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Thirteen Firearms Stolen in Brazen Burglary at Alvin Gun Store
HOUSTON — In a shocking display of lawlessness, 28-year-old Robert Louis Thomas and his accomplices, Cedric Howard Duncan and Charles Bernard Byrd, orchestrated a brazen burglary at Big Bucks Gun and Pawn, a federal firearm licensee, located at 2201 Bypass 35 N in Alvin, Texas.
On December 18, 2017, Thomas and Duncan broke into the store by using a sledgehammer to create a hole in the wall. They made off with 13 firearms, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos in their wake.
But the getaway was not without its hiccups. Two of the stolen firearms were recovered shortly after the burglary, abandoned near a dumpster. The remaining 11 firearms were eventually sold by Byrd, who acted as the get-away driver.
Byrd’s role in the crime was significant, as he acknowledged selling 11 of the stolen firearms, which were eventually recovered by law enforcement. The full extent of the damage wrought by Thomas and his accomplices is still being felt, as the stolen firearms continue to pose a threat to public safety.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks handed down a 62-month sentence to Thomas, stating that the crime was ‘very serious’ and that the consequences of their actions are still being felt. In addition to the prison sentence, Thomas was also ordered to pay $14,624 in restitution.
In related cases, co-defendants Cedric Howard Duncan and Charles Bernard Byrd were previously sentenced to 36 months and 42 months, respectively, for their roles in the burglary. All three men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation into the burglary was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the police departments in Alvin and Houston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennie Basile is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making communities safer.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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