Long Island Man Convicted of Home Invasion Armed Robbery Conspiracies, Unlawful Use of Firearms and Firearms-Related Murder

A federal jury in Central Islip returned a guilty verdict today against Tyrone L. Robinson on seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, seven counts of robbery and attempted robbery of drugs and drug proceeds, seven counts of unlawful use, brandishing and discharge of firearm, four counts of felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and one count of firearms-related murder.  The verdict followed a four-week trial before United States District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein.  When sentenced, Robinson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 64 years in prison, and a maximum of life imprisonment.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and John B. Devito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF), announced the verdict.

The evidence at trial established that between August 2015 and May 2016, Robinson and his co-conspirators committed multiple armed home invasion robberies of drug dealers in Nassau and Suffolk counties.  The victims were pistol-whipped, often times zip tied, threatened with death and shot.  On March 25, 2016, Robinson committed an armed home invasion in Lake Grove and threatened to kill an eight-year-old girl if she did not find money for him.  The following night, when Robinson returned to the scene of the Lake Grove home invasion, he dropped his cell phone and it was recovered by police responding to a call from neighbors.  The cellphone was logged into Robinson’s online account which he had used to Google search for directions to his targeted locations and for news reports about the crimes he had committed.  For example, after a violent robbery attack in Hempstead, Robinson Google searched, “man beaten in Hempstead.”  During a home invasion robbery by Robinson on May 3, 2016 in Freeport, the victim Johnathan Isaac was fatally shot in the back.  Five days before the murder, Robinson purchased the floor plans for the location of the murder using his Gmail account and, shortly after Isaac’s murder and the shooting of another victim in Freeport, Robinson Google searched “two shot Freeport” for news reports about the crimes.

“Over the course of two years, Robinson violently preyed upon multiple victims with firearms and his fists, inflicting permanent injuries and death to satisfy his greed,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “With today’s verdict, Robinson will now face serious punishment for terrorizing communities on Long Island.” 

“Today’s verdict signals an end to a reign of terror that included brazen acts of violence and reckless disregard for human life,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Devito. “Tyrone L. Robinson is an example of the type of violent individual that presents a clear and present danger to the law abiding people in the community.  ATF and our partners stand committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting individuals like Robinson to ensure that our communities will not be further damaged by this violent scourge.  I would like to thank our ATF Long Island Field Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for their work on this case.”

Mr. Donoghue and Special Agent-in-Charge Devito expressed their grateful appreciation to the Nassau and Suffolk Police Departments and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for their assistance with the investigation and prosecution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Allen Bode, Monica Castro and Anthony Bagnuola are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

TYRONE L. ROBINSON
Age:  34
Bay Shore, New York

E.D.N.Y. Criminal Docket No. 16-545 (S-4)(SJF)