A 37-year-old convicted felon who robbed five cash loan businesses at gunpoint across the Dallas-Fort Worth area was sentenced on Thursday to 60 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
Charles Brownlee was convicted by a jury in March 2025 of the following charges:
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One count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery
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Five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery
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Five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
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One count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm
U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor sentenced Brownlee to 720 months (60 years) in federal prison and ordered him to pay $21,123.47 in restitution.
Evidence presented at trial showed that between May 9 and May 21, 2024, Brownlee carried out a string of armed robberies at five Cash Store locations in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. During each robbery, Brownlee wore a medical mask and changed hats and outfits to conceal his identity.
According to prosecutors, Brownlee brandished a firearm during each of the robberies, threatening employees while stealing cash.
“After terrorizing employees at multiple businesses throughout the DFW area, this defendant’s violent crime spree ended because of the stellar work of our law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “The lengthy sentence imposed justly puts this serial felon behind bars for a very long time.”
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock added, “This individual committed a series of robberies throughout Tarrant County, and strong partnerships with local law enforcement allowed us to stop these acts of violent crime.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Dallas Field Office and Fort Worth Resident Agency, with assistance from the police departments of Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case.
