Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Norfolk man with the armed robbery of a Sprint Store in Colonial Heights.

According to the indictment, on January 7, Tajh Rodgers, 29, allegedly committed a violent armed robbery of a Sprint Store in Colonial Heights, stealing more than 70 Sprint Store products. To facilitate stealing these products, Rodgers threatened the lives of two Sprint employees, with the use of the firearm he was carrying. In total, 70 items were stolen from the store, including 22 Apple iPhones, 8 LG cellular telephones, 6 Samsung cellular telephones, and an Apple Watch.

Rodgers is charged with robbery affecting commerce, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Colonel Jeffrey W. Faries, Chief of Colonial Heights Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gill and Kenneth Simon are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-111.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

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