A federal jury in Tampa, Florida, has found Jhakheem Smith guilty of brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announced the verdict against the 25-year-old from Pinellas County. Smith had previously pleaded guilty to additional charges related to the robbery of a convenience store and conspiracy to commit that robbery. He could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each robbery offense and between 7 years to life for the firearm charge. The sentencing date remains undecided.
The trial revealed that on November 8, 2023, Smith and his co-defendant Alex Jones robbed a Clearwater convenience store. During the incident, Jones was armed with a firearm while Smith wielded a baseball bat. They forced the victim to hand over cash from the register, assaulted them with the firearm, and confined them in a back room. The duo stole over $800 along with the victim's wallet and cellphone, leaving the victim with visible head injuries.
Surveillance footage captured Smith and Jones leaping over the counter to confront their victim and showed Smith searching for an alleged safe containing more money, which was never located. The video also depicted Smith attempting to damage surveillance cameras. Text messages obtained from Jones’s phone under a search warrant indicated planning discussions between him and Smith regarding the robbery.
Jones had already pleaded guilty earlier and received a sentence of 12 years and 11 months in federal prison on February 6, 2025.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Clearwater Police Department; Largo Police Department; and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration among law enforcement agencies at various levels alongside community organizations. Launched on May 26, 2021, PSN focuses on building trust within communities while setting strategic enforcement priorities to prevent violence effectively.