Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Dwyon Moore was sentenced to 322 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the armed robberies of five separate businesses in Cleveland, Ohio. 

“This defendant robbed five area businesses, including four in the span of only six hours, while pointing his gun at employees, patrons and a mother with her young child,” said United States Attorney Justin Herdman. “This sentence of more than 26 years is an important message to our community that those who terrorize our neighbors will be held accountable. We are grateful for the quick action of law enforcement, especially the Cleveland Division of Police officers who apprehended the defendant before he could commit yet another armed robbery that night.”

“Small businesses like restaurants and commercial shops are the backbone of a community, and they deserve to operate without a fear of violence,” said Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division.  “ATF is proud to have such strong collaborative relationships with our partners at the Cleveland Division of Police, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office Crime Strategy Unit, the FBI, and the United States Attorney’s Office.  Through all of us working together, we were able to identify and prosecute this individual and remove a violent person from our community.”

According to evidence presented at sentencing, on December 12, 2018, Dwyon Moore (50), of Cleveland, OH, began his crime spree at Wonton Gourmet on Payne Avenue when he used a firearm to rob the restaurant.  Moore approached the counter wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly around his face and pointed a firearm at employees and customers, ordering them to the ground.  After stealing approximately $1,000 from the register, Moore fled on foot.

Continuing on December 14, 2018, at approximately 5:45 PM, Moore used a firearm to rob D.O. Summers Cleaners and Laundry on Carnegie Avenue.  Wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly around his face, Moore pointed a gun at an employee and said “Don’t try to be a hero, ill be back, give me the money.”  Moore then stole from the register, stole a coat from the dry cleaner, and fled on foot. 

Within 45 minutes of the D.O. Summers robbery, Moore robbed Dark and Lovely Hair and Beauty on Cedar Avenue.  Moore, again wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly around his face, pointed a firearm at customers, including a small child and his mother while ordering them to the ground, and demanded money from the register.  Moore stole approximately $21 from a customer and approximately $100 from the register, then fled on foot.

Shortly after the Dark and Lovely robbery, Moore then robbed Bo Loong restaurant on St. Clair Avenue.  While pointing a firearm, Moore told an employee to come to the counter, and demanded for the employee to give him all the money on his person. The employee removed $100 from his pocket and handed the money to the defendant. The defendant instructed the employee to lie down, and the employee complied. Moore stated, “It’s not personal. It’s just business.”  Moore stole $50 from another employee, $250 from other customers, and approximately $350 from the register, then fled on foot.  Moore was wearing the same dark colored hooded sweatshirt as seen in all of the previous robberies. 

Finally, again wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly around his face, Moore robbed the Good Times Café on East 55^th Street.  Using a firearm, Moore robbed multiple bar patrons, as well as the Good Times Café register, then fled on foot.  Patrons flagged down Cleveland Police Patrol Officers who quickly apprehended Moore nearby.  Moore attempted to flee and resisted while officers attempted to handcuff him.  CPD officers recovered a large amount of cash, items stolen during the various robberies, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded .38 caliber revolver.  Moore was wearing the same clothing visible on surveillance from the prior four robberies.  All told, Moore robbed four (4) separate businesses in the span of six (6) hours on December 14, 2018, in addition to the robbery he committed on December 12, 2018. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime

This case was investigated by the Cleveland Division of Police, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office’s Crime Strategies Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley.

###