Jose Rodriguez, age 63, was sentenced on Mar. 16 to 27 years in federal prison for robbery and use of a firearm during the commission of those robberies, according to United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
The sentencing follows a series of armed robberies committed by Rodriguez while he was on parole for previous robbery convictions in New Jersey. The case highlights ongoing concerns about repeat offenders and the risks posed to local businesses and communities.
Court documents show that on August 4, 2024, Rodriguez entered a pizza shop in Tampa, pointed a pistol at employees, and demanded money. The employees escaped through the back of the store. On September 11, 2024, Rodriguez returned to the same shopping plaza and robbed a cellphone store at gunpoint, threatening employees by saying, “don’t move or I’ll shoot you.” He fled with little money after the incident.
Detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded quickly to the scene and worked with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). They collected surveillance footage from nearby businesses and identified Rodriguez’s vehicle used during the robbery. Two days later, investigators located Rodriguez and executed a federal search warrant at his home. Agents recovered a two-tone .45 caliber Kahr pistol used in both robberies. A National Crime Information Center query revealed that Rodriguez had stolen this firearm from a terminally ill man in Pennsylvania along with his car, cash, and personal items.
Rodriguez has prior convictions for three different robberies as well as rape. At the time of these offenses in Tampa, he was on parole out of New Jersey for robbery.
The investigation was conducted by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes prosecuted the case.
