WILMINGTON, N.C. – The grim saga of a Carrabba’s Italian Grill armed robbery reached its conclusion today as Cornelius Riley, 62, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for robbing the restaurant and forcing employees into a closet.
On June 1, 2022, Riley entered guilty pleas to Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm. The night of the crime, November 20, 2020, witnesses described how Riley arrived at the closed restaurant after hours and forced his way in, armed and dangerous.
According to authorities, Riley demanded cash from employees and attempted to take security footage before fleeing the scene with stolen money. He was arrested after a brief standoff with law enforcement, found with $490 on him and several items linked to the robbery at the scene.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Michael Easley, announced the sentence following sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The investigation was led by the ATF and the Wilmington Police Department, with Special Assistant United States Attorney William Van Trigt of the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) played a key role in this case, as it is part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce violent crime. Through PSN, stakeholders collaborate to tackle violent crime problems and develop solutions, focusing on the most violent offenders like Riley.
For more information and related court documents, visit the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER by searching Case No. 7:22-cr-00143FL.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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