Two Involved in Violent Robberies of AT&T Stores Sentenced to Prison

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that two participants in a spree of violent robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.  SHAQUILLE RAYMOND, 25, of Hartford was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release, and SAVIANA BOURNE, 25, of Middletown, was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, Raymond, Alex Josephs, Ronaldo Smith and Deshawn Baugh committed several violent armed robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.  The perpetrators typically entered the stores shortly before closing, pointed weapons at employees, and, at times, pistol-whipped, dragged, and shoved employees toward the back inventory room.  They then held the employees at gunpoint while loading large bags with cell phones and other electronics.  The group stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise.  Bourne, who worked at AT&T stores, helped plan the robberies, served as a getaway driver, and coordinated the sale of the stolen merchandise.   

The investigation revealed that Raymond, Josephs, and Smith robbed AT&T stores in Newington on January 29, 2021, and Enfield on February 24, 2021.  Baugh then joined the conspiracy and together they robbed an AT&T store in Canton on April 15, 2021, and attempted to rob stores in Torrington and Glastonbury in May 2021, but were locked out of the stores.

On June 6, 2021, Raymond and his associates, armed with a semiautomatic pistol, two revolvers, and a semiautomatic rifle, robbed an AT&T store in West Springfield, Massachusetts.  After the robbery, they fled in a vehicle driven by Bourne, who led police on a high-speed chase that ended when their vehicle collided with a Massachusetts State Police cruiser.  Raymond, Josephs, Smith, Baugh, and Bourne were arrested, and a search of the vehicle revealed more than $150,000 in stolen merchandise, as well as the firearms used during the robbery.

Judge Underhill ordered Raymond and Bourne to pay restitution of $298,073.86, which reflects the losses from the Newington, Enfield, and Canton robberies. The property stolen in the West Springfield robbery was recovered.

Raymond and Bourne have been detained since their arrests.  On October 28, 2022, Raymond pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  On November 30, 2021, Bourne pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, four counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of attempted Hobbs Act robbery.

Josephs, Smith, and Baugh also pleaded guilty.  On March 1, 2023, Baugh was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution of $124,842.45, which reflects the loss from the Canton robbery.  Josephs and Smith await sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the FBI's Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police and the Newington, Enfield, Canton, Torrington, Glastonbury, and West Springfield Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.