A Sherman man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.
Brian Deboris Black, 32, was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery; robbery; conspiracy to kidnap; and two counts of carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Black was found guilty of all counts by a jury following a week-long trial before U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 3, 2020, Black, along with two others, robbed a Dollar General store in Tom Bean, Texas. During the robbery, Black brandished a firearm and threatened to kill the three employees in the store if they did not comply with his demands. On Oct. 13, 2020, Black and several others, committed a home invasion robbery in Mansfield, Texas. They entered the home at gunpoint, kidnapped three family members and restrained them with zip ties, and demanded money while threatening to kill them if they did not comply. Black shot the homeowners’ son when he was able to free himself from the zip ties. The victim survived the shooting, but with permanent injuries. Co-defendant testimony, DNA, and cell phone analysis were instrumental in establishing that Black brandished the firearm while committing both offenses.
“The Department of Justice will continue to use every resource at its disposal to address violent crimes occurring in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. “Today’s outcome should serve as a message that individuals who use firearms to harm or injure others will be prosecuted and held accountable in federal court.”
“The FBI remains laser focused on working with our law enforcement partners to counter violent crime wherever it occurs. In this case, our agents and task force officers combined the use of cutting-edge technologies and traditional investigative methods to achieve a significant verdict against a violent offender. I’m grateful that our community has been made safer by their work,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough.
Black faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Sherman Resident Agency, Tom Bean Police Department, Whitewright Police Department, Sherman Police Department, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ernest Gonzalez and Tracey Batson.
