RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced JERRELL YEOMAN, 24, of Wilmington, North Carolina to 150 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release. 

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on November 21, 2011.  On February 8, 2012, YEOMAN pled guilty to Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, Interference with Commerce by Robbery, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1951 and the Use and Carrying of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 924(c).

According to the investigation, on June 24, 2011, YEOMAN conspired to rob Winners World Sweepstakes in Castle Hayne, North Carolina.  YEOMAN went into the business to determine whether or not the business has security cameras inside and reported back his findings to others.  Upon closing time, two masked men robbed the business at gun point, stealing money from the business as well as from the two female employees that were present during the robbery.  The women were forced from room to room in the business and the men said they would kill the women if they didn’t give up all the money.  Although there were surveillance cameras in the building, the robbery went unsolved because identification could not be immediately made.

On July 21, 2011, Able Auto Insurance Agency was robbed by three men who were all armed.  YEOMAN entered the business, jumped the counter and pointed his firearm at multiple employees in the business.  When the manager of the business opened his office door, YEOMAN pointed the gun directly at him and demanded money.  A customer who was on the phone with the manager heard the commotion and called 911 to report the robbery in progress.  Witnesses reported after the robbery, the three left in a turquoise colored car. 

YEOMAN was taken into custody after a shooting incident in Bladen County.  The police had information that Yeoman may have been a part of the Able Auto Insurance Robbery and found Yeoman in possession of a car that matched the description of the car that fled Able Auto Insurance Company after the robbery.  YEOMAN confessed to his involvement in the Able Auto Insurance company robbery and once confronted about the Winners World Sweepstakes robbery, confessed to being the person that went into the business to scope it out prior to the robbery.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. Ms. Wilson is a prosecutor with the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office.  District Attorney Ben David has assigned her to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Project Safe Neighborhood cases and other violent crime cases.

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