Skip to main content
Press Release

Rochester Man Sentenced To 16 Years In Federal Prison for A Series Of Store/Restaurant Robberies

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Fred Swan, Jr., 30, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of Hobbs Act Robbery, Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, was sentenced to serve 192 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who handled the case, stated that the defendant robbed four establishments at gunpoint between February 11, 2017, and March 24, 2017:

o On February 11, 2017, the defendant robbed the China Star restaurant at 600 West Main Street in Rochester. Swan entered the store and pointed a handgun at a restaurant employee and demanded money. The defendant grabbed approximately $60 cash from the store employee’s hand and fled the restaurant on foot;

o On February 18, 2017, the defendant robbed Alice’s Market convenience store at 1477 South Avenue in Rochester. Swan entered the store, went up to the register, pointed a handgun at the store clerk, and demanded money. The clerk gave the defendant approximately $50 cash from the register. The defendant fled from the store and was driven away from the scene by another individual;

o On February 19, 2017, the defendant robbed the Mobil Quick Mart store at 1810 Mount Hope Avenue in Rochester. Swan entered the store and pointed a handgun at a store employee as he approached the counter and demanded money from the register.  The employee refused to give Swan money. The defendant walked around the counter and struck the employee in the head with the handgun, and the two of them fell to the floor fighting. Swan eventually fled the store without getting any money; and

o On March 24, 2017, the defendant robbed the Fast Mart Inc. store at the Valero gas station at 931 South Clinton Avenue in Rochester. Swan entered the store, pointed a handgun at the store clerk, and demanded money. The clerk handed over $280 cash from the register. The defendant then demanded two packs of cigarettes, which the clerk handed to him. Swan fled the store with the cash and cigarettes.

On March 24, 2017, law enforcement officers searched the defendant’s apartment at 229 Meigs Street in Rochester and they recovered the .40 caliber handgun that was used in the Alice’s Market robbery.

Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Simmons, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton.

# # # #

Updated November 28, 2018

Topics
Firearms Offenses
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Violent Crime