An Arcadia resident has been convicted of orchestrating and participating in multiple armed robberies while posing as a police officer, as announced by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday.
US Attorney Roger B. Handberg stated that a federal jury found 44-year-old Darius Hudson guilty of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, three distinct Hobbs Act robberies, and discharging a firearm during a violent crime.
Hobbs Act robbery refers to a robbery that impacts interstate commerce, such as stealing from a truck transporting goods across state lines.
According to the DOJ, trial evidence revealed that Hudson was part of a group that, between December 2020 and April 2021, conspired to carry out armed robberies across Pasco, Polk, Lee, and Hillsborough Counties, as well as in Georgia and Arizona.
While executing the robberies, the individuals posed as law enforcement officers, donning black clothing, gloves, and masks adorned with law enforcement insignias.
They also wore vests labeled “Sheriff” and operated a black Dodge Durango, often handcuffing their victims.
Throughout the robberies, the group would rouse family members from their homes in the middle of the night, subjecting them to physical assault, pistol-whipping, threats, and occasionally gunfire.
Hudson now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 27 years and could be sentenced to life in federal prison. The sentencing date has yet to be determined.
