Syracuse man sentenced for gas station robbery

A man from Syracuse has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for a robbery at a Gulf gas station. Quashawn Pettiford, 34, received a 71-month sentence for his role in the crime, which took place on January 11, 2022. Pettiford and two accomplices entered the gas station wearing masks. The other two men pretended to have guns and threatened the clerk to open the cash register. They stole about $1,200 in merchandise and nearly $2,000 in cash from the registers and the clerk's wallet. Authorities identified Pettiford through unique underwear he was wearing during the robbery, which was captured by the gas station's surveillance cameras. Investigators found a minivan linked to the robbery after observing footage from the gas station. They searched the vehicle and Pettiford's home, where they discovered the underwear and masks matching those worn by the robbers. Pettiford was not arrested immediately but was later found by police. His phone contained videos showing large sums of cash taken shortly after the robbery. District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Pettiford to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term and to pay restitution. Another man, Kasheem T. Thomas, was charged in connection with the robbery and is serving a seven-year state prison sentence. A third suspect was later killed in a homicide.