Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison

DALLAS — A Dallas man, Christopher Dewayne James, who admitted that he and his accomplices, David Ricks and Manuel Howard, committed armed robberies in Dallas in August 2015, was sentenced today by U.S. District David C. Godbey to serve 220 months (18 years) in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

James, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2016 to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during or in relation to a crime of violence.  Co-defendant Ricks, 23, also of Dallas, pleaded guilty in February 2016 to the same offenses and was sentenced in June 2016 to 190 months imprisonment. Co-defendant Howard, 19, also of Dallas, pleaded guilty in January 2016 to the same offenses and was sentenced in April 2016 to 120 months imprisonment.

According to documents filed in the case, the three committed armed robberies in Dallas at the following locations:

August 21, 2015 at 2:00 a.m.              7-Eleven store             11441 Shiloh Road

August 21, 2015 at 4:20 a.m.              Shell Station               2313 S. Buckner Blvd.

August 21, 2015 at 5:45 a.m.              7-Eleven store             5804 Abrams Road

August 23, 2015 at 2:40 a.m.              7-Eleven store             11441 Shiloh Road

All of these robberies were committed in essentially the same manner, James would pick the robbery location, drive Ricks and Howard to that location, Ricks and Howard would use loaded firearms to threaten and force the store clerks to comply with their demands, while James stayed in   the car as the getaway driver. 

During the August 23, 2015 robbery, Ricks and Howard ordered the two store clerks to the back of the store, and to lie on the floor on their stomachs. While in the process of searching the store clerks, Ricks punched one of the clerks in the face and Howard pistol-whipped the same clerk causing the gun to discharge and fire one shot.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wirmani is prosecuting the case.

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