Stuart Man Gets 794 Months for Armed Robberies Across States

Todd Erling Becker, 46, of Stuart, Florida, is behind bars for 794 months after being convicted of a string of armed robberies that terrorized Latin-owned businesses across Florida and Kentucky. U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham handed down the sentence following a trial that exposed Becker’s central role in five violent heists, including serving as driver, lookout, and in one case, directly participating in binding a store clerk at gunpoint.

On November 21, 2016, 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 counts of using a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence. The crimes occurred between August 13, 2013, and August 21, 2014, targeting convenience stores in Stuart and Vero Beach, Florida, as well as a Latin market in Lexington, Kentucky, and a cash exchange business in Orlando, Florida.

Each robbery followed a chilling pattern: a masked gunman entered the business wielding a semi-automatic handgun, demanded cash from clerks, and fled with Becker waiting nearby. He served as the getaway driver in four of the five robberies. But in the Vero Beach incident, Becker did more than wait—he entered the store, helped subdue the clerk, and fled with the gunman. Surveillance footage and witness testimony placed him at the scene, sealing his fate at trial.

The Lexington, Kentucky, robbery was the most brazen. The gunman stormed the Latin market during business hours, waving his weapon in front of customers—some of them children—and fired two shots at employees. Panic erupted as Becker arrived in a vehicle moments later, picked up the shooter, and sped back to Florida. The act didn’t just endanger lives—it left lasting trauma in a tight-knit immigrant community.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, praised the cross-state collaboration that brought Becker to justice. Agencies involved included the FBI 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 Lexington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Funk and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Butler.

Becker’s conviction is a stark reminder that violent crime crossing state lines triggers relentless federal pursuit. Court documents and related records are available through the Southern District of Florida’s public docket at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or via PACER at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.