Crime & Safety

Final Suspect Pleads Guilty in Series of Armored Car Robberies, Including 3 in Gwinnett

Quentin Booker, 36, was the lookout on five armored-car robberies, including Buford and Snellville in Gwinnett County.

A Douglasville man who participated in a series of armored-car robberies all over metro Atlanta in 2010-11 pleaded guilty to his involvement Friday in U.S. District Court.

Quentin Booker is said to be the last of those involved in the robberies to plead guilty, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates’ office.

Three of those robberies occurred in Gwinnett County. Three Snellville people also were implicated in the crimes.

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Booker, 36, pleaded guilty to five counts of Hobbs Act robbery (armed robbery of couriers), and two counts of aiding and abetting to the use of a firearm during a violent crime. Booker apparently acted as a lookout during robberies of:

  • Dunbar Armored courier on Oct. 7, 2010, at the Mex America Latino Services located in Marietta.
  • Dunbar Armored courier at an ATM machine on Nov. 11, 2010, at a Bank of America located in Buford.
  • Loomis Armored courier at an ATM machine on Nov. 29, 2010, at a Wells Fargo Bank located in Snellville.
  • Dunbar Armored courier at an ATM machine inside the Mall of Georgia in Buford on December 7, 2010.
  • Loomis Armored courier at an ATM machine on Jan. 21, 2011, at a Wells Fargo Bank located in Stone Mountain, Ga. The courier was shot and seriously injured during the robbery.

In all, the group of robbers robbed six armored cars between October 2010 and March 2011. Altogether the group stole more than $470,000

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Other members of this robbery group robbed and killed Garda Cash Logistics courier Gary Castillo at a Kroger’s grocery store on LaVista Road in DeKalb County on March 15, 2011.

According to the U.S. prosecutors, one or two gunmen would approach a courier during a cash pick-up or while reloading an ATM. Others would serve as lookouts or get-away drivers. 

“These violent robberies terrorized the community,” Yates said in the press release.  “This is not the Wild West where robbers ride off into glory after a heist. This is reality. Violent criminals like these will be caught, and prosecuted, even the lookouts.”

Others in the group to enter guilty pleas previously were:

Ashley Henderson, 29, Snellville: Six counts of Hobb’s Act robbery, two counts of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and one count of causing the death of another through the use of a firearm.

Stacey Dooley, 37, Snellville: Six counts of Hobb’s Act robbery, one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and one count of causing the death of another through the use of a firearm.

Edwin Thornton, 31, Atlanta: Three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of carrying and using of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

Derrick Powell, 26, Atlanta: Two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

Michael Johnson, 31, Atlanta: Two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

Ronnie Little, 22, Stone Mountain: One count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of carrying and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

Veronica Bullard, 35, Lithia Springs: One count of Hobbs Act robbery.

Desiree Jones, 29, Snellville: Two counts of unlawfully transferring a firearm knowing it would be used in a crime of violence.

Booker’s sentencing is scheduled for May 19.


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