Man sentenced for 'violent' robberies of metro Atlanta Walmarts

ajc.com

An Atlanta man has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for a “violent crime spree” that spanned four counties, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Deanthony Foster, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence on Aug. 11, 2017. The charges were connected to seven armed robberies of six Walmart stores and one Citgo station in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

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In the robberies, Foster entered each store wearing a surgical mask and carrying a gun, the Justice Department said in a release. During one robbery, Foster shot into the floor of a Walmart; after Foster’s indictment, law enforcement agents learned that Foster had shot an employee in the leg during another robbery in Cobb County, the release said.

Foster chose the Walmart stores and Citgo station in advance of each robbery and conducted surveillance of the locations before each incident, the release said.

“Foster cared nothing for people or their safety while he sought to enrich himself at the end of a gun,” said U. S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak in the release. “He seriously injured one individual and terrorized many others, including employees and members of the public by displaying a firearm, and in one instance, discharging a firearm. His sentence is lengthy and reflective of the seriousness of his crime.”

In addition to the 32-year sentence, Foster will be subject to three years of supervised release once he leaves prison and will have to pay $24,791 in restitution and a special assessment of $200.

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