United States Attorney October 22, 2007 |
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JAMAICAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ARMED ROBBERY AND GUN CRIMER. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Miami Field Office, announced that defendant Troy Hollander Craddock, a native and citizen of Jamaica, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to charges of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by intimidation or extortion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, and aiding and abetting the unlawful possession and use of a firearm in the course of committing a crime punishable by federal law, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2 and 924c. At sentencing, these felony charges could result in a minimum five-year sentence to a maximum twenty-five year sentence. Craddock also faces possible revocation of his permanent resident status and deportation from the United States after completing his prison sentence. According to statements made in open Court, on April 26, 2007, officers with the St. Lucie Police Department responded to a tip that Troy Hollander Craddock was planning to rob the Checkers Drive-In restaurant on US Highway 1 in Port St. Lucie. Members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team of the Port St. Lucie Police Department surprised and overpowered both Craddock and his codefendant Omar Robinson, as they hid in the bushes behind the restaurant and prepared to enter the building at midnight after the business had closed. Craddock and Robinson had with them firearms and ammunition, lengths of rope, hooded masks, and dark clothing to assist them in their robbery. Co-defendant Omar Robinson, a native and citizen of Jamaica, also pleaded guilty on October 4, 2007 in United States District Court to charges of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by intimidation or extortion, attempted armed robbery in interference with interstate commerce, both in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, unlawful possession and use of a firearm in the course of committing a crime punishable by federal law, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924c, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, that is an illegal alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5). At sentencing, these felony charges could result in a minimum five-year sentence to a maximum life sentence. Robinson also faces deportation from the United States after completing his prison sentence. Craddock will be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Donald Graham on January 7, 2008, in United States District Court in Fort Pierce. The case was brought by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida as part of Operation Hard Time for Gun Crime and the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods, both programs designed to combat violent gun crimes. Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Port St. Lucie Police Department and St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office for their work on this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore M. Cooperstein. A copy of this
press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website
of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov
or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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