Federal jury convicts Pensacola felon for 14 armed robberies (DOJ)

Pensacola, Florida - Deshawn I. Donson, 23, of Pensacola, Florida, was convicted in federal court on charges related to fourteen armed robberies of gas stations and convenience stores in Escambia County. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the verdict.

US Attorney Heekin said: "For years, this violent criminal terrorized our community with a string of armed robberies, but the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners built a strong case that enabled my office to deliver this successful prosecution at trial. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Todd Blanche have directed the full might of the Department of Justice toward protecting our communities from the predations of violent thugs, like this defendant, and my team of aggressive prosecutors continues to deliver on that promise with trial wins like this one."

During the federal trial in Pensacola, the jury received evidence regarding Donson's yearslong crime spree of robbing convenience store and gas station clerks at gunpoint. In fourteen separate instances between 2022 and 2025, Donson wore a hooded sweatshirt and a mask to conceal his identity and entered these stores with his semiautomatic pistol. He then pointed the pistol directly at the victims and demanded money from the businesses.

The jury heard from all of the victims, who testified about the terror they felt being robbed at gunpoint by the defendant while trying desperately to empty the cash register. Law enforcement was able to identify Donson as the suspect through electronic geolocation information that tied him to multiple armed robberies. Acting on this information, law enforcement caught Donson in his final armed robbery on May 18, 2025, as he fled the scene of his crime, leading to a high-speed chase at more than 100mph through the streets of Escambia County. The Escambia County Sheriff's Office, supported by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, was able to capture Donson after the car chase and seized valuable evidence from his vehicle that confirmed he was the armed robber. In addition, Donson is a convicted felon who had previously been to state prison, so he was legally prohibited from possessing the firearm used to commit these robberies.

Sheriff Simmons said: "No one should have to wonder whether they will make it home safely at the end of their shift, especially because someone else made the decision to pick up a gun and commit a crime. This conviction reinforces a simple principle: your choices have consequences, and in Escambia County, we will make sure you are held accountable for them."

Donson faces up to life imprisonment when he is sentenced in January 2027.

The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Escambia County Sheriff's Office; the Pensacola Police Department; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Thomas Geeker.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.