WASHINGTON – Today, 22-year-old Stephon Lee from the District of Columbia was sentenced to 129 months in prison for a series of robberies targeting local businesses. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department announced the sentencing, which also includes a subsequent five-year period of supervised release.
Lee had previously admitted guilt to various charges on April 19, including two counts of armed robbery, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted armed robbery, and one count of second-degree theft. Judge Robert Salerno handed down the sentence earlier today.
From April to July 2023, Lee committed six robberies involving diverse establishments such as a dry cleaner, fast-food restaurants, a pharmacy, and convenience stores, primarily targeting them during times with minimal customer presence. During these incidents, Lee displayed increasingly violent behavior, including using a knife and scissors to intimidate and assault victims.
In one notable instance on April 5, 2023, at a dry cleaner on Alabama Avenue SE, Lee forcibly demanded cash from the register, assaulting the employee with scissors when she hesitated. Similarly, on June 23, Lee threatened a pharmacy employee with a knife to extract money from the register.
Lee’s criminal activities concluded with two incidents on July 10, including a dramatic encounter at a food market on Fourth Street NW, where he resorted to destroying a cash register to access the money after being pepper-sprayed by an employee.
This sentence marks the end of a violent crime spree that stirred significant concern among business owners and residents in the affected areas.
