Jefferson County men sentenced to federal prison for robbing neighborhood grocery store

BEAUMONT, Texas - Two Beaumont men have been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

Johnaton Rechard Hite, 22, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 13, 2025. Cody Lane Wilson, 28, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on May 13^th.

According to court documents, on April 11, 2024, local law enforcement officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Kidd Grocery Store, located at 8608 Kidd Road, in Beaumont. Upon arrival, the store clerk reported that a man entered the store armed with an AR-15 style rifle and threatened to shoot him if he did not open the safe. The subject took approximately $1,340 in cash and fled the store. Deputies reviewed surveillance footage of the robbery and observed the robber was a black male wearing a woman's brown or black wig, a white hoodie jacket, dark pants, sunglasses, one white shoe and one black shoe.

While responding to the robbery call, deputies observed a 2004 Honda Accord leaving the grocery store and conducted a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Wilson. Wilson was detained and gave consent to search his vehicle where deputies located wigs, one black shoe, and one white shoe. Wilson told deputies that he and Hite planned to rob the grocery store with Wilson as the getaway driver while Hite robbed the store. However, Wilson got scared and fled the scene leaving Hite behind.

While deputies were conducting their investigation with Wilson, dispatch received another call from a concerned citizen near the grocery store reporting someone was knocking on their door. Deputies responded to the location and located Hite hiding on the porch of the caller's residence. Next to where Hite was hiding, deputies found $1,340 in cash.

This case was sentenced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn.

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