Eddie Battles, Armed Robbery, Florida 2013

Eddie Battles, Armed Robbery, Florida 2013

Jacksonville, Florida - In a shocking turn of events, former substitute teacher Eddie Battles, 26, of Valdosta, Georgia, was sentenced to 16 years and 2 months in federal prison for 11 counts of armed robbery and 2 counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to court documents, Battles started robbing Dollar General stores in and around South Georgia and North Florida in November 2011. In most of the robberies, he used a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol. Battles acted alone until March 2012, when his brother, Eric Williams, joined in the robberies.

Battles had worked as a substitute teacher in Valdosta during the time he committed the robberies. He also previously worked as an assistant manager at the Dollar General store in Lake Park, Georgia. The Lake Park store was the first one he robbed.

Eric Williams pleaded guilty for his role in the offenses on August 21, 2013, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, 2014.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, the Suwanee County Sheriff's Office, the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Talbot.

This case is part of the Department of Justice's 'Project Safe Neighborhoods' program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, along with Julie Leon, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

This case is also a part of ATF's Frontline strategy to consolidate limited law enforcement resources by deconflicting cases and coordinating efforts in critical communities.

The sentencing hearing took place yesterday at the U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard's court.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/former-substitute-teacher-sentenced-more-16-years-multiple-armed-robberies