Repeat Felon Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Two Businesses

BOSTON – A previously convicted felon pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with the armed robberies of two Boston and Brockton businesses in March.  

Fernando Bost, 32, of Boston, pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2024. Bost was charged in September 2023. 

On March 29, 2023 at approximately 11:05 p.m., a man entered RJ Smoke and Convenience Store in Dorchester, held the victim cashier at gunpoint and took cash before fleeing the store. While investigating the robbery, law enforcement learned that a 7-Eleven in Brockton was robbed approximately 40 minutes earlier that same day. Surveillance footage depicts the robber wearing the same unique clothing worn in the RJ Smoke and Convenience store robbery. 

A subsequent investigation identified a Kia Sorento captured in the vicinity of both businesses prior to the robberies and leaving after each robbery took place. Records determined that the vehicle had been rented out to Bost’s girlfriend at the time of the robberies. It was also determined that Bost’s EBT card had been used at a gas station and a Target the same day of the robberies. Surveillance footage obtained from those locations show Bost wearing clothing identical to that worn by the robber. 

Bost was arrested during a traffic stop near Springfield where a loaded Glock 43x with a high-capacity magazine was recovered in his sweatshirt. 

Bost is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to two previous armed robbery convictions from 2012 and 2017. Additionally, at the time of the offense, Bost had several pending charges for armed and unarmed robbery as well as three outstanding warrants issued out of three different courts for armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering daytime for felony, receiving stolen property and shoplifting.

The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police Department; the Hamden County District Attorney’s Office; and the Boston and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.