District Man Pleads Guilty to Two Robberies, Including One of an Armored Truck
Defendant Also Pleads Guilty in Attempted Robbery of Second Armored Truck

WASHINGTON—Ricardo Hunter, 55, pled guilty today to two armed robberies, one of a business and the other of an armored truck, as well as an attempted armed robbery of an armored truck and a related weapons offense, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Debra Evans Smith, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

Hunter, of Washington, D.C., entered the guilty pleas in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery; one count of attempted armored car robbery while armed; and one count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he faces a sentence of 15 to 20 years of incarceration. Hunter will be sentenced by the Honorable Richard W. Roberts on March 1, 2013.

According to the government’s evidence, Hunter planned and carried out two brazen robberies and attempted to conduct a third.

The first robbery took place at about 6 a.m. on September 28, 2010 at the Northeast Washington office of the Old Town Trolley Tours of Washington DC/DC DUCKS. According to the government’s evidence, the manager was preparing to open the business for the day. As the manager was opening the office’s main exterior door, he was approached from behind by Hunter and another man, both of whom wore masks to cover their faces. Hunter was armed with a handgun. The manager was told to open the door and was advised that if the alarm went off, he “was dead.” Hunter and his accomplice proceeded to rob the office of more than $7,000.

The second robbery occurred on the morning of November 22, 2010 at a gas station in the 2800 block of Sherman Avenue NW. According to the government’s evidence, Garda Cash Logistics dispatched an armored truck to deliver and pick up U.S. currency from the gas station. Upon arriving at the station, the armed Garda guard entered the establishment, where he received three bags of money containing more than $25,000. When he returned to the truck, the guard was approached by Hunter and two other men. One of the men declared, “Give it up,” while he pointed a handgun at the guard’s stomach. This man then took the money bag, while Hunter stole the guard’s loaded handgun. The three robbers then fled the area with the money and the guard’s gun.

In the third incident, in the days before February 12, 2011, Hunter recruited one of his earlier accomplices and another man to assist him in robbing another armored truck. On February 12, 2011, at about 7 a.m., Hunter and one of these men met at Hunter’s residence. From there, Hunter gathered the firearms that were to be used in the robbery, including a 9mm Luger Hi-Point pistol, the handgun that was stolen from the Garda guard, and an AK-47 semiautomatic assault weapon.

Hunter and his accomplice then picked up the third man and they drove around until seeing the armored truck. When the armored truck stopped near an alley in Northeast Washington, D.C., Hunter and one of the accomplices, both of whom were armed with handguns, exited the car and approached it. They were then stopped by law enforcement. The third man remained in the car with the AK-47. Also recovered from the car were black ski masks, black gloves and clear plastic gloves.

In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Smith commended the work of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which investigated the case with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of Paralegal Specialist Jeannette Litz, who provided administrative support, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Andrews, who handled the initial investigation. Lastly they praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who investigated and indicted the matter, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Bowman, and Jonathan M. Malis, who assisted in the prosecution.