Career Offender Sentenced To 20 Years For Armed Robbery

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Joseph Deleon (33, Lake County) to 20 years in federal prison for commercial armed robbery and for brandishing a firearm while committing that robbery. Due to the seriousness of his criminal history and the violent nature of his robbery, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. A jury found Deleon guilty on October 16, 2018.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, shortly after midnight on March 15, 2018, in St. Petersburg, Deleon pointed a gun at a cashier at a 7–11 store and demanded the contents from the cashier’s register. After obtaining approximately $100 and several packages of stamps, Deleon fled the scene. At the time of the offense, Deleon was a convicted felon. His prior convictions include molesting a child and dealing drugs. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory T. Nolan and Thomas N. Palermo.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.