Two leaders of a Houston-based robbery conspiracy were sentenced to more than a dozen years in prison each this week, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.

Chrisheena Ladale Milburn, 28, of Houston, and her brother, Brandon Chermaine Mallet, 32, of Missouri City, Texas, pleaded guilty in July 2018 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and two counts of interference with commerce by robbery for their role in spate of local “juggings.” 

“Jugging” refers to a scheme in which a group of perpetrators follows bank customers suspected of having large containers of cash – often small business owners – leaving financial institutions. At the customers’ next location, the group takes the money by force, either by confronting victims or by breaking into their vehicles.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade sentenced Ms. Milburn to 220 months (18 years, 4 months) and Mr. Mallet to 170 months (14 years, 2 months) in federal prison. 

The FBI began investigating this conspiracy – which eventually netted 13 defendants – after the Dallas area experienced a surge in jugging offenses in 2016 and 2017. 

Ms. Milburn, Mr. Mallet, and two others were first arrested by Dallas Police Department in June 2016, while fleeing from a robbery.  Ms. Milburn, Mr. Mallet, and three others were arrested again in July 2017 during a DPD undercover sting targeting jugging activity. 

Through various investigative techniques, the FBI tied the Houston-based crew to an estimated 30+ jugging offenses in the Dallas area.  The FBI concluded that the crew had taken more than three-quarters of a million dollars, primarily from Dallas-area small business owners and operators.

Thirteen defendants were charged in federal court. Eleven have pleaded guilty. 

Previously sentenced co-defendants include:

•             Jarvis Broussard — 90 months

•             Gemarcus Dontae Earl — 72 months

•             Christian Demond Gilbert — 50 months

•             Randy Lamark Hammond — 50 months

•             John Christopher Jones — 180 months

•             Tony Jarel Russell — 65 months

•             Fernando Rafael Taylor — 60 months

•             Jonathan Walker — 50 months

Charges remain pending against three defendants in connection with the conspiracy.

This is believed to be the first federal prosecution of a jugging robbery conspiracy in the nation.

“These defendants were systematically harming small business owners, who represent a backbone of Dallas’ economy,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “I’m proud of the prosecutors, agents, and officers who helped us bring justice in this milestone case.” 

“FBI Dallas and its local partners worked together through our Violent Crimes Task Force to combat the threat of jugging and dismantled this criminal enterprise," said FBI Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Schneider. "We will continue to pursue criminals with all available resources at our disposal and remain determined to eradicate violent crime from our streets."

In 2017, the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force received reports of in excess of 80 jugging robberies in the Dallas area.  The FBI received a report of only one jugging robbery in 2018.

However, the agency urges the banking public to remain vigilant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Dallas, Garland, Irving, and Richardson Police Departments.  Assistant United States Attorneys Brian McKay and Sid Mody are prosecuting the case.

DALLAS — A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging nine Houston residents with offenses related to eight violent robberies in North Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas. 

Specifically, the nine-count indictment, unsealed yesterday afternoon, charges, Jarvis Broussard, aka “Koppo,” 29; Trey Nathaniel Dickerson, 25; Christian Demond Gilbert, aka “Go Getta,” 28; Randy Lamark Hammond, 23; John Christopher Jones, aka “2tall,” 27; Brandon Chermaine Mallet, aka “Wookie,” 31; Chrisheena Ladale Milburn, aka “Beanz,” 27; Fernando Rafael Taylor, 29; and Jonathan Walker, aka “Johnathan Walker,” 31, with one count each of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and at least one additional count of interference with commerce by robbery.

The defendants were arrested today and will remain in custody pending their initial appearances.

The indictment arises out of a series of “jugging” offenses in the Dallas area.  “Jugging” is a term informally used to refer to crimes that involve surveilling banks for potential targets suspected of having significant sums of cash and following the targeted victims to other locations where they are robbed.  The indictment alleges that, on February 4, 2016 and continuing until at least July 22, 2017, the defendants conspired together to commit several robberies to obtain U.S. currency.  The defendants discussed and planned the surveillance and selection of individuals for robbery; the acquisition of property for use in committing robbery; the timing and means of transportation to commit   robbery; the roles of participants during the preparation for and commission of robbery; the division of proceeds obtained from robbery; and plans to avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement.

A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.  If convicted, however, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.   

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Dallas, Garland, Irving, and Richardson Police Departments.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian McKay and Sid Mody are in charge of the prosecution.

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