A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to over a decade in prison for an armed robbery that escalated into a shootout at a Northeast Philadelphia dollar store last year. Nafec Pressley, 28, was given a 150-month prison sentence followed by five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Kai N. Scott, as announced by United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. According to a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Pressley was convicted on one count of Hobbs Act robbery and another for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On the afternoon of November 20, 2022, Pressley initiated what soon to become a violent encounter at a store located on Bustleton Avenue. After the store was clear of customers, he engaged the clerk in conversation, only to soon pull a black semiautomatic pistol and demand money. The quick escalation resulted in the clerk scrambling for cash and ultimately exchanging gunfire with Pressley. Despite being shot multiple times, Pressley managed to flee the scene, only to be later discovered at a local hospital receiving treatment for gunshot wounds. Upon investigation, it was found that he was holding approximately $371 in cash from the robbery.
"Nafec Pressley nearly got himself killed because he’d rather steal money than work for it," U.S. Attorney Romero commented on the case. "He’s extremely fortunate he didn’t kill anyone else when he opened fire in that store." The prosecution of Pressley has been cooperatively managed by the Philadelphia Police Department, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney's Office, with Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski handling the case, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The incident was also remarked upon by Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division, who stated to the U.S. Attorney's Office, "We will not let violent criminals like Nafec Pressley terrorize Philadelphia’s businesses and communities. In this robbery turned shootout it was only by good fortune no one was killed." The arrest and subsequent prosecution of Pressley are seen as a victory for local law enforcement and federal authorities, who are collaboratively addressing violent crime in the community and ensuring justice for its victims.
