Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Last of Five Defendants to Be Sentenced; Others Received Prison Terms Ranging From 50 Months to 30 Years
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lawrence McKay, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 32 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for leading six violent armed robberies in the city and surrounding counties in February 2021, all targeting cell phone stores. Judge McHugh also ordered McKay to pay restitution to victims, including money toward medical bills, of more than $100,000.
In February of last year, McKay pleaded guilty to all six robberies with which he was charged and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
At each robbery, McKay had at least one co-conspirator with him, and together they would force employees at gunpoint to turn over the store’s merchandise and cash. During one of these robberies, McKay shot a store employee in the stomach, and in another, codefendant Brenton Holmes shot a store employee in the leg. Both employees survived.
Holmes pleaded guilty to participating in five of the robberies with McKay and was sentenced in May of last year to 30 years in prison.
Dana Toby pleaded guilty to participating in two of the robberies and was sentenced in September 2023 to 15 years in prison.
Demon McNeil and Dashonna Hoskins each pleaded guilty to participating in one robbery, with McNeil sentenced in June 2024 to eight years in prison and Hoskins in May 2024 to 50 months in prison.
“Lawrence McKay and his crew were a crime spree unto themselves, racking up six armed robberies in less than three weeks,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In these holdups, they made store employees fear for their lives, threatening them at gunpoint, bringing them into back rooms, tying some up, and even shooting two victims. It was imperative to get McKay off the street before anyone else was harmed, or worse, at his behest. This sentence keeps him behind bars for decades and holds him accountable for the crimes he led. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by focusing on the most violent offenders and bringing them to justice.”
“The brazen acts committed in this case instilled fear in our community and put our citizens at risk,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime, protect our city, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Lower Merion Township Police Department, Bristol Township Police Department, Norristown Police Department, and Warminster Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz, Amanda McCool, and Anthony Carissimi.