MASKED GUNMAN SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ARMED ROBBERY OF FLORIDA CONVENIENCE STORE

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — A 36-year-old convicted felon has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for an armed robbery at a Leon County convenience store, where he threatened an employee with a firearm and discharged a round into the floor before escaping with money from the cash register.

Laquinton Montral Harris, of Tallahassee, received a 108-month federal prison sentence following his guilty plea to Hobbs Act robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence on October 29, 2026.

The robbery occurred on January 30, 2026, at the Z-Mart convenience store located at 4015 Fred George Road. According to court records, Harris entered the business wearing black clothing and a face covering, approached an employee, and demanded money. When the employee indicated that no cash was immediately available, Harris fired a shot into the wooden floor. The employee then removed the cash register drawer and handed it over before Harris fled the store.

Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to the robbery discovered an apparent bullet impact in the flooring and recovered a spent .22-caliber shell casing. Surveillance footage captured the masked gunman wearing distinctive black pants with exposed white fabric beneath several tears, providing investigators with identifying evidence despite the concealment of his face.

On April 2, 2026, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a federal search warrant at Harris’s residence. Investigators recovered a .22-caliber rifle that forensic ballistic testing connected to the shell casing collected inside the convenience store. They also discovered clothing matching the surveillance images, including the distinctive ripped pants and black gloves. DNA testing identified Harris’s genetic material on both clothing items, strengthening the physical evidence connecting him to the robbery.

Harris pleaded guilty to the federal offenses on August 10, 2026. His previous felony conviction prohibited him from lawfully possessing a firearm, creating an additional federal offense beyond the armed robbery and the use of the weapon during the crime.

The court imposed 24 months of imprisonment for the Hobbs Act robbery and unlawful firearm possession offenses, followed by a mandatory consecutive sentence of 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Harris will also serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $547 in restitution to the Z-Mart.

U.S. Attorney Heekin credited the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement with identifying and apprehending Harris through their coordinated investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. McCain.

The case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Justice Department initiative that coordinates federal, state, and local enforcement efforts against violent crime and firearms offenses. The program supports targeted investigations and prosecutions involving offenders whose conduct presents significant public safety concerns.

There is no parole in the federal prison system.

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