The Lansing Police have posted that the U.S. Attorney's office has sentenced some local criminals for robberies in the area.
The robberies took place in Lansing between Nov. 16, 2016 and May 1, 2017. The suspects involved robbed Subway restaurants, gas stations, pizzerias and more.
On Tuesday, Nov. 20, Shaun Michael Cook, 31, from Lansing, was sentenced to federal prison for his role in the robberies. He'll serve up to 8.5 years.
His co-defendants were Donald Charles Westmoreland and Shackeem Louis Jones. All three pleaded guilty earlier in the year to "interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm."
Westmoreland received 7.25 years in jail and Jones was sentenced to 8 years.
United States District Judge Janet T. Neff ordered Cook to pay $2,139.21 in restitution and Jones and Westmoreland to pay $4,739.21, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"Reducing violent crime rates is a priority for this office as well as the Department of Justice," said U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge. "Repeated violent behavior involving firearms will be met with increased law enforcement attention, swift justice, and severe punishment."
Here's a list of the robberies:
- November 16, 2016: Cook and Jones robbed a Subway restaurant on Saginaw Highway;
- December 18, 2016: Cook, Jones, and Westmoreland robbed a Subway restaurant on Larch Street;
- December 24, 2016: Cook and Jones robbed a Subway restaurant on Grand River Avenue;
- December 27, 2016: Cook, Jones, and Westmoreland robbed a Beauty Max beauty supply store on West Saginaw Highway;
- December 27, 2016: Cook, Jones, and Westmoreland robbed a Citgo Gas Station near Wildwood Avenue in the Jackson, Michigan area;
- December 28, 2016: Cook, Jones, and Westmoreland robbed a Subway on East Saginaw Highway;
- December 29, 2016: Jones and Westmoreland robbed a Biggby coffee shop on Elmwood Road;
- January 10, 2017: Jones and Westmoreland robbed a Subway on East Lake Lansing Road;
- January 23, 2018: Jones and Westmoreland robbed a Family Dollar store on South Pennsylvania Avenue;
- March 13, 2017: Jones and Westmoreland robbed an Admiral gas station on West Saginaw Highway;
- March 15, 2017: Jones and Westmoreland robbed a Quality Dairy convenience store on Waverly Road;
- March 27, 2017: Jones and Westmoreland robbed a Little Caesars pizzeria on East Grand River;
- April 27, 2017: Jones robbed a Jimmy John’s restaurant on East Grand River Avenue; and
- May 1, 2017: Jones robbed a Little Caesar’s pizzeria on East Grand River Avenue.
The AG described most of these robberies as 2 of the men entering a business and pointing a gun at the employees and customers, then demanding money, and ordering everyone to the ground.
It was reported that in some instances, the men destroyed the phones in the establishments or stole cell phones from employees in order to stop anyone from calling out to help.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office, the Lansing Police Department, the Lansing Township Police Department, the Meridian Township Police Department, and the Michigan State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis M. Sanford handled the prosecution.
Continue following this and other news in the FOX 47 app.
