An Alabama man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated robbery in the armed hold-up of the DC Wireless store in Richmond two years ago.
Marcos Flores, 26, was handed the sentence last Friday after being convicted by a jury in Judge Clifford Vacek’s 400th District Court in Richmond.
FLORES
According to Assistant District Attorney Bob Yack, Flores entered the wireless store as it opened on Aug. 10, 2007. Employee Mahesh Markanti waited on Flores, who left the store 15 minutes later without making a purchase.
As the Flores was leaving, he passed an arriving sales clerk who recognized him as one of the store’s wireless account holders.
Flores returned to the store two hours later when Markanti was alone and asked to look at cell phone accessories. As Markanti turned to get the items, Flores punched him repeatedly in the head and face. He then put a gun to Markanti’s head and demanded all the money in the store.
Once Flores collected the money, he also took Markanti’s wallet and fled.
With the help of the sales clerk who initially recognized the defendant, Richmond Police Detective Diana Butinski was able to establish Flores’ identity within hours of the robbery. He was arrested two months later in Jim Wells County.
Flores testified during the punishment phase of trial. He admitted to being in the store the morning of the robbery, but denied committing the crime despite fingerprint evidence found at the scene and Markanti’s positive identification.
Aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony punishable by 5-99 years or life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Because Flores used a firearm to commit the crime, he must serve at least one-half of his sentence before he can be considered for parole.
Only 10 years for armed robbery and assault?? No fine??