A Houston man, Jordan Javon Ashton, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison following his convictions for armed robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the sentencing after a jury found Ashton guilty on February 20, after less than two hours of deliberation following a three-day trial.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales imposed an 84-month prison term on Ashton, which will be followed by three years of supervised release. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard from the robbery victim who expressed fear of working in public and described suffering from nightmares, poor appetite, and anxiety as a result of the crime. The owner of the stolen truck used in the robbery also testified about his family's distress and his son's sadness over stolen toys.
The crime took place on October 31, 2023, when Latrayveon McNeal and Jerrell Potts robbed Morelos Supermercardos in Victoria using a stolen vehicle, firearms, and license plates. The robbers wore masks and threatened employees at the Barri money services counter before stealing cash and checks.
After fleeing in a stolen white truck, McNeal and Potts met with Ashton who was waiting nearby with a firearm. Ashton drove them away from the scene while leaving the truck idling on the road.
During the trial, jurors reviewed evidence including photographs, surveillance footage from the supermarket, weapons used during the robbery, and excerpts from 911 calls made that day. It was revealed that Ashton had previously been convicted of a felony and was on parole at the time of this offense.
Despite attempts by Ashton's defense to argue that he withdrew from the conspiracy, jurors rejected these claims and found him guilty as charged. He will remain in custody until transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
McNeal and Potts both pleaded guilty earlier for their involvement in the crime and were each sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from Victoria Police Department, Victoria County Sheriff's Office, and Victoria County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth prosecuted this case.
