A gang member who played a role in a Fort Worth armed robbery has been sentenced to 75 years in prison.
On Wednesday, 29-year-old Gerald Desmond Griffin was convicted of one count of engaging in organized criminal activity and one count of aggravated robbery, says the Criminal District Attorney from Tarrant County in a press release.
Jurors deliberated for about 18 minutes before sentencing Griffin to 75 years on each count. Both sentences will run concurrently, said Tarrant County's DA in a press release.
During the trial, evidence presented by two prosecutors showed that on Oct. 2, 2012, Griffin drove two gang members to the Hillcrest Apartments in the 3700 block of Pinnacle Circle to commit a robbery. Two of the men with Griffin approached a vehicle that was occupied by a man and woman.
According to the Tarrant County Press release, one of the two robbers was a lookout while the other pointed a gun at the man who was sitting in the drivers seat of the car. The robber demanded the passanger to give them what he had. However, as the robber attempted to enter the vehicle the man inside the car was able to take the gun away from the robber.
The man inside the vehicle immediately opened fire at the two robbers as they tried to run away. The robber who was acting as the lookout was shot in the jaw and the abdominal area but survived.
The prosecutor were able to present additional evidence against Griffin that tied all three men to another robbery in Fort Worth that occurred that same day. Other robberies that were committed the previous week were also connected to the three men, said a Tarrant County press release.
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Police were lead to Griffin during the investigation and were able to discover that Griffin was a leader in a criminal street gang in Arlington.
Additionally the jury was informed that Griffin was an ex-convict and had past convictions for aggravated assault, robbery and evading arrest, said the Tarrant County DA in a press release.
Prosecutor Michelle Dobson said "This verdict puts and end to his criminal escapades and prevents him from leading other gang members down the same path."
