District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez on Thursday sentenced Junior Feliz, 22, of the Dominican Republic, for his role in the armed robbery of the McDonald’s restaurant in Lockhart Shopping Center, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Feliz was sentenced to 36 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Gomez also sentenced Feliz to three years of supervised release, ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment, and perform 300 hours of community service.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, on June 6, Feliz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.
On March 25, 2017, members of the V.I. Police Department responded to reports of a robbery at the McDonald’s restaurant in Lockhart Shopping Center. After an exchange of gunfire, the armed individuals inside the McDonald’s restaurant surrendered to law enforcement and were taken into custody. Feliz was arrested after the investigation revealed that he was the driver of the getaway vehicle and was involved in the planning, execution, and attempted cover-up of the robbery.
On Jan. 11, Helwood Paris was sentenced to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and 87 months for robbery in the first degree, and Hanselo Recio was sentenced to 18, to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and 108 months for discharge of a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
During the shootout with police, a fourth person, one of the three gunmen inside the McDonald’s was shot and killed. According to an autopsy, 17-year-old Juan DeDios died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and VIPD. Feliz’s case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte and former Criminal Chief Christian A. Fisanick.
