Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Three Sarasota, Florida residents, who previously admitted to traveling in a stolen vehicle and committing the May 2018 robbery of the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen made the announcement.

Christyen Sumpter, 27, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 20 years. Michael Anthony Wilson, 25, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 12 years. Perla Isel Pineda-Osorio, 25, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 2 years and 9 months.

All three defendants pleaded guilty in July to one count of robbery by threatening physical violence, one count of transporting a stolen vehicle in interstate commerce, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, possess a motor vehicle that had crossed a state boundary after being stolen, and transporting in interstate commerce a vehicle that had been stolen.

“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting, in federal court, individuals who commit acts of violence in our local communities,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today.  “I am grateful for the hard work and collaboration of our federal, state, and local partners on this important case and our violence-reduction initiatives across the district.” 

According to court documents, on May 28, 2018, an individual in South Carolina picked up Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson, who posed as hitchhikers.  The three defendants pulled guns on the driver and demanded he take them to various ATMs to withdraw money from his account.  After taking the driver’s money, the defendants abandoned the victim on the side of the road and stole his vehicle.  Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson then proceeded to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they robbed a convenience store.  The three committed a similar armed robbery at a store in Jonesville, North Carolina.  Later that same night, all three committed another robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, Virginia.  Soon after the robbery, law enforcement spotted the stolen vehicle in which they were traveling and a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle eventually crashed and the defendants were taken into custody.  The guns used in the robberies were recovered and, although they looked like real firearms, were determined to be BB guns. 

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Wythe County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, with assistance by the Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department, the Jonesville (NC) Police Department, the Montgomery County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, the New River Valley (VA) Regional Jail, the Orangeburg (SC) Department of Public Safety, the Pulaski County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota (FL) Police Department, the South Carolina State Police, and the Virginia State Police.

Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.

Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A third Florida resident has admitted to traveling in a stolen vehicle and committing the May 2018 armed robbery of the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, according to a plea agreement entered in U.S. District Court yesterday in Abingdon and announced today by United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen.

Christyen Sumpter, 27, of Sarasota, Fla., pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of robbery by threatening physical violence, one count of transporting a vehicle in interstate commerce knowing the same vehicle to have been stolen, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, possess a motor vehicle that had crossed a state boundary after being stolen, and transporting in interstate commerce a vehicle that had been stolen. Earlier this month, Michael Anthony Wilson and Perla Isel Pineda-Osorio, also of Sarasota, pled guilty to the same charges in relation to the robbery.

“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to take all acts of violence and those crimes involving firearms seriously,” United States Attorney Cullen stated today. “We will work with our federal, state, and local partners to prosecute violent offenders and make our communities safer.”

According to court documents, on May 28, 2018, an individual in South Carolina picked up Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson, who posed as hitchhikers.  The three defendants pulled guns on the driver and demanded that he take them to various ATMs to withdraw money from his account.  After taking the driver’s money, they abandoned him on the side of the rode and stole his vehicle.  Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson then proceeded to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they robbed a convenience store.  The three committed a similar armed robbery at a store in Jonesville, North Carolina.  Later that same night, all three committed another robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, Virginia.  Soon after the robbery, law enforcement spotted the stolen vehicle in which they were traveling and a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle eventually crashed and the defendants were taken into custody.  The guns used in the robberies were recovered and, while looking like real firearms, were determined to be BB guns. 

All three defendants will be sentenced on October 16, 2019, at 2:30 p.m.  At sentencing, the defendants each face a maximum of thirty-five years in prison.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Wythe County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, with assistance by Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department, Jonesville (NC) Police Department, Montgomery County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, New River Valley (VA) Regional Jail, Orangeburg (SC) Department of Public Safety, Pulaski County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota (FL) Police Department, South Carolina State Police, and Virginia State Police.

Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.

Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A Florida man and woman, who traveled in a stolen vehicle and committed a robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, pleaded guilty last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to a series of related federal charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.

Michael Anthony Wilson, 25 and Perla Isel Pineda-Osorio, 24, both of Sarasota, Fla., pleaded guilty last week, while a third defendant, Christyen Elijah Sumpter, is scheduled to plead guilty on July 25, 2019. 

On Thursday, July 11, 2019, in U.S. District Court, both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of robbery by threatening physical violence, one count of transporting a vehicle in interstate commerce knowing the same vehicle to have been stolen, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, possess a motor vehicle that had crossed a state boundary after being stolen, and transporting in interstate commerce a vehicle that had been stolen.

“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach with individuals who commit acts of violence with firearms,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today.  “Robbery can, under many circumstances, result in federal prosecution, and we are committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify violent offenders and send them to federal prison.” 

According to court documents, on May 28, 2018, an individual in South Carolina picked up Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson, who posed as hitchhikers.  The three defendants pulled guns on the driver and demanded that he take them to various ATMs to withdraw money from his account.  After taking the driver’s money, they abandoned him on the side of the rode and stole his vehicle.  Pineda-Osorio, Sumpter, and Wilson then proceeded to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they robbed a convenience store.  The three committed a similar armed robbery at a store in Jonesville, North Carolina.  Later that same night, all three committed another robbery at the I-81 Travel Plaza in Wythe County, Virginia.  Soon after the robbery, law enforcement spotted the stolen vehicle in which they were traveling and a high-speed chase ensued. The vehicle eventually crashed and the defendants were taken into custody.  The guns used in the robberies were recovered and, while looking like real firearms, were determined to be BB guns.  At sentencing, the defendants each face a maximum of thirty-five years in prison.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Wythe County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, with assistance by Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Police Department, Jonesville (NC) Police Department, Montgomery County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, New River Valley (VA) Regional Jail, Orangeburg (SC) Department of Public Safety, Pulaski County (VA) Sheriff’s Office, Sarasota (FL) Police Department, South Carolina State Police, and Virginia State Police.

Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.