Co-Leader of Violent Spree That Targeted Mid-Atlantic Pharmacies and Phone Stores Sentenced to 140 Months

WASHINGTON -- Ashley Gause, 33, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 140 months in federal prison for her role as a co-leader of a violent multi-state robbery crew that targeted more than a dozen pharmacies and cellphone stores in the District, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

"Ashley Gause and her co-conspirators participated in an extended campaign of violence that caused terror without any regard for their victims," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "They treated these pharmacies and cellphone stores as their own personal cash machines, garnering $300,000 in ill-gotten proceeds and prescription drugs, and leaving the store employees scarred for life."

Gause, aka "Cray," was found guilty by a federal jury on Oct. 28, 2025, after a six-week trial, of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances from the pharmacy robberies, and eight individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.

In addition to the 140-month prison term, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Gause to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 235-month prison sentence.

Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

According to court documents, from May 9, 2020, through May 26, 2021, Gause and her co-conspirators targeted pharmacies and cellular retail stores in the mid-Atlantic region, seeking to rob the businesses of prescription drugs and cellphones that they could then resell in the District.

Many of these offenses involved crew members brandishing and pointing a firearm at the victims. Gause was convicted of five such offenses.

Multiple co-defendants have been sentenced, or are awaiting trial, for their roles in a number of the robberies.

D'Marrell Mitchell, 36, of the District, was sentenced to 192 months in prison after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and nine individual counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.

Floyd Neal, 32, of the District, was sentenced to 157 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of interstate commerce by robbery and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.

Ashawntea Henderson, 33, of the District, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.

Glenn Dolford, 32, of the District, who pleaded guilty to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, was sentenced to 38 months to be served concurrent with a 42-month sentence out of DC Superior Court Case for an aggregate term of 80 months. Dolford is also serving a 22-year sentence for murder.

Terrance Barnham, 36, of the District, was sentenced to 78 months in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.

This case was investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Henrico County Police Division, Laurel Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Neptune Township N.J. Police Department, and Prince George's County Police Department. 

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy.

On May 5, 2021, Gause had this photo on her cellphone of a black handgun with a yellow "switch." This firearm/switch is consistent with the one that a co-defendant used during three robberies Maryland.

Surveillance image captured Nov. 6, 2020, during the crew's robbery of a T-Mobile store on D Street, Southeast Washington D.C.  

Surveillance cameras captured this image on June 9, 2020, during the crew's robbery of a T-Mobile in College Park, Maryland.

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