Rickey Groves Convicted in Armed Robbery Spree, Faces Minimum of 1,284 Months in Prison Release

MEMPHIS—Rickey Groves a/k/a Rickey Hughes, 29, of Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted by a jury on Tuesday of four counts of robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce and four counts of using a firearm during each robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton, III.

In April and May 2008, Groves robbed at least four restaurants at gunpoint near Southeast Memphis. The spree included the McDonalds located at 3377 Winchester Road; the McDonalds located at 1755 Getwell; the Popeye’s located at 4720 Showcase Blvd; and The Kettle located at 4139 Winchester Road.

The crimes were prosecuted under the Hobbs Act, which allows the federal government to have jurisdiction when a business engaged in interstate commerce is robbed. Groves could receive up to 960 months in prison for the robberies. Because he used a firearm during the commission of the criminal acts, he will be facing a mandatory sentence of 1200 months, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

Sentencing for Groves has been scheduled for December 6, 2012, before District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. He is currently awaiting sentencing on a previous conviction with a mandatory minimum sentence of 84 months.

The investigation was conducted by the Safe Streets Task Force, specifically by the Memphis Police Department and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.