Denzel Demoree’a Prince, a 28-year-old from Jacksonville, pleaded guilty on Mar. 19 to charges of Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence related to the robbery of a Jacksonville hotel. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that Prince faces a minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison, with the possibility of up to life plus twenty years. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The case centers on an incident that occurred on September 8, 2025. According to court documents, Prince initially approached a vending machine near the hotel's pool before speaking with an employee at the front desk window about getting money back from the machine. After being told he would need to return in the morning, Prince left but soon reappeared at another window wearing similar clothing as before but now had pulled up a green or camouflage mask over his nose and was carrying a firearm.
Surveillance footage showed Prince pointing the gun at the employee and throwing a brick through the window before climbing inside. He then searched behind the front desk for cash and ultimately took money from the register before fleeing out a rear door.
Investigators later identified Prince as their suspect and obtained a search warrant for his residence, where they found clothing matching what was worn during the robbery: white pants, white shoes, green shorts, and a camouflage bandana.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives worked alongside the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams is prosecuting.
