Convicted Felon Sentenced to 81 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Stores at Gunpoint

SHREVEPORT, La. – Christopher M.K. Dumas, 29, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 81 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for his participation in five armed robberies in Shreveport and one in Marshall, Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. 

“The sentence imposed today sends a crystal clear message that criminals who use guns and violence to terrorize the community will face severe consequences when they are prosecuted in federal court,” said Acting United States Attorney Van Hook.  “The United States Attorney’s Office, the ATF, and the FBI will continue to work with the Shreveport Police Department and our other local law enforcement partners to make our communities safer by taking dangerous felons like Mr. Dumas off the street.  Mr. Dumas’s long history of gun violence came to an end today.”

Dumas was convicted by a federal jury in March 2020 following a four-day trial in U.S. District Court. The evidence at trial established that between March 17, 2017 and April 15, 2017, Dumas robbed at gunpoint, a Metro PCS store, H&S Grocery and Liquor, Inc., Werner Park Grocery, and Rodeway Inn & Suites, all located in Shreveport, Louisiana, and a Boost Mobile store in Marshall, Texas.

On March 17, 2017 and March 20, 2017, Dumas entered a Metro PCS store waving a .38 Colt Army revolver, demanding the money from the register and safe. He told one employee to put the money in the bag or he would shoot him in the leg. On March 17, Dumas left with $2,568 and on March 20, with $400. Dumas held up an H&S Grocery and Liquor clerk at gunpoint on March 30, 3017, and told the clerk “give me all the money or I’ll shoot you.” The clerk gave Dumas all of the cash ($400) in the register.

On April 1, 2017, after having met with his parole officer earlier that morning, Dumas traveled to Marshall, Texas, where he robbed a Boost Mobile store. Dumas entered the store, leaped over the sales counter and pointed a.38 Colt revolver at the store clerk, demanding cash from the register. A neighboring business owner heard the store clerk scream and came to aid her. Dumas shot the business owner hitting him twice in the chest and then fled from the scene. A silver Nissan Versa with a dent on the driver’s side door was seen in the area before, during, and after the robbery and was captured on the surveillance cameras of the Greenwood Police Department traveling back to Shreveport.

On April 4, 2017, Dumas and his co-defendant Stafford King, robbed Werner Park Grocery at gunpoint. King put the revolver against the head of a store clerk and told the clerk to give him money. Dumas pointed his gun at another clerk’s head while also demanding money. Both defendants ran out of the store with an unknown amount of money and got into a silver car with a dent on the left side.

On April 15, 2017, Dumas pointed a gun at a Rodeway Inn employee and demanded the money from the register. The clerk complied with Dumas’ demands and Dumas got away with $554. On March 20 and April 15, Dumas was also seen getting into a silver car with damage on the left side. Each robbery was captured by video surveillance.

Later on April 25, 2017, a Shreveport police officer saw the silver Nissan Versa matching the description from the robberies and pulled it over after a traffic violation. King was driving and Dumas was in the passenger seat. Law enforcement officers recovered hoodies, bandanas, and gloves from the car that matched descriptions from the robberies. Police also located 9 millimeter ammunition, consistent with a TEC-9 semi-automatic pistol used in the Werner Park and Rodeway Inn robberies and three other weapons from the Nissan Versa.

Dumas, a previously convicted felon, was on state parole for simple burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at the time of the robberies. He was released on parole in January 2017 and started robbing just two months later, in March.

Dumas’ co-defendant, Stafford King, 39, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty on August 12, 2019, to one violation each of the Hobbs Act and using of a firearm during a crime of violence. King was sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 11 years, 8 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for his participation in the robberies. 

The FBI, ATF, Shreveport Police Department, Marshall, Texas Police Department, and Greenwood Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cytheria D. Jernigan and Leon H. Whitten 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

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