Armed Career Criminal Guilty In String Of Armed Robberies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A convicted felon from Georgia pleaded guilty in United States District Court today before United States Magistrate Judge Dave Whalin announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. The federal charges stemmed from “Project Recoil,” the on-going partnership of multiple Jefferson County, Kentucky law enforcement agencies, developed by U.S. Attorney Hale, to maximize penalties for the most violent offenders and to reduce violent crime in our community.

Xavier Demetrius Porter, 40, pleaded guilty to nine counts of obstructing interstate commerce through robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In 1996, Porter was convicted of three counts of armed robbery, in case number 96-R-398 in Dougherty County (Georgia) Superior Court. During those robberies, he used a sawed-off shotgun.

Porter admitted to robbing Spinelli’s Pizza located at 2905 Goose Creek Road on March 5, 2013, the Subway located at 3503 South Hurstbourne Parkway on March 7, 2013, the Subway located at 8056 New LaGrange Road on March 17, 2013, Circle K located at 4600 Wattbourne Lane on April 15, 2013, the White Castle located at 3705 Bardstown Road on April 16, 2013, the Thornton’s located at 3909 Taylorsville Road on April 17, 2013, the Subway located on Bishop Lane on April 17, 2013, JC=s Cigarette Outlet located on Six Mile Lane on April 18, 2013, and the Adam and Eve store on South Hurstbourne Parkway on April 18, 2013. The federal robbery charges are brought pursuant to the Hobb’s Act, which criminalizes robberies that affect interstate commerce. During eight of the robberies, Porter brandished a firearm. During the first two robberies, he used a small black handgun. During the last five robberies, he used a pistol-grip 12 gauge shotgun. At the time of his arrest, Porter was clutching the money he stole from Adam & Eve in his hand.

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Porter faces 30 years in prison followed by 5 years of Supervised Release . There is no parole in the federal system. Porter also faces a possible fine of $4,500,000. Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell will set the case for sentencing at a later date.

Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. The Louisville Metro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation.