Armed Robbers Targeted Asian Businesses: FBI

ATLANTA, GA — Two men have been arrested by the FBI in a string of violent armed robberies that targeted Asian-owned businesses, including three massage parlors in Gwinnett County.

Tabyron Rashad Smith and Davrion Sanchez Ware, both 22 and both from Atlanta, were arrested by an FBI-led task force. Smith was arrested in Fairburn and Ware was arrested in Stone Mountain.

Between Oct. 7 and Nov. 8, the FBI says, the pair conducted multiple armed robberies, most of them at Asian-owned massage parlors in Atlanta and the surrounding area.

At about 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, two men walked into Royal Massage, at 3375 Holcomb Bridge Rd. in Norcross. They showed handguns and demanded money, stealing from the cash register as well as a purse containing cash and personal property. They then got into a car authorities believe had a temporary registration tag. It was driven by a third person.

On Nov. 8, Empress Massage, at 1960 Day Dr. in Duluth, was similarly robbed. At about 8 p.m., two men entered acting like customers. A minute later, they both pulled handguns and demanded money, the FBI says. Again, they stole money from the cash register and a purse then ran away.

About 50 minutes later, BD Spa and Wellness Massage, at 1525 East Park Place Blvd. in Stone Mountain was robbed. Once again, two men entered acting like customers, then pulled handguns and demanded money.

One of the robbers hit a customer in the head with a handgun, the FBI said. They stole a wallet from a customer and an employees cellphone and ran away.

During that time span, similar robberies happened at several massage parlors, a nail salon and a restaurant in Atlanta, Roswell and Doraville.

Both Smith and Ware have so far been charged with aiding and abetting one another to violate federal law against possessing a firearm during a violent crime. Smith appeared in front of a U.S. magistrate judge in Atlanta Tuesday afternoon and Ware was scheduled to appear on Wednesday.

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