Miami-Dade County Residents Sentenced for Committing Armed Robbery Spree

Michael Childs, 39, and Charles Lovett, 26, both of Opa-Locka, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joan A. Lenard to consecutive terms of imprisonment totaling 480 months and 141 months respectively, for committing multiple armed robberies.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hugo J. Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

According to statements made and documents filed in court, Childs and Lovett were charged with committing a series of armed robberies of commercial establishments in late 2013 and early 2014, across Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, including robberies in West Park, Miami Gardens, Opa-Locka, and the City of Miami.  Both Childs and Lovett pled guilty to committing multiple armed robberies. Childs also admitted that, in January 2014, during the course of two separate robberies, he used a firearm to shoot at customers and employees inside Opa-Locka and Liberty City convenience stores.  Childs, who had previously been convicted of committing a robbery in Pennsylvania, was identified through a forensic examination of fingerprints he left during the course of a robbery at the Liberty City convenience store.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of members of the Violence Reduction Partnership, including ATF, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), the City of Miami Police Department, Opa-Locka Police Department, Miami Gardens Police Department, Broward Sheriff’s Office, and the Hallandale Beach Police Department.  The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia S. Choe and Seth M. Schlessinger.

Through its Violence Reduction Partnership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks in various neighborhoods in the Southern District of Florida, while simultaneously working with community leaders and concerned citizens to mentor at-risk youth, provide job training, coordinate social services and support the reintegration of ex-offenders (returning citizens) to the community.