Stockton Man Indicted for Using a Firearm to Rob Fire Wings Restaurant

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Douglas Sharron Piggee Jr., 51, of Stockton, charging him with Hobbs Act Robbery, brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on July 21, 2022, Piggee robbed employees of the Fire Wings restaurant in Stockton while brandishing a loaded Polymer 80 Glock 19-style, privately manufactured handgun. Piggee is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of seven felonies, including armed bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the San Joaquin County Sheriff Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Piggee faces a minimum statutory penalty of seven years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.