Armed Robberies of Six Mobile Phone Stores Nets District Man 67 Months in Federal Prison
WASHINGTON / Tuesday, February 10, 2026 – Shawn Marshall Owens, 44, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 67 months in federal prison for committing at least six armed robberies of Metro by T-Mobile stores in 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Owens pleaded guilty July 1, 2024, to six counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). In addition to the 67-month prison term, U.S. District Court Timothy J. Kelly ordered Owens to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2023, about 6:25 p.m., Owens robbed the Metro by T-Mobile store on the 4500 block East Capitol Street, NE. Owens pointed a black handgun in the direction of an employee and directed him to hand over cash from the cash register and cell phones. Owens fled with three phones and about $500 in cash.
On July 29, 2023, at noon, Owens struck at the same T-Mobile store on the 4500 block of East Capitol Street, NE. “Don’t play games…you know what to do,” Owens said to the same T-Mobile employee he had robbed two weeks earlier. Owens handed the employee a backpack and ordered him to empty the register into the bag. The employee complied. Owens grabbed six or seven cell phones, put them into the pack, and left the store.
On Sept. 2, 2023, about 5 p.m., Owens entered the Metro by T-Mobile store on the 1400 block North Capitol Street, NW. He produced a silver and black handgun, pointed it at an employee, and demanded all the Apple iPhones. Because of the threatened use of force, the employee complied, but told Owens they did not have Apple iPhones in stock. Owens demanded the keys to the cash register, opened it, and grabbed $446 in cash. He also took four phones from the counter. Owens asked the employee where the store’s big safe was located. The employee told Owens the safe was empty. Owens ordered the employee to walk to the backroom and told her to give him time to leave the store before she called the police.
On Sept. 13, 2023, about 4:51 p.m., Owens returned to the Metro by T-Mobile store on North Capitol Street. He produced a black and silver handgun and pointed it at a store employee. Owens asked for the keys to the safe, the employee’s personal phone, and wallet. The employee told Owens that since the establishment had been robbed before, keys to the safe were no longer kept on the premises. Owens opened the register, took $250, and grabbed at least five new phones from behind the counter.
On Oct.1, 2023, about 4:05 p.m., Owens struck the Metro by T-Mobile store on 3100 block of Mount Pleasant Street, NW Owens approached an employee, pulled a handgun, and demanded: “Where is the money? Where are the iPhones?” After ordering the employee to face the wall, Owens took $1,000 from the cash register, a laptop, a speaker, and a cell phone.
On Dec. 10, 2023, at 5:30 p.m., Owens robbed a Metro by T-Mobile store on the 5400 block of Georgia Ave NW. Two employees were working together inside as Owens walked in, pointed a handgun at them and demanded cash and phones. Owens carried out a box of phones out worth $3,169 as well as cash. When police arrested Owens shortly thereafter, he was in possession of the cash and the box of phones.
Each of the six stores that Owens robbed bought and sold goods in interstate commerce. As a result of Owen’s actions in each of these robberies, interstate commerce was actually or potentially delayed, obstructed, or affected. In each of the six robberies, Owens was armed with a replica “Airsoft” handgun, which appeared to be a real firearm.
Joining in the announcement were Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
This case was investigated by the MPD and the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Haley M. Pennington and Alexander Schneider provided valuable assistance.
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Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia
