U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced federal charges against Resean Lewis, 25, and William McIntyre, 27, in connection with the robbery of a 24-hour variety store in Wissinoming.
Lewis and McIntyre had been arrested and charged by the district attorney’s office following the incident earlier this year.
Now, the U.S. Attorney’s office has indicted them on charges of attempted Hobbs Act robbery and carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Both defendants made their initial appearances in federal court on Tuesday and were detained pending trial.
The indictment alleges that on Feb. 1, the defendants entered the Big A Market corner store at 5500 Torresdale Ave. just before 4 a.m., and attempted to rob the business. According to the indictment, Lewis went behind the counter armed with what appeared to be a Tec9-style firearm and announced a robbery. McIntyre followed just behind Lewis, armed with a pistol that he pulled from his waistband. The store manager happened to have his dog with him in the store at the time. When the dog realized that Lewis had come back to the employee area, it jumped up and distracted Lewis, giving the store clerk a chance to draw a weapon that the store keeps for protection. The clerk then shot Lewis multiple times. McIntyre, who was standing right behind Lewis, immediately returned fire and struck the store clerk multiple times.
“When I announced the All Hands On Deck initiative over one year ago, I vowed that we would do all we could to stop the violent crime ravaging our city and support the Philadelphia Police Department in its work,” Williams said. “I also put criminals on notice that we were doubling down on our efforts to identify, arrest and charge them in the federal system for their crimes. The indictments of these defendants show that we have kept our word to focus on getting the most violent individuals off the street and behind bars.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Eckert. ••
