One Hallandale Resident and Two Palm Beach Residents Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for Robbing Treasure Coast PNC Banks at Gunpoint

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; John A. Bolduc, Chief, Port St. Lucie Police Department; Ken J. Mascara, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office; Sean Baldwin Chief, Ft. Pierce Police Departmen; J. Michelle Morris, Chief, Sebastian Police Department; and Deryl Loar, Sheriff, Indian River Sheriff’s Office, announce the sentencing of Raven Simone Sayers, 23, of Hallandale, by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez. Sayers was sentenced to 162 months in prison, followed by three years’ supervised release.

Also previously sentenced in this case were defendants Ivory Lee Robinson, III, 22, and Tomaleesha Jeffie Laqua McKeliver, 22, both of West Palm Beach, by U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham. Robinson, a career offender, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on February 27, 2014; and McKeliver was sentenced to 102 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on December 16, 2013.

Each of the defendants previously pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951, and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).

According to court documents, during the night of July 7, 2013 into the early morning hours of July 8, 2013, Sayers, Robinson, McKeliver, Paul Edward Moore, Joe JR Desilien, Herbert Lenorris Smith, Jr., Anthony Isaac Johnson, and Allan Demetrius Bradford planned and agreed to rob two St. Lucie County PNC Banks at gun point. In order to carry out the two robberies, the group separated into two teams. The plan was for each team to have a female as a getaway driver and three males. Sayers and McKeliver agreed to be the robbery getaway drivers. Each team would steal a van, rob each of the banks at gunpoint with their faces covered, leave the bank in the van, and transfer into the getaway vehicles in order to flee the area. Sayers and McKeliver drove rental cars. The two teams traveled from Palm Beach County to St. Lucie County in the two rented cars. While en route, the two teams remained in cellular phone contact with one another. Once in St. Lucie County, the teams scouted PNC Banks and escape routes and stole two vans in Ft. Pierce for use in the two bank robberies.

Later on July 8, 2013, between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. two St Lucie County PNC Banks were robbed at gunpoint, almost simultaneously. Law enforcement eventually identified, located, arrested, and charged Sayers, Robinson, McKeliver, and their co-conspirators.

A jury trial for Paul Edward Moore, Anthony Isaac Johnson, and Joe JR Desilien is set for May 19, 2014 before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez in Ft. Pierce.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, Port St. Lucie Police Department, Ft. Pierce Police Department, Sebastian Police Department, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Indian River Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Port Orange Police Department, and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger.