PHILADELPHIA, PA — A significant chapter in a high-profile Philadelphia robbery case came to a close on Friday, January 19, 2024, as one of the defendants, Cushmir McBride, 24, of Yeadon, PA, pleaded guilty to several charges. U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero confirmed that McBride admitted to charges including conspiracy to maliciously damage property used in interstate commerce by means of an explosive and aiding and abetting.
Earlier this month, Nasser McFall, 23, of Claymont, DE, received a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in the same series of explosive incidents. McFall had previously pleaded guilty to similar charges in June 2022.
The two men, along with Kamar Thompson, 34, of Philadelphia, were implicated in a series of explosive robberies and attempted robberies at a Target store, two Wawa convenience stores, and a bank during the fall of 2020. Notably, McFall was also charged with setting off an explosive device at a Philadelphia bank later that year.
In November 2021, Thompson, who was already facing separate charges related to firearm possession as a convicted felon, pleaded guilty to similar charges as his co-defendants.
A superseding indictment in January 2022 added further charges against McBride and McFall, alleging McBride detonated an explosive device at a Wells Fargo ATM in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood in March 2021. The indictment also alleged that the trio stole over $400,000 from Capital One Bank (Target), PNC Bank (Wawa), and Wells Fargo.
“Both defendants recklessly used explosive devices at least six times, each with the potential to cause significant damage and injure countless people,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Office.
The case, which underscores the severe risks and consequences of explosives-related criminal activity, was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from Delaware State Police and Upper Chichester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David Osborne are prosecuting the case.
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