Anthony Wayne Hamilton, 27, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 260 years in prison for a series of violent gas station robberies committed throughout the Phoenix area. Hamilton was found guilty by a federal jury on June 12, 2017, of 11 counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and 11 counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to vigorously prosecuting all violent offenders,” said Acting United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “We commend the federal and local law enforcement agencies for their collaboration in investigating and apprehending this violent criminal.”
“Anthony Hamilton was convicted of committing violent armed robberies throughout Arizona which impacted countless victims. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe through shared information, collaboration, and investigative initiatives,” said Michael DeLeon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “This case was worked jointly with almost a dozen Arizona law enforcement agencies and is yet another example of law enforcement agencies coming together to combat violent crime and ensure the safety of our citizens.”
Evidence at trial showed that during a seven-week period from Dec. 20, 2015 through Feb. 9, 2016, Hamilton robbed eleven different gas stations and convenience stores at gunpoint. During the course of the robberies, Hamilton stole money from the gas stations and from gas station employees while displaying and threatening to use a handgun. Hamilton robbed stores in nearly every city in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
The investigation in this case was a product of significant collaboration between the FBI’s Robbery Task Force, the Phoenix Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, the Tempe Police Department, the Peoria Police Department, the Scottsdale Police Department, the Mesa Police Department, the Chandler Police Department, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The prosecution was handled by Robert I. Brooks and Anthony W. Church, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.