Charlotte Man Convicted Of Robbing Two Businesses Is Sentenced To Life In Prison

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  Today, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney sentenced John Henry Moore, 60, of Charlotte, to life in prison for the armed robbery of two businesses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

In October 2022, a federal jury convicted Moore of two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Today, Moore received an enhanced sentence under the provision of the “Three Strikes” statute, which mandates a sentence of life in prison for defendants previously convicted, on separate occasions, of two or more serious violent felonies.

According to filed court documents, evidence presented at trial, and today’s court proceedings, on December 1, 2018, Moore robbed a Spectrum store located at 2222 South Boulevard, in Charlotte. Trial evidence established that Moore entered the store at approximately 8:00 p.m. and brandished a firearm to employees who were working at the time. Moore then ordered the employees to hand over cash from the registers and Moore fled the scene. Trial evidence established that Moore left behind an umbrella which he had used to prop the door open during the robbery. That umbrella was later tested by the FBI and found to contain DNA which matched the defendant.

According to trial evidence and witness testimony, on December 10, 2018, Moore returned to the same area and robbed the Publix Super Market also located at 2222 South Boulevard, in Charlotte. Trial evidence showed that Moore walked into the store, approached a store employee and demanded cash. During the robbery, Moore kept his hand in his pocket and threatened the employee, warning the victim to not “get shot.” The employee handed Moore cash and Moore fled the scene.

According to trial evidence, law enforcement identified Moore as the person who committed the two robberies. On December 12, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence, seizing a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number and clothing that matched the description of the items Moore wore during the robberies.

Moore was subject to the mandatory life sentence based on his extensive history involving multiple federal bank robbery convictions. Specifically, Moore previously robbed a bank in Georgia (2004) and three banks in South Carolina (1995) and was on federal supervised release for the latter of those convictions when he carried out the robberies in Charlotte for which he was sentenced today. Moreover, at the time Moore executed the bank robberies in Georgia and South Carolina, he was on federal supervised release for robbing two banks in Charlotte and a bank in Rock Hill, S.C. (1989).

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Cameron of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.