Former Soldiers Sentenced for Armed Robbery

WILMINGTON—United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court on June 11, 2010, Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced DOUGLAS T. ROBERTS, 20, and DERRICK R. HOLSTON, JR., 23, for their roles in two Fort Bragg armed robberies. ROBERTS received 147 months’ imprisonment followed by five years’ supervised release. HOLSTON received 122 months’ imprisonment followed by five years’ supervised release. The Court imposed restitution of $720 for both defendants.

A federal grand jury returned a Criminal Indictment on November 5, 2009. Both defendants pled guilty on March 1, 2010, to one court of conspiring to commit robbery in a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, two counts of aiding and abetting robbery in a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On July 13, 2009, and July 26, 2009, HOLSTON and ROBERTS went onto Fort Bragg into the Smoke Bomb Hill barracks area. They would knock on a barracks’ door, and when a soldier would open the door, the defendants pointed a Hi Point Firearms .380 caliber, Model CF 380, pistol at the soldier, robbing the soldier of personal belongings. Items stolen included cell phones, video game systems, and televisions.

After ROBERTS and HOLSTON were apprehended for an unrelated robbery charge, the investigation led to the discovery of evidence linking them to the Fort Bragg robberies.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the United State Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Fayetteville Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Schneider represented the government.