BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with the January 2019 robbery of a T-Mobile store in Brockton and shooting at police officers as he and his co-defendants fled the scene.
Stephan Rosser-Stewart, 31, pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; discharging, brandishing, using and carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 20, 2022. Rosser-Stewart was indicted along with co-defendants Darius Carter and Diovanni Carter in March 2019. The three were subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in September 2019. A fourth man, Dennis Martin was charged separately.
On the evening of Jan. 26, 2019, Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter and Dennis Martin entered a T-Mobile store in Brockton. The men were carrying semi-automatic firearms, which they pointed at the store manager as they demanded cash and electronics. Darius Carter struck the store manager in the head with a firearm. The men stole approximately $25,000 in cash and electronics and then fled in a vehicle driven by Diovanni Carter.
Police responded, located the getaway vehicle and a high-speed chase ensued, reaching over 70 mph in residential neighborhoods. During the chase, Diovanni Carter ordered the other men in the car to fire at pursuing police cruisers. Rosser-Stewart and Darius Carter fired a total of eight rounds at the pursuing police cruisers. Law enforcement apprehended Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter and Dennis Martin and recovered the stolen phones, cash and the three firearms used in robbery. Diovanni Carter fled the scene when the car was stopped and was apprehended in March 2019. Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter, Diovanni Carter, and Dennis Martin, were each prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior criminal convictions. Rosser-Stewart was previously convicted of armed robbery in Suffolk Superior Court and had been recently released from prison prior to robbing the T-Mobile store in January 2019.
In March 2021, Darius Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to his role in the robbery. In March 2020, Diovanni Carter was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced to over 22 years in prison. In August 2019, Martin pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2022.
The charge of interference with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, and a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment ranging from five years for the possession of a firearm, seven years for the brandishing of a firearm, and up to 10 years for the discharge of a firearm. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal of the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.; Brockton Police Acting Chief Steve Williamson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.