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Press Release

Two Louisville Men Charged In String Of Armed Robberies Federal Charges Result From “Project Recoil”

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, announced the federal indictment this week, of two Louisville men, one a convicted felon, charged with robbing nine businesses located in Jefferson County, Kentucky. These federal charges stem from “Project Recoil,” the on-going partnership of multiple Jefferson County, Kentucky law enforcement agencies, developed by U.S. Attorney Hale, Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad, ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey, FBI Special Agent in Charge Perrye Turner, and United States Marshal James Clark to maximize penalties for the most violent offenders and to reduce violent crime in our community.

The eighteen-count indictment charges Xavier Demetrius Porter, age 39, with nine counts of obstructing interstate commerce through robbery, eight counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dmitry Kontarovich, age 31, is charged with three counts of obstructing interstate commerce through aiding and abetting a robbery.

Porter is charged with 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, and the Thornton’s located at 3909 Taylorsville Road on April 17, 2013. Porter and Kontarovich are charged with robbing the Subway located at 4214 Bishop Lane on April 17, 2013, JC’s Cigarette Outlet located at 6620 Six Mile Lane on April 18, 2013, and Adam and Eve Store located at 3862 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.

According to court records, on May 30, 1996, Porter was convicted of three counts of armed robbery in Dougherty County Superior Court located in Georgia.

If convicted at trial, Porter faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 197 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, a fine of $4,5000,000 and up to and including a life term of supervised release. Kontarovich faces a maximum potential penalty of 60 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 and a period of supervised release.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless and is being investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation
only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless
proven guilty.

Updated December 15, 2014