PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Donnie Smith, 40, Abid Stevens, 39, and Maurice Quinn, 41, all of Philadelphia, PA were convicted at trial of Hobbs Act robbery and carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a federal crime. The charges stem from an armed robbery of a corner grocery store in East Mount Airy in Philadelphia.
In March 2019, defendant Quinn entered RD Grocery and complained to a store employee that the store’s ATM had given him fake money. He then attempted to take $100 from the register, as well as a firearm kept by the owner behind the counter. When he was unsuccessful in grabbing the money or the firearm, Quinn left and returned with defendants Smith and Stevens, both of whom were armed with black semi-automatic handguns. Smith brandished his firearm in the store employee’s face and took the store owner’s firearm from behind the counter. Quinn again attempted to take cash from the register but failed. He then demanded that the store employee open the register for him; the employee withdrew $100 in cash and the defendants left.
Philadelphia Police officers arrived as defendant Smith drove away in his car. After a brief pursuit, Smith abandoned his car and fled on foot. Officers recovered the stolen firearm and an article of clothing from Smith’s car. Using the recovered items and surveillance footage of the robbery, Philadelphia Police officers were able to identify the defendants.
“If you rob a store with a gun in Philadelphia, you can stand by for serious federal consequences," said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The store employee here was simply doing his job and putting in an honest day’s work - he should not have had to worry about someone putting a semi-automatic weapon in his face. My Office is focused on punishing and deterring this type of violent crime as we grapple with the public safety crisis in Philadelphia that is being abetted by the District Attorney’s reckless policies."
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 and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Martin.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
