News reports indicate that a St. Louis, Missouri woman, Chrice Shunta Combs, 32, was recently sentenced to a whopping 16 years in federal prison for robbing three cash advance stores in 2010.
The robberies occurred in Illinois at several locations of “The Cash Store.” Combs was armed with a handgun and a knife when she robbed branches of the payday loan company over a four month time period. Beyond simply serving time, Combs was ordered to repay the $10,125 she stole from the stores.
Combs was charged and ultimately pled guilty over the summer to three counts of interference with commerce by violence in the commission of a robbery as well as one gun charge.
18 USC § 1951 is the section of federal law that deals with such crimes and it says that:
“Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.”
In this instance, prosecutors successfully sought both jail time and a fine. Prosecutors made their case by bringing forward employees of the stores who described the terrifying experience of being robbed at gunpoint. Some said they would never be able to forget the fear they felt and others mentioned how they worry every time a new customer walks through the door.
If you’ve had a run in with the law and find yourself in need of a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer capable of fighting for your freedom, don’t hesitate to contact our St. Louis criminal law firm today at (314) 863-0500.
Source: “St. Louis woman gets 16 years for three robberies,” by Robert Patrick, published at STLToday.com.
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