KANSAS CITY, MO. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Missouri, Western), published as received.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been convicted by a trial jury of the armed robbery of a Family Dollar store with the assistance of the store’s assistant manager.

Delshawn Lemons, 27, was found guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 7, of one count of robbery and one count of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Co-defendants Veronika Rodriguez, 26, and Bobby J. Booker, Jr., 25, both of Kansas City, Mo., have pleaded guilty to their roles in the robbery.

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Lemons stole $3,102 at gunpoint from the Family Dollar store at 4401 E. 50th Terrace in Kansas City, Mo., on June 8, 2020.

Rodriguez, who was an assistant manager at the store, was counting the money drawer to close up for the night when Lemons and Booker, who were both armed with handguns and wearing masks, walked into the store. They held two store employees at gunpoint while Rodriguez put all the money in a bag. Lemons and Booker then left the store.

Rodriguez told investigators that Lemons, who knew she was closing the night of the robbery, had approached her about robbing the store and promised her a share of the robbery proceeds.

Rodriguez also told investigators that Lemons had approached her about setting up other men for him to rob.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for three and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey, ending a trial that began Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Under federal statutes, Lemons is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Marquez and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Operation LeGend

Operation LeGend is a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honors the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.