Wilmington Man Sentenced For Robbery And Firearm Charges

RALEIGH – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced AARON MONROE , 41, of Wilmington to 324 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Aaron monroe was named in an Indictment filed on April 24, 2012 charging him with Robbery of a Business Engaged in Interstate  Commerce, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.  On October 1, 2012, monroe pled guilty to those charges. 
According to the investigation, on December 7, 2011,  MONROE along with his father, Victor McClain, armed with a firearm and a BB gun, entered Game Giant, located in Wilmington, North Carolina.  Upon entry into the store, MONROE and McClain pretended to be customers until the store clerk appeared to be alone.  MONROE and McClain produced firearms and demanded money.  Unbeknownst to MONROE, there were still two customers in the store who also were robbed of their money.  After getting money from the cash register, MONROE and McClain forced the victims into a bathroom and barricaded the door with a shelf.  Once the victims heard the door chime, that indicated the robbers had left the store, they forced the door opened and escaped.  The store clerk ran outside and saw an officer with the Wilmington Police Department and pointed out the robbers who were leaving in a car.  The Wilmington Police Department attempted to stop the car.  MONROE was driving the car and refused to stop for law enforcement.  MONROE recklessly endangered the Wilmington citizenry by speeding throughout the city, running stop signs, weaving into oncoming traffic and driving recklessly through parking lots of businesses and schools.  After striking a fence pole in a vacant lot, the high speed chase ended and MONROE and McClain were taken into custody. MONROE confessed to his participation in the robbery of Game Giant.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Wilmington Police Department along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Special Assistant United States Attorney Charity Wilson represented the government.  Ms. Wilson is a prosecutor with the District 5 District Attorney’s Office encompassing New Hanover and Pender Counties.  District Attorney Ben David has assigned her to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent crime and firearm related cases.