Muskogee Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing Firearm During Robbery

MUSKOGEE, OK—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that ERIC ANDERSON, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, pled guilty on August 17, 2011 to brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).

Charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department. ANDERSON was indicted on July 12, 2011, by the grand jury sitting in and for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee.

On or about May 19, 2011, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, ANDERSON, obstructed, delayed, and affected commerce by robbery, by knowingly, wilfully, and intentionally taking and obtaining money from the presence of an employee of McDonald’s Restaurant, a company engaged in and conducting business in interstate commerce at 2415 Chandler Road, Muskogee, Oklahoma. During the robbery ANDERSON knowingly brandished and possessed a firearm, specifically: one Bersa S.A. Thunder 380 .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the defendant’s guilty plea and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion. The defendant will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence is in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c) and is punishable by not less than seven years’ imprisonment, and/or a $250,000 fine, and a discretionary term of supervised release of not more than five five years.

Assistant United States Attorney Shannon L. Henson represented the United States.