Gianni Robinson, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced on Mar. 17 to 126 months in federal prison for planning and coordinating seven armed robberies at a Walgreens drugstore in the Chinatown neighborhood, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address violent crime and protect retail workers and customers from organized criminal activity.
Robinson pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2025, before Judge Jia M. Cobb to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to serve five years of supervised release and pay $7,245.75 in restitution.
"After police posted surveillance footage of his co-conspirator robbing the Walgreens, Gianni Robinson sent the YouTube link...to the gunman with a laughing emoji. He thought the crimes he conspired on were funny," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "Now, after seven robberies, countless traumatized employees and one man shot in the chest, Robinson isn’t laughing anymore and will serve the next 126 months behind bars. We continue the fight to make D.C. one of the safest cities in the country."
Court documents show that between July 2023 and February 2024, Robinson worked with his uncle Michael Robinson (a store manager), another manager London Teeter, and gunman Kamanye Williams to carry out seven armed robberies at Walgreens located at 801 7th Street NW. The group stole about $28,983 from the store over this period.
Robinson acted as an operational hub for the conspiracy by connecting inside managers who provided information with Williams, who carried out each robbery while masked and armed. He planned logistics such as providing access codes for entry into secure areas and organizing getaways.
The robberies followed a pattern: Williams entered disguised, threatened employees and Special Police Officers with a firearm, accessed cash using inside information from managers acting as victims for surveillance cameras, then fled through a rear exit.
As security increased—including hiring armed Special Police Officers—the group continued their activities undeterred. During one incident on Dec. 4, 2023, Williams disarmed an officer; during another on Feb. 11, 2024—the final robbery—Williams was shot while fleeing but survived after being treated at a hospital visited by Gianni Robinson.
A search warrant executed at Robinson's residence led officers to recover a loaded Glock pistol with sixteen rounds.
Other members have also been sentenced: Michael Robinson received 147 months; Kamanye Williams received 198 months; sentencing for London Teeter is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
The FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force investigated this case with help from Metropolitan Police Department officers.
