Georgia Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Armed Robbery

Melvin Mitchell, a man arrested in 2017 for armed robbery, was convicted and sentenced this past week to thirteen years in prison.

According to reports, Mitchell paid for a pack of gum from a local Walmart, and when the cashier opened the register, he threatened her with a handgun if she didn't give him all of the cash in the register.

The Paulding County Sheriff released this statement after the incident: “We need to make sure that all of our citizens are always vigilant and aware of their surroundings whether at work, while traveling, or at home. And as always, if you suspect criminal activity in your area, contact 911 or the proper authorities to report it.” 

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the offense of armed robbery in today's post.

Armed Robbery in Georgia

Armed Robbery in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §16-8-41 as:

A person commits the offense of armed robbery when, with intent to commit theft, he or she takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another by use of an offensive weapon, or any replica, article, or device have the appearance of such weapon.

Weapons that have been found to be offensive per se include a machete, sword, knife, and gun. These have been categorized as offensive per se because they do not have innocent qualities to them. Weapons that have honest qualities to them are things like ordinary razors, or penknives because they have an innocent purpose. 

Armed Robbery is classified as a felony offense in Georgia. An armed robbery conviction carries a potential penalty of ten to twenty years in prison. The very minimum sentence is ten years in prison with no early release. Prison terms for life are another common penalty for Armed Robbery. Furthermore, the most severe penalty in Georgia for Armed Robbery is the death penalty.

Practice Note

As you can see from the law above, the consequences of an armed robbery conviction are very serious. If convicted of armed robbery, you are looking at a minimum of 10 years in prison.

A Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney can help a person to avoid these penalties. Contact us today if you or a loved one has been arrested for armed robbery or any other crime in Georgia. We can walk you through all of your options and determine which course of action is best for you.

Call now.