A husband, a wife and their 19-year-old son were among six people charged in federal court Thursday in connection with a string of armed robberies for OxyContin.
Mark Dubarry, 42, his wife Nicole Dubarry, 41, and son Shawn Spence Dubarry, 19, were charged with federal robbery and gun crimes, the complaint states. Brittney Jerome Houston, 28, Justin Richard Hawkins, 19, and Jesse Spence Kirby, 25, were also charged with the same crimes.
According to the federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, the six defendants robbed two separate Rite Aids on Aug. 22 and 23 and stole more than $3,500 worth of the powerful narcotic.
At a news conference Thursday, attorneys and law enforcement officials said they believe the group was involved in more robberies than just the two listed in the complaint, but they filed the initial charges so they could make the arrests.
The FBI conducted a two-month investigation into the group's activities and said additional people could be implicated.
"We are aware of other robberies that were attempted," said Timothy Fuhrman, the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake office of the FBI. "We'll continue to build that case to bring charges, if that's appropriate. I'm not comfortable saying that we have everyone."
According to the complaint, on Aug. 22, the group robbed a Rite Aid at 2378 Fort Union Blvd. and stole $500 worth of OxyContin. During the robbery, they kept guns on employees and customers, the court document said.
The next day, the same group of six allegedly robbed a Rite Aid at 635 E. 3300 South in a similar fashion and stole more than $3,000 worth of OxyContin, according to the charges.
The group met afterward at a motel room in Midvale and distributed the medicine, the complaint said.
"The charges outlined a pattern of violence and aggressive behavior," Fuhrman said, adding that he was troubled by the "brazenness" of the robberies. "We'll see what may be at the heart of that."
The six defendants are charged with violating a unique federal law known as the Hobbs Act.
According to U. S. Attorney for Utah Brett Tolman, the act was created to target individuals who prey on agencies that conduct interstate business. Rite Aid, a nationwide pharmacy, fits that definition.
Each defendant was charged with two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and two counts of carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, they face up to 32 years in a federal prison.
e-mail: mgonda@desnews.com