Mercer County Teen Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Farrell Convenience Store

PITTSBURGH—On January 16, a Mercer County teen pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court on charges of violating federal Hobbs Act conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery laws, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Devine Campbell, 19, of Farrell, was 17 years old at the time that he robbed the B&M Market in Farrell on December 20, 2011. Prior to pleading guilty, Campbell waived his right to a juvenile proceeding and agreed to be prosecuted as an adult. Campbell then pled guilty as an adult to two counts before United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court learned that on December 20, 2011, Campbell, acting together with Joshua Stewart, entered the B&M Market, a local convenience store in Farrell. Upon entering the store, Campbell, brandishing a .22 caliber handgun, fired off two rounds to scare the proprietor of the store. Campbell then forced the store owner to open his register and hand over more than $100 in cash. While Campbell did this, Joshua Stewart kept watch and served as a “lookout,” making sure that the police did not come in the store. In addition, Stewart stole cigarettes from the store. After Campbell secured the money, Campbell backed away from the store owner, and as he did so, he shot the owner once in the hip. Campbell and Stewart then fled from the store. The bullet fired by Campbell remains lodged in the store owner’s hip. Stewart has pleaded not guilty to the robbery of the B&M Market.

Subsequent to pleading guilty, Campbell waived a pre-sentence report and was sentenced by Judge McVerry to 15 years in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, 10 years of this sentence are to be served concurrently with Campbell’s state court sentence of 35 years to life imprisonment for second-degree murder. In November, 2013, a jury in Mercer County convicted Campbell of participating in the murder of local bar owner William Basilone. The remaining five years of Campbell’s federal sentence are to be served consecutively to Campbell’s state court murder sentence.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric S. Rosen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southwest Mercer County Police, and the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Devine Campbell.