PHILADELPHIA, PA — Amir Harvey, aged 24, from Philadelphia, has entered a guilty plea to charges including Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking, and possession of ammunition by a felon. The plea was made Thursday before United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond, as announced by U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. The charges stem from a September 2022 robbery at the Hook and Reel restaurant on Roosevelt Boulevard and a carjacking incident on Maxwell Place later that month.
On September 9, 2022, Harvey and accomplices targeted a restaurant employee, forcibly entering the premises, seizing approximately $400, and fleeing the scene. Later, on September 19, an armed Harvey confronted a mother and daughter outside their home, stealing their vehicle at gunpoint. Although the firearm was a replica, the incident was distressingly real for the victims.
U.S. Attorney Romero emphasized the gravity of the crimes, stating, “Robbing innocent people at gunpoint, even if the gun’s not real, is no game.” Eric DeGree, ATF Special Agent in Charge, reinforced the commitment to combating violent crime, highlighting the efforts of the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force. This task force, comprising federal and local law enforcement agencies, focuses on addressing the surge in armed carjackings and related violent offenses in the region.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Lauren E. Stram.
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