Leeds Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Two Robberies

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Leeds man in connection with two robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr.

U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon sentenced Adam James Mordecai, 38, to 120 months in prison.  Mordecai pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of Bank Robbery in August 2021. 

According to the plea agreement, Mordecai committed robberies at two different locations in Birmingham taking prescription drugs and cash.  The robberies occurred in June and October 2020.

On June 2, 2020, Mordecai entered the CVS Pharmacy located on Gadsden Highway in Birmingham and walked around the store for approximately 30 minutes before approaching the pharmacist.  Mordecai lifted his shirt to show the pharmacist a firearm in his waistband and demanded “Alprazolam” (Xanax).  The pharmacist told Mordecai that the Xanax was in a time delayed safe.  Mordecai did not believe her, so he opened the pharmacy counter door and went behind the counter where the pharmacy kept filled prescriptions.  Mordecai filled a plastic tote with more than $20,000 worth of filled prescriptions and left the pharmacy.

On October 26, 2020, Birmingham Police officers responded to a robbery at the Alatrust Credit Union located on Montclair Road in Birmingham.  Mordecai approached the teller and asked for a deposit slip.  The teller handed Mordecai the deposit slip, and he wrote on the back, “Large bills only hurry make no scene,” and returned the slip to the teller.  The teller gave Mordecai $3,800.  Mortdecai left the bank in a white Dodge Journey.  Shortly thereafter, Irondale police officers found a disabled white Dodge Journey near some apartments.  The officers learned that Mordecai was inside his apartment and set up a perimeter until he exited his apartment voluntarily.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

FBI investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department and Irondale Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Plyler prosecuted the case.