FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WEDNESDAY - September 21, 2011

CLAYTON ROBBER SENTENCED

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday United State District Judge James C. Dever III, sentenced ANTONIO J. REESE, 35, of Selma, North Carolina, to 252 months’ imprisonment followed by five years’ supervised release. The Court imposed restitution in the amount of $2,600.00. REESE’s sentence was enhanced due to a prior federal conviction of armed bank robbery.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on August 4, 2010.On March 7, 2011, REESE pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence.

According to the investigation, on September 7, 2009, REESE robbed the Food Lion store in Clayton, North Carolina, at gunpoint. REESE, wearing white gloves and pointing a Hi-Point 9mm rifle at cashiers, left with approximately $2,600.00. One of the clerks, recognizing his voice, eyes, and the clothing, identified him as a person that was in the store making a purchase earlier that evening. Research of the earlier transaction, which was made by debit card, revealed it to be REESE.

A citizen spotted gloves in the roadway about 4/10 of a mile from the Food Lion later that same night. Officers retrieved the gloves and found plastic gloves also; one still in a white glove. Analysis of the gloves found REESE’s DNA on the gloves.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods(PSN) initiative 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 this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jane Jackson served as prosecution for the government.

style="font-weight: bold">News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.