Leader of violent spree targeting pharmacies, cellphone stores across DMV, NJ gets 140 months

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Published October 14, 2026 2:45 PM EDT

The Brief

    • Ashley Gause was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison for co-leading a violent robbery ring that targeted pharmacies and cellphone stores across D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey.
    • Officials say the armed crew terrorized store employees, often brandishing firearms, and stole approximately $300,000 in cash.
    • Five other members of the robbery crew have also been handed significant federal prison sentences.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The co-leader of a violent robbery crew that officials say terrorized pharmacies and cellphone stores across several states in the Northeast has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison.

What we know:

Ashley Gause, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Tuesday for orchestrating a string of armed robberies spanning the District, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey. During the spree, which lasted from May 2020 to May 2021, the crew netted approximately $300,000 in stolen goods, cash, and prescription drugs, which they later resold in D.C.

According to court documents, Gause and her crew frequently brandished firearms during the hold-ups, threatening employees and leaving a trail of trauma in their wake.

"Ashley Gause and her co-conspirators participated in an extended campaign of violence that caused terror without any regard for their victims," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said in a statement. "They treated these pharmacies and cellphone stores as their own personal cash machines . . . leaving the store employees scarred for life."

The backstory:

Gause’s sentencing comes a year after a federal jury found her guilty following a six-week trial in October 2025. She was convicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and eight individual counts of robbery.

Dig deeper:

In addition to her nearly 12-year prison term, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Gause to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 235 months.

Several of her co-conspirators have also been handed sentences for their roles in the violent spree:

  • D’Marrell Mitchell, 36: Sentenced to 192 months (16 years) for conspiracy, drug distribution, and nine counts of robbery.
  • Floyd Neal, 32: Sentenced to 157 months for interstate commerce robbery and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
  • Terrance Barnham, 36: Sentenced to 78 months for robbery, conspiracy, and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
  • Glenn Dolford, 32: Sentenced to 80 months for his role in the robberies, to be served concurrently with a separate 22-year sentence for murder out of D.C. Superior Court.
  • Ashawntea Henderson, 33: Sentenced to 57 months for interference with commerce by robbery.

The Source: Information from this article was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia.

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