Roderick Randolph Lester, Armed Robbery, Florida 2016

A Jacksonville man has been sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison for committing armed robbery in the city. Roderick Randolph Lester, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan on today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville.

Lester was convicted of robbery, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and violating his federal supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offense.

According to court documents, on September 26, 2016, Lester went to a tire store in Jacksonville and asked the clerk for a used tire. Lester was quoted a price, and then told the clerk that he should not have to pay for the tire because of his business relationship with the owner of the store.

Lester then cursed at the clerk and stated that he was taking the tire. Lester loaded the tire into his truck, at which point the clerk attempted to take the tire from him. Lester then pulled a pistol from a holster on his waist, pointed it at the clerk, and stated that he was taking the tire.

Officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and apprehended Lester a few blocks from the tire store. A search of the scene revealed that Lester had discarded the pistol on top of a hedge nearby. The stolen tire was found in the back of Lester’s truck. During an interview with officers, Lester admitted that he had possessed the firearm and that he knew he was not allowed to carry firearms.

At the time of these incidents, Lester was on federal supervised release for a 2010 federal firearms conviction. He also had previous convictions for manslaughter, burglary, and an additional firearms possession charge, and therefore was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/jacksonville-felon-sentenced-more-eight-years-committing-armed-robbery