Man charged in Five Guys robbery, shooting now faces federal charges

Keith Lamar Thomas was arrested Wednesday in last week's shooting of a Harris County Pct. 5 constable deputy at a Five Guys in the 2900 block of North Shepherd Drive, police said. Keith Lamar Thomas was arrested Wednesday in last week's shooting of a Harris County Pct. 5 constable deputy at a Five Guys in the 2900 block of North Shepherd Drive, police said. Photo: Houston Police Department Photo: Houston Police Department Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Man charged in Five Guys robbery, shooting now faces federal charges 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

A Houston man accused of shooting an off-duty Harris County Pct. 5 constable deputy during a robbery at a Five Guys restaurant in Garden Oaks now also faces federal charges.

Keith Lamar Thomas was expected to appear in federal court on Monday to answer to the charges of interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during or in relation to that robbery, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas.

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Thomas was arrested on Wednesday, one week after authorities said he robbed the eatery at 2902 Shepherd Drive, then shot at the 39-year-old deputy, identified in Harris County District Court documents as B. Williams. The off-duty deputy was working an extra security job there.

Thomas is accused of robbing patrons at gunpoint and taking money from the cash register. As he was preparing to leave the restaurant, he saw the lawman preparing to enter, ducked down and fired twice at Williams, hitting him once, according to court documents.

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According to the federal authorities, officers found a cell phone and traced it back to Thomas.

If convicted on the federal charges, Thomas could face up to 20 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and a consecutive mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison for firearms charge.

In district court, Thomas is charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault on a public servant with bonds of $100,000 and $150,000, respectively.

Thomas has a lengthy criminal background dating to 2015, including accusations of abandoning and endangering a child, theft, and evading arrest or detention.





