Franco Rawlings Jr., a 24-year-old resident of the District of Columbia, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for a series of armed robberies in the Trinidad neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Rawlings entered a guilty plea on August 30, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He faced charges including two counts of armed robbery, one count of robbery, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur delivered the sentence. After completing his prison term, Rawlings will undergo three years of supervised release.
Court documents reveal that Rawlings collaborated with an accomplice to target residential construction sites in Trinidad staffed by Hispanic workers. These workers were referred to as "Migos" by Rawlings and his co-conspirator through text messages.
On April 18, 2023, a welder working at a home on Montello Avenue was robbed at gunpoint by Rawlings who took $700 from the victim's wallet. On May 30, two victims installing a deck on Montello Avenue were forced into a basement and robbed at gunpoint by Rawlings and his accomplice.
Another incident occurred on June 27 when three workers remodeling a home on Owen Place were confronted by Rawlings and his partner. They stole U.S. currency from these victims before fleeing.
A search warrant executed on June 28 led MPD officers to recover a loaded Glock 19 handgun and clothing matching surveillance footage from various robberies at Rawlings' residence in Trinidad. He was arrested that day and has remained in custody since then.
U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith acknowledged the efforts of those involved in investigating this case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also recognized Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton and Wes Faulkner for prosecuting the case.
