Three Bay State men have been federally indicted for the alleged armed robbery of a cash courier who was transporting more than $430,000 for marijuana companies.
The men — Steven Madison, 38, of Bridgewater; Christopher White, 37, of Raynham; and Quentin McDonald, 25, of Brockton — are accused of robbing the courier at gunpoint in Swansea earlier this year.
They allegedly zip-tied and pepper sprayed the courier, and then burned the stolen getaway vehicle.
According to the federal charging documents, two men on Feb. 19 were seen on video stealing a rental van from a U-Haul location in Abington. Then later in the day, an armed courier who worked for a company that provides cash transportation services for licensed cannabis companies arrived at a bank in Swansea, carrying about $436,200 in cash for deposit.
The U-Haul van allegedly pulled up alongside the courier, and a masked man wearing a camouflaged vest got out of the van. He then allegedly pointed a firearm at the courier before zip-tying the courier’s hands behind his back.
Then a second masked man allegedly got out of the U-Haul van and quickly loaded the cash into the vehicle. After trying to disarm the courier, the two men allegedly forced the courier into the back seat of his own car, pepper sprayed him and closed the door.
Surveillance footage showed that the courier managed to remove one hand from the zip-tie restraints while inside his vehicle, draw his firearm and fire four rounds in the direction of the U-Haul van as it fled the scene before calling 911.
After leaving the bank, the men allegedly drove the van to a nearby location in Swansea where they met with a third man driving an SUV. The men then allegedly transferred the stolen cash into the getaway SUV, burned the U-Haul van and fled.
Madison, White and McDonald were identified as the suspects in both the robbery and arson. During a search of Madison’s residence in Bridgewater, an estimated $5,000-plus in cash was found throughout the house, as well as a Rolex watch appraised at $47,000, a sweatshirt similar to that worn by one of the robbers, a firearm, ammunition and cocaine.
Following a search of White’s residence in Raynham, police recovered zip-ties, a black mask similar to that worn by one of the robbers, a firearm, ammunition and cocaine.
The men were each indicted on one count of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery; one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery; one count of arson of property used in or affecting interstate commerce; and one count of conspiracy.
Madison and White were also indicted for brandishing a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
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