Federal agents in Detroit who were investigating a string of armed robberies caught a break in their case thanks to a viral TikTok.
The Detroit News reported that Chozen Terrell-Hannah was arrested by FBI agents on Wednesday and later confessed his part in robbing four convenience stores over a three-month period in the Detroit area.
Investigators said that Terrell-Hannah’s viral videos posted to his TikTok account @ChozenWrld, which has more than 150,000 followers, helped them identify him as the suspect. In particular, one of his dancing videos allowed authorities to connect his pair of white Nikes with red spots directly to the scene of the crime.
@chozenwrld Who tryna party😂 #foryoupage #trending ♬ Funny Thing – Thundercat
All four crimes were described in a similar fashion. The first was reported on Dec. 1 at a Commerce Township 7-Eleven, with similar crimes occurring on Jan. 13, Jan. 26, and Feb. 1, with witnesses describing the same outfit each time.
Investigators said they were given an anonymous to look at Terrell-Hannah’s TikTok account. One FBI officer noticed that his physical characteristics were consistent with eyewitness accounts, though some eyewitnesses described him as a white man. The task force officer said in the complaint,
“Based on my training and experience, I believe due to [Terrell-Hannah’s] light complexion, the victims of armed robberies, observing him under the circumstances and wearing the clothing described above, could describe him as either white or black. … These shoes are similar in appearance to the shoes worn in the above referenced armed robberies.”
From there, investigators continued to look into Terrell-Hannah for more evidence before raiding his home on Wednesday, leading to “the seizure of items believed to be used in the armed robberies.”
“[Chozen Terrell-Hannah] admitted to committing all four of the above-described armed robberies and acknowledged using the black backpack with a floral pattern in all four of the armed robberies,” the officer concluded.
Terrell-Hannah is being charged with robbery affecting interstate commerce and possessing a firearm during a violent crime. He currently faces more than 20 years behind bars.