Man convicted of Hobbs Act robbery and firearms charges in Houston | Upper Gulf Coast

Houston, TX — A 32-year-old man has been convicted of Hobbs Act robbery and firearms-related charges, announced United States Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Deonta Rashawn Brown pleaded guilty on March 7. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Brown to serve 162 months in federal prison, immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Brown must also pay damages to the victims. In passing sentence, the court highlighted the traumatic impact Brown’s crime had on his victims.

At the time of the plea, Brown admitted to aiding and abetting interference with commerce by theft and aiding and abetting the use, carrying and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.

On October 24, 2019, Brown robbed a Waffle House restaurant in the 1200 block of Wilson Road in Houston with Fabian Bradley. Bradley brandished a pistol during the attack. Together, the two men stole an employee’s cell phone and a small amount of money from the restaurant.

That robbery was one of three that law enforcement believes the duo committed that night — including another Waffle House restaurant and a gas station convenience store. The three thefts occurred approximately an hour apart, beginning at 10:57 p.m. and ending shortly after midnight. The locations of the robbery appeared to have been carefully chosen either in a low-traffic area or near I-69 – which would allow the co-conspirators to quickly escape from each scene.

Bradley, 22, also pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Brown has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Humble and Houston police departments. Assistant United States Attorneys John Ganz and Joseph Porto prosecuted the case.