Madison County Man Sentenced to 100 Months for Robbery of a Local Store

Jackson, TN – A Madison County man has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for robbing a local business with a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on September 9, 2017, deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded to a robbery call at the Five Points Country Store at 844 Ozier Road in Pinson, TN. During the investigation, deputies learned that Dakota Allen Vann approached the counter, ordered a slice of pizza, and then left the store. Vann returned to the store fifteen minutes later and handed the clerk a note stating "Empty the register all the cash I have a gun!" At the same time, Vann displayed a black semi-automatic pistol located at his waistband.

Deputies collected evidence including surveillance footage of the robbery. Vann was taken into custody on September 12, 2017. He admitted his involvement in the robbery and told deputy jailers "if I’d of known all of this I’d robbed an [expletive] bank instead."

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Violent crime affects and endangers all communities in West Tennessee, both urban and rural. This violent offender has no remorse for his brazen armed robbery of a small country store, and has no understanding of the harm that his violence inflicted on the victim store owner. Now he will have plenty of time in federal prison to suffer with the consequences of his criminal conduct, and the citizens of Madison County will be safer for it."

On October 4, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Porter to a total of 100 months in federal prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The period of incarceration will be followed by a 3-year period of supervised release. Vann will also be required to pay restitution.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Eskridge prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.