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Jon Suggs and Nickolas Passineau, both 31, were each convicted of robbery and using a firearm in the commission of a crime, said US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero in a statement Tuesday, Dec. 13.
In a string of robberies throughout late 2017 and early 2018, federal investigators said Suggs and Passineau punched, kicked, and pistol-whipped hostage pharmacy employees while stealing thousands of dollars in controlled substances at gunpoint.
The robbers were able to steal vast quantities of opioids, promethazine, fentanyl, and morphine, taking about $60,000 worth of prescription medication in the second theft alone, said Romero.
When Philadelphia police executed a search warrant at Suggs' home, officers found ammunition, over $19,000 in cash, and clothes that matched witness descriptions of the robbers, officials wrote.
In addition to Suggs and Passineau, five others were charged in connection with the thefts. All five have since pleaded guilty, according to Romero.
“Suggs, Passineau, and their cohorts threatened the lives of pharmacy employees with weapons and physical violence, and stole thousands in controlled substances which undoubtedly wound up on the streets,” she said.
“These defendants made terrible choices, for which they have now been held accountable by a federal jury.”
It was not immediately clear Tuesday evening when the pair were due to be sentenced.
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