East Bay Man Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison For His Role In Robbery Of Undercover Federal Agent

OAKLAND – James Medeiros was sentenced to 84 months in prison for using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., U.S. District Judge.

In November of 2018, Medeiros, 25, of San Leandro, agreed with Anthony Reed, 23, of San Leandro; Jesus Angel Sanchez, 20, of Oakland; and Marcos Antonio Martenez, 25, of Oakland, to rob a person who they lured to a location purportedly to purchase firearms.  Specifically, Medeiros understood that his co-conspirators had persuaded the customer, unbeknownst to them an undercover ATF agent, to travel to a building in Oakland to purchase firearms for $8,000.  Medeiros brought a firearm to the robbery as instructed by one of his co-conspirators.  One of the co-conspirators met the undercover agent in front of a building and instructed the agent to follow him to the back of the building.  Medeiros was waiting at the back of the building with another co-conspirator.  When the agent arrived, the co-conspirators robbed him.  Medeiros and a co-conspirator brandished firearms and pointed them at the agent while another co-conspirator demanded the agent’s money.  Reed, Sanchez, and Medeiros were apprehended leaving the scene of the robbery.  Martenez was arrested days later.

On November 29, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment, charging Medeiros, Reed, Sanchez, Martenez, and others with multiple crimes related to the conspiracy in which Medeiros participated.  Medeiros was charged with conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2114(a) and 2; assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 111(b) and 2; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).  He pleaded guilty to the § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii) charge and the remaining charges were dismissed at sentencing.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam also sentenced Medeiros to a three-year term of supervised release to begin at the conclusion of his prison term.

Reed, Sanchez and Martenez also pleaded guilty to using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  All three defendants face a mandatory minimum term of seven years’ imprisonment and a maximum term of life imprisonment, as well as a $250,000 fine. The sentencing hearings for Reed, Sanchez, and Martinez are scheduled for August 26, 2019; September 16, 2019; and July 29, 2019, respectively.  

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Schott is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Rodriguez Gonzalez.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, with the assistance of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Oakland Police Department.