MEMPHIS, TN—Ronnie Jackson, Jr., 29, of Memphis, TN, was sentenced to a prison sentence of 1846 months, or 153 years and 10 months, following his conviction on March 13, 2014, by a federal jury on 12 counts related to a series of business robberies in and around Shelby County, announced Edward L. Stanton III, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.

According the facts presented in the indictment and revealed in open court, Jackson and his accomplices robbed three Dollar General Stores, a Family Dollar Store, and two Walgreens drug stores in April and May of 2012. During the last robbery, Jackson and a female accomplice went into the Walgreens at 824 West Poplar Street, Collierville, TN, to case the store. After Jackson and his female accomplice returned to their getaway vehicle, two male accomplices entered the store, forcing approximately 14 customers and five employees to the floor at gunpoint. They ordered the manager to open the safe and took more than $6,000.

One of the victims of the robbery managed to dial 911, and Collierville Police converged on the scene, arriving in time to witness one of the male accomplices attempting to enter the getaway vehicle. Jackson and his female accomplice were taken into custody and the male accomplices were apprehended after a brief foot pursuit.

Jackson was convicted on six counts of robbing a business engaged in interstate commerce (also known as “Hobbs Act” robberies), and six counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence.

In addition to the prison sentence, United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson ordered Jackson to serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

This case was investigated by the Safe Streets Task Force, specifically by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Memphis Police Department, and the Collierville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bo Summers represented the government.