PHILADELPHIA, PA — United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero has announced the sentencing of Jason Donte Hayes, a 26-year-old resident of Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania. Hayes received a 135-month prison term followed by five years of supervised release for his involvement in the armed robbery of a cellular phone store in Delaware County. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond on November 18, 2024.
The criminal activities of Hayes, who was already on state probation for previous offenses, brought significant attention from law enforcement. In August 2022, he faced indictment on charges of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, known as Hobbs Act robbery, and using a firearm during a violent crime. Hayes pleaded guilty to these charges earlier this year in May.
The robbery occurred on June 9, 2022, when Hayes entered a Metro by T-Mobile store under the guise of a customer. After inquiring about a wireless headset, he brandished a firearm at the store employee, demanding both merchandise and cash. The employee complied, placing a headset and $452 in cash into Hayes’s backpack. Demonstrating further intimidation, Hayes used duct tape from his backpack to restrain the employee in a back office before fleeing with the stolen items. The employee managed to free himself and alert authorities to the crime.
Following the robbery, Clifton Heights police utilized extensive video surveillance from nearby locations to trace Hayes’s movements. Footage revealed that Hayes fled on foot to his residence, which proved instrumental in his capture. Two weeks post-robbery, Hayes was apprehended outside his home, found in possession of the stolen headset and armed with a loaded .45 caliber pistol and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Romero underscored the severity of Hayes’s actions, emphasizing the disruptive impact on the store employee’s safety and the broader community. “Terrorizing an employee who’s just trying to earn a living so that you can steal money and merchandise is outrageous,” Romero stated. Her office, in conjunction with the FBI, remains dedicated to holding armed offenders accountable.
Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, reinforced this commitment to public safety, noting that such offenses threaten community security. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: the FBI is steadfast in its commitment to removing violent offenders from our streets and ensuring they face justice.”
The successful resolution of this case involved collaborative efforts between the Clifton Heights Police Department and FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency, with the case prosecution led by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra M. Urban.
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