Memphis Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Family Dollar Robberies

Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for committing two armed robberies affecting interstate commerce. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on September 20, 2016, Tony Holmes, 24, used a sawed-off shotgun to rob two Family Dollar locations within three hours. There were several customers and employees at each location when Holmes robbed the stores.

Holmes pled guilty on March 1, 2018, to two counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of brandishing a short-barreled shotgun during a crime of violence.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "The violent crime rate in Memphis is unacceptably high. Business owners have a fundamental right to be safe from armed robbers who terrorize our communities with their lawlessness. This sentence sends a clear message that there will be a real and significant consequence for such violence, and we will no longer allow gun crime to rule our streets."

On May 24, 2018, U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Holmes to 20 years imprisonment and five years supervised release to begin after incarceration.

The Safe Streets Task Force investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rogers prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.