Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A Fort Lauderdale resident was sentenced, on September 7, 2018, to 27 years in prison by United States Chief District Judge Michael K. Moore for committing two armed robberies.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and Rick Maglione, Chief, Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD), made the announcement.

Jermar Jerome Roberson, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, previously pled guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951(a) and 924(c)(A)(1)(iii).  Roberson was sentenced to a total of 324 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

According to the court record, in October of 2017, Roberson negotiated the sale of two cellular phones (iPhones) over the internet and robbed both victims at gunpoint when they arrived at the meeting place.  During the second robbery, Roberson discharged the firearm and struck the victim.

Roberson’s co-defendant Shyann Lee Williams previously pled guilty to a single Hobbs Act Robbery and was sentenced by Judge Moore on September 7, 2018 to 63 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.

A restitution hearing has been scheduled for both defendants on November 29, 2018 at 11 a.m. before Judge Moore.

This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN 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.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the ATF, BSO and FLPD in this matter.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi L. Anton.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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