United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naim-Shahid Jumah Austin, a 28-year-old from Yeadon, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. In addition to the prison time, Austin will serve five years of supervised release following his conviction for committing a series of armed robberies at area hotels in late 2022.
Austin was charged in January 2023 with six counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, known as Hobbs Act robbery, along with firearms offenses. By December of the previous year, he had pleaded guilty to all charges, including using and brandishing a firearm in relation to these crimes.
Court documents revealed that Austin carried out the robberies between September and December 2022. His method involved targeting hotels during early morning hours when a single employee would typically be stationed at the front desk. He used a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol to threaten the employees and demand cash from the register. Austin used his mother's car to travel to the hotels, which were located in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. His string of crimes included the following incidents:
- September 16, 2022, at 3:23 a.m., Courtyard by Marriott, Tredyffrin Township, Pa.
- September 18, 2022, at 4:02 a.m., Holiday Inn & Suites, Drexel Hill, Pa., where he also robbed a guest.
- October 10, 2022, at 2:05 a.m., Fairfield Inn & Suites, Broomall, Pa., where he fled empty-handed.
- November 21, 2022, at 3:35 a.m., Home2 Suites by Hilton, Glen Mills, Pa.
- December 2, 2022, at 4:04 a.m., Marriott Philadelphia West, West Conshohocken, Pa.
- December 12, 2022, at 4:41 a.m., Holiday Inn Express & Suites, West Chester, Pa.
After the last robbery on December 12, 2022, Austin was quickly apprehended by the West Goshen Township Police.
"Naim Austin was on a one-man crime spree, committing six armed robberies in less than three months," stated U.S. Attorney Metcalf. "He threatened the hotel employees he victimized at gunpoint, to terrify them into compliance. This sentence keeps him off the street and holds him accountable for what he’s done. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by bringing violent offenders like this to justice."
FBI Philadelphia's Special Agent in Charge, Wayne A. Jacobs, remarked, "Brazen violent criminals like Austin terrorize our communities. This sentencing is a testament to the coordinated efforts between all of law enforcement. The FBI and our partners will never stop working to crush violent crime and ensure our citizens have a safe place to work and live in."
The investigation was conducted by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police, with the support of several local police departments. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.