Tracy Daryl Mingo, 33, of College Park is accused of robbing ten Circle K, Subway and Family Dollar stores at gunpoint using a string of disguises, and faces a minimum of 63 years in federal prison if convicted, prosecutors say.
A College Park man dubbed Atlanta’s “master of disguise” by investigators is facing federal charges after prosecutors accused him of robbing ten metro Atlanta stores at gunpoint. Tracy Daryl Mingo, 33, allegedly targeted Circle K, Subway and Family Dollar outlets between 20 October 2025 and 1 January 2026, wearing disguises that included a construction worker, a health care professional and a security guard. He was arrested on 2 January, prosecutors say, just as he appeared to be preparing for another robbery. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Mingo had endangered more than a dozen store employees during what he called a “months-long reign of terror.”
Investigators say the ten robberies named in the indictment were spread across metro Atlanta, with Mingo allegedly changing his appearance each time to avoid detection. But behind the disguises, agents say they identified a consistent method that targeted some of the city’s most exposed retail workers.
A calculated pattern behind the disguises
According to FBI Supervisory Special Agent Matthew Komar, investigators found that Mingo tended to choose businesses staffed by female clerks working late-night closing shifts, when there were fewer customers around and less chance of anyone intervening. The FBI said he typically cased locations in advance, monitoring staffing levels and customer traffic to identify vulnerable targets before striking. Despite the scale of the spree, officials said the hauls were relatively modest, with Mingo generally escaping with between $2,000 and $3,000 per robbery.
Robberies stretching across the region
Beyond the Circle K, Subway and Family Dollar stores described generally in the case, investigators have linked Mingo to a Family Dollar on Bouldercrest Road in southeast Atlanta, a Subway in Marietta robbed in late December, and a Family Dollar on Candler Road in Decatur. Before Mingo was identified, Marietta police had released surveillance images and appealed to the public for information about the 28 December robbery of the Subway off Cobb Parkway South.
Arrested while ‘casing’ another business
FBI and local law enforcement agents arrested Mingo on 2 January. Prosecutors said that at the time, he appeared to be putting on the same security guard costume he had worn during a robbery of a Circle K the night before. Agent Komar said investigators had observed Mingo casing another commercial business beforehand and moved in to arrest him immediately, in order to prevent what they believed would have been a further robbery.
“During his months-long reign of terror, Mingo allegedly endangered the lives of more than a dozen store employees across ten different locations by robbing them at gunpoint,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said. “I am proud of the collaborative efforts of the FBI and our local police partners to identify Mingo and arrest him before anyone was seriously hurt.”
Charges, prison exposure and what comes next
Mingo is facing 20 federal counts in total, comprising Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a minimum of 63 years in federal prison if convicted and remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Investigators believe the true scale of the spree may be larger than the current charges reflect. The FBI has said it has linked Mingo to at least 11 armed robberies — one more than the ten described in the indictment — and is asking other law enforcement agencies to come forward if they believe unsolved robberies in their jurisdictions may be connected.
Separately, Mingo is being held in Fulton County Jail on state charges, including armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and terroristic threats, according to local authorities. As of the latest available information, no plea agreements, convictions or trial dates have been reported beyond the filing of the federal charges.
