PHILADELPHIA — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern), published as received.
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that a Philadelphia man, convicted in March of multiple armed robberies and related offenses, was sentenced today to 441 months in prison.
On March 26, 2018, Nasir Thompas, 21, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of the use, carrying, and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.
At trial, a 7-Eleven clerk testified that during one robbery, the defendant placed a pistol against the clerk’s forehead and threatened to kill him. A video from the Godfrey Food Mart showed the defendant pistol whipping a cashier when he failed to surrender cash as quickly as the defendant demanded. The robbery of the food mart took place in broad daylight in a store packed with people, including young children. The defendant's public assaults have left his victims shaken to this day.
“Time and again, this defendant used a gun to get what he wanted—terrorizing men, women, and children with zero regard for the havoc he wreaked,” said USA McSwain. “The steep sentence he received reflects this unfortunate reality. It also shows that if you menace a community, my office is coming for you and you will be in prison for a very long time.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Parisi.
