sort of violence in Southern Illinois."
This case, and others like it, are all part of the Metro East Armed Robbery Initiative. The case was investigated by the Fairview Heights Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne M. Garrison.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
