A 36-year-old Tallahassee man faces a minimum of seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a January convenience store robbery.
Laquinton Harris entered guilty pleas in federal court to Hobbs Act robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
According to court records, a masked gunman robbed the Z Mart convenience store at 4015 Fred George Road on Jan. 30, 2026. During the robbery, the suspect fired a gun into the store floor. Investigating deputies from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office recovered a spent .22 caliber shell casing near an apparent bullet strike on the wooden floor.
On April 2, 2026, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a federal search warrant at Harris’s residence. Federal agents recovered a .22 caliber rifle, which ballistic testing later matched to the shell casing found inside the Z Mart.
Agents also seized distinctive ripped pants and gloves matching the attire worn by the robber. DNA testing confirmed Harris’s DNA was present on both items.
“This case exemplifies the outstanding investigative work performed by our state and federal law enforcement partners, who swiftly identified and caught this defendant despite his efforts to conceal his identity during his violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Heekin said in a statement. “This successful prosecution delivers a clear message: the safety of our community is not negotiable, and my office will aggressively prosecute these cases to keep violent offenders, like this defendant, off our streets and behind bars where they belong.”
Harris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison for the firearm brandishing charge, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed for the robbery charge. He faces up to life imprisonment, up to five years of supervised release, and maximum fines reaching $750,000.
The joint investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. McCain is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Chief U.S. District Judge Allen C. Winsor at the U.S. Courthouse in Tallahassee.
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