Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Defendants Sentenced for Armored Car Robbery at Oakwood Walmart



GAINESVILLE, GA—Three men who robbed a Loomis Armored vehicle outside of the Walmart in Oakwood, Georgia, in January 2012 were sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge William C. O’Kelley. Terry Rivers, 20; Antonio Gore, 21; and Montez Walker, 26, all of Atlanta, were indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2012 on a charge of robbery affecting interstate commerce. They each pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2012.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the case, “These defendants boldly robbed an armored car at a busy Walmart during business hours. Their actions endangered not only the courier, but everyone nearby. The sentences imposed today reflect the seriousness of their crime and the danger that their actions and flight posed to the community.”

Ricky Maxwell, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated, “The FBI commends the responding officers of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and, later, officers of the Gwinnett County Police Department and the Oakwood Police Department, who were instrumental in bringing these armed individuals into custody. Today’s sentencing was a direct result of that outstanding coordinated law enforcement response involving several jurisdictions.”

Terry Rivers was sentenced to six years, six months in prison; Antonio Gore was sentenced to six years, six months in prison; and Montez Walker was sentenced to 10 years, 10 months in prison. Upon release from prison, each defendant will serve three years of supervised release. Additionally, the defendants must pay $23,091.50 restitution to cover the armored car courier’s medical expenses to treat injuries suffered during the robbery and her lost wages.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: on January 11, 2012, Rivers, Gore, Walker, and an unindicted fourth man, known only as “Finesse,” robbed an armored car making a delivery to the Walmart in Oakwood, Georgia. The defendants grabbed the courier, stole $75,000, and fled from the scene. Witnesses called police and provided a description of the getaway SUV. Police pursued the defendants, who lost control of the SUV and crashed into a creek near Woodward Mill Road, Suwanee. The defendants then fled on foot through the creek and woods. Later, Rivers, Gore, and Walker were apprehended by police canine units, and the stolen money was recovered. The fourth individual, known as Finesse, remains at large. Anyone having information regarding his identity or his whereabouts is asked to contact FBI Atlanta at 404-679-9000.

At sentencing, a representative from Loomis Armored testified that the money was possessed by a financial institution and had not yet been provided to Walmart, and the courier who was robbed testified about injuries to her back and shoulder. Finally, co-defendant Walker testified about how he and the others recklessly endangered the public by fleeing from police and ultimately crashing the getaway SUV into a creek. Each of these factors increased the sentence that the defendants faced.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Ellen V. Endrizzi prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.Pressemails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.

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