Two individuals from Lee County, Taleah Williams and Javion Ward, both 21 years old, have been charged with Hobbs Act robbery following a series of armed robberies in several counties along Interstate 75. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the filing of the criminal complaint on September 23, 2025. If convicted, Williams and Ward each face up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, Williams and Ward conspired to carry out multiple armed robberies during the week of September 15, 2025. The incidents took place in Hillsborough, Sumter, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. For each robbery, one of them entered a store armed with a firearm and demanded money from employees.
The complaint states that Williams created a plan to target stores near I-75 by providing both the vehicle and firearm used in the crimes. On September 16, they drove to a convenience store in Tampa where Ward reportedly entered with a pistol and left with about $600 after threatening the clerk.
On September 17 in Lake Panasoffkee, Williams allegedly attempted another robbery at a gas station but left without taking any money.
On September 19, Williams drove Ward to four additional locations—Gibsonton, Ellenton, Nokomis, and North Port—where Ward is accused of entering each business with a gun and demanding cash. During these robberies, actions included jumping over counters to access safes and threatening employees with violence.
Shortly after these events concluded on September 19, photos appeared on social media showing both suspects together; Ward was pictured holding large amounts of cash.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Williams’s home on September 20. Officers recovered items matching clothing worn during the robberies.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with support from several agencies including: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; Tampa Police Department; Sumter County Sheriff’s Office; Manatee County Sheriff’s Office; North Port Police Department; Fort Myers Police Department; and Venice Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth will prosecute the case.
“A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative using resources from various Department of Justice programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)—to address violent crime associated with illegal immigration and organized criminal organizations.
