Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DESHAWN BAUGH, 20, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing violent robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, Baugh, Alex Josephs, Ronaldo Smith and Shaquille Raymond committed several violent armed robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The perpetrators typically entered the stores shortly before closing, pointed weapons at employees, and, at times, pistol-whipped, dragged and shoved employees toward the back inventory room. They then held the employees at gunpoint while loading large bags with cell phones and other electronics. The group stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise. A fifth co-conspirator, Saviana Bourne, helped plan the robberies, served as a getaway driver, and coordinated the sale of the stolen merchandise.
The investigation revealed that Baugh’s associates robbed AT&T stores in Newington on Jan. 29, 2021, and Enfield on Feb. 24, 2021. Baugh then joined the conspiracy and he and his associates robbed an AT&T store in Canton on April 15, 2021, and attempted to rob stores in Torrington and Glastonbury in May 2021, but were locked out of the stores.
On June 6, 2021, Baugh and his associates, armed with a semiautomatic pistol, two revolvers, and a semiautomatic rifle, robbed an AT&T store in West Springfield, Massachusetts. After the robbery, they fled in a vehicle driven by Bourne, who led police on a high-speed chase that ended when their vehicle collided with a Massachusetts State Police cruiser. Baugh, Josephs, Smith, Raymond and Bourne were arrested, and a search of the vehicle revealed more than $150,000 in stolen merchandise, as well as the firearms used during the robbery.
Baugh has been detained since his arrest. On Nov. 29, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Josephs, Smith, Raymond and Bourne have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
Judge Underhill ordered Baugh to pay restitution of $124,842.45, which reflects the loss from the Canton robbery.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI's Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police and the Newington, Enfield, Canton, Torrington, Glastonbury, and West Springfield Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys