Princeton Couple Pleads Guilty to Federal Robbery and Gun Charges

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Princeton couple who were arrested after an investigation of multiple robberies earlier this year pled guilty to multiple federal charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Sarah K. Bailey, 39, and Michael Justin Bailey, 38, entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber.  Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, with the assistance and cooperation of law enforcement personnel in the states of Virginia and North Carolina.

“The couple that thieves together, stays together -- in a federal pen. But they won’t be staying together,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Good job by law enforcement in solving this string of violent robberies and apprehending the Baileys.”

During their plea hearings, each defendant admitted to robbing two separate video poker parlors in the Southern District of West Virginia.  The Baileys admitted that on October 26, 2017, they robbed a video poker parlor near Peterstown, West Virginia.  The Baileys further admitted that during the robbery, a 76 year old employee was struck several times in the head with a club, causing injury to the employee.  They admitted to then binding the employee with duct tape, and stealing money and personal items from this employee. 

The Baileys also admitted to committing another robbery as part of the conspiracy.  This robbery occurred near Bluefield, West Virginia on November 5, 2017.  On November 5, the Baileys went to a video poker parlor where Sarah Bailey had previously worked near Bluefield.  On this date, they used firearms that had previously been stolen to rob the video poker parlor.  During the robbery, the Baileys admitted to threatening an employee and customers with the firearms and again binding an employee with duct tape.  They further admitted to stealing nearly $5,000 and personal items and effects from the employee and customers.  The Baileys then fled to North Carolina where they were arrested after being found in possession of the money and other stolen items from both of the robbery locations. 

Both defendants face up to 20 years imprisonment for the conspiracy charge to be followed by a mandatory minimum consecutive term of not less than seven years and up to life in federal prison when they are sentenced on April 2, 2019. 

Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is handling the prosecutions.  The plea hearings were held before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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