FLORIDA – A former Florida claims adjuster has pleaded guilty to assisting individuals who reportedly committed armed robberies and shootings while dressed as police officers, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO) has announced.
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Jasmine Weber, 28, of Tampa, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Weber faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2020 and April 2021, a group of individuals engaged in a conspiracy to rob individuals they suspected of distributing narcotics. During that time, the conspirators reportedly engaged in numerous armed robberies in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, and Lee counties, three of which allegedly resulted in shootings.
“While committing these offenses, the conspirators impersonated law enforcement officers by wearing black clothing, gloves, and masks—often with law enforcement insignia or vests with a “Sheriff” patch affixed. During certain robberies, the conspirators drove a black Dodge Durango and a white Chevrolet Malibu equipped with blue lights,” the USAO said in its statement.
Weber was reportedly aware of the conspiracy and voluntarily participated in helping to accomplish its goal, the USAO said.
“Specifically, Weber purchased equipment, including sheriff’s vests, patches, lights, and other items that she knew would be used by the conspirators to commit the armed robberies,” said the USAO.
According to the USAO, members of the conspiracy also provided Weber with identifying information on their potential victims.
“Weber worked as a claims adjuster for an insurance company and had access to a Lexis Nexis account. Utilizing that database and knowing the co-conspirators’ intentions, Weber researched the intended victims and located their home addresses. Members of this conspiracy then committed robberies at those locations,” the USAO said.
The individuals who allegedly carried out the robberies were indicted on April 26, 2022, and are currently pending trial, the USAO. They are identified as Reginald Roberts, a/k/a/ “Rudy”, 22, of Lakeland, Nathaniel Keith Carr, a/k/a “Nate”, 28, of Riverdale, Daniel Jackson, a/k/a “D-Jack”, 29, of Winter Haven, Chrishawn De’Earl Butler, a/k/a “Baby”, 22, of Brooksville, and Darius Hudson, a/k/a “Toot”, 43, of Arcadia.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bartow Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, the Dade City Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
