A D.C. man has owned up to a series of robberies plaguing local businesses throughout the city last year. Stephon Lee, 22, entered his guilty plea on April 19, 2024, facing charges that included armed robberies and a string of thefts which unfolded over several months in 2023, as per the announcement by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith, as reported by The U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The confession was made before Judge Robert Salerno in Superior Court, and with Lee currently detained without bond. He awaits sentencing on June 28, acknowleding to committing two armed robberies, two standard robberies, one attempted armed robbery, and one count of second-degree theft. The spree, which began in April 2023 and ended with his July arrest, targeted a varied array of venues including a dry cleaner, fast-food restaurants, a pharmacy, and convenience stores.

In a detailed account provided by the government's evidence, Lee strategized his heists based on customer footfall, striking when there were fewer or no witnesses. His methodology sometimes involved violent confrontations when he struggled to access the cash registers. Notably, in some instances, Lee equipped himself with a knife, and on one occasion, he even brandished scissors as a weapon.

Among the criminal acts, one of the most chilling incidents occurred on April 5, 2023, at a dry cleaner on Alabama Avenue SE. Here, Lee pretended to inquire about the cost of services, only to viciously assault the clerk. With scissors in hand, he threatened to inflict grievous harm unless granted access to the cash in the register. His aggressive approach was consistently evident, as demonstrated on June 18 when Lee boldly snatched a cash tray from a fast-food franchise on Riggs Road NE. This behavior continued on June 23 when he coerced a pharmacy employee at knifepoint on Ingraham Street NE to quickly hand over the money.

The string of robberies culminated in a confrontation on July 10 at a food market on Fourth Street NW. After being pepper-sprayed, Lee retaliated by hurling goods, wielding a knife, and smashing the cash register to steal the cash inside. Later that same day, he employed a similar tactic at a fast-food restaurant on Marion Barry Avenue SE, taking advantage of the busy scene to steal from the cashier during a transaction

The sentencing, slated for late June, will conclude the judicial process for Lee, who now faces the repercussions of his momentary decisions spread over those harrowing months. The businesses victimized and the clerks terrorized are left to grapple with the aftermath of a spree that shook their sense of security within the very heart of their community life.