On Monday, June 17, 2026, Gareth Francis, a 45-year-old resident of North Andover, was charged in federal court in Boston for an armed robbery that took place on May 11, 2026, at the CVS Pharmacy in Danvers, Massachusetts. According to the indictment, Francis entered the store wearing a ski mask and carrying a black plastic bag and a firearm shortly before 8:00 PM.
Francis allegedly approached the pharmacy area of the store with his gun drawn and demanded access to prescription drugs. He climbed over the counter after pointing his weapon at a pharmacy technician standing near the register, then proceeded to threaten another pharmacist by ordering her to open the narcotics safe or face being shot. Over several minutes, Francis collected various bottles and boxes of prescription medications before fleeing through the rear entrance.
Upon exiting the store, an officer spotted Francis running away and ordered him to stop. A physical struggle ensued when the officer tackled Francis in a street near the pharmacy. During this confrontation, Francis was found holding what appeared to be a silver firearm that he attempted to raise toward the pursuing officer. The officer managed to disarm Francis before additional officers arrived on scene.
Recovered evidence included a loaded 9mm firearm, multiple magazines of ammunition, and a bag containing stolen prescription drugs. According to court documents, this is not Francis’s first run-in with law enforcement; he has prior federal convictions for providing false information in connection with firearms purchases and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The charges against Francis include one count of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, the Hobbs Act robbery charge could result in up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The felony firearms offense carries penalties including up to 15 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a potential fine of the same amount.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potapchuk is handling prosecution for the case with assistance from various law enforcement agencies, including the Danvers Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, and Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Francis remains in pretrial custody on state charges pending his federal court appearance at a later date.