A Kent, Washington, man, Shannon Hartfield, 26, was convicted yesterday of 17 federal felonies for leading a robbery crew that targeted marijuana dispensaries, banks, and credit unions across the Puget Sound region. The conviction followed a three-week trial where the jury deliberated for three days.
Hartfield recruited and managed a team, often comprising juveniles as young as 14, to carry out the armed robberies between December 2021 and June 2022. He selected targets, provided firearms, and supplied getaway vehicles, often used for high-speed escapes.
The spree included robberies of dispensaries like Kushman and Have a Heart in Snohomish County, Lucid Cannabis in Auburn, and West Seattle Dispensary. After initial arrests related to dispensary robberies, Hartfield shifted focus to financial institutions, orchestrating hits on Seattle Credit Union, Sound Credit Union, and Salal Credit Union, among others.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristine Foerster emphasized Hartfield's central role, saying, "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."
Hartfield was found guilty 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 of using a firearm in a crime of violence. He faces a mandatory minimum of 45 years in prison at his sentencing on August 25, 2026. The FBI led the investigation with significant assistance from numerous local law enforcement agencies.