FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MONDAY - May 4, 2009
GUILTY PLEA IN ARMED ROBBERY CASE
RALEIGH - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court today RICHARD LEE ADAMS, 20, of Raleigh, North Carolina, pled guilty before United States District Judge James C. Dever, III, to (Count 2) aiding and abetting robbery of a business in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951; (Count 3) using and carrying a firearm during a federal crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c); and (Count 8) unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g) and 924.
A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on January 2, 2008. According to the Indictment, between September 20, 2007, and November 5, 2007, ADAMS robbed four business. ADAMS is pleading guilty to the armed robbery that occurred on November 4, 2007, of the Bell Tower Mart on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, North Carolina. On November 6, 2007, Raleigh Police Officers received a tip regarding drug dealing in the area of Cumberland and Hightower Streets. Officers observed what appeared to be a drug deal occurring and stopped ADAMS. A .22 caliber revolver was found in ADAMS’ pocket when officers searched him. Also, ADAMS’ description matched that of the person wanted in the robberies.
For Count 2, ADAMS faces up to 20 years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. For Count 3, the maximum penalty is up to life imprisonment consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed for Count 2 followed by supervised release of up to five years and for Count 8, up to 10 years imprisonment followed by up to three years of supervised release. If ADAMS is deemed a Career Criminal, he faces up to a life term of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 for the charge in Count 8.
Mr. Holding commented, “Armed robbery is not a victimless crime. Those who have to face having their possessions and those possessions of someone they work for while at the mercy of a loaded gun suffer a psychological trauma. We take these crimes seriously and seek to actively prosecute those that commit this offense.”
Sentencing is set for the August 3, 2009, term of court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
Investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Jackson served as prosecutor for the government.
News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.
