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Richmond Man Convicted of Attempted Armed Home Invasion Robbery
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury has convicted a Richmond man of attempting to rob a drug dealer at gunpoint.
Robert Lee Pernell, 42, was found guilty of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery, and using a firearm in furtherance of the attempted robbery.
The jury delivered the verdict on [date] after hearing evidence that Pernell and an accomplice ambushed a man and woman as they returned home to their Smoketree South residence in Chesterfield, Virginia, late one night. The couple attempted to flee into the house, but Pernell jammed the barrel of a shotgun in the doorway, preventing it from closing.
A struggle ensued just inside the doorway. The man was pushed out into the yard and one of the assailants shot a firearm at him. As this was happening, the woman fled for the back of the house and grabbed a pistol from the bedroom. Pernell, armed with a shotgun, pursued the woman and as he entered the bedroom fired the shotgun he was carrying. The woman fired the pistol she had grabbed, shooting Pernell in the arm.
Pernell and his accomplice fled the house. Fearing for her life, the woman hid in the bedroom closet until the Chesterfield County Police arrived. A subsequent search of the house resulted in the discovery of approximately 116 grams of crack cocaine and over $125,000 in cash that belonged to the residents.
Pernell faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years of incarceration and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment when he is sentenced on July 25, 2013.
This case was investigated by the Chesterfield County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Olivia L. Norman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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