Scranton Men Plead Guilty To Armed Robberies Of Two Gas Stations

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Durrell Davenport, age 27, and Amod Phillips, age 28, both of Scranton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 9, 2018, before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to federal robbery charges filed in connection with the armed robbery of the EFuel gas station and food mart located on Pittston Avenue in Scranton.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Davenport and Phillips admitted to the charge of brandishing firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence, filed in connection with the robbery of the EFuel gas station on June 8, 2017.  Approximately $266 and several packs of cigarettes were taken in the robbery.  Davenport also pleaded guilty to the charge of interference with commerce by robbery, stemming from a separate armed robbery of the Sunoco gas station and convenience store on South Main Avenue in Scranton, which occurred on June 20, 2017.  Davenport stole $386 and several packs of cigarettes in that robbery.  Davenport and Phillips were indicted by a grand jury in November 2017.

Judge Mannion ordered a presentence investigation be completed.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

The investigation was conducted by the Scranton Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. 

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty for the robbery charges under federal law is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.