DeShawn Whited Sentenced To 546 Months In Prison For Multiple Hobbs Act Robberies And Carjacking

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On March 15, DeShawn Whited, 26, of Knoxville, was sentenced to 546 months imprisonment by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.  Following his incarceration, he will be on five years of supervised release.   

On January 18, 2023, Whited was found guilty of four counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, one count of carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119, four counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A), and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).  According to evidence present at trial, Whited, a previously convicted felon, committed a series of armed robberies and an armed carjacking in the Knoxville community in January 2021. 

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that in January of 2021, Whited, disguised in a hoodie and bandana, robbed at gunpoint employees of EZ Stop at 8605 Walbrook Drive, Waffle House at 6230 Papermill Drive, Pilot Food Mart at 410 Merchants Drive, Wendy’s at 4407 Western Avenue, and Pilot Travel Center at 314 Lovell Road, all located in Knoxville.  Whited also committed an armed carjacking near downtown Knoxville during the same timeframe.  Victims from each of the incidents testified at the trial and the evidence included surveillance footage and cellphone location tracking information.

U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Joseph E. Carrico, made the announcement. 

The investigation was led by the FBI, Knoxville Division, the Knoxville Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan S. Kirk and Brent N. Jones represented the United States.

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.

                                                                                                                       ###