A federal jury found Maurice Harris, a 32-year-old Memphis resident, guilty of conducting a series of business robberies and unlawful possession of a firearm, as announced by U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee.
Harris, with prior convictions already under his belt, was convicted of three counts of robbery, three counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon possessing a firearm, after pretending to be a customer, then pulling out a handgun and demanding mobile devices in the armed robberies across Tennessee in October 2024. According to court documents, a 5-year-old was present during one of the incidents, clearly, the impact of which might continue to echo long after the sirens fade. A guilty verdict was returned last Thursday, all based on the evidence presented, including identification left behind and surveillance footage, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Caught in the act by surveillance videos from each location, including Metro by T-Mobile on Elvis Presley Boulevard, Cricket Wireless on S. Dupress Street, and AT&T on Airline Road, Harris was identified and later arrested while in possession of the items stolen. Judging by the evidence, Harris used the same handgun in all the robberies and drove the same car to each location, tying him directly to each crime.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant, emphasizing the importance of safety in the community, expressed in a statement obtained by the Justice Department's press release, "Business owners and employees have a fundamental right to be safe from armed robbers who terrorize our communities with their lawlessness." He continued, "The senselessness of gun violence has a long-lasting effect on victims of armed robbery, and we will no longer allow gun crime to rule our streets. This verdict sends a clear message that there will always be a reckoning, a real and significant consequence, for the commission of violent crimes."
Harris now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 75 years in federal prison due to his previous criminal record, and additional time might be tacked on for violating the conditions of his supervised release. The court set his sentencing for March 18, 2026, a date when the consequences of his actions will crystallize into decades behind bars, as there is no parole in the federal system.
