Serial Armed Robber Sentenced To 32 Years In Federal Prison

ATLANTA - Artavius Brown has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for his use of a firearm during the commission of multiple armed robberies. 

“Brown terrorized our community and put the lives of many innocent people at risk,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.  “This crime spree was brought to an end through the coordinated efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners.  Violent criminals should understand that in our district, significant federal penalties await them.”

J. Britt Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated: “Today’s sentencing of Mr. Brown to thirty two years in  federal prison for his extensive and violent crime spree illustrates that there is no tolerance for those who show a total and repeated disregard for law and order.  Because of the lengthy sentences available for these types of offenders in the federal system and also noting that there is no parole in the federal system, it is important for law enforcement to consider federal prosecution in these types of cases.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court:  During a five-month crime spree, that spanned four counties in the Atlanta, Ga., area, Brown committed 24 armed robberies of Family Dollar and Dollar General stores and one armed robbery of a PNC Bank – often committing multiple robberies on the same day:

Date	Business	Address
2/18/2013	Family Dollar	3855 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker, Ga.
2/21/2013	Family Dollar	319 N. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road, Stone Mountain, Ga.
2/25/2013	Dollar General	6633 Covington Highway, Lithonia, Ga.
2/25/2013	Family Dollar	4787 Covington Highway, Decatur, Ga.
3/4/2013	Dollar General	5570 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, Ga.
5/1/2013	Family Dollar	3590 Panola Road, Lithonia, Ga.
5/1/2013	Dollar General	2552 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur, Ga.
5/9/2013	Family Dollar	7184 Rockbridge Rd., Stone Mountain, Ga.
5/9/2013	Dollar General	4312 Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta, Ga.
5/9/2013	Family Dollar	4624 Jimmy Carter Blvd., Norcross, Ga.
5/14/2013	Dollar General	4351 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker, Ga.
5/17/2013	Dollar General	5610 Singleton Road, Norcross, Ga.
5/23/2013	Dollar General	3900 Glenwood Road, Decatur, Ga.
5/26/2013	Family Dollar	3500 Martin Luther King Dr., Atlanta, Ga.
5/28/2013	Family Dollar	1400 Moreland Avenue, Atlanta, Ga.
5/29/2013	Family Dollar	5403 Covington Highway, Decatur, Ga.
5/30/2013	Family Dollar	1455 Pleasant Hill Rd., Lawrenceville, Ga.
5/31/2013	Dollar General	2846 Lavista Road, Decatur, Ga.
5/31/2013	Dollar General	1500 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, Ga.
6/2/2013	Family Dollar	807 Cascade Road, Atlanta, Ga.
6/6/2013	Family Dollar	5279 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn, Ga.
6/6/2013	Family Dollar	6928 Main Street, Lithonia, Ga.
6/11/2013	Dollar General	1910 Jodeco Road, Stockbridge, Ga.
6/12/2013	Dollar General	1005 Brentwood Parkway, Stockbridge, Ga.
6/21/2013	PNC Bank	2355 Main Street, Tucker, Ga.

Brown, 24, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William S. Duffey, Jr., to 32 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.  He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,509.35.  

Brown was convicted of these charges on March 19, 2014, after pleading guilty to a criminal information that charged him with one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Hobbs Act robbery) that occurred on May 26, 2013, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (armed bank robbery) that occurred on June 21, 2013.  Conviction on the first count carried a mandatory minimum prison term of seven years, and conviction on the second count carried a mandatory minimum prison term of 25 years, to run consecutive to the seven year term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the DeKalb County Police Department, the Atlanta Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the City of Lithonia Police Department, and the City of Lilburn Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Angela M. Garland and John S. Ghose prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.