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United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley sentenced James Rogers, 49, of Hempstead to 184 months in prison for conspiring to commit gunpoint robberies of retail stores in Nassau and Suffolk between August 10, 2015 and Dec. 21, 2015.
Rogers also brandished a firearm during the robbery of a Petco store in Hicksville, New York on Aug. 20, 2015.
Rogers pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2017 and was sentenced at the federal courthouse in Central Islip on Thursday, Nov. 14.
The sentence was announced by Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
At the guilty plea proceeding, officials say Rogers admitted his role in a total of 15 retail business robberies in 11 different towns throughout Suffolk and Nassau Counties.
Most of the robberies were committed at or near opening or closing times while his face was covered with a mask. Rogers would brandish a handgun, threaten employees and customers and restrain them using toy handcuffs or plastic zip-tie restraints, officials say.
Rogers also admitted to stealing cash, jewelry and other personal items from victims before fleeing in a vehicle driven by the co-conspirator.
“The defendant terrorized his victims during a violent crime spree, fully justifying today’s lengthy prison sentence. Our communities are safer as a result of his incarceration,” said Donoghue.
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