Todd Erling Becker, Armed Robbery, FL 2016

Todd Erling Becker, 46, of Stuart, Florida, is headed for a lifetime behind bars after being convicted on November 21, 2016, for a string of violent, firearm-armed robberies that terrorized businesses in Florida and Kentucky. Federal prosecutors say Becker wasn’t just involved—he helped orchestrate and execute five high-stakes heists targeting vulnerable storefronts, including markets serving Latin communities and a cash exchange operation.

A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida found Becker guilty on multiple counts: one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate and foreign commerce, three counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce, and three separate counts of using a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence. Each of those firearm charges carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years. Combined, Becker faces a minimum of 57 years and up to life in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for February 3, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham.

Between August 13, 2013, and August 21, 2014, Becker and his accomplices struck four convenience stores in Stuart and Vero Beach, Florida, and Lexington, Kentucky—all catering to Latin populations. They also hit a cash exchange business in Orlando. In each case, a masked gunman wielding a semi-automatic handgun stormed the premises, demanded cash, and kept employees and customers in terror. Becker’s role was consistent: he served as getaway driver and lookout in four of the five robberies. But in the Vero Beach job, he stepped inside, helping to bind a clerk before fleeing.

The Lexington, Kentucky, robbery stands out for its brazen violence. In broad daylight, the gunman stormed a Latin market, brandished his weapon at customers—including young children—and fired two shots at employees. Chaos erupted. Moments later, Becker arrived in a vehicle, picked up the shooter, and sped across state lines back to Florida. The interstate nature of the crimes triggered federal jurisdiction, turning a local crime spree into a federal death sentence.

The case was a joint operation involving the FBI’s Miami Field Office, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lexington Police Department in Kentucky. Wifredo A. Ferrer, then U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, praised the collaboration, calling the conviction a win against violent, mobile criminal enterprises. “This wasn’t just a series of robberies—it was a calculated campaign of fear,” Ferrer said in a statement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Funk and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Butler led the prosecution. Court documents, including trial evidence and filings, are available through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or via PACER at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. Becker’s conviction underscores the federal government’s reach when local crimes cross state lines—and when guns are drawn, the price is paid in decades, not years.