Armed Robber Convicted

John Gassew, 25, of Philadelphia, was convicted today of two counts of armed robberies and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, stemming from gunpoint robberies in December of 2007 and October 2009. On December 9, 2007, Gassew robbed Danny Boy’s Bar, at 7447 Torresdale Avenue in Philadelphia, threatening the employees and patrons with a gun; on October 28, 2009, Gassew robbed the 7-Eleven convenience store, located at 8101 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, of approximately $4,854 worth of cigarettes and $140 in cash.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 2012, before U.S. District Court Judge Anita Brody. Gassew faces a mandatory minimum of 32 years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, and up to $1.5 million in fines.

This prosecution is a result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Linwood C. Wright, Jr. and Ewald Zittlau.