Lawrence McKay, a 37-year-old resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh for McKay's role in leading six violent armed robberies targeting cell phone stores in February 2021. In addition to the prison term, Judge McHugh ordered McKay to pay more than $100,000 in restitution to victims, including compensation for medical bills.
McKay had previously pleaded guilty to all charges related to the six robberies and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. During these incidents, he was accompanied by at least one co-conspirator as they forced store employees at gunpoint to surrender merchandise and cash. Notably, during one robbery, McKay shot an employee in the stomach while his codefendant Brenton Holmes shot another employee in the leg; both victims survived.
Holmes admitted guilt for participating in five robberies with McKay and received a 30-year prison sentence last May. Another accomplice, Dana Toby, who took part in two robberies, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in September 2023. Additional participants Demon McNeil and Dashonna Hoskins each pleaded guilty to involvement in one robbery; they were sentenced respectively to eight years and 50 months imprisonment.
"Lawrence McKay and his crew were a crime spree unto themselves," stated U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. "In these holdups, they made store employees fear for their lives... It was imperative to get McKay off the street before anyone else was harmed."
Wayne A. Jacobs from FBI Philadelphia commented on the case: "The brazen acts committed... instilled fear in our community... The FBI remains steadfast...to combat violent crime."
The investigation involved collaboration between multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI and various local police departments such as those from Philadelphia, Lower Merion Township, Bristol Township, Norristown, and Warminster Township. Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz, Amanda McCool, and Anthony Carissimi are prosecuting this case.
