Executive Summary
- Donnell Clark sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for a 2023 armed robbery.
- Investigators identified a co-conspirator via DNA left on a deodorant stick at the scene.
- Surveillance footage and digital photos on Clark’s phone linked him to the crime.
- Clark pleaded guilty to interference with commerce and firearms charges.
DETROIT – A Detroit man has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for his involvement in a 2023 armed robbery at a Family Dollar store, a case authorities cracked using DNA evidence recovered from a stick of deodorant.
According to federal court documents, Donnell Clark, 26, received his sentence on November 25, 2025, after pleading guilty to charges of interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Following his prison term, Clark will serve three years of supervised release. The sentencing marks the conclusion of a two-year investigation involving the Detroit Police Department and the FBI.
The robbery occurred on January 5, 2023, at a Family Dollar on East 7 Mile Road. Investigators reported that Clark initially entered the store alone to speak with an employee about pens, effectively scouting the location. He returned shortly after with an accomplice. While the second suspect attempted to purchase a stick of deodorant at the register, Clark reportedly held another employee at gunpoint in a different part of the store. When the cashier opened the register for the transaction, the accomplice produced a handgun and seized the cash.
Law enforcement officials stated that the second suspect was identified through DNA analysis of the deodorant stick he handled and left at the counter. Simultaneously, police utilized area surveillance systems to track the getaway vehicle, a silver Chevrolet Malibu, to Clark. Eastpointe police subsequently apprehended Clark during a traffic stop on January 15, 2023.
Federal agents strengthened the case with digital evidence obtained via a search warrant executed on Clark’s phone in May 2024. The FBI discovered photographs of Clark posing with firearms, standing near the Chevrolet Malibu, and wearing the specific mask and jacket used during the robbery. Investigators noted that his tattoos also matched witness descriptions.
Investigative and Judicial Outcome
This case highlights the increasing reliance on forensic biometrics and digital data extraction to secure convictions in violent crime investigations. The combination of trace DNA evidence and metadata from personal devices provided a comprehensive evidentiary trail that corroborated witness testimony. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
