PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Allen Prout, 43, of Providence, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to two counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, and one count each of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm, admitting to the court that he participated in two separate Hobbs Act robbery conspiracies.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on Thursday, Prout admitted to the court that on June 2, 2014, he and his co-conspirator took possession of firearms they intended to use to commit a home invasion at a drug stash house in Providence, where they believed two kilos of heroin and a substantial amount of cash were being stored. Prout and his co-defendant, Emmett Blyden, 45, of Providence, were arrested after taking possession of the firearms delivered by an individual who was assisting ATF agents. Blyden pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2015, to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Prout also admitted to the court that he participated in a conspiracy in September 2012 to rob an individual at gun point of money the victim intended to use to purchase a significant quantity of oxycodone pills. According to court records, Prout and his co-defendant, Kiplagatt Stewart, 41, of Providence, posed as drug dealers in order to gain access to the home of the victim. Instead of selling the victim oxycodone pills, Prout and Stewart robbed the victim at gunpoint of approximately $14,000 in cash.
Kiplagatt Stewart, 41, of Providence, was sentenced on Oct. 22, 2015, to 84 months in federal prison. At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also ordered Stewart to serve 3 years supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Stewart pleaded guilty on June 17, 2015, to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.
Prout’s guilty pleas and Stewart’s sentence are announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, West Warwick Police Chief Colonel Richard G. Silva and Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston field division of ATF.
Allen Prout is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 2, 2016. Emmett Blyden is scheduled to be sentenced on January 5, 2016.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Milind M. Shah, with the assistance of First Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adi Goldstein.
Providence Police and Rhode Island State Police assisted West Warwick Police and ATF in the investigation of these matters.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
