Two men have been sentenced to prison in connection with a 2023 armed robbery of a check-cashing business in Chantilly.
Al Gibran Taylor, 42, of Reston and Antonio Chester Lewis, 39, of Oxon Hill were sentenced by a federal judge after pleading guilty to gun-related charges earlier this summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said in a press release.
According to court documents, Lewis and Taylor held up the Chantilly Check Cashing and Kwik Dollar Stop around 3:23 p.m. on Nov. 18, 2023.
Lewis, who was armed with a rifle, entered the store and told customers to keep their hands in the air. Taylor attempted to open a locked register and safe, after which Lewis grabbed the store’ cashier by the neck and forced her to open the booth, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
“Law enforcement later received an email from one of the store’s owners, estimating that approximately $42,610 in cash had been taken during the robbery,” an FBI special agent said in an affidavit.
Lewis was arrested on March 26 and pleaded guilty on June 13 to interference with commerce by robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison on Sept. 3.
Taylor pleaded guilty to use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence on June 21 and was sentenced yesterday (Tuesday) to 25 years in prison.
Both individuals have prior convictions.
