A federal grand jury in Charlottesville has returned an indictment charging three men in connection with a September shooting and attempted armed robbery of an Albemarle County man whom they believe possessed marijuana.
The grand jury charged Madison Wonne Zelee, 26, Tyrel Anthony Dowell, 22, and Tyreek Saquan Ragland, 24, all of Charlottesville, each with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of committing Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of discharge of a firearm in commission of a Hobbs Act Robbery.
In addition, Dowell and Zelee were each charged with an additional count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to respond to the spike in violent crimes across the Charlottesville-Albemarle County region by bringing federal charges when appropriate,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said. “Partnering with law enforcement agencies across our community is a key component to achieving our shared goal of protecting our communities from gun violence.”
“The FBI is committed to leveraging our investigative resources to assist our law enforcement partners in addressing these violent crimes,” Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division said. “We encourage anyone who has witnessed or is a victim of a violent crime to report it to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.”
According to the indictment, on Sept. 30, 2021, Zelee, Dowell, and Ragland conspired to steal cash and other goods against their victim’s will through the use of force and fear of injury while brandishing and discharging a firearm.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Albemarle County Police Department are investigating the case.
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