PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Donnie Smith, 40, Abid Stevens, 39, and Maurice Quinn, 41, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were charged by indictment with committing a Hobbs Act Robbery and carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a federal crime. Smith was also separately charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, on March 22, 2019, Smith, Stevens, and Quinn entered the RD Grocery, a corner store in the East Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, stole cash and a firearm from the store employee. During the robbery, two of the defendants were armed with black semi-automatic handguns.
“As alleged in the indictment, the complete disregard that these three defendants had for the safety of others is appalling," said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The employee of this store was simply doing their job. No one should need to worry about having a semi-automatic weapon, or any weapon, pointed at them when they go to work. This indictment is an example of how my Office is working to get dangerous criminals off the streets of Philadelphia."
If convicted of each count in the indictment, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Eckert.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
