Robber could get life in prison
By From staff reports
Published in News on October 18, 2011 1:46 PM
RALEIGH -- A Goldsboro man is facing up to life in prison following a Monday guilty plea in federal court to his involvement to a series of robberies last year in Wayne and Wilson counties.
Ivory Javaughtae Harris, 20, pleaded guilty before Chief United State District Judge James C. Dever III to conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robbery and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The federal Hobbs Act allows the federal government to exercise jurisdiction over actual or attempted robberies or extortion that affect interstate commerce.
Harris is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 6. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and up to a life term in prison to run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed for the aiding and abetting charge.
According to a Sept. 28 indictment, nine robberies were committed between Jan. 25 and April 3, 2010 by Harris, and his co-defendants, Anthony David Brown, Malcolm Jamal Artis, Antonio Deonte Jones and Domonic Devarrise Usher, all of Wayne County.
Artis and Jones pleaded guilty on Oct. 3 and their sentencing is set for Feb. 6.
According to court documents, the same method was used in each robbery. The defendants entered the store fully disguised. One would brandish a handgun while the others seized the cash drawer from the register and/or cash from the safe. They would then flee in a car driven by a co-conspirator.
The robberies occurred as follows:
* Jan. 25, 2010, Brown, Artis, Jones and Usher robbed the Dollar General Store on U.S. 13 in Goldsboro.
* Jan. 27, 2010, Brown and Usher robbed the Dollar General Store on George Street in Goldsboro.
* Feb. 19, 2010, Artis, Harris, Jones and Usher robbed the Dollar General Store on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Wilson.
* Feb. 23, 2010, Brown, Artis, Harris, and Usher robbed the Dollar General Store on U.S. 117 in Goldsboro.
* March 11, 2010, Brown, Artis, Dove and Harris robbed the Handi-Mart Store on U.S. 70 in Goldsboro.
* March 11, 2010, Brown and Artis robbed the Pantry-Kangaroo Store on East Ash Street in Goldsboro.
* March 13, 2010, Brown, Artis, Harris, Jones and Usher again robbed the Dollar General Store on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Wilson.
* March 16, 2010, Brown and Jones robbed the Subway Store on Patetown Road in Goldsboro.
* April 3, 2010, Brown and Dove robbed the Andy's Store located on Five Points Road in Goldsboro.