Robert A. Williams, Armed Robbery & Firearms Charges, New York 2014

A brazen armed robbery at a Watertown convenience store has landed a local man behind bars. Robert A. Williams, 22, of Watertown, NY, pleaded guilty to federal charges of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

The crime occurred on July 31, 2013, at approximately 12:41 am, when Williams and an accomplice entered the Sunoco store located at 1222 Washington Street, Watertown, NY, with the intent to rob it. Williams pointed a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun at the store clerk and demanded money.

During the plea hearing on July 8, 2014, Williams admitted to possessing a Remington rifle and a Savage shotgun at his residence. In 2012, Williams was convicted in Jefferson County Court of four counts of Third Degree Burglary.

Williams faces a statutory maximum of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of 25 years imprisonment. He is also subject to a maximum fine of $250,000 per count of conviction. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2014, before the Honorable Glenn T. Suddaby in Syracuse, NY.

The prosecution was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Syracuse, New York, the Watertown Police Department, and the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ransom P. Reynolds.

For further information, contact Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney John Duncan at (315) 448-0672.

Williams’ guilty plea comes as a relief to the community, which has been plagued by a string of armed robberies in recent years. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of community policing and the need for residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.

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