Gainesville, Florida - Denzel Dyshaun Flagg, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "This successful prosecution was made possible by the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, who tracked down this defendant so we could hold him accountable for his role in this violent crime. We owe it to our citizens to protect them from the predations of violent criminals and to seek maximum punishment to hold those offenders accountable and deter future crime."

Court documents reflect that on February 18, 2025, the defendant participated in the robbery of the Eastside Food Store in Gainesville, Florida. During the robbery, two other individuals entered the store wearing ski masks, and one of them pointed a gun directly at the face of the store clerk before stealing cash from the register. The defendant acted as the getaway driver.

Flagg faces a maximum sentence of twenty years' imprisonment.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 3, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before United States Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Alachua County Sherriff's Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of FloridaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.