Tampa Republic

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced the unsealing of a criminal complaint against Ron Yarde, 23, from Hillsborough. Yarde is charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and could face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. This development follows the indictment of Malcolm Green on September 12, 2024, who is awaiting trial and faces a potential sentence ranging from seven years to life in federal prison.

Court documents reveal that between May 27 and July 27, 2024, Yarde, Green, and another accomplice allegedly carried out multiple robberies in Brooksville, Ocala, and Tampa. The targeted locations included a convenience store, a drug store, a gas station, and two retail stores. At the time of these alleged offenses, Yarde was reportedly on state probation for several crimes such as aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, burglary, grand theft, and carrying a concealed firearm.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives alongside the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes will be prosecuting the case.

It is important to note that "a criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law," and "every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty."