Last Defendant, (Demarcus Marsh), Sentenced in Smash-and-Dash Gun Store Burglary Case

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution today secured a 67-year prison sentence for Demarcus Marsh, the third defendant guilty of a smash-and-dash gun store burglary. In May, a jury convicted Marsh, as well as Jehosthat Brady and Quinton Montgomery, for burglary of a structure while using a vehicle as an instrumentality and 35 counts of grand theft of a firearm. Brady and Montgomery each received 65-year prison sentences at a hearing in November.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The last individual in this group of criminals has received his fate—a long time spent behind bars for his part in this organized smash-and-dash scheme designed to steal guns and sell them to criminals and gangsters. I am pleased with today’s sentencing and with my statewide prosecutors, local law enforcement and federal partners for their efforts to keep the citizens of our state safe.”

According to an investigation by Attorney General Moody’s OSP, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the burglars traveled in stolen vehicles from Orlando to Tampa in the early morning hours of Nov. 29, 2016. Using a stolen Ford Raptor pick-up truck, the burglars smashed through a Tampa Arms Company store window on Waters Avenue. The burglars gained entry grabbing as many firearms as possible in a short amount of time. In total, 35 firearms were stolen, including 21 handguns, 11 rifles and three shotguns that were later sold in Orlando.

The defendants are allegedly part of a much larger group based in Orlando, using stolen vehicles to facilitate several types of smash-and-dash burglaries. The 20-member group stole from department and retail stores to steal guns, jewelry, electronics, sporting goods and more.

In July, OSP secured a 40-year sentence for James Moore in connection to the burglary in this case. For more information on that case, click here.

Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Cass Castillo and Paul Dontenville handled the case.

The Orlando Police Department also assisted during the course of this investigation and prosecution.

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