Hartford Man Sentenced In AT&T Robberies In Canton, Newington: Feds

U.S. Attorney's Office, Connecticut

BRIDGEPORT/HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man was sentenced to a decade in prison Tuesday in connection with a series of violent robberies of AT&T stores, including sites in Newington and Canton.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, said Alex Josephs, 23, of Hartford, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 10 years of imprisonment for his involvement in a spree of violent robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2021, Josephs, Shaquille Raymond, Ronaldo Smith and Deshawn Baugh committed several violent armed robberies of AT&T stores in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.

Avery said the perpetrators typically entered the stores shortly before closing, pointed weapons at employees, and, at times, pistol-whipped, dragged and shoved employees toward the back inventory room.

They then held the employees at gunpoint while loading large bags with cell phones and other electronics, federal officials said.

The group stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise.

Saviana Bourne, who worked at AT&T stores, helped plan the robberies, served as a getaway driver and coordinated the sale of the stolen merchandise, according to Avery.

The investigation revealed Josephs, Raymond and Smith robbed AT&T stores in Newington on Jan. 29, 2021, and Enfield on Feb. 24, 2021.

Baugh then joined the conspiracy and together they robbed an AT&T store in Canton April 15, 2021, and attempted to rob stores in Torrington and Glastonbury in May 2021, but were locked out.

On June 6, 2021, Josephs and his associates, armed with a semiautomatic pistol, two revolvers, and a semiautomatic rifle, robbed an AT&T store in West Springfield, Mass., according to federal authorities.

After the robbery, they fled in a vehicle driven by Bourne, who led police on a high-speed chase that ended when their vehicle collided with a Massachusetts State Police cruiser.

Josephs, Raymond, Smith, Baugh and Bourne were arrested, and a search of the vehicle revealed more than $150,000 in stolen merchandise, as well as the firearms used during the robbery.

Underhill ordered Josephs to pay restitution of $298,074, which reflects the losses from the Newington, Enfield and Canton robberies.

The property stolen in the West Springfield robbery was recovered.

Josephs has been detained since his arrest.

On Nov. 30, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Raymond, Smith, Baugh and Bourne also pleaded guilty.

On March 1, Baugh was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment and was ordered to pay restitution of $124,842, which reflects the loss from the Canton robbery.

On March 29, Raymond was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and Bourne was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment.

Raymond and Bourne were also ordered to pay restitution of $298,074. Smith awaits sentencing.

Josephs and Raymond, who are citizens of Jamaica, face immigration proceedings when they are released from prison.

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