Hakeem Alexander Coles, Hobbs Act Robbery & Assault, Minnesota 2020

Grimy Times has learned that a Minneapolis man, Hakeem Alexander Coles, 25, has been sentenced to a whopping 17 years in prison for a violent armed robbery and assault of a corrections officer. This sentencing comes after Coles pleaded guilty on July 16, 2020, to the charges.

According to the sentencing documents, Coles committed a violent armed robbery of Cowboy Jacks Bar and Grill in downtown Minneapolis on August 17, 2019. During the robbery, Coles held the general manager at gunpoint with a short-barreled shotgun and demanded that she fill a backpack with cash from the safe. Coles tied the victim's hands with a phone cord and violently punched her in the side of her head, causing her to lose consciousness. He stole more than $24,000 from the business.

Coles then fled to Texas, where he allegedly committed another armed robbery. He was eventually stopped and arrested in Louisiana, where he was found in possession of a semiautomatic pistol and another short-barreled shotgun. Coles has been federally charged with Hobbs Act robbery and firearms violations in Texas and Louisiana.

But that's not all - in January 2020, after being transferred back to the District of Minnesota, Coles attacked and violently assaulted a Sherburne County Sheriff's Office Corrections Officer, causing significant injuries including a traumatic brain injury.

United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald stated, 'Mr. Coles inflicted extreme violence and injury on his victims. This type of violence is unacceptable in our communities, and my office, along with our dedicated law enforcement partners, remains committed to holding accountable violent offenders such as this.'

Hakeem Alexander Coles, the defendant, faces a lengthy prison sentence for his crimes. The exact sentence is 204 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $86,200 in restitution. This is a significant blow to the community and a testament to the dedication of law enforcement to bringing perpetrators to justice.

Defendant Information:

Hakeem Alexander Coles, 25, Minneapolis, Minn.

Convicted:

Hobbs Act robbery, 1 count

Assault of a person assisting federal law enforcement officers, 1 count

Sentenced:

204 months in prison

Three years of supervised release

$86,200 in restitution

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/minneapolis-man-sentenced-17-years-prison-violent-armed-robbery-downtown-minneapolis-bar