BLAINE, MN – A pre-dawn robbery turned violent last summer when Joshua Lee Sinawa, 27, of Devils Lake, North Dakota, held a bakery driver at gunpoint and stole his delivery truck. Yesterday, Sinawa, 27, received a hefty 136-month federal sentence – more than eleven years – for the brazen act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
The incident unfolded July 30, 2022, around 3:52 a.m. in the parking lot of a Cub Foods store in Blaine, Minnesota. Court documents reveal Sinawa approached the delivery box truck while the driver was seated inside. He immediately brandished a firearm, demanding the driver exit the vehicle. The driver, understandably terrified, was forced to walk into the store while Sinawa remained outside, weapon drawn.
Instead of simply driving away, Sinawa then left the Cub Foods store, abandoning the victim inside, and peeled off in the stolen bakery truck. The quick response of the Blaine Police Department, coupled with an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), quickly led to Sinawa’s apprehension and subsequent federal charges. Investigators have not yet released details about how Sinawa was identified or apprehended.
Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz handed down the sentence yesterday. Sinawa received 52 months for the carjacking itself, and an additional, consecutive 84 months for brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. The lengthy sentence underscores the seriousness with which federal authorities view armed robberies, particularly those involving the threat of deadly force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew S. Dunne and Craig R. Baune successfully prosecuted the case, presenting evidence that convinced the judge to impose a substantial prison term. The ATF and Blaine Police Department worked in tandem to build a solid case against Sinawa, demonstrating effective inter-agency cooperation in combating violent crime in the region.
Following his prison sentence, Sinawa will be subject to three years of supervised release, meaning his freedom will be monitored by federal probation officers. This case serves as a stark reminder that armed carjacking will not be tolerated, and those who resort to such violence will face significant consequences under federal law. The investigation remains closed.
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