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Spring Hill man agrees to plead guilty in pharmacy robberies

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 6, 2009

TAMPA - A 28-year-old Spring Hill man has admitted robbing several pharmacies at gunpoint last year, demanding and receiving oxycodone and methadone.

Jeremy Eubanks signed an agreement to plead guilty to two federal charges of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Eubanks told authorities he used his grandfather's gun and that he had lost his job at UPS for selling items stolen from UPS deliveries.

According to his plea agreement, he said he was addicted to prescription drugs and couldn't afford to pay for them after he lost his job, so he committed the robberies.

He could face up to life in prison.

The charges relate to the March 31, 2008, robbery of a Walgreens pharmacy at 128 E. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon and the May 14, 2008, robbery of a CVS pharmacy at 2109 State Road 60 in Valrico.

During the Valrico robbery, Eubanks walked into the store brandishing the .38-caliber gun and demanded methadone and oxycodone, his plea agreement states.

"Get it now or I'll blow your head off!" he told employees.

Eubanks didn't wear a mask during either robbery. After he left the Valrico store, a witness got a description of his car and a partial license plate number.

Eubanks was identified after the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office released pictures from the surveillance video of the robbery.

In addition to the Valrico and Brandon robberies, the plea agreement states that Eubanks "committed several armed robberies in the Middle District of Florida."

An indictment lists four other 2008 robberies:

• Feb. 21 at the Walgreens at 14320 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill

• Feb. 25 at the Walgreens at 1401 Little Road, New Port Richey

• March 31 at the Walgreens at 4029 Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa

• April 21 at the Publix Pharmacy at 3475 Wedgewood Lane, The Villages.

Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837.

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