TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa man pleaded guilty Monday in connection with a gas station robbery, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
Brandale Swails, 29, showed up on Oct. 15, 2023, at a gas station along US 301 and demanded money from a clerk at gunpoint. His head was covered by a black shirt, but his face was still visible, according to a criminal complaint.
When the clerk hid behind the counter, Swails jumped over and said he would shoot him if he didn’t open the register.
Swails then forced the clerk into a bathroom and then left the gas station on a bicycle, officials said. He was found two weeks later hiding in a bedroom closet.
Swails was charged with Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. He faces a minimum of seven years in prison.
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