Robber to get time in prison
By Staff Reports
Published in News on July 22, 2012 1:50 AM
RALEIGH -- A Wayne County man is awaiting sentencing after a federal jury convicted him Thursday on charges stemming from a string of business robberies in Goldsboro, Pikeville and Wilson in 2009 and 2010.
The U.S. District Court jurors, after a four-day trial, found Domonic Devarrise Usher, 30, guilty on all 15 counts charged in a May 23 indictment.
The charges include one count of conspiring to rob a business engaged in interstate commerce; seven counts of robbing a business engaged in interstate commerce; and seven counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
At sentencing, set for Oct. 15, Usher faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the conspiracy charge, up to 20 years for each of the robbery charges, and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for each of the firearm charges.
According to evidence presented at trial, Usher, along with co-conspirators, Anthony David Brown, Derrick Dove Jr., Ivory Javaughntae Harris, Malcolm Jamal Artis and Antonio Deonte Jones, robbed businesses over a four-month period, from 2009 to 2010.
Each of the other defendants has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
The method used to rob each store was the same -- the defendants entered the store wearing bandanas over their faces, black toboggans, and dark clothing.
At each robbery, one of the defendants would point a gun at the store clerk, demanding money, while the others would seize the cash drawer from the register and/or cash from the store safe. The robbers would then flee in a car driven by a co-conspirator who acted as a look-out during the robbery.
Specific evidence presented revealed that on Nov. 27, 2009, Usher and another individual robbed the Dollar General Store on South U.S. 117, Goldsboro. They stole $2,000 from the register and safe.
On Dec. 13, 2009, Usher and two additional individuals robbed the Dollar General Store on South Goldsboro Street in Pikeville of $2,724.
On Jan. 25, 2010, Usher, along with Brown and Artis, robbed the Dollar General Store on North U.S. 13, Goldsboro of $722.
Two days later, Usher and Brown robbed the Family Dollar Store on South George Street, Goldsboro of $1,445.
On Feb. 19, 2010, Usher, with Artis and Harris, robbed the Dollar General Store on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Wilson of $1,500.
On Feb. 23, 2010, Usher, Brown, Artis, and Harris returned to the Dollar General Store on South U.S. 117, and robbed it again. This time they took $2,386.
On March 13, 2010, Usher, Brown, Artis, Harris and Jones went back to the Dollar General Store on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, and robbed it again, taking $2,788.
"This case represents our commitment to the aggressive prosecution of dangerous criminals," United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker said.