DANVERS — A North Andover man is charged with holding up a Danvers pharmacy at gunpoint and stealing prescription drugs.
Gareth Francis, 45, is accused of robbing the CVS at gunpoint, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Leah Foley.
Federal authorities charged him Wednesday in connection with the armed robbery May 11.
Francis faces a count of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly known as Hobbs Act robbery, and a count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
He is being held in pretrial custody on state charges in Salem District Court. Francis will make his initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.
On May 11, only minutes before 8 p.m., Francis allegedly entered the store wearing a ski mask and carrying a black plastic bag and a firearm and walked over to a door to the pharmacy area, which was locked. He turned and pointed his gun at a pharmacy technician standing at the register before climbing over the counter, according to court documents.
Francis allegedly then made it to a back counter in the pharmacy, telling another pharmacist to “open the (narcotics) safe now or I’ll shoot you” as he pointed a gun at her, authorities said.
Over the next few minutes, the pharmacists retrieved various bottles and boxes of prescription drugs at Francis’ demand and placed them into his bag. It is alleged that Francis again demanded the pharmacist open the safe, telling her that she had “30 seconds” or he was “gonna shoot (her),” according to the statement.
After a cellphone alarm was heard going off, Francis allegedly told the pharmacist that she was “lucky,” and he left the pharmacy.
An officer arrived outside the store and saw Francis run out the rear entrance through which he had entered. The officer ordered Francis to stop, but Francis kept running as the officer chased him on foot, according to court documents.
The officer eventually caught up to Francis, tackling him in the middle of the street, where a physical struggle ensued. While on the pavement, the officer saw Francis holding a silver firearm in his hand, which he was allegedly attempting to raise toward the officer, authorities said.
The officer was eventually able to disarm Francis and maintain control over him until additional officers arrived to assist, at which time Francis was placed under arrest.
A loaded 9mm firearm, multiple magazines of ammunition and a bag containing the stolen prescription drugs were recovered, authorities said.
Francis has prior federal convictions for providing false information in connection with firearms purchases and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the charging document.
The charge of Hobbs Act robbery carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
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