Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hugo J. Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and J.D. Patterson Jr., Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement.

Jesse Foots, 24, of Miami, was convicted on September 11, 2015, of one count of participating in a Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, two counts of participating in a Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, following a four day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga.

According to evidence presented at trial, on February 26, 2015, Foots and his co-conspirator, Dario Pinson robbed a Miami-Dade County MetroPCS and a Pizza Hut establishment. During the course of the robbery, Foots struck a victim with a firearm and held customers and employees at gunpoint. Foots faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 32 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2015.

Dario Pinson, 19, of Atlanta, Georgia, previously pled guilty to participating in the robbery conspiracy with defendant Foots. Pinson and co-conspirator Kendrick Belfon, 18, of Miami, pled guilty to a separate armed robbery conspiracy which occurred on February 24, 2015. Pinson was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his criminal conduct. Belfon was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Mr. Ferrer commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the ATF Miami Field Office/MDPD Street Terror Offender Program, FBI Miami Field Office’s Multi-Agency Violent Crimes Task Force, MDPD’s Robbery Bureau, Miami Shores Police Department, Plantation Police Department, Pembroke Pines Police Department, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Sunrise Police Department, Davie Police Department, and Miramar Police Department. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, Riverdale Police Department, Clayton County Police Department and Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, in Georgia, for their assistance. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys for the Southern District of Florida.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.