December 23, 2014

Detroit Man Indicted on Robbery Charges

A Detroit man was indicted today for his role in the armed robbery of a pharmacy in Detroit, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Paul Abbate, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

Kavin Stinson, 19, was charged with robbery and with using a firearm during a crime of violence.

The investigation determined that on August 22, 2014, three men armed with handguns entered the Rite Aid store at 1900 East Eight Mile Road in Detroit at approximately 3:00 p.m. The men stole liquor and threatened the Rite Aid employees, forcing some at gunpoint to the back of the store to open a safe. The robbers also forced employees to open cash registers and give them money. One of the assailants pistol-whipped a male and a female employee as they were handing over money. Johnny Johnson was indicted in September by a federal grand jury for his role in the robbery. Additional investigation by the FBI led to the identification of Kavin Stinson as the second suspect. The third suspect remains at large.

If convicted, Johnny Johnson and Kavin Stinson will face a minimum of seven years in prison with the possibility of 27 years in prison for their participation in the crimes. “We take armed robberies very seriously because armed robbers put residents at risk and create fear in our neighborhoods,” McQuade said. “We hope that criminals will take note that committing crimes with guns will bring charges with severe consequences.”

“Mr. Stinson and the other perpetrators in this case are alleged to have violently robbed a neighborhood pharmacy at gunpoint,” stated Paul Abbate, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Gun-related violence injects fear into the lives of law abiding citizens and wreaks havoc upon our communities. The FBI, along with its local, state and federal partners, remains committed to rooting out these violent offenders and maintaining the safety of our neighborhoods.” The cooperative efforts of the Detroit Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force resulted in the charges against these two defendants.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.