Dayton Duo Sentenced for Deadly Armed Home Invasion

DAYTON—Theron E. Lewis, aka “T-Streets,” 27; and Keith A. Watson, aka “Hooskal King”; and “Buck,” 29, both of Dayton, were sentenced in U.S. District Court today to charges stemming from an April 3, 2007 deadly armed home invasion of a West Dayton residence that resulted in the shooting death of a 52-year old man.

Lewis was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Watson received an 11-year sentence.

In February, Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of violating the Hobbs Act. Watson pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Hobbs Act. This case resulted from an investigation led by the Dayton Federal Safe Streets Task Force and the Dayton Police Department Homicide Unit.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Cincinnati Division (FBI); Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl; and members of the Safe Streets Task Force announced the sentences handed down today by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.

According to court documents, in April 2007, Lewis, Watson, and an unidentified, now-deceased, individual met, planned, and conspired to commit an armed home invasion and robbery of an occupied residence located at 1637 Harold Street in Dayton for the purpose of stealing drugs and drug cash proceeds believed to be stored in the home. All the conspirators possessed loaded handguns, gained entry into the residence, and threatened the six adult occupants with acts of force and physical violence.

Watson ordered three of the occupants to lie down on the floor as he guarded the front door, while Lewis and the third co-conspirator proceeded to a rear bedroom where three other occupants were located, including a quadriplegic. The robbers demanded money and drugs, which the occupants denied having. As the discussions became increasingly heated, Lewis shot and murdered the 52-year-old occupant at point-blank range. Upon locating and stealing $5,200 in drug proceeds, the trio fled the scene.

Lewis’s sentence was ordered to run concurrently with a 23-year-to-life state sentence he is serving on an unrelated murder. Watson’s sentence will be served after he completes a two-year sentence on a state charge.

Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the federal and local agencies, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dwight K. Keller and Brent G. Tabacchi, who prosecuted the case.