Grandview Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery Conspiracy, Faces 25 Years in Prison

Fatal Shoot-out with Police Ended Crime Spree

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a three-months-long conspiracy that included at least 27 armed robberies, culminating in the armed robbery of a Walgreens in Blue Springs, Mo., in which a suspect was fatally shot by law enforcement officers.

Deonte J. Collins-Abbott, 23, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to participating in a conspiracy to commit robbery and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

By pleading guilty today, Collins-Abbott admitted that he committed eight armed robberies between Feb. 3, 2016, and March 24, 2016. Collins-Abbott admitted that he and co-conspirators robbed businesses in Blue Springs, Independence, North Kansas City, Raytown, Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., at gunpoint.

Collins-Abbott admitted that he and two other men robbed the Walgreens at 9th and Duncan in Blue Springs on March 24, 2016. According to court documents, once inside, one of the robbers placed a firearm to the back of an employee’s head and took money from the front register. Collins-Abbott and Jermon Seals of Shawnee, Kan., went over the pharmacy counter and took prescription grade cough syrup at gunpoint from the pharmacist. They left the business but were confronted by law enforcement officers as they were walking back to the vehicle. They failed to comply with the officers’ commands, according to the court documents, and Seals turned towards the officers, pointing a gun in their direction. Officers returned fire and Seals was struck in the exchange. Collins-Abbott and Thomas were apprehended by officers after a short foot pursuit.

Co-defendants Demetrius Nelson, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., and Parrise K. Black, also known as “Kilo,” 26, of Grandview, have also pleaded guilty.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Collins-Abbott will be sentenced to 25 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Caine and David Raskin. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the North Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service.