Washington state man convicted of 17 felonies for armed robberies of weed stores, banks

Following a three-week federal trial, 26-year-old Shannon Hartfield was found guilty on multiple robbery and firearms charges tied to a string of armed holdups committed between December 2021 and June 2022. The verdict came after roughly three days of jury deliberations.

Federal prosecutors said Hartfield acted as the leader of a robbery crew that recruited teenagers, including some as young as 14 years old, through social media and text messaging platforms. Authorities said Hartfield selected targets, supplied firearms, arranged getaway vehicles, and directed how the robberies would be executed. According to the US Attorney’s Office, the group first focused on marijuana dispensaries throughout western Washington before later shifting to banks and credit unions after some members of the crew were questioned by police.

Investigators tied Hartfield and his associates to a series of dispensary robberies, including robberies at Kushman and Have a Heart in Snohomish County on February 17, 2022. Prosecutors also linked the group to robberies at Lucid Cannabis in Auburn and West Seattle Dispensary on March 11, 2022, as well as Forbidden Cannabis in Lacey on April 18, 2022.

Authorities said the robbery crew later escalated operations by targeting financial institutions. On May 26, 2022, two credit unions, Seattle Credit Union and Sound Credit Union, were robbed. Prosecutors also said the group attempted an armed robbery at a Chase Bank branch on June 7, 2022, before robbing a Salal Credit Union location at gunpoint later that same day.

The robbery spree came to an end on June 17, 2022, when the crew robbed a Chase Bank branch in Kent and was arrested shortly afterward by law enforcement officers. Hartfield has remained in custody since his arrest.

During closing arguments, Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster described Hartfield as the driving force behind the operation. “Shannon Hartfield saw robbery as a team sport - he helped recruit the players, he directed the plays, he supplied equipment, shared in the winnings, and now he is legally responsible for the actions of his team,” Foerster told the jury.

Hartfield was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, five counts of robbery, three counts of bank robbery, one count of armed bank robbery, one count of attempted armed bank robbery, and six counts related to using a firearm during crimes of violence. Jurors were unable to reach verdicts on several additional robbery and firearms charges.

Federal prosecutors said Hartfield now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 45 years in prison. Several of the robbery charges carry potential sentences of up to 20 years, while the armed bank robbery conviction carries a possible 25-year sentence. US District Judge Lauren King has scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2026.

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