Roger B. Handberg, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jorge Serrano Espinoza, a 20-year-old from Clearwater, to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison. Espinoza was found guilty of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. The conviction came on September 11, 2024.
The court heard that on June 9, 2023, Espinoza collaborated with James Battle and Carlos Keanu Smith to rob an armored truck. They tracked the vehicle from Pinellas County to eastern Hillsborough County before reaching a gas station in Ellenton. Florida Department of Transportation toll records confirmed their vehicle closely followed the armored truck throughout its route. Surveillance footage corroborated this evidence by showing the vehicle tailing the armored truck to multiple locations before executing the robbery at the gas station.
During the heist, as the driver returned to his vehicle, Battle and Smith confronted him with pistols drawn, forcing him to lie on the ground while Espinoza acted as a lookout. The group made off with over $150,000.
Previously, Battle received a sentence of 10 years in federal prison while Smith was sentenced to 9 years.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth prosecuted the case, with forfeiture proceedings managed by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. On May 26, 2021, a strategy was launched to enhance PSN by fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting organizations that prevent violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
