Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 413 Months for Shooting Pharmacy Employee

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Gregory Stevens, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 413 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg for shooting a pharmacy employee during a robbery.

On February 22, 2021, at 3:55 p.m., the defendant entered Universal Pharmacy at 3908 Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia while on parole for another robbery. The defendant brandished a gun and demanded narcotics. After an employee tried to defend himself by putting the defendant into a bear hug, the defendant broke free, intentionally shot the employee, and took $8,200 in narcotics from the pharmacy. The employee survived his injuries but spent three days in the Temple University Hospital ICU and sustained severe damage to his liver.

On March 9, 2021, before being arrested for the robbery and shooting, the defendant rode on South Broad Street in a group of dirt bikes in the middle of the day. The defendant suddenly slowed, and he was tapped by the car behind him near the intersection of Broad and Washington. When the car’s driver exited the vehicle to check on the defendant, the defendant assaulted the driver, grabbed a firearm, and nearly shot the driver. The defendant then threw cinder blocks at the driver’s vehicle while the driver hid inside, unable to drive away because of the vehicles in front of him. A viral video of the attack attracted national and international media attention.

“Gregory Stevens has proven himself to be a vicious and violent repeat offender with no regard for others,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He was so determined to steal drugs, he shot a pharmacy employee, inflicting life-changing injuries. Just two weeks later, his shocking assault on a driver horrified people around the world. The lengthy sentence imposed today ensures Mr. Stevens will be off the street for decades, making the city safer for all.”

“Predatory violent criminals like Gregory Stevens terrorize our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Philadelphia's Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s sentencing resulted from the coordinated efforts of the FBI and our community partners. The FBI and its law enforcement partners will never stop working to make our communities safer and free from violent crime.”

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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as 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.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Miller.